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Word Analysis & Comparison
16. Surah • 9. Verse
Word Analysis
وَعَلَى
waʿalā
And upon
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
وَمِنْهَا
wamin'hā
and among them
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
Rashad Khalifa
The Final Testament
GOD points out the paths, including the wrong ones. If He willed, He could have guided all of you.
The Monotheist Group
The Quran: A Monotheist Translation
And upon God the path is sought; and from it are deviations. And if He had wished, He could have guided you all.
Edip-Layth
Quran: A Reformist Translation
To God shall be the path, but some are mislead. If He wished, He could have guided you all.
Abul A'la Maududi
Tafhim commentary
It rests with Allah alone to show you the Right Way, even when there are many crooked ways.[1] Had He so willed, He would have (perforce) guided you all aright.[2]
2
There are many divergent ways of thought and action open for man to choose from. Obviously all these divergent ways cannot be straight ways, because there can be only one straight way; therefore, there can be only one right theory of life which is based on that way, and only one right way of life which is based on that right theory. Thus it is clear that the choice of the right way of life is man’s most important and basic need, for its wrong choice would inevitably lead to his ruin. This is because all other things fulfill his animal needs only, but this is the greatest necessity of his life as a human being and without its fulfillment his life would be an utter failure.
1
This contains an argument for Prophethood along with a proof of Tauhid and of Allah’s compassion and providence. The argument is this:
Marmaduke Pickthall
Holy Quran Translation
And Allah's is the direction of the way, and some (roads) go not straight. And had He willed He would have led you all aright.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Holy Quran Translation
And unto Allah leads straight the Way, but there are ways that turn aside: if Allah had willed, He could have guided all of you.
Al-Hilali & Khan
Holy Quran Translation
And upon Allâh is the responsibility to explain the Straight Path[1]. But there are ways that turn aside (such as Paganism, Judaism and Christianity). And had He willed, He would have guided you all (mankind).
Mustafa Khattab
The Clear Quran
It is upon Allah ˹alone˺ to ˹clearly˺ show the Straight Way. Other ways are deviant. Had He willed, He would have easily imposed guidance upon all of you.
Taqi Usmani
Holy Quran Translation
Undertaken by Allah is (to show) the right path, while there are some (paths) that are crooked. Had He so willed, He would have led all of you to the right path.
Abdul Haleem
Holy Quran Translation
God points out the right path, for some paths lead the wrong way: if He wished, He could guide you all.
Mohamed Ahmed - Samira
Holy Quran Translation
To God leads the right path, though some deviate. If He willed He could guide you all to the right way.
Aisha Bewley
Holy Quran Translation
The Way should lead to Allah, but there are those who deviate from it. If He had wished He could have guided every one of you.
Bijan Moeinian
Holy Quran Translation
There are many alternative ways. God wants to show you the right path. If He willed, He would have forced you to the right path (but He wants us to exercise our freedom of choice.)
Arthur John Arberry
Holy Quran Translation
God's it is to show the way; and some do swerve from it. If He willed, He would have guided you all together.
Ali Quli Qarai
Holy Quran Translation
With Allah rests guidance to the straight path, and some of them are devious, and had He wished He would have guided you all.
E. Henry Palmer
Holy Quran Translation
God's it is to show the path; from it some turn aside: but had He pleased He would have guided you one and all.
George Sale
Holy Quran Translation
It appertaineth unto God, to instruct men in the right way; and there is who turneth aside from the same: But if He had pleased, He would certainly have directed you all.
Hamid S. Aziz
Holy Quran Translation
(Unto or For Allah) is the direction of the Straight Way; from it some turn aside (or are not straight): but had He pleased He would have led you all straight.
Mahmoud Ghali
Holy Quran Translation
And up to Allah is adoption of the (moderate) way; (i. e., it is up to É Allah "i.e., He has the authority" to guide to the moderate way) and (some) of them are trespassing; and if He had (so) decided, He would have guided you all together.
Amatul Rahman Omar
Holy Quran Translation
And (because He is our Creator) upon Allâh lies (the responsibility of) leading to the right path, for there are some (paths) deviating (from the right and moderate course and so they lead astray). And if He had (enforced) His will, He would have guided you all.
Muhammad Asad
Holy Quran Translation
And [because He is your Creator, ] it rests with God alone to show you the right path: yet there is [many a one] who swerves from it. However, had He so willed, He would have guided you all aright.
Abdel Khalek Himmat
Al- Muntakhab
It is Allah Who indicates to you the path to tread, the path of truth guiding into all truth with some deviating from righteousness. And had He willed, He would have guided you all to the one path leading directly to Him.
Progressive Muslims
Holy Quran Translation
And to God shall be the path, but some are mislead. And if He wished, He could have guided you all.
Syed Vickar Ahamed
Holy Quran Translation
And to Allah leads Straight the Way, but there are ways (of the world) that turn away: If Allah had so willed, He could have guided all of you.
Sahih International
(Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)
And upon Allah is the direction of the [right] way, and among the various paths are those deviating. And if He willed, He could have guided you all.
Shabbir Ahmed
Holy Quran Translation
(You see that these animals serve you and follow their instinct. ) Allah alone can show the Right Path, but there are ways that turn aside towards wrong. If Allah willed, He could have guided all of you. (He could have created you driven by your instinct without the ability to make choices).
Sam Gerrans
The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation
And upon God is the course of the path; and some of them deviate. And had He willed, He would have guided you all together.