Surah 6. Al-An'am

And who could be more wicked than he who attributes his own lying inventions to God or gives the lie to His messages? Verily, such evildoers will never attain to a happy state:

  - Mohammad Asad

Who can be more wicked than a person who forges a lie against Allah or denies His revelations? Surely the wrongdoers shall never get salvation.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Who does more wrong than those who fabricate lies against Allah or deny His signs? Indeed, the wrongdoers will never succeed.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Who doth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie against Allah and denieth His revelations? Lo! the wrong doers will not be successful

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Who doth more wrong than he who inventeth a lie against Allah or rejecteth his Signs? But verily the wrong-doers never shall prosper.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

for one Day We shall gather them all together, and then We shall say unto those who ascribed divinity to aught beside God: "Where, now, are those beings whom you imagined to have a share in God's divinity?"¹⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "those [God-]partners of yours whom you supposed [to exist]". Whenever the term shuraka' (pl. of sharik) is used in the Qur'an with reference to beliefs, it invariably denotes real or imaginary beings or forces to whom one ascribes a share in God's divinity: consequently, this concept - and its utter condemnation in Islam - relates not merely to the worship of false deities but also to the attribution of semi-divine qualities and powers to saints (in the liturgical sense of this word), as well as to abstract notions like wealth, social status, power, nationality, etc., to which men so often ascribe an objective influence on human destinies.

On the Day of Judgement when We shall gather them all together, We shall ask the mushrikin: "Where are those deities whom you ascribed to be My partners?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'Consider' the Day We will gather them all together then ask those who associated others 'with Allah in worship', 'Where are those gods you used to claim?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And on the Day We gather them together We shall say unto those who ascribed partners (unto Allah): Where are (now) those partners of your make believe?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

One day shall We gather them all together: We shall say to those who ascribed partners (to Us): "Where are the partners whom ye (invented and) talked about?"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Whereupon, in their utter confusion, they will only [be able to] say: "By God, our Sustainer, we did not [mean to] ascribe divinity to aught beside Him!"¹⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

This refers to beliefs which undoubtedly imply shirk ("the ascribing of divinity or divine qualities to beings or forces other than God") in the objective sense of this concept, but which the person concerned does not subjectively visualize as denying God's oneness (Razi): for instance, the mystical dogma of the "Trinity" which, in the Christian view, does not conflict with the principle of God's oneness inasmuch as it is supposed to express a "threefold aspect" of the One Deity, or the attribution of divine or semi-divine qualities to saints as supposed "mediators" between man and God, and so forth. All such beliefs are, of course, emphatically rejected by the Qur'an.

They will have no argument but to say: "By Allah, our Rabb, we were not at all mushrik."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Their only argument will be: 'By Allah, our Lord! We were never polytheists.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then will they have no contention save that they will say: By Allah, our Lord, we never were idolaters.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

There will then be (left) no subterfuge for them but to say: "By Allah Our Lord we were not those who joined gods with Allah." ⁸⁵¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Fitnat has various meanings, from the root idea of "to try , to test, to tempt;" e.g. (1) a trial or temptation, as in ii. 102; (2) trouble, tumult, oppression, persecution, as in ii. 191, 193, 217; (3) discord, as in iii. 7; (4) subterfuge, an answer that amounts to a sedition, and excuse founded on a falsehod, as here. Other shades of meaning wll be noticed as they occur. Those who blasphemed God in imagining false gods will now see the vanity of their imaginations for themselves. What answer can they give now? In their perverisity they will deny that they ever entertained the notion of false gods.

Behold how they have lied to themselves¹⁷ - and [how] their false imagery has forsaken them!

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., by allowing themselves to think, in their lifetime, that their beliefs did not offend against the principle of God's oneness (Razi). But see also 10:28 and the corresponding notes [45] and [46].

See how they will lie against their own souls, and how the deities of their own inventions will leave them in the lurch.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

See how they will lie about themselves and how those 'gods' they fabricated will fail them!

  - Mustafa Khattab

See how they lie against themselves, and (how) the thing which they devised hath failed them!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold! how they lie against their own souls! But the (lie) which they invented will leave them in the lurch. ⁸⁵²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The lies whch they used to tell have now "wandered" from the channels which they use to occupy, and left the liars in the lurch. In denying the indubitable fact that they took false gods, they admit the falsity of their notions and thus are practically convicted out of their own mouths. A) It=The Qur-an.

And there are among them such as [seem to] listen to thee [O Prophet]: but over their hearts We have laid veils which prevent them from grasping the truth, and into their ears, deafness.¹⁸ And were they to see every sign [of the truth], they would still not believe in it - so much so that when they come unto thee to contend with thee, those who are bent on denying the truth say, "This is nothing but fables of ancient times!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Regarding the problem of God's "causing" this spiritual blindness and deafness, see 2:7 and the corresponding note, as well as note [4] on 14:4 .

Of them there are some who pretend that they listen to you; but their prejudices have dulled their faculties and We have cast veils over their hearts and deafness in their ears so they are unable to understand. Even if they see every one of Our Signs, they will not believe. So much so, that when they come to you, they argue with you. The unbelievers say: "These are nothing but tales of the old times."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

There are some of them who 'pretend to' listen to your recitation 'of the Quran', but We have cast veils over their hearts- leaving them unable to comprehend it- and deafness in their ears. Even if they were to see every sign, they still would not believe in them. The disbelievers would 'even' come to argue with you, saying, 'This 'Quran' is nothing but ancient fables!'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Of them are some who listen unto thee, but We have placed upon their hearts veils, lest they should understand, and in their ears a deafness. If they saw every token they would not believe therein; to the point that, when they come unto thee to argue with thee, the disbelievers say: This is naught else than fables of the men of old.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Of them there are some who (pretend to) listen to thee; but We have thrown veils on their hearts so they understand it not and deafness in their ears; if they saw every one of the Signs not they will believe in them; in so much that when they come to thee they (but) dispute with thee; the unbelievers say: "These are nothing but tales of the ancients."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And they bar others therefrom, and go far away from it: but they destroy none but themselves, and perceive it not.

  - Mohammad Asad

They themselves have turned away from the truth and also forbid other people to believe in it. With such a behavior they harm none but their own souls but they do not perceive it.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They turn others away from the Prophet and distance themselves as well. They ruin none but themselves, yet they fail to perceive it.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And they forbid (men) from it and avoid it, and they ruin none save themselves, though they perceive not.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Others they keep away from it and themselves they keep away; but they only destroy their own souls and they perceive it not.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If thou couldst but see [them] when they will be made to stand before the fire and will say, "Oh, would that we were brought back [to life]: then we would not give the lie to our Sustainer's messages, but would be among the believers!"

  - Mohammad Asad

If you could witness the scene, when they will be made to stand before the hellfire! They will say: "We wish we could return to earthly life again; then we would not deny the revelations of our Rabb, and we would join the believers!"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

If only you could see when they will be detained before the Fire! They will cry, 'Oh! If only we could be sent back, we would never deny the signs of our Lord and we would 'surely' be of the believers.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

If thou couldst see when they are set before the Fire and say: Oh, would that we might return! Then would we not deny the revelations of our Lord but we would be of the believers!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

If thou couldst but see when they are confronted with the fire! They will say: "Would that we were but sent back! then would we not reject the Signs of our Lord but would be amongst those who believe!

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But nay - [they will say this only because] the truth which they used to conceal [from themselves] in the past will have become obvious to them; and if they were brought back [to life], they would return to the very thing which was forbidden to them: for, behold, they are indeed liars!¹⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., their longing for a "second chance" is not dictated by love of truth for its own sake but rather, by their dread of the evil consequences of their doings; and "faith is useless unless it is desired for its own sake" (Razi).

In fact, they will say this because they had come to know the reality which they were concealing before. As a matter of fact even if they be sent back, they would certainly repeat the same things which they had been forbidden to do. Indeed they are liars.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But no! 'They only say this' because the truth they used to hide will become all too clear to them. Even if they were to be sent back, they would certainly revert to what they were forbidden. Indeed they are liars!

  - Mustafa Khattab

Nay, but that hath become clear unto them which before they used to hide. And if they were sent back they would return unto that which they are forbidden. Lo! they are liars.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Yea in their own (eyes) will become manifest what before they concealed but if they were returned they would certainly relapse to the things they were forbidden for they are indeed liars. ⁸⁵³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Their falsity was not due to want of knowledge, but to perversity and selfishness. In their heart was a disease (ii. 10): therefore neither their understanding, nor their ears, nor their eyes do their proper work. They twist what they see, hear, or are taught, and go deeper and deeper into the mire. The deceptions which they used to practise on other people will, before the Seat of Judgement, become clear in their own eyes.

And some [of the unbelievers] say, "There is nothing beyond our life in this world, for We shall not be raised from the dead."

  - Mohammad Asad

Today they say: "There is no other life except the life on this earth and we shall never be raised to life again."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They insisted, 'There is nothing beyond this worldly life and we will never be resurrected.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And they say: There is naught save our life of the world, and we shall not be raised (again).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And they (sometimes) say: "There is nothing except our life on this earth and never shall we be raised up again."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If thou couldst but see [them] when they shall be made to stand before their Sustainer [and] He will say, "Is not this the truth?" They will answer: "Yea, indeed, by our Sustainer!" [Whereupon] He will say: "Taste, then, the suffering that comes from²⁰ your having refused to acknowledge the truth!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "the suffering [or "chastisement"] because of" or "in consequence of". The particle bi-ma expresses here a causal connection between the denial of the truth and the subsequent suffering, and is best rendered as above.

If you could witness the scene when they will be brought before their Rabb; He will ask, "Is this not a reality?" They will say: "Yes, our Rabb, this is the reality." He will order: "Well, then taste the punishment for denying this reality."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But if only you could see when they will be detained before their Lord! He will ask 'them', 'Is this 'Hereafter' not the truth?' They will cry, 'Absolutely, by our Lord!' He will say, 'Then taste the punishment for your disbelief.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

If thou couldst see when they are set before their Lord! He will say: Is not this real? They will say: Yea, verily, by our Lord! He will say: Taste now the retribution for that ye used to disbelieve.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

If thou couldst but see when they are confronted with their Lord! He will say: "Is not this the truth?" They will say: "Yea by our Lord!" He will say: "Taste ye then the penalty because ye rejected faith."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Lost indeed are they who consider it a lie that they will have to meet God - till the Last Hour suddenly comes upon them, [and] they cry, "Alas for us, that we disregarded it!" - for they shall bear on their backs the burden of their sins:²¹ oh, how evil the load with which they shall be burdened!

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "their burdens". My use of the words "the burden of their sins" rests on the interpretation given by Ibn 'Abbas, as quoted by Razi.

Those people are indeed lost who deny that they will ever meet Allah. When the hour of Doomsday will overtake them all of a sudden, they will exclaim: "Alas! How negligent we have been about this Hour." They will be carrying the burden of their sins on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they carry!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Losers indeed are those who deny the meeting with Allah until the Hour takes them by surprise, then they will cry, 'Woe to us for having ignored this!' They will bear 'the burden of' their sins on their backs. Evil indeed is their burden!

  - Mustafa Khattab

They indeed are losers who deny their meeting with Allah until, when the hour cometh on them suddenly, they cry: Alas for us, that we neglected it! They bear upon their back their burdens. Ah, evil is that which they bear!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Lost indeed are they who treat it as a falsehood that they must meet Allah until on a sudden the hour is on them and they say: "Ah! woe unto us that we took no thought of it"; for they bear their burdens on their backs; and evil indeed are the burdens that they bear!. ⁸⁵⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Grievous is the burden of sins which the wicked will bear on their backs when they become conscious of them. Some commentators personify Sins as ugly Demons riding on the backs of men, while the men's Good Deeds become the strong and patient mounts which will carry the men on their backs. If the Good Deeds are few and the Sins many, the man and his Good Deeds will be crushed under the load of the Evil which they carry.

And nothing is the life of this world but a play and a passing delight; and the life in the hereafter is by far the better for all who are conscious of God. Will you not, then, use your reason?

  - Mohammad Asad

The life of this world is nothing but play and amusement, but the life of the Hereafter will be better for those who are righteous. Will you not use your common sense?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

This worldly life is no more than play and amusement, but far better is the 'eternal' Home of the Hereafter for those mindful 'of Allah'. Will you not then understand?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Naught is the life of the world save a pastime and a sport. Better far is the abode of the Hereafter for those who keep their duty (to Allah). Have ye then no sense?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

What is the life of this world but play and amusement? But best is the home in the Hereafter for those who are righteous. Will ye not then understand? ⁸⁵⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Play and amusement are for preparing our minds for the serious things of life: in themselves they are not serious. So this life is a preparation for the Eternal Home to which we are going, which is far more important than the ephemeral pleasures which may possibly seduce us in this life.

Well do We know that what such people say²² grieves thee indeed: yet, behold, it is not thee to whom they give the lie, but God's messages do these evildoers deny.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "what they say" - i.e., about life after death (which they regard as a "fable") in particular, and about the Qur'anic message in general.

O Muhammad We know it well that what they say grieves you: it is not you that they deny, these wrongdoers actually deny the revelations of Allah.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We certainly know that what they say grieves you 'O Prophet'. It is not your honesty they question- it is Allah's signs that the wrongdoers deny.

  - Mustafa Khattab

We know well how their talk grieveth thee, though in truth they deny not thee (Muhammad) but evil-doers flout the revelations of Allah.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We know indeed the grief which their words do cause thee: it is not thee they reject: it is the Signs of Allah which the wicked condemn.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And, indeed, [even] before thy time have apostles been given the lie, and they endured with patience all those charges of falsehood, and all the hurt done to them, till succour came unto them from Us: for there is no power that could alter [the outcome of] God's promises. And some of the histories of those apostles have already come within thy ken.²³

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "some of the information concerning the apostles has already come to thee": a reference to the fact that only a few of the earlier prophets and their histories have been specifically mentioned in the Qur'an (always in connection with a particular moral lesson), while the great majority of them are only alluded to in a general manner, in support of the divine statement that no community or civilization has been left without prophetic guidance.

Many Rasools before you were denied but patiently bore with their denial and persecution until Our help came down to them: for none can change the decrees of Allah. You have already received the news of what happened to those Rasools.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Indeed, messengers before you were rejected but patiently endured rejection and persecution until Our help came to them. And Allah's promise 'to help' is never broken. And you have already received some of the narratives of these messengers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Messengers indeed have been denied before thee, and they were patient under the denial and the persecution till Our succour reached them. There is none to alter the decisions of Allah. Already there hath reached thee (somewhat) of the tidings of the messengers (We sent before).

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Rejected were the Apostles before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the Words (and Decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those Apostles.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And if it distress thee that those who deny the truth²⁴ turn their backs on thee - why, then, if thou art able to go down deep into the earth or to ascend a ladder unto heaven²⁵ in order to bring them a [yet more convincing] message, [do so;] but [remember that] had God so willed, He would indeed have gathered them all unto [His] guidance. Do not, therefore, allow thyself to ignore [God's ways].²⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "that they".

Lit., "to seek out an opening in the earth or a ladder to heaven".

Lit., "be not, therefore, of the ignorant".

If you find their aversion hard to bear, then see if you can make a tunnel in the ground or put a ladder to ascend in the skies by which you can bring them a sign. O Prophet, you know well that if Allah wanted, He would have given guidance to all. So do not be like the ignorant.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

If you find their denial unbearable, then build- if you can- a tunnel through the earth or stairs to the sky to bring them a 'more compelling' sign. Had Allah so willed, He could have guided them all. So do not be one of those ignorant 'of this fact'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And if their aversion is grievous unto thee, then, if thou canst, seek a way down into the earth or a ladder unto the sky that thou mayst bring unto them a portent (to convince them all)! If Allah willed, He could have brought them all together to the guidance So be not thou among the foolish ones.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

If their spurning is hard on thy mind yet if thou wert able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the skies and bring them a Sign (what good?). If it were Allah's will He could gather them together unto true guidance: so be not thou amongst those who are swayed by ignorance (and impatience)! ⁸⁵⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

There were many signs of a divine Mission in the Apostle's life and in the Message which he delivered. If these did not convince the Unbelievers, was it not vain to seek a miraculous Sign from the bowels ofthe earth or by a visible ascent to the skies? If in the Apostle's eagerness to get all to accept his Mesage he was hurt at their callousness, active opposition, and persecution of him, he is told that a full knowledge of the working of God`s Plan would convince him that impatience was misplaced. This was in the days of persecution before the Hijrat. The history in Medina and shows how Allah's truth was ultimately and triumphantly vindicated. Who among the sincere devotees of Muhammad can fail to read vi. 33-35 without tears in his eyes?