Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nahl Verse 21

Mufti Taqi Usmani

they are dead, having no life, and they do not know when they shall be raised again.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They are dead, not alive—not even knowing when their followers will be resurrected.

Ruwwad Translation Center

They are dead, not living; not even knowing when they will be resurrected.

A. J. Arberry

dead, not alive; and are not aware when they shall be raised.

Abdul Haleem

They are dead, not living. They do not know when they will be raised up.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Dead are they, not alive; and they perceive not when they will be raised up.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

(They are things) dead, lifeless; nor do they know when they will be raised up.

Abul Ala Maududi

they are dead, not living. They do not even know when they will be resurrected.

Ahmed Ali

Dead, without life they are, and do not know when they will be raised.

Ahmed Raza Khan

They are dead, not alive; and they do not know when will the people be raised.

Ali Quli Qarai

They are dead and lifeless, and are not aware when they will be resurrected.

Ali Ünal

Dead (they are), not living (nor can they give life, being themselves in need of it). And they do not know when they will be raised to life.

Amatul Rahman Omar

They are dead, not alive. And they do not perceive when they shall be raised (to life again).

English Literal

Deads other than alive, and they do not feel/know/sense when they are being sent/resurrected/revived.

Faridul Haque

They are dead, not alive; and they do not know when will the people be raised.

Hamid S. Aziz

Dead, not living, nor can they know when they shall be raised.

Hilali & Khan

(They are) dead, lifeless, and they know not when they will be raised up.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And those whom they call on besides Allah created naught, while they are themselves created.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Dead (are they), not living, and they know not when they shall be raised.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

(They are) dead, not living. And they know not when they will be raised.

Muhammad Sarwar

They are not living but are dead. They can not know when they will be raised.

Qaribullah & Darwish

They are dead, not living; and they do not know when they will be raised (to life).

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

(They are) dead, not alive; and they do not know when they will be resurrected.

Wahiduddin Khan

They are dead, not living; nor do they know when they will be raised to life.

Talal Itani

They are dead, not alive; and they do not know when they will be resurrected.

Tafsir jalalayn

They are dead, possessing no life (amwtun, `dead', is a second predicate), not living (an emphasis), and they, the idols, are not aware when, is the time [in which], they shall be raised, that is, creatures; so how can they be worshipped? For, only the Creator, the Living, the Knower of the Unseen can be a God.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

أَمْواتٌ غَيْرُ أَحْيَاء

(They are) dead, not alive,

means, they are inanimate and lifeless, they do not hear, see, or think.

وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ



and they know not when they will be resurrected.

meaning, they do not know when the Hour will come, so how can anyone hope for any benefit or reward from these idols! They should hope for it from the One Who knows all things and is the Creator of all things