الأنعام
The Cattle
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
waman aẓlamu mimmani if'tarā ʿalā l-lahi kadhiban aw kadhaba biāyātihi innahu lā yuf'liḥu l-ẓālimūna
And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allāh a lie or denies His verses? Indeed, the wrongdoers will not succeed.
wayawma naḥshuruhum jamīʿan thumma naqūlu lilladhīna ashrakū ayna shurakāukumu alladhīna kuntum tazʿumūna
And [mention, O Muḥammad], the Day We will gather them all together; then We will say to those who associated others with Allāh, "Where are your 'partners' that you used to claim [with Him]?"
thumma lam takun fit'natuhum illā an qālū wal-lahi rabbinā mā kunnā mush'rikīna
Then there will be no [excuse upon] examination except they will say, "By Allāh, our Lord, we were not those who associated."
unẓur kayfa kadhabū ʿalā anfusihim waḍalla ʿanhum mā kānū yaftarūna
See how they will lie about themselves. And lost from them will be what they used to invent.
wamin'hum man yastamiʿu ilayka wajaʿalnā ʿalā qulūbihim akinnatan an yafqahūhu wafī ādhānihim waqran wa-in yaraw kulla āyatin lā yu'minū bihā ḥattā idhā jāūka yujādilūnaka yaqūlu alladhīna kafarū in hādhā illā asāṭīru l-awalīna
And among them are those who listen to you, but We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if they should see every sign, they will not believe in it. Even when they come to you arguing with you, those who disbelieve say, "This is not but legends of the former peoples."
wahum yanhawna ʿanhu wayanawna ʿanhu wa-in yuh'likūna illā anfusahum wamā yashʿurūna
And they prevent [others] from him and are [themselves] remote from him. And they do not destroy except themselves, but they perceive [it] not.
walaw tarā idh wuqifū ʿalā l-nāri faqālū yālaytanā nuraddu walā nukadhiba biāyāti rabbinā wanakūna mina l-mu'minīna
If you could but see when they are made to stand before the Fire and will say, "Oh, would that we could be returned [to life on earth] and not deny the signs of our Lord and be among the believers."
bal badā lahum mā kānū yukh'fūna min qablu walaw ruddū laʿādū limā nuhū ʿanhu wa-innahum lakādhibūna
But what they concealed before has [now] appeared to them. And even if they were returned, they would return to that which they were forbidden; and indeed, they are liars.
waqālū in hiya illā ḥayātunā l-dun'yā wamā naḥnu bimabʿūthīna
And they say, "There is none but our worldly life, and we will not be resurrected."
walaw tarā idh wuqifū ʿalā rabbihim qāla alaysa hādhā bil-ḥaqi qālū balā warabbinā qāla fadhūqū l-ʿadhāba bimā kuntum takfurūna
If you could but see when they will be made to stand before their Lord. He will say, "Is this not the truth?" They will say, "Yes, by our Lord." He will [then] say, "So taste the punishment for what you used to deny."
qad khasira alladhīna kadhabū biliqāi l-lahi ḥattā idhā jāathumu l-sāʿatu baghtatan qālū yāḥasratanā ʿalā mā farraṭnā fīhā wahum yaḥmilūna awzārahum ʿalā ẓuhūrihim alā sāa mā yazirūna
Those will have lost who deny the meeting with Allāh, until when the Hour [of resurrection] comes upon them unexpectedly, they will say, "Oh, [how great is] our regret over what we neglected concerning it [i.e., the Hour]," while they bear their burdens [i.e., sins] on their backs. Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear.
wamā l-ḥayatu l-dun'yā illā laʿibun walahwun walalddāru l-ākhiratu khayrun lilladhīna yattaqūna afalā taʿqilūna
And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion; but the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allāh, so will you not reason?
qad naʿlamu innahu layaḥzunuka alladhī yaqūlūna fa-innahum lā yukadhibūnaka walākinna l-ẓālimīna biāyāti l-lahi yajḥadūna
We know that you, [O Muḥammad], are saddened by what they say. And indeed, they do not call you untruthful, but it is the verses of Allāh that the wrongdoers reject.
walaqad kudhibat rusulun min qablika faṣabarū ʿalā mā kudhibū waūdhū ḥattā atāhum naṣrunā walā mubaddila likalimāti l-lahi walaqad jāaka min naba-i l-mur'salīna
And certainly were messengers denied before you, but they were patient over the denial, and they were harmed until Our victory came to them. And none can alter the words [i.e., decrees] of Allāh. And there has certainly come to you some information about the [previous] messengers.
wa-in kāna kabura ʿalayka iʿ'rāḍuhum fa-ini is'taṭaʿta an tabtaghiya nafaqan fī l-arḍi aw sullaman fī l-samāi fatatiyahum biāyatin walaw shāa l-lahu lajamaʿahum ʿalā l-hudā falā takūnanna mina l-jāhilīna
And if their evasion is difficult for you, then if you are able to seek a tunnel into the earth or a stairway into the sky to bring them a sign, [then do so]. But if Allāh had willed, He would have united them upon guidance. So never be of the ignorant.
innamā yastajību alladhīna yasmaʿūna wal-mawtā yabʿathuhumu l-lahu thumma ilayhi yur'jaʿūna
Only those who hear will respond. But the dead - Allāh will resurrect them; then to Him they will be returned.
waqālū lawlā nuzzila ʿalayhi āyatun min rabbihi qul inna l-laha qādirun ʿalā an yunazzila āyatan walākinna aktharahum lā yaʿlamūna
And they say, "Why has a sign not been sent down to him from his Lord?" Say, "Indeed, Allāh is Able to send down a sign, but most of them do not know."
wamā min dābbatin fī l-arḍi walā ṭāirin yaṭīru bijanāḥayhi illā umamun amthālukum mā farraṭnā fī l-kitābi min shayin thumma ilā rabbihim yuḥ'sharūna
And there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered.
wa-alladhīna kadhabū biāyātinā ṣummun wabuk'mun fī l-ẓulumāti man yasha-i l-lahu yuḍ'lil'hu waman yasha yajʿalhu ʿalā ṣirāṭin mus'taqīmin
But those who deny Our verses are deaf and dumb within darknesses. Whomever Allāh wills - He sends astray; and whomever He wills - He puts him on a straight path.
qul ara-aytakum in atākum ʿadhābu l-lahi aw atatkumu l-sāʿatu aghayra l-lahi tadʿūna in kuntum ṣādiqīna
Say, "Have you considered: if there came to you the punishment of Allāh or there came to you the Hour - is it other than Allāh you would invoke, if you should be truthful?"