Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

If they have taken intercessors besides God, say thou: “Even though they have not power over anything?” But they do not reason.

اَمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللّٰهِ شُفَعَٓاءَۜ قُلْ اَوَلَوْ كَانُوا لَا يَمْلِكُونَ شَيْـٔاً وَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ
Ami ittakhathoo min dooni AllahishufaAAaa qul awa law kanoo la yamlikoonashay-an wala yaAAqiloon
#wordmeaningroot
1amiOr
2ittakhadhūhave they takenاخذ
3minbesides
4dūnibesidesدون
5l-lahiAllah
6shufaʿāaintercessorsشفع
7qulSayقول
8awalawEven though
9kānūthey wereكون
10not
11yamlikūnapossessingملك
12shayananythingشيا
13walāand not
14yaʿqilūnathey understandعقل
  • Aisha Bewley

    Or have they adopted intercessors besides Allah? Say: ‘Even though they do not control a thing and have no awareness?’

  • Progressive Muslims

    Or have they taken intercessors besides God Say: "What if they do not possess any power, nor understanding"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    What! Do they contrive mediators side by side with Allah? Say, "Why - even though they have power over nothing and have no intelligence?"

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    If they have taken intercessors besides God, say thou: “Even though they have not power over anything?” But they do not reason.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Or have they taken intercessors besides God? Say: "What if they possessed nothing, nor comprehended?"

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Or have they taken intercessors besides God? Say, "What if they do not possess any power, nor understanding?"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Have they invented intercessors to mediate between them and GOD? Say, "What if they do not possess any power, nor understanding?"

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Have they appointed intercessors other than God? Say: "Even though they have no power in the least, nor do they understand?"

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

    Or have they taken other than Allah as intercessors? Say, "Even though they do not possess anything, nor do they reason?"

  • Muhammad Asad

    And yet, they choose , side by side with God, intercessors!" Say: "Why - even though they have no power over anything, and no understanding?”

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Or choose they intercessors other than Allah? Say: What! Even though they have power over nothing and have no intelligence?

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Or have they taken others instead of Allah as intercessors?* Say: "Will they intercede though they may have no power and though they may not even understand?"

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Or do they -the infidels- take besides Allah other gods to intercede on their behalf in Day of Judgement, even though they are destitute of power as well as of the rational faculty which is Allah's given gift!

  • Bijan Moeinian

    How silly of people who have invented intermediaries to ask God’s mercy through them. Say to them: "What if these intercessors of them lack the power and the intelligence?"

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Have they taken (others) as intercessors besides Allâh? Say: "Even if they have power over nothing whatever and have no intelligence?"

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    What! Do they take for intercessors others besides Allah? Say: "Even if they have no power whatever and no intelligence?"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Or have they taken others besides Allah as intercessors? Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ "˹Would they do so,˺ even though those ˹idols˺ have neither authority nor intelligence?"

  • Taqi Usmani

    Is it that they have adopted intercessors out of those (whom they invoke) other than Allah? Say, "(Do you take them as intercessors) even though they have no power at all, nor do they understand?"

  • Abdul Haleem

    Yet they take intercessors besides God! Say, ‘Even though these have no power or understanding?’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Say: 'What, even though they have no power whatever and no understanding?'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Do they take besides God intercessors? Say, 'What! though they have no control over anything and have no sense. '

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Or have they taken intercessors besides Allah? Say, "What! Even though they did not ever have control over anything, nor do they understand.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Or even have they taken to themselves constant intercessors apart from Allah? Say, (This is addressed to the Prophet) "And (even) if they do not possess (any power) for anything, nor do they consider?"

  • George Sale

    Have the Koreish taken idols for their intercessors with God? Say, what, although they have not dominion over any thing, neither do they understand?

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    What! Do they take intercessors other than Allah? Say: "Even if they do not have any power whatever and (have) no intelligence?"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Have these (polytheists) chosen (certain other) intercessors apart from Allâh? Say, `What! (will they intercede for you?) though they have no authority at all and understand nothing. '

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Have they taken intercessors besides Allah? Say, ‘What! Even though they have no control over anything and cannot apply reason?!’