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Word Analysis & Comparison
21. Surah • 44. Verse
Word Analysis
بَلْ
bal
Nay
هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ
hāulāi
(to) these
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
عَلَيْهِمُ
ʿalayhimu
for them
أَفَلَا
afalā
Then do not
أَنَّا
annā
that We
مِنْ
min
from
أَفَهُمُ
afahumu
So is (it) they
Rashad Khalifa
The Final Testament
We have provided for these people and their ancestors, up until an old age. Do they not see that every day on earth brings them closer to the end? Can they reverse this process?
The Monotheist Group
The Quran: A Monotheist Translation
It was Us who gave luxury to these and their fathers, until they grew old with age. Do they not see that We come to the land and reduce it from its edges? Will they be able to win?
Edip-Layth
Quran: A Reformist Translation
It was Us who gave luxury to these and their fathers, until they grew old with age. Do they not see that We come to the land and make it shrink from its edges? Will they be able to win?
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Holy Quran Translation
Nay, We gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them; See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will win?
Marmaduke Pickthall
Holy Quran Translation
Nay, but We gave these and their fathers ease until life grew long for them. See they not how we aim to the land, reducing it of its outlying parts? Can they then be the victors?
Taqi Usmani
Holy Quran Translation
But We have given benefits to these and their fathers until life was prolonged for them. So do they not see that We are coming to the land narrowing it down from all its sides? Then, are they the ones to prevail?
Al-Hilali & Khan
Holy Quran Translation
Nay, We gave the luxuries of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them. See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will overcome?[1]
Abul A'la Maududi
Tafhim commentary
Nay, We generously provided them and their fathers, and they enjoyed Our provision for long.[1] Do they not see that We are now advancing into their territory, diminishing it from different sides?[2] Is it they, then, who will triumph?"[3]
3
It means: When they know that all the resources and provisions of life are in Our hands and that We can increase or decrease them as We will, do they have the power and strength to defend themselves against Our punishment? Can they not see from these signs that their power, prosperity and luxury are not everlasting and that there is an All-Powerful Allah to seize and punish them.
1
In other words it means: These people have been deluded by Our favor and Our provisions. They think they are enjoying prosperity and good life as their personal right and there is none to take it away from them. They have forgotten that there is God above them Who is able to make or mar their fortune.
2
In this connection, see (Surah Ar-Raad, Ayat 41 and E.N. 60) thereof. Here it bears an additional meaning also: Do they not see that an All-Powerful Being is showing His signs every now and then everywhere on the earth in the form of famines, epidemics, floods, earthquakes and other calamities. Millions of people are killed, habitations and harvests are destroyed and other damages are caused, which frustrate all human designs?
Abdul Haleem
Holy Quran Translation
We have allowed these sinners and their forefathers to enjoy life for a long time. But do they not see how We are shrinking their borders? Is it they who will prevail?
Mustafa Khattab
The Clear Quran
In fact, We have allowed enjoyment for these ˹Meccans˺ and their forefathers for such a long time ˹that they took it for granted˺. Do they not see that We gradually reduce ˹their˺ land from its borders? Is it they who will then prevail?
Aisha Bewley
Holy Quran Translation
No indeed! We have given these people enjoyment, as We did their fathers, until life seemed long and good to them. Do they not see how We come to the land eroding it from its extremities? Or are they the victors?
E. Henry Palmer
Holy Quran Translation
Nay, but we have granted enjoyment to these men and to their fathers whilst life was prolonged. Do they not see that we come to the land and shorten its borders? Shall they then prevail?
Hamid S. Aziz
Holy Quran Translation
Have they gods to defend them against Us? These cannot help themselves, nor can they be defended against Us.
Amatul Rahman Omar
Holy Quran Translation
The thing is that We provided those and their fathers with the good things (of this world), until a long period (of enjoyment) passed over them (and now they are steeped in negligence). But do they not see that We are invading the land (of disbelief) and are gradually reducing it from its outlying borders? Can they even then be the victors?
Ali Quli Qarai
Holy Quran Translation
Rather We have provided for them and their fathers until they lived on for long years. Do they not see how We visit the land diminishing it at its edges? Are they the ones who will prevail?
Bijan Moeinian
Holy Quran Translation
I have given to the disbelievers (as well as their ancestors) a fixed life span. Can they not see how, every day, they get closer and closer to the end of their life? Can they reverse this process?
Arthur John Arberry
Holy Quran Translation
Nay, but Ourselves gave these and their fathers enjoyment of days, until their life had lasted long while upon them. What, do they not see how We come to the land, diminishing it in its extremities? Or are they the victors?
George Sale
Holy Quran Translation
But We have permitted these men and their fathers to enjoy worldly prosperity, so long as life was continued unto them. Do they not perceive that We come unto the land of the unbelievers, and straiten the borders thereof? Shall they therefore be the conquerors?
Mahmoud Ghali
Holy Quran Translation
No indeed, (but) We gave these and their fathers enjoyment (of days), until age grew long for them. Do they then not see that We come up to the earth, diminishing it in its extremes? Or are they then the overcomers?
Mohamed Ahmed - Samira
Holy Quran Translation
We allowed them and their fathers time to enjoy till the very end of their lives. Do they not see Us advancing into the land, reducing its frontiers? Would they still prevail?
Muhammad Asad
Holy Quran Translation
Nay, We have allowed these [sinners] – as [We allowed] their forebears – to enjoy the good things of life for a great length of time: but then – have they never yet seen how We visit the earth [with Our punishment], gradually depriving it of all that is best thereon? Can they, then, [hope to] be the winners?
Abdel Khalek Himmat
Al- Muntakhab
We granted these people together with their fathers comfort and enjoyment and all that advantaged them of Our blessings in life as long as they lived. Do they not see that We reduce their territories and straiten their outlying borders -by rapid progress of Islam-. is it then they who are the winners or the conquerors!
Progressive Muslims
Holy Quran Translation
It was Us who gave luxury to these and their fathers, until they grew old with age. Do they not see that We come to the land and make it shrink from its edges Will they be able to win
Shabbir Ahmed
Holy Quran Translation
Nay, We let these people and their ancestors enjoy the good things of life for a long time. Don't they see that Our Law visits the earth and We gradually reduce the land in their control? Can they prevail against Our Laws? (Don't they see that every day on earth brings them closer to the end? (13:41)).
Syed Vickar Ahamed
Holy Quran Translation
No, We gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers till (their) time grew long for them; Do they not see that We slowly reduce (their) land from its far borders? Then, is it they who will win?
Sahih International
(Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)
But, [on the contrary], We have provided good things for these [disbelievers] and their fathers until life was prolonged for them. Then do they not see that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders? So it is they who will overcome?
Sam Gerrans
The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation
But We gave these and their fathers enjoyment until life became long for them. Have they then not considered that We come to the earth, diminishing it from its extremities? Is it then they who will be the victors?