Surah 21. Al-Anbiya

And [yet,] some say, "The Most Gracious has taken unto Himself a son"!Limitless is He in His glory!³³ Nay, [those whom they regard as God's "offspring"³⁴ are but His] honoured servants:

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., utterly remote from the imperfection implied in the concept of "offspring": see note [77] on 19:92 .

This alludes to prophets like Jesus, whom the Christians regard as "the son of God", as well as to the angels, whom the pre-Islamic Arabs considered to be "God's daughters" (since they were conceived of as females).

Inspite of receiving that message, they still say: "The Beneficent (Allah) has offspring!" Glory be to Him! The angels are but His honored servants.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And they say: The Beneficent hath taken unto Himself a son. Be He glorified! Nay, but (those whom they call sons) are honored slaves;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

they speak not until He has spoken unto them,³⁵ and [whenever they act,] they act at His behest.

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "they do not precede Him in speech" - meaning that they proclaim only what He has revealed to them and bidden them to proclaim.

They do not precede Him in speaking and they act according to His commandment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They speak not until He hath spoken, and they act by His command.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them:³⁶ hence, they cannot in-tercede for any but those whom He has [already] graced with His goodly acceptance,³⁷ since they themselves stand in reverent awe of Him.

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [247] on 2:255 .

Cf. 19:87 and 20:109 . Regarding the problem of "intercession" as such, see note [7] on 10:3 .

He knows what is before them and what is behind them and they do not intercede except for the one whom He approves, and for fear of Him they tremble.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him whom He accepteth, and they quake for awe of Him.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And if any of them were to say, "Behold, I am a deity beside Him" - that one We should requite with hell: thus do We requite all [such] evildoers.

  - Mohammad Asad

If any of them were to say: "I am also a deity besides Him," We would send him to hell, thus shall We reward the wrongdoers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And one of them who should say: Lo! I am a God beside Him, that one We should repay with hell. Thus We repay wrong-doers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

ARE, THEN, they who are bent on denying the truth not aware that the heavens and the earth were [once] one single entity, which We then parted asunder?³⁸ - and [that] We made out of water every living thing? Will they not. then. begin to believe?³⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

It is, as a rule, futile to make an explanation of the Qur'an dependent on "scientific findings" which may appear true today, but may equally well be disproved tomorrow by new findings. Nevertheless, the above unmistakable reference to the unitary origin of the universe - metonymically described in the Qur'an as "the heavens and the earth" - strikingly anticipates the view of almost all modern astrophysicists that this universe has originated as one entity from one single element, namely, hydrogen, which became subsequently consolidated through gravity and then separated into individual nebulae, galaxies and solar systems, with further individual parts progressively breaking away to form new entities in the shape of stars, planets and the latters' satellites. (Regarding the Qur'anic reference to the phenomenon described by the trem "expanding universe", see 51:47 and the correesponding note [31].)

The statement that God "made out of water every living thing" expresses most concisely a truth that is nowadays universally accepted by science. It has a threefold meaning: (1) Water - and, specifically, the sea - was the environment within which the prototype of all living matter originated; (2) among all the innumerable-existing or conceivable-liquids, only water has the peculiar properties necessary for the emergence and development of life; and (3) the protoplasm, which is the physical basis of every living cell -whether in plants or in animals- and represents the only form of matter in which the phenomenon of life are manifested, consists overwhelmingly of water and is, thus, utterly dependent on it. read together with the preceding statement, which alludes to the unitary origin of the physical universe, the emrgence of life from and within equally unitary element points to the existence of a unitary plan underlying all creation and, hence, to the xistence and oneness of the Creator. this accent on the oneness of God and the unity of His creation is taken up again in verse {92} below.

Have not the unbelievers ever considered that the skies and the earth were once one mass, then We split them asunder? And We have created every living thing from water. Will they still not believe?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them, and We made every living thing of water? Will they not then believe?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And [are they not aware that] We have set up firm mountains on earth, lest it sway with them⁴⁰ and [that] We have appointed thereon broad paths, so that they might find their way,

  - Mohammad Asad

See 16:15 and the corresponding note [11].

And We have planted mountains on earth lest it should tilt to one side with them (the weight of people) and We left between them open passages so that they may find the right direction.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We have placed in the earth firm hills lest it quake with them, and We have placed therein ravines as roads that haply they may find their way.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and [that] We have set up the sky as a canopy well-secured?⁴¹ And yet, they stubbornly turn away from [all] the signs of this [creation],

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [4] on the first sentence of 13:2 , which seems to have a similar meaning.

And We have made the sky a safe canopy: yet they are heedless to these signs.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And We have made the sky a roof withheld (from them). Yet they turn away from its portents.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

and [fail to see that] it is He who has created the night and the day and the sun and the moon - all of them floating through space!

  - Mohammad Asad

He is the One Who has created the night and the day and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) move swiftly in an orbit of their own.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And He it is Who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. They float, each in an orbit.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

AND [remind those who deny thee, O Prophet,⁴² that] never have We granted life everlasting to any mortal before thee:⁴³ but do they, perchance, hope that al-though thou must die, they will live forever?⁴⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

This relates to the objection of the unbelievers, mentioned in verse {3} of this surah, that Muhammad is "but a mortal like yourselves", and connects also with verses {7-8}, which stress that all of God's apostles were but mortal men (cf. {3: 144}).

The obvious implication is, "and so We shall not grant it unto thee, either". Cf. {39: 30}-"thou art bound to die".

Lit., "but if, then, thou shouldst die, will they live forever?"-implying an assumption on their part that they would not be called to account on death and resurrection.

O Muhammad, We have not granted immortality to any human before you: so if you are to die, will these unbelievers live forever?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We appointed immortality for no mortal before thee. What! if thou diest, can they be immortal?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Every human being is bound to taste death; and We test you [all] through the bad and the good [things of life] by way of trial: and unto Us you all must return.⁴⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "you shall be brought back", i.e., for judgment.

Every soul is bound to have the taste of death. We are putting all of you to a test by passing you through bad and good conditions, and finally you shall return to Us.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Every soul must taste of death, and We try you with evil and with good, for ordeal. And unto Us ye will be returned.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But [thus it is:] whenever they who are bent on denying the truth consider thee,⁴⁶ they make thee but a target of their mockery, [saying to one another,] "Is this the one who speaks [so contemptuously] of your gods?"⁴⁷ And yet, it is they themselves who, at [every] mention of the Most Gracious, are wont to deny the truth!⁴⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "see thee": but since this verb has here obviously an abstract meaning, relating to the message propounded by the Prophet, it is best rendered as above.

Sc., "and dares to deny their reality although he is a mere mortal like ourselves?"

I.e., although they resent any aspersion cast on whatever things or forces they unthinkingly worship, they refuse to acknowledge God's planning will manifested in every aspect of His creation.

When the unbelievers see you they do not take you but for one to be scoffed at, saying: "Is this the one who talks against your gods?" And they themselves deny the mention of the Compassionate (Allah).

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And when those who disbelieve behold thee, they but choose thee out for mockery, (saying): Is this he who maketh mention of your gods? And they would deny all mention of the Beneficent.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Man is a creature of haste;⁴⁹ [but in time] I shall make obvious to you [the truth of] My messages: do not, then, ask Me to hasten [it]!⁵⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "is created out of haste" - i.e., he is by nature imbued with impatience: cf. last sentence of 17:11 . In the present context this refers to man's impatience regarding things to come: in this case - as is obvious from the sequence - his hasty refusal to believe in God's coming judgement.

Cf. {16: 1} -"God's judgment is [bound to] come: do not, then, call for its speedy advent!"

Man is a creature of haste (impatience). Soon I will show you My signs, therefore, you need not be impatient.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Man is made of haste. I shall show you My portents, but ask Me not to hasten.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But they [who reject My messages are wont to] ask, "When is that promise [of God's judgment] to be fulfilled? [Answer this, O you who believe in it,] if you are men of truth!"⁵¹

  - Mohammad Asad

The Qur'anic answer to this question is given in 7:187 .

They ask: "When will this promise be fulfilled if you are telling the truth?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And they say: When will this promise (be fulfilled), if ye are truthful?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

If they but knew - they who are bent on deny-ing the truth - [that there will come] a time when they will not be able to ward off the fire from their faces, nor from their backs, and will not find any succour!

  - Mohammad Asad

They would not have asked this question if only the unbelievers knew the Day when they will be able to protect neither their faces from the fire of hell nor their backs, nor will they be helped!

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

If those who disbelieved but knew the time when they will not be able to drive off the fire from their faces and from their backs, and they will not be helped!

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Nay, but [the Last Hour] will come upon them of a sudden, and will stupefy them: and they will be unable to avert it, and neither will they be allowed any respite.

  - Mohammad Asad

Nay, it will come to them all of a sudden and overpower them so abruptly that they shall neither be able to avert it nor shall they get any respite.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Nay, but it will come upon them unawares so that it will stupefy them, and they will be unable to repel it, neither will they be reprieved.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall