Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nahl Verse 28

Mufti Taqi Usmani

the ones to whom the angels brought death while they were (still) wronging themselves.” Then, they will resort to submission, (yet will say), “We used to do nothing wrong.” (They will be answered) Why not? Allah knows well what you used to do.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Those whose souls the angels seize while they wrong themselves will then offer ˹full˺ submission ˹and say falsely,˺ “We did not do any evil.” ˹The angels will say,˺ “No! Surely Allah fully knows what you used to do.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Those whose souls are seized by the angels while they wrong themselves, who will then offer submission, “We did not do anything evil.” “Yes indeed you did! Allah knows well what you used to do.

A. J. Arberry

whom the angels take while still they are wronging themselves.' Then they will offer surrender: 'We were doing nothing evil. 'Nay; but surety God has knowledge of the things you did.

Abdul Haleem

Those whose lives the angels take while they are wronging themselves will show submission: ‘We were doing no evil.’ ‘Yes you were: God knows fully everything that you have done,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Those whom the angels cause to die while they are wronging them selves, and then they proffer submission: we have not been working any evil. Yea! verily Allah is the Knower of that which ye have been working.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"(Namely) those whose lives the angels take in a state of wrong-doing to their own souls." Then would they offer submission (with the pretence), "We did no evil (knowingly)." (The angels will reply), "Nay, but verily Allah knoweth all that ye did;

Abul Ala Maududi

the same unbelievers who, when the angels seize them and cause them to die while they are engaged in wrong-doing, they will proffer their submission saying: "We were engaged in no evil." (The angels will answer them): "Surely Allah knows well all that you did.

Ahmed Ali

They whose souls are drawn out by the angels while they are sinning, shall offer submission: "We did no evil." But God knows well what you did.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Those whose souls the angels remove whilst they were wronging themselves; so now they will plead “We never used to do any wrong”; "Yes you did, why not? Indeed Allah well knows what you used to do."

Ali Quli Qarai

—Those whom the angels take away while they were wronging themselves. Thereat they submit: ‘We were not doing any evil!’ ‘Yes, [the angels say to them,] indeed Allah knows best what you used to do!

Ali Ünal

Those whose souls the angels take while they are still wronging themselves (by falsely associating partners with God, and committing evils). (When they see the punishment), they offer full submission, (saying in an attempt to excuse themselves): "We did not (mean to) do any evil." (But they are answered:) "No! Surely God has full knowledge of what you were doing (and your intentions therein).

Amatul Rahman Omar

Those whom the angels cause to die while they are (still engrossed) in doing wrong to themselves; (when they are on the point of death) they will offer submission (saying), `We used to do no evil.´ (The angels will say,) `It is not as you say. Surely, Allâh knows well all that you have been doing.

English Literal

Those who the angels make them die, (while) unjust/oppressive (to) themselves, so they threw the submission/surrender (and said): "We were not making/doing/working from the bad/evil/harm/corruption." Yes/certainly that God (is) knowledgeable with what you were making/doing/working.

Faridul Haque

Those whose souls the angels remove whilst they were wronging themselves; so now they will plead "We never used to do any wrong"; "Yes you did, why not? Indeed Allah well knows what you used to do."

Hamid S. Aziz

"Those whom the angels take away while they are wronging their own souls." Then will they offer peace and surrender, saying "We have done no evil (knowingly)." (The reply will be) "Nay! Surely Allah knows what you used to do.

Hilali & Khan

"Those whose lives the angels take while they are doing wrong to themselves (by disbelief and by associating partners in worship with Allah and by committing all kinds of crimes and evil deeds)." Then, they will make (false) submission (saying): "We used not to do any evil." (The angels will reply): "Yes! Truly, Allah is All-Knower of what you used to do.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Then on the Resurrection day he will bring them to disgrace and say: Where are My partners, for whose sake you became hostile? Those who are given the knowledge will say: Surely disgrace this day and evil are upon the disbelievers,

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Those whom the angels cause to die while they are unjust to themselves. Then would they offer submission: We used not to do any evil. Aye! surely Allah knows what you did.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Whom the angels cause to die while they are wronging themselves. Then will they make full submission (saying): We used not to do any wrong. Nay! Surely Allah is Knower of what ye used to do.

Muhammad Sarwar

The unjust, who will be seized by the angels, will submit themselves, obey, and say, "We were not evil-doers." But God certainly knows what they had been doing.

Qaribullah & Darwish

whom the angels take while they were still harming themselves' Then they will offer submission, saying: 'We have done no evil' No, surely Allah knows what you have done.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Those whose lives the angels take while they are doing wrong to themselves. Then, they will (falsely) submit (saying): "We did not do any evil." (The angels will reply): "Yes! Truly, Allah is Most Knowing of what you did."

Wahiduddin Khan

Those whose lives the angels take while they are wronging their own souls will offer submission saying, "We were not doing anything evil!" "Indeed!" the angels will reply, "God is aware of what you have been doing,

Talal Itani

Those wronging their souls while the angels are taking them away—they will propose peace: “We did no wrong.” Yes you did. God is aware of what you used to do.”

Tafsir jalalayn

those whom the angels take [in death] (read [feminine person] tatawaffhum or [masculine] yatawaffhum) while they are wronging themselves', through disbelief. Then they will offer submission, becoming compliant and submitting themselves [to belief in God] upon death, saying; `We were not doing any evil', [any] associating others with God, whereat the angels say; `Nay! Surely God is Knower of what you used to do', and will requite you for it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Condition of the Disbeliever during and after Death

Allah tells;

الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَليِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ

Those whose lives the angels take while they are doing wrong to themselves.

Allah informs us of the state of the idolators who are doing wrong to themselves when death approaches and the angels come to seize their evil souls.

فَأَلْقَوُاْ السَّلَمَ

Then, they will (falsely) submit,

meaning, they will make it appear as if they used to listen and obey by saying,

مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِن سُوءٍ

We did not do any evil.

Similarly, on the Day of Resurrection, they will say,

وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ

By Allah, our Lord, we were not idolators. (6;23)

يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهِ جَمِيعاً فَيَحْلِفُونَ لَهُ كَمَا يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ

On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all together; then they will swear to Him as they swear to you. (58;18)

Allah says, rejecting what they say,

بَلَى إِنَّ اللّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ



فَادْخُلُواْ أَبْوَابَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا فَلَبِيْسَ مَثْوَى الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ