Chapter 21

Surah Al Anbiyaa (The Prophets)

21.1

surah 21 - verse 1

translator's name verse
Arberry Nigh unto men has drawn their reckoning, while they in heedlessness are yet turning away;
Maududi The time of people's reckoning has drawn near, and yet they turn aside in heedlessness.
Pickthall Their reckoning draweth nigh for mankind, while they turn away in heedlessness.
Sahih [The time of] their account has approached for the people, while they are in heedlessness turning away.
Yusuf Ali Closer and closer to mankind comes their Reckoning: yet they heed not and they turn away.

21.2

surah 21 - verse 2

translator's name verse
Arberry no Remembrance from their Lord comes to them lately renewed, but they listen to it yet playing,
Maududi Whenever any fresh admonition comes to them from their Lord they barely heed it and remain immersed in play,
Pickthall Never cometh there unto them a new reminder from their Lord but they listen to it while they play,
Sahih No mention comes to them anew from their Lord except that they listen to it while they are at play
Yusuf Ali Never comes (aught) to them of a renewed Message from their Lord, but they listen to it as in jest,-

21.3

surah 21 - verse 3

translator's name verse
Arberry diverted their hearts. The evildoers whisper one to another, 'Is this aught but a mortal like to yourselves? What, will you take to sorcery with your eyes open?'
Maududi their hearts being set on other concerns. The wrong-doers whisper to one another: "This person is no more than a mortal like yourselves. Will you, then, be enchanted by sorcery while you see?"
Pickthall With hearts preoccupied. And they confer in secret. The wrong-doers say: Is this other than a mortal like you? Will ye then succumb to magic when ye see (it)?
Sahih With their hearts distracted. And those who do wrong conceal their private conversation, [saying], "Is this [Prophet] except a human being like you? So would you approach magic while you are aware [of it]?"
Yusuf Ali Their hearts toying as with trifles. The wrong-doers conceal their private counsels, (saying), "Is this (one) more than a man like yourselves? Will ye go to witchcraft with your eyes open?"

21.4

surah 21 - verse 4

translator's name verse
Arberry He says: 'My Lord knows what is said in the heavens and the earth, and He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.'
Maududi He said: "My Lord knows well all that is spoken in the heavens and the earth. He is All-Hearing, All- Knowing."
Pickthall He saith: My Lord knoweth what is spoken in the heaven and the earth. He is the Hearer, the Knower.
Sahih The Prophet said, "My Lord knows whatever is said throughout the heaven and earth, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing."
Yusuf Ali Say: "My Lord knoweth (every) word (spoken) in the heavens and on earth: He is the One that heareth and knoweth (all things)."

21.5

surah 21 - verse 5

translator's name verse
Arberry Nay, but they say: 'A hotchpotch of nightmares! Nay, he has forged it; nay, he is a poet! Now therefore let him bring us a sign, even as the ancient ones were sent as Messengers.'
Maududi They say: "Nay, these are confused dreams; nay, he has forged it; nay, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign, even as the Messengers of the past were sent with signs."
Pickthall Nay, say they, (these are but) muddled dreams; nay, he hath but invented it; nay, he is but a poet. Let him bring us a portent even as those of old (who were Allah's messengers) were sent (with portents).
Sahih But they say, "[The revelation is but] a mixture of false dreams; rather, he has invented it; rather, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign just as the previous [messengers] were sent [with miracles]."
Yusuf Ali "Nay," they say, "(these are) medleys of dream! - Nay, He forged it! - Nay, He is (but) a poet! Let him then bring us a Sign like the ones that were sent to (Prophets) of old!"

21.6

surah 21 - verse 6

translator's name verse
Arberry Not one city that We destroyed before them believed; what then, will they not believe?
Maududi Not one township that We destroyed before them believed. Would they, then, believe?
Pickthall Not a township believed of those which We destroyed before them (though We sent them portents): would they then believe?
Sahih Not a [single] city which We destroyed believed before them, so will they believe?
Yusuf Ali (As to those) before them, not one of the populations which We destroyed believed: will these believe?

21.7

surah 21 - verse 7

translator's name verse
Arberry And We sent none before thee, but men to whom We made revelation -- question the People of the Remembrance, if you do not know --
Maududi (O Muhammad), even before you We never sent any other than human beings as Messengers, and to them We sent revelation. Ask the People of the Book if you do not know.
Pickthall And We sent not (as Our messengers) before thee other than men, whom We inspired. Ask the followers of the Reminder if ye know not?
Sahih And We sent not before you, [O Muhammad], except men to whom We revealed [the message], so ask the people of the message if you do not know.
Yusuf Ali Before thee, also, the messengers We sent were but men, to whom We granted inspiration: If ye realise this not, ask of those who possess the Message.

21.8

surah 21 - verse 8

translator's name verse
Arberry nor did We fashion them as bodies that ate not food, neither were they immortal;
Maududi We did not endow the Messengers with bodies that would need no food; nor were they immortals.
Pickthall We gave them not bodies that would not eat food, nor were they immortals.
Sahih And We did not make the prophets forms not eating food, nor were they immortal [on earth].
Yusuf Ali Nor did We give them bodies that ate no food, nor were they exempt from death.

21.9

surah 21 - verse 9

translator's name verse
Arberry then We made true the promise We gave them and We delivered them, and whomsoever We would; and We destroyed the prodigal.
Maududi Then We fulfilled the promise We had made to them: We rescued them and those whom We wished, and We destroyed those who exceeded all bounds.
Pickthall Then we fulfilled the promise unto them. So we delivered them and whom We would, and We destroyed the prodigals.
Sahih Then We fulfilled for them the promise, and We saved them and whom We willed and destroyed the transgressors.
Yusuf Ali In the end We fulfilled to them Our Promise, and We saved them and those whom We pleased, but We destroyed those who transgressed beyond bounds.

21.10

surah 21 - verse 10

translator's name verse
Arberry Now We have sent down to you a Book wherein is your Remembrance; will you not understand?
Maududi We have bestowed upon you a Book that mentions you. Do you not understand?
Pickthall Now We have revealed unto you a Scripture wherein is your Reminder. Have ye then no sense?
Sahih We have certainly sent down to you a Book in which is your mention. Then will you not reason?
Yusuf Ali We have revealed for you (O men!) a book in which is a Message for you: will ye not then understand?

21.11

surah 21 - verse 11

translator's name verse
Arberry How many a city that was evildoing We have shattered, and set up after it another people!
Maududi How many a wrong-doing town did We shatter and then raise up another people.
Pickthall How many a community that dealt unjustly have We shattered, and raised up after them another folk!
Sahih And how many a city which was unjust have We shattered and produced after it another people.
Yusuf Ali How many were the populations We utterly destroyed because of their iniquities, setting up in their places other peoples?

21.12

surah 21 - verse 12

translator's name verse
Arberry Then, when they perceived Our might, behold, they ran headlong out of it.
Maududi Then, when they perceived Our chastisement they took to their heels and fled.
Pickthall And, when they felt Our might, behold them fleeing from it!
Sahih And when its inhabitants perceived Our punishment, at once they fled from it.
Yusuf Ali Yet, when they felt Our Punishment (coming), behold, they (tried to) flee from it.

21.13

surah 21 - verse 13

translator's name verse
Arberry 'Run not! Return you unto the luxury that you exulted in, and your dwelling-places; haply you shall be questioned.'
Maududi (They were told): "Flee not, but return to your comforts and to your dwellings. You are likely to be questioned."
Pickthall (But it was said unto them): Flee not, but return to that (existence) which emasculated you and to your dwellings, that ye may be questioned.
Sahih [Some angels said], "Do not flee but return to where you were given luxury and to your homes - perhaps you will be questioned."
Yusuf Ali Flee not, but return to the good things of this life which were given you, and to your homes in order that ye may be called to account.

21.14

surah 21 - verse 14

translator's name verse
Arberry They said, 'Alas for us! We have been evildoers.'
Maududi They said: "Woe to us; surely we were wrong-doers."
Pickthall They cried: Alas for us! we were wrong-doers.
Sahih They said, "O woe to us! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."
Yusuf Ali They said: "Ah! woe to us! We were indeed wrong-doers!"

21.15

surah 21 - verse 15

translator's name verse
Arberry So they ceased not to cry, until We made them stubble, silent and still.
Maududi They did not cease to cry this until We reduced them to stubble, still and silent.
Pickthall And this their crying ceased not till We made them as reaped corn, extinct.
Sahih And that declaration of theirs did not cease until We made them [as] a harvest [mowed down], extinguished [like a fire].
Yusuf Ali And that cry of theirs ceased not, till We made them as a field that is mown, as ashes silent and quenched.

21.16

surah 21 - verse 16

translator's name verse
Arberry We created not the heaven and the earth, and whatsoever between them is, as playing;
Maududi We did not create in sport the heavens and the earth and all that lies between the two.
Pickthall We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them in play.
Sahih And We did not create the heaven and earth and that between them in play.
Yusuf Ali Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between!

21.17

surah 21 - verse 17

translator's name verse
Arberry had We desired to take to Us a diversion We would have taken it to Us from Ourselves, had We done aught.
Maududi Had it been Our will to find a pastime, We would have found one near at hand; if at all We were inclined to do so.
Pickthall If We had wished to find a pastime, We could have found it in Our presence - if We ever did.
Sahih Had We intended to take a diversion, We could have taken it from [what is] with Us - if [indeed] We were to do so.
Yusuf Ali If it had been Our wish to take (just) a pastime, We should surely have taken it from the things nearest to Us, if We would do (such a thing)!

21.18

surah 21 - verse 18

translator's name verse
Arberry Nay, but We hurl the truth against falsehood and it prevails over it, and behold, falsehood vanishes away. Then woe to you for that you describe!
Maududi Nay, We hurl the Truth at falsehood so that the Truth crushes falsehood, and lo! it vanishes. Woe to you for what you utter!
Pickthall Nay, but We hurl the true against the false, and it doth break its head and lo! it vanisheth. And yours will be woe for that which ye ascribe (unto Him).
Sahih Rather, We dash the truth upon falsehood, and it destroys it, and thereupon it departs. And for you is destruction from that which you describe.
Yusuf Ali Nay, We hurl the Truth against falsehood, and it knocks out its brain, and behold, falsehood doth perish! Ah! woe be to you for the (false) things ye ascribe (to Us).

21.19

surah 21 - verse 19

translator's name verse
Arberry To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and the earth; and those who are with Him wax not too proud to do Him service neither grow weary,
Maududi To Him belongs whosoever dwells in the heavens and on earth. Those (angels) that are with Him neither disdain to serve Him out of pride, nor do they weary of it.
Pickthall Unto Him belongeth whosoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those who dwell in His presence are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they weary;
Sahih To Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those near Him are not prevented by arrogance from His worship, nor do they tire.
Yusuf Ali To Him belong all (creatures) in the heavens and on earth: Even those who are in His (very) Presence are not too proud to serve Him, nor are they (ever) weary (of His service):

21.20

surah 21 - verse 20

translator's name verse
Arberry glorifying Him by night and in the daytime and never failing.
Maududi They glorify Him night and day, without flagging.
Pickthall They glorify (Him) night and day; they flag not.
Sahih They exalt [Him] night and day [and] do not slacken.
Yusuf Ali They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever flag or intermit.