Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nahl Verse 37

Mufti Taqi Usmani

If you are keen for their guidance, then, (remember that) Allah does not lead those to the right path whom He lets go astray, and for them there are no helpers.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Even though you ˹O Prophet˺ are keen on their guidance, Allah certainly does not guide those He leaves to stray, and they will have no helpers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Even though you are keen to guide them, but Allah does not guide those whom He causes to stray, and they will have no helpers.

A. J. Arberry

Though thou art ever so eager to guide them, God guides not those whom He leads astray; they have no helpers.

Abdul Haleem

Though you [Prophet] may be eager to guide them, God does not guide those who misguide [others], nor will they have anyone to help them.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

If thou art solicitous for their guidance, then verily Allah guideth not whomsoever He sendeth astray, and for them there are no helpers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If thou art anxious for their guidance, yet Allah guideth not such as He leaves to stray, and there is none to help them.

Abul Ala Maududi

(O Muhammad), howsoever eager you may be to show them the Right Way, Allah does not bestow His guidance on those whom He lets go astray; and in fact none will be able to help them.

Ahmed Ali

Even if you are eager to guide them, God does not surely guide those who have gone astray: They will have no one to help them.

Ahmed Raza Khan

If you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) desire for their guidance, then indeed Allah does not guide one whom He misleads, and they do not have any aides.

Ali Quli Qarai

Even if you are eager for them to be guided, indeed Allah does not guide those who mislead [others], and they will have no helpers.

Ali Ünal

Though you long ardently for them (all humankind) to be rightly guided, God surely does not guide those whom He has led astray (as their just due). And they have no helpers (to defend them against God).

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Prophet!) if you are solicitous of their guidance, then (know that) Allâh never guides those who lead (others) astray (knowingly), and they shall have no helpers (to protect them against the evil consequences of their deeds).

English Literal

If you held onto stingily and desire strongly (are careful) on their guidance, so that God does not guide who misguides, and none from victoriors/saviors (are) for them.

Faridul Haque

If you (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) desire for their guidance, then indeed Allah does not guide one whom He misleads, and they do not have any aides.

Hamid S. Aziz

If you are eager for their guidance, verily, Allah guides not those who go astray (or mislead), nor have they any helpers.

Hilali & Khan

If you (O Muhammad SAW) covet for their guidance, then verily Allah guides not those whom He makes to go astray (or none can guide him whom Allah sends astray). And they will have no helpers.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And certainly We raised in every nation a messenger, saying: Serve Allah and shun the devil. Then of them was he whom Allah guided, and of them was he whose remaining in error was justly due. So travel in the land, then see what was the end of the rejectors.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

If you desire for their guidance, yet surely Allah does not guide him who leads astray, nor shall they have any helpers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Even if thou (O Muhammad) desirest their right guidance, still Allah assuredly will not guide him who misleadeth. Such have no helpers.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), even though you have a strong desire to guide them, be sure that God will not guide those who have gone astray and no one will be able to help them.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Though you are ever so eager to guide them, Allah will not guide those who mislead (others). There shall be none to help them.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

[Even] if you desire that they be guided, then verily, Allah does not guide those whom He allowed to stray, and they will have no helpers.

Wahiduddin Khan

Though you [Prophet] may be eager to guide them, God does not guide those whom He lets go astray, [because of their refusal to give a positive response to the truth]. They will have no supporters.

Talal Itani

Even though you may be concerned about their guidance, God does not guide those who misguide. And they will have no saviors.

Tafsir jalalayn

If you, O Muhammad (s), are eager for them to be guided, when God has already made them go astray, you will not be able to achieve this; For God does not guide (read passive l yuhd [?], or active l yahd) he whom He has [already] sent astray, he whom He desires to send astray, and they will have no helpers, [no] protectors from God's chastisement.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

(Even) if you desire that they be guided, then verily, Allah does not guide those whom He allowed to stray, and they will have no helpers.

Allah told His Messenger that His eagerness to guide them will be of no benefit to them if Allah wills that they should be misguided, as He says;

وَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَن تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْيا

And for whoever Allah wills to try with error, you can do nothing for him against Allah. (5;41)

Nuh said to his people;

وَلَا يَنفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِى إِنْ أَرَدْتُّ أَنْ أَنصَحَ لَكُمْ إِن كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يُغْوِيَكُمْ

"And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah's will is to keep you astray." (11;34)

In this Ayah, Allah says;

إِن تَحْرِصْ عَلَى هُدَاهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَن يُضِلُّ

(Even) if you desire that they be guided, then verily, Allah does not guide those whom He allowed to stray,

As Allah says;

مَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَلَ هَادِيَ لَهُ وَيَذَرُهُمْ فِى طُغْيَـنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ

Whomsoever Allah allows to stray, then there is no guide for him; and He lets them wander blindly in their transgressions. (7;186)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لَا يُوْمِنُونَ

وَلَوْ جَأءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ ءايَةٍ حَتَّى يَرَوُاْ الْعَذَابَ الاٌّلِيمَ

Truly! Those deserving the Word (wrath) of your Lord will not believe, even if every sign should come to them - until they see the painful torment. (10;96-97)

فَإِنَّ اللّهَ
(then verily, Allah),

meaning, this is the way in which Allah does things. If He wills a thing, then it happens, and if He does not will a thing, then it does not happen.

For this reason Allah says;

لَا يَهْدِي مَن يُضِلُّ
(Allah does not guide those whom He allowed to stray),

meaning the one whom He has caused to go astray, so who can guide him apart from Allah No one.

وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ


And they will have no helpers.

means, they will have no one to save them from the punishment of Allah,

أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالاٌّمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ

Surely, His is the creation and commandment. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all that exists! (7;54)