Al-Qur'an Surah Yunus Verse 31

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Say, “Who gives you sustenance from the heavens and the earth? Or, who controls the (powers of) hearing and seeing? And who brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living? And who manages everything?” They will say, “Allah.” Then, (you) say, “Would you not, then, fear Allah (by desisting from holding others as gods)?”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “Who provides for you from heaven and earth? Who owns ˹your˺ hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living? And who conducts every affair?” They will ˹surely˺ say, “Allah.” Say, “Will you not then fear ˹Him˺?

Ruwwad Translation Center

Say, “Who provides for you from the heaven and earth? Or who owns [your] hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living? Who controls all things?” They will say, “Allah.” Say, “Do you not then fear Him?

A. J. Arberry

Say: 'Who provides you out of heaven and earth, or who possesses hearing and sight, and who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living, and who directs the affair?' They will surely say, 'God.' Then say: 'Will you not be godfearing?'

Abdul Haleem

Say [Prophet], ‘Who provides for you from the sky and the earth? Who controls hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living, and who governs everything?’ They are sure to say, ‘God.’ Then say, ‘So why do you not take heed of Him?

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Say thou: who provideth for you from the heaven and the earth, or who owneth the hearing and the sight, and who bringeth forth the living from the lifeless and bringeth forth the lifeless from the living, and who disposeth the affair! They will then surely say: Allah. Say thou: will ye not then fear Him?

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Say; "Who is it that sustains you (in life) from the sky and from the earth? or who is it that has power over hearing and sight? And who is it that brings out the living from the dead and the dead from the living? and who is it that rules and regulates all affairs?" They will soon say, "Allah". Say, "will ye not then show piety (to Him)?"

Abul Ala Maududi

Ask them: 'Who provides you with sustenance out of the heavens and the earth? Who holds mastery over your hearing and sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living? Who governs all affairs of the universe?' They will surely say: 'Allah.' Tell them: 'Will you, then, not shun (going against reality)?"

Ahmed Ali

Ask them: "Who gives you food and sustenance from the skies and the earth? Or, who is the lord of ear and eye? And who brings forth the living from the dead, the dead from the living? And who directs all affairs?" They will say: "God." So tell them: "Why do you not fear Him?"

Ahmed Raza Khan

Say, (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “Who provides you sustenance from the sky and the earth? Or Who is the Owner of the ears and the eyes? And Who brings forth the living from the dead and Who brings forth the dead from the living? And Who plans all matters?” So they will now say, “Allah”; therefore say, “Then why do you not fear?”

Ali Quli Qarai

Say, ‘Who provides for you out of the sky and the earth? Who controls [your] hearing and sight, and who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living, and who directs the command?’ They will say, ‘Allah.’ Say, ‘Will you not then be wary [of Him]?’

Ali Ünal

Say: "Who is it that provides for you from heaven and earth, or Who is it that possesses full power over (your) hearing and eyes, or Who is it that brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living, and Who directs the whole affair (the universe)?" They will say, "It is God." Then, say: "Will you not then keep your duty to him in reverence for Him and in fear of His punishment?"

Amatul Rahman Omar

Ask, `Who provides you sustenance from the heaven and the earth? Or who controls hearing and sight? And who brings forth the living out of the dead and brings forth the dead out of the living? And who directs and regulates all the affairs (of the universe)?´ They will certainly say thereupon, `It is Allâh.´ Then say, `Will you not even then guard against evil (doings).

English Literal

Say: "Who provides for you from the sky/space and the earth/Planet Earth? Or who owns/possesses the hearing/listening , and the eye sights/knowledge, and He brings out/emerges the live/alive from the dead, and He brings out/emerges the dead from the live/alive, and who plans/regulates the matter/affair?" So they will say: "God." so say: "So do you not fear and obey?"

Faridul Haque

Say, (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), "Who provides you sustenance from the sky and the earth? Or Who is the Owner of the ears and the eyes? And Who brings forth the living from the dead and Who brings forth the dead from the living? And Who plans all matters?" So they will now say, "Allah"; therefore say, "Then why do you not fear?"

Hamid S. Aziz

There shall every soul experience what it did (or has sent on) before; and they shall be returned unto Allah, their rightful Lord, and that which they used to invent shall fail them.

Hilali & Khan

Say (O MuhammadSAW): "Who provides for you from the sky and from the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who disposes the affairs?" They will say: "Allah." Say: "Will you not then be afraid of Allah's Punishment (for setting up rivals in worship with Allah)?"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

There will every soul become acquainted with what it sent before, and they will be brought back to Allah, their true Patron, and that which they devised will escape from them.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Say: Who gives you sustenance from the heaven and the earth? Or Who controls the hearing and the sight? And Who brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living? And Who regulates the affairs? Then they will say: Allah. Say then: Will you not then guard (against evil)?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Who provideth for you from the sky and the earth, or Who owneth hearing and sight; and Who bringeth forth the living from the dead and bringeth forth the dead from the living; and Who directeth the course? They will say: Allah. Then say: Will ye not then keep your duty (unto Him)?

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), ask them, "Who gives you sustenance from the heavens and earth, who truly possesses (your) hearing and seeing abilities, who brings the living out of the dead and the dead out of the living and who regulates (the whole Universe)? They will reply, "God." Ask them, "Why, then, do you not have fear of Him?"

Qaribullah & Darwish

Say: 'Who provides for you from heaven and earth, or who owns the hearing and the sight? Who brings forth the living from the dead, and the dead from the living' Who directs the affair? Surely, they will say: 'Allah' Then say: 'Then, will you not be fearful'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Say: "Who provides for you from the sky and the earth Or who owns hearing and sight And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living And who disposes of the affairs" They will say: "Allah." Say: "Will you not then be afraid (of Allah's punishment)"

Wahiduddin Khan

Say, "Who provides [sustenance] for you from heaven and earth? Who is it who controls the ears and the eyes? Who brings forth the living from the dead, and the dead from the living? And who governs all affairs?" They will say, "God". Then say, "Will you not then fear Him?

Talal Itani

Say, “Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? And who controls the hearing and the sight? And who produces the living from the dead, and produces the dead from the living? And who governs the Order?” They will say, “God.” Say, “Will you not be careful?”

Tafsir jalalayn

Say, to them; `Who provides for you, rain, out of the heaven, and, plants [out of], the earth, or Who owns hearing, meaning the ability to make hear, that is, the creation of this [faculty], and sight, and Who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living, and Who directs affairs?', between creatures? They will surely say, `It is He, God.' Then say, to them; `Will you not then fear?', Him, and believe?

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Idolators recognize Allah's Tawhid in Lordship and the Evidence is established against Them through this Recognition

Allah argues that the idolators' recognition of Allah's Oneness in Lordship is an evidence against them, for which they should admit and recognize the Oneness in divinity and worship. So Allah said;

قُلْ مَن يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاء وَالَارْضِ


Say;"Who provides for you from the sky and the earth!"

meaning, who is He Who sends down water from the sky and splits the earth with His power and will and allows things to grow from it,

أَءِلـهٌ مَّعَ اللهِ

Is there a god, besides Allah (Who provides)! (27;62)

فَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا حَبّاً

وَعِنَباً وَقَضْباً

وَزَيْتُوناً وَنَخْلً

وَحَدَايِقَ غُلْباً

وَفَـكِهَةً وَأَبّاً

Grains. And grapes and clover plants. And olives and date palms. And gardens dense with many trees. And fruits and herbage." (80;27-31)

فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللّه

They will say;"Allah."

أَمَّنْ هَـذَا الَّذِى يَرْزُقُكُمْ إِنْ أَمْسَكَ رِزْقَهُ

"Who is he that can provide for you if He should withhold His provision! (67;21)

Allah's statement,

أَمَّن يَمْلِكُ السَّمْعَ والَابْصَارَ

Or who owns hearing and sight,

means that Allah is the One who granted you the power of sight and hearing. If He willed otherwise, He would remove these gifts and deprive you of them.

Similarly, Allah said;

قُلْ هُوَ الَّذِى أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالاٌّبْصَـرَ

Say it is He Who has created you, and endowed you with hearing and seeing. (67;23)

Allah also said;

قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ سَمْعَكُمْ وَأَبْصَـرَكُمْ

Say;"Tell me, if Allah took away your hearing and your sight. (6;46)

Then Allah said;

وَمَن يُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيَّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ

And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living!

by His great power and grace.

وَمَن يُدَبِّرُ الَامْرَ

And who disposes of the affairs!

In Whose Hand is the dominion of everything Who protects all, while against Whom there is no protector! Who is the One who judges with none reversing His judgement! Who is the One that is not questioned about what He does while they will be questioned

يَسْأَلُهُ مَن فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِى شَأْنٍ

Whosoever is in the heavens and on earth begs of Him. Every day He is (engaged) in some affair! (55;29)

The upper and lower kingdoms and what is in them both, including the angels, humans, and Jinn are in desperate need of Him. They are His servants and are under His control.

فَسَيَقُولُونَ اللّهُ

They will say;"Allah."

they say this knowingly and they admit it.

فَقُلْ أَفَلَ تَتَّقُونَ



Say;`Will you not then be afraid (of Allah's punishment)!"

meaning, don't you fear Him when you worship others because of your ignorance and false opinions!

Allah then said