Sura 28: AL-QASAS (THE STORY) - Juz' 20

قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِكِتَابٍ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ هُوَ أَهْدَى مِنْهُمَا أَتَّبِعْهُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ﴿۴۹﴾
Qarib: Say: 'If what you say is true, bring down from Allah a Book that is a better guidance than both, I will follow it! '
Sarwar: (Muhammad), tell them, "Bring a Book if you are able to, from God better in its guidance than the Torah and the Quran; I shall follow it".
Shakir: Say: Then bring some (other) book from Allah which is a better guide than both of them, (that) I may follow it, if you are truthful
Pickthall: Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Then bring a scripture from the presence of Allah that giveth clearer guidance than these two (that) I may follow it, if ye are truthful.
Yusufali: Say: "Then bring ye a Book from Allah, which is a better guide than either of them, that I may follow it! (do), if ye are truthful!"
فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكَ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِنَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿۵۰﴾
Qarib: If they do not answer you, know that they are only following their desires. And who is further astray than he who is led by his desires without guidance from Allah! Allah does not guide the harmdoers.
Sarwar: If they cannot meet such a challenge, know that they are only following their (evil) desires. Who strays more than one who follows his desires without guidance from God? God does not guide the unjust people.
Shakir: But if they do not answer you, then know that they only follow their low desires; and who is more erring than he who follows his low desires without any guidance from Allah? Surely Allah does not guide the unjust people
Pickthall: And if they answer thee not, then know that what they follow is their lusts. And who goeth farther astray than he who followeth his lust without guidance from Allah. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.
Yusufali: But if they hearken not to thee, know that they only follow their own lusts: and who is more astray than one who follow his own lusts, devoid of guidance from Allah? for Allah guides not people given to wrong-doing.
وَلَقَدْ وَصَّلْنَا لَهُمُ الْقَوْلَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿۵۱﴾
Qarib: We have brought them the Word in order that they remember.
Sarwar: We sent Our guidance to them so that perhaps they might take heed.
Shakir: And certainly We have made the word to reach them so that they may be mindful
Pickthall: And now verily We have caused the Word to reach them, that haply they may give heed.
Yusufali: Now have We caused the Word to reach them themselves, in order that they may receive admonition.
الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ هُمْ بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿۵۲﴾
Qarib: Those to whom We gave the Book before, believe in it.
Sarwar: (Some of) the followers of the Bible believe in the Quran.
Shakir: (As to) those whom We gave the Book before it, they are believers in it
Pickthall: Those unto whom We gave the Scripture before it, they believe in it,
Yusufali: Those to whom We sent the Book before this,- they do believe in this (revelation):
وَإِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ ﴿۵۳﴾
Qarib: When it is recited to them, they say: 'We believe in it, because it is the truth from Our Lord. We surrendered ourselves before it came.
Sarwar: When it is recited to them, they say, "We believe in it. It is the Truth from our Lord. We were Muslims before it was revealed".
Shakir: And when it is recited to them they say: We believe in it surely it is the truth from our Lord; surely we were submitters before this
Pickthall: And when it is recited unto them, they say: We believe in it. Lo! it is the Truth from our Lord. Lo! even before it we were of those who surrender (unto Him).
Yusufali: And when it is recited to them, they say: "We believe therein, for it is the Truth from our Lord: indeed we have been Muslims (bowing to Allah's Will) from before this.
أُولَئِكَ يُؤْتَوْنَ أَجْرَهُمْ مَرَّتَيْنِ بِمَا صَبَرُوا وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ ﴿۵۴﴾
Qarib: 'Their wage shall be given them twice, because they have endured patiently, averting evil with good and spending from what We have given them;
Sarwar: These will receive double reward for their forbearance, replacing evil by virtue, and for their spending for the cause of God.
Shakir: These shall be granted their reward twice, because they are steadfast and they repel evil with good and spend out of what We have given them
Pickthall: These will be given their reward twice over, because they are steadfast and repel evil with good, and spend of that wherewith We have provided them,
Yusufali: Twice will they be given their reward, for that they have persevered, that they avert Evil with Good, and that they spend (in charity) out of what We have given them.
وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا اللَّغْوَ أَعْرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَقَالُوا لَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ لَا نَبْتَغِي الْجَاهِلِينَ ﴿۵۵﴾
Qarib: and because when they hear idle talk they turn away from it and say: 'We have our deeds, and you have your deeds. Peace be upon you. We do not desire the ignorant. '
Sarwar: When they hear impious words, they ignore them, saying, "We shall be responsible for our deeds and you will be responsible for yours. Peace be with you. We do not want to become ignorant."
Shakir: And when they hear idle talk they turn aside from it and say: We shall have our deeds and you shall have your deeds; peace be on you, we do not desire the ignorant
Pickthall: And when they hear vanity they withdraw from it and say: Unto us our works and unto you your works. Peace be unto you! We desire not the ignorant.
Yusufali: And when they hear vain talk, they turn away therefrom and say: "To us our deeds, and to you yours; peace be to you: we seek not the ignorant."
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ ﴿۵۶﴾
Qarib: You cannot guide whom you please; it is Allah who guides whom He will. He knows well those who are guided.
Sarwar: (Muhammad), you cannot guide whomever you love, but God guides whomever He wants and knows best those who seek guidance.
Shakir: Surely you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He pleases, and He knows best the followers of the right way
Pickthall: Lo! thou (O Muhammad) guidest not whom thou lovest, but Allah guideth whom He will. And He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.
Yusufali: It is true thou wilt not be able to guide every one, whom thou lovest; but Allah guides those whom He will and He knows best those who receive guidance.
وَقَالُوا إِنْ نَتَّبِعِ الْهُدَى مَعَكَ نُتَخَطَّفْ مِنْ أَرْضِنَا أَوَلَمْ نُمَكِّنْ لَهُمْ حَرَمًا آمِنًا يُجْبَى إِلَيْهِ ثَمَرَاتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ رِزْقًا مِنْ لَدُنَّا وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿۵۷﴾
Qarib: They say: 'If we follow the guidance with you, we shall be driven from our land. ' But have We not given them a secure sanctuary from which fruits of every kind are collected as a provision from Us? Indeed, most of them do not know.
Sarwar: They, (the pagans), say, "If we were to follow your guidance we would be snatched away from our land. Have We not given them the secure, holy precinct wherein all types of fruits are brought to them as a sustenance from Us? However, many of them do not know it.
Shakir: And they say: If we follow the guidance with you, we shall be carried off from our country. What ! have We not settled them in a safe, sacred territory to which fruits of every kind shall be drawn?-- a sustenance from Us; but most of them do not know
Pickthall: And they say: If we were to follow the Guidance with thee we should be torn out of our land. Have We not established for them a sure sanctuary, whereunto the produce of all things is brought (in trade), a provision from Our presence? But most of them know not.
Yusufali: They say: "If we were to follow the guidance with thee, we should be snatched away from our land." Have We not established for them a secure sanctuary, to which are brought as tribute fruits of all kinds,- a provision from Ourselves? but most of them understand not.
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ بَطِرَتْ مَعِيشَتَهَا فَتِلْكَ مَسَاكِنُهُمْ لَمْ تُسْكَنْ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا وَكُنَّا نَحْنُ الْوَارِثِينَ ﴿۵۸﴾
Qarib: How many a village have We destroyed that were ungrateful in their life! Those are their dwellings, (they are) uninhabited after them except for a little; We are the inheritors.
Sarwar: How many nations, who had enjoyed great prosperity, had We destroyed? Those are their homes which were not inhabited thereafter except for a short time. Only We were their heirs.
Shakir: And how many a town have We destroyed which exulted in its means of subsistence, so these are their abodes, they have not been dwelt in after them except a little, and We are the inheritors,
Pickthall: And how many a community have We destroyed that was thankless for its means of livelihood! And yonder are their dwellings, which have not been inhabited after them save a little. And We, even We, were the inheritors.
Yusufali: And how many populations We destroyed, which exulted in their life (of ease and plenty)! now those habitations of theirs, after them, are deserted,- All but a (miserable) few! and We are their heirs!