Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And had We willed, We would have so transformed them in their places, they could neither proceed nor return.

وَلَوْ نَشَٓاءُ لَمَسَخْنَاهُمْ عَلٰى مَكَانَتِهِمْ فَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا مُضِياًّ وَلَا يَرْجِعُونَ۟
Walaw nashao lamasakhnahumAAala makanatihim fama istataAAoo mudiyyanwala yarjiAAoon
#wordmeaningroot
1walawAnd if
2nashāuWe willedشيا
3lamasakhnāhumsurely, We (would have) transformed themمسخ
4ʿalāin
5makānatihimtheir placesكون
6famāthen not
7is'taṭāʿūthey would have been ableطوع
8muḍiyyanto proceedمضي
9walāand not
10yarjiʿūnareturnرجع
  • Aisha Bewley

    If We wished, We could transform them where they stand so they would neither be able to go out nor return.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And if We wished, We can freeze them in their place; thus, they can neither move forward, nor go back.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And had We so Willed, We could have degraded them driven by instincts, powerless to advance or retreat in their potentials.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And had We willed, We would have so transformed them in their places, they could neither proceed nor return.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And if We wished, We can freeze them in their place; thus, they can neither move forward, nor go back.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    If We wished, We can freeze them in their place; thus, they can neither move forward, nor go back.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    If we will, we can freeze them in place; thus, they can neither move forward, nor go back.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    And if We pleased We could paralyse them in their tracks, and they would not be able to move forward or turn back.

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    And if We willed, We could have deformed them, in their places so they would not be able to proceed, nor could they return.

  • Muhammad Asad

    And had it been Our will , We could surely have given them a different nature in their places, so that they would not be able to move forward, and could not turn back.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And had We willed, We verily could have fixed them in their place, making them powerless to go forward or turn back.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    If We so willed, We would have transformed them where they were so that they would not go forward or backward.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And had We willed We would have transmuted them and frozen them physically and spiritually in their unprivileged site, then they would have been unable to move forward to repent and do good nor backward to do evil.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    I may decide to freeze them so that they stay motionless; not being able to move around.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And if it had been Our Will, We could have transformed them (into animals or lifeless objects) in their places. Then they would have been unable to go forward (move about) nor they could have turned back.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    And if it had been Our Will, We could have transformed them (to remain) in their places; then should they have been unable to move about, nor could they have returned (after error).

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    And had We willed, We could have transfigured them on the spot, so they could neither progress forward nor turn back.

  • Taqi Usmani

    And If We so will, We would disfigure them at their places, and they would not be able to move, nor would they return.

  • Abdul Haleem

    If it had been Our will, We could have paralysed them where they stood, so that they could not move forward or backward.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Did We will, We would have changed them where they were, then they could not go on, nor could they return.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And if we pleased we would transform them in their places, and they should not be able to go on, nor yet to return.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And if We please We would surely transform them in their place, then they would not be able to go on, nor will they return (after error).

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And if We had (so) decided, We would have indeed disfigured them in (spite of) their situation; then in no way could they be passing, nor could they return.

  • George Sale

    And if We pleased We could transform them into other shapes, in their places where they should be found; and they should not be able to depart: Neither should they repent.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And if it was Our Will, We could have transformed them (just to be) in their places; Then they would not have been able to forward (move about), and they could not have turned back.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    If We had (so) willed, We could have surely destroyed them where they were, so that they would not be able to move forward nor turn back.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    And had We wished We would have deformed them in their place; then they would have neither been able to go ahead nor to go back.