Al-Qur'an Surah Ibrahim Verse 46

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And they worked out their plot and whatever they plot is before Allah, even though their plot is such as would move the mountains.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They devised every plot, which was fully known to Allah, but their plotting was not enough to ˹even˺ overpower mountains ˹let alone Allah˺.

Ruwwad Translation Center

They hatched their plot, but their plot was known to Allah; even if their plot were such that would move mountains.

A. J. Arberry

They devised their devising, and their devising is known to God; though their devising were such as to remove mountains.'

Abdul Haleem

They made their plots, but, even if their plots had been able to move mountains, God had the answer.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And of a surety theys Plotted their plot, and with Allah was their plot, though their plot was such as to remove thereby mountains.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Mighty indeed were the plots which they made, but their plots were (well) within the sight of Allah, even though they were such as to shake the hills!

Abul Ala Maududi

Indeed the unbelievers contrived their plan, but it is in Allah's power to nullify their plan, even though their plans were such that would move even mountains.

Ahmed Ali

Still they are plotting their plots, but evident are their plots to God, even though they are so adroit as to make the mountains move.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And indeed they carried out their scheme, and their scheming is within Allah’s control; and their scheme was not such that could move these mountains*. (* The revelations / signs of Allah.)

Ali Quli Qarai

They certainly devised their plots, but their plots are known to Allah, and their plots are not such as to dislodge the mountains.

Ali Ünal

They schemed their schemes, but their schemes were in God’s disposition (entirely encompassed by His Knowledge and Power), even though their schemes were such as to shock mountains.

Amatul Rahman Omar

They have (already) hatched their plots. But even though they have plots that can move mountains, Allâh has power over (rendering) their plots (ineffective).

English Literal

And they had cheated/deceived/schemed their cheatery/deceit/schemes, and at God (is) their cheatery/deceit/schemes, and if their cheating/deceit/schemes (was to make) the mountains vanish/terminate (E) from it .

Faridul Haque

And indeed they carried out their scheme, and their scheming is within Allah’s control; and their scheme was not such that could move these mountains *. (* The revelations / signs of Allah.)

Hamid S. Aziz

But they plotted mighty stratagems, but their stratagem were within Allah´s sight, although their stratagem were mountain-shaking.

Hilali & Khan

Indeed, they planned their plot, and their plot was with Allah, though their plot was a great (one, still) it would never be able to remove the mountains (real mountains or the Islamic law) from their places (as it is of no importance) [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 2, Page 597]. [It is said by some interpreters regarding this Verse that the Quraish pagans plotted against Prophet Muhammad SAW to kill him but they failed and were unable to carry out their plot which they plotted].

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And you dwell in the abodes of those who wronged themselves, and it is clear to you how We dealt with them and We made (them) examples for you.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And they have indeed planned their plan, but their plan is with Allah, though their plan was such that the mountains should pass away thereby.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Verily they have plotted their plot, and their plot is with Allah, though their plot were one whereby the mountains should be moved.

Muhammad Sarwar

They devised evil plans which were so sinful that even the mountains could not endure them. All these were known to God.

Qaribullah & Darwish

They plotted their plots, but their plots are (known) to Allah, even though their plots were such as to move mountains.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Indeed, they planned their plot, and their plot was with Allah, though their plot was not such as to remove the mountains from their places.

Wahiduddin Khan

They hatched their plots; but these plots were all within God's knowledge. Though their plots were such as to shake the mountains, God will bring their plots to nothing.

Talal Itani

They planned their plans, but their plans are known to God, even if their plans can eliminate mountains.

Tafsir jalalayn

And verily they plotted, against the Prophet (s), their plot -- when they desired to kill him, or detain him [in his house] or banish him -- but their plotting is with God, that is to say, knowledge or the requital thereof [is with God], and their plotting, even though it be great, was not such whereby mountains should be moved, meaning that it is not of any importance, but that they are only harming themselves thereby. It is said that the use of `mountains' here is meant to be literal; alternatively, it is also said [to be a reference to] the laws of Islam, which are likened to these [mountains] in the way that they are established and fixed (a variant reading has la-tazlu [instead of li-tazla], with in softened [from inna, `verily'], in which case the intended meaning is that [the extent of] their plotting is great. It is said that `plotting' here is [actually a reference to] their unbelief. This second [reading] is consonant with [God's saying]; Whereby the heavens are almost torn and the earth split asunder and the mountains fall crashing [Q. 19;90]; according to the former [reading], however, one should read it as [if it were] wa-m kna, and [their plotting] was not such ...).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Indeed, they planned their plot, and their plot was with Allah, though their plot was not such as to remove the mountains from their places.

Shu`bah narrated that Abu Ishaq said that Abdur-Rahman bin Dabil said that Ali bin Abi Talib commented on Allah's statement,
وَإِن كَانَ مَكْرُهُمْ لِتَزُولَ مِنْهُ الْجِبَالُ
(though their plot was not such as to remove the mountains from their places),

"He who disputed with Ibrahim about his Lord, took two eaglets and raised them until they became adult eagles. Then he tied each eagle's leg to a wooden box with ropes and left them go hungry. He and another man sat inside the wooden box and raised a staff with a piece of meat on its tip. So, the two eagles started flying. The king asked his companion to tell him what he was seeing, and he described the scenes to him, until he said that he saw the earth as a fly. So, the king brought the staff closer to the eagles and they started landing slowly. This is why Allah said,
وَإِن كَانَ مَكْرُهُمْ لِتَزُولَ مِنْهُ الْجِبَالُ
`though their plot was hardly one to remove the mountains from their places."'

Mujahid also mentioned that;

this story was about Nebuchadnezzar, and that when the king's sight was far away from earth and its people, he was called, `O tyrant one! Where are you headed to!' He became afraid and brought the staff closer to the eagles, which flew faster with such haste that the mountains almost shook from the noise they made. The mountains were almost moved from their places, so Allah said,
وَإِن كَانَ مَكْرُهُمْ لِتَزُولَ مِنْهُ الْجِبَالُ
(though their plot was not such as to remove the mountains from their places)."

Ibn Jurayj narrated that Mujahid recited this Ayah in a way that means,

"though their plot was such as to remove the mountains from their places."

However, Al-Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas said that,
وَإِن كَانَ مَكْرُهُمْ لِتَزُولَ مِنْهُ الْجِبَالُ
(though their plot was not such as to remove the mountains from their places),

indicates that their plot was not such as to remove the mountains from their places.

Similar was said by Al-Hasan Al-Basri.

Ibn Jarir reasoned that,

"Associating others with Allah and disbelieving in Him, which they brought upon themselves, did not bother the mountains nor other creatures. Rather, the harm of their actions came to haunt them."

I (Ibn Kathir) said, this meaning is similar to Allah's statement,

وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّكَ لَن تَخْرِقَ الاٌّرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ الْجِبَالَ طُولاً

And walk not on the earth with conceit and arrogance. Verily, you can neither rend nor penetrate the earth, nor can you attain a stature like the mountains in height. (17;37)

There is another way of explaining this Ayah;

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said that,
وَإِن كَانَ مَكْرُهُمْ لِتَزُولَ مِنْهُ الْجِبَالُ
(though their plot was not such as to remove the mountains from their places),

refers to their Shirk, for Allah said in another Ayah,

تَكَادُ السَّمَـوَتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ

Whereby the heavens are almost torn. (19;90)

Ad-Dahhak and Qatadah said similarly