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Word Analysis & Comparison
29. Surah • 24. Verse
Word Analysis
فَمَا
famā
And not
إِلَّآ
illā
except
أَن
an
that
أَوْ
aw
or
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
But Allah saved him
مِنَ
mina
from
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
فِى
fī
in
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
that
Rashad Khalifa
The Final Testament
The only response from his people was their saying, "Kill him, or burn him." But GOD saved him from the fire. This should provide lessons for people who believe.
The Monotheist Group
The Quran: A Monotheist Translation
But the only response from his people was their saying: "Kill him, or burn him." But God saved him from the fire. In this are signs for a people who believe.
Edip-Layth
Quran: A Reformist Translation
But the only response from his people was their saying: "Kill him, or burn him." But God saved him from the fire. In this are signs for a people who acknowledge.
Abdul Haleem
Holy Quran Translation
The only answer Abraham’s people gave was, ‘Kill him or burn him!’ but God saved him from the Fire: there truly are signs in this for people who believe.
Marmaduke Pickthall
Holy Quran Translation
But the answer of his folk was only that they said: "Kill him" or "Burn him." Then Allah saved him from the Fire. Lo! herein verily are portents for folk who believe.
Abul A'la Maududi
Tafhim commentary
The people[1] (of Abraham) had no other answer than to say: "Kill him or burn him."[2] But Allah delivered him from the fire.[3] There are many Signs in this for those who believe.[4]
4
"Indeed, in that are sure signs for a people who believe". Signs for the believers in this that the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) did not follow the religion of his family, community and country but followed the true knowledge through which he came to know that shirk is falsehood and Tauhid is the reality. And that he went on exhorting his people to accept the truth and to desist from falsehood in spite of their stubbornness and prejudices. And that he was even prepared to suffer the horrible punishment by the fire, but was not prepared to give up the truth. And that Allah did not even spare the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him), His friend, from the trials and tests. And that when the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) got successfully through the tests set by Allah, then did come Allah’s succor, and in such a miraculous way that the bonfire was turned cool for him.
2
That is, they had no answer to the Prophet Abraham’s (peace be upon him) rational arguments. The only answer they gave was: "Cut off the tongue that talks the truth and let not the person live who points out our error and tells us to give it up." The words, “Kill him or burn him”, indicate that the whole crowd was unanimous that the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) should be put to death. However, they differed about the method. Some said that he should be killed, and others said that he should be burnt alive, so that no one in future should dare say the sort of the thing he said.
3
This sentence by itself shows that they had at last decided to burn the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) and he was cast into the fire. Here it has only been said that Allah saved him from the fire; but in Surah Al-Anbiyaa it has been elucidated that Allah commanded: "O fire! Be cool and become safe for Abraham!" (Ayat 69). Evidently, if he was not at all cast into the fire, the command to the fire to become cool and safe would be meaningless. This proves that properties of all things are dependent on Allah’s command and whenever He pleases He can change the property of anything He likes. Normally fire burns and every combustible thing catches fire. But this property of the fire is not of its own acquisition but given by God. And this property has in no way tied up God that He may give no command against it. He is the Master of this fire. He can command it at any time to give up the property of burning. At any time, He can turn a furnace into a bed of roses. But events contrary to the course of nature occur only rarely to serve some great purpose or cause. However, the usual phenomena to which we are accustomed in our daily lives cannot be made an argument to say that Allah’s power has been tied up with these, and nothing unusual can take place even by Allah’s command.
1
From here the discourse again turns to the story of the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him).
Taqi Usmani
Holy Quran Translation
So, the response of his (Ibrāhīm) people was none but that they said, "Kill him" or “Burn him”. So Allah saved him from the fire. Surely in this there are signs for a people who believe.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Holy Quran Translation
So naught was the answer of (Abraham's) people except that they said: "Slay him or burn him." But Allah did save him from the Fire. Verily in this are Signs for people who believe.
Al-Hilali & Khan
Holy Quran Translation
So nothing was the answer of [Ibrâhîm’s (Abraham)] people except that they said: "Kill him or burn him." Then Allâh saved him from the fire. Verily, in this are indeed signs for a people who believe.[1]
Mustafa Khattab
The Clear Quran
But the only response of Abraham’s people was to say: "Kill him or burn him!" But Allah saved him from the fire.[1] Surely in this are signs for people who believe.
Aisha Bewley
Holy Quran Translation
The only answer of his people was to say: ‘Kill him or burn him!’ But Allah rescued him from the fire. There are certainly Signs in that for people who are muminun.
Arthur John Arberry
Holy Quran Translation
But the only answer of his people was that they said, 'Slay him, or burn him!' Then God delivered him from the fire; surely in that are signs for a people who believe.
Bijan Moeinian
Holy Quran Translation
The only response of the disbelievers to the invitation of Abraham was: "Kill him/ burn him. " Then God made him walk out of the fire [that the disbelievers had cast him into] so that the believers learn a lesson from this incidence [that God never leaves his sincere worshippers alone and will give them the final victory.]
Amatul Rahman Omar
Holy Quran Translation
His people had no response to make (to Abraham) but they said, `Kill him (- Abraham) or rather burn him. ' (At last they decided upon burning him) but Allâh delivered him from the fire. There are sure signs in this (episode) for the people who would believe.
Ali Quli Qarai
Holy Quran Translation
But the only answer of his people was that they said, ‘Kill him, or burn him. ’ Then Allah delivered him from the fire. There are indeed signs in that for a people who have faith.
George Sale
Holy Quran Translation
And the answer of his people was no other than that they said, slay him, or burn him. But God saved him from the fire. Verily herein were signs unto people who believed.
Hamid S. Aziz
Holy Quran Translation
"And those who disbelieve in the revelations of Allah and in their meeting with Him, these shall despair of My mercy; and for these is grievous woe. "
E. Henry Palmer
Holy Quran Translation
But the answer of his people was only to say, 'Kill him or burn him!' But God saved him from the fire; verily, in that are signs unto a people who believe.
Mahmoud Ghali
Holy Quran Translation
Yet in no way was the answer of his people (anything) except that they said, "Kill him or burn him away!" Then Allah delivered him from the fire. Surely in that are indeed signs for a people who believe.
Mohamed Ahmed - Samira
Holy Quran Translation
The people (of Abraham) had no answer except: "Kill him or burn him;" but God saved him from the fire. There are lessons in this for those who believe.
Muhammad Asad
Holy Quran Translation
Now [as for Abraham, ] his people’s only answer was, "Slay him, or burn him!" – but God saved him from the fire. Behold, in this [story] there are messages indeed for people who will believe!
Abdel Khalek Himmat
Al- Muntakhab
And what was the answer of Ibrahim's people to his admonition and exhortation but to decide to get rid of him, they said: "Kill him or burn him" but Allah saved him and delivered him from the fire whole and all sound. This is indeed emblematic of Almightiness; food for thought that is taken by those who prostrate their reason to divine revelation.
Syed Vickar Ahamed
Holy Quran Translation
So nothing was the answer from (Ibrahim's) people except that they said: "Kill him or burn him. " Then Allah did save him from the fire. Surely, in this indeed, are Signs for people who believe.
Shabbir Ahmed
Holy Quran Translation
(Abraham explained these facts to his people) but their only answer was, "Kill him or burn him alive!" But Allah saved him from their fiery rage. Behold, in this story there are signs for believers (such as, when people have no sensible answers, they resort to threats and violence (21:68), (37:96-97))
Progressive Muslims
Holy Quran Translation
But the only response from his people was their saying: "Kill him, or burn him. " But God saved him from the fire. In this are signs for a people who believe.
Sahih International
(Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)
And the answer of Abraham's people was not but that they said, "Kill him or burn him," but Allah saved him from the fire. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.
Sam Gerrans
The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation
Then the response of his people was only that they said: “Kill him, or burn him!” But God delivered him from the fire; in that are proofs for people who believe.