Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Kahf Verse 15

Mufti Taqi Usmani

These, our people, have adopted gods other than Him. Why do they not bring a clear proof in their favor? So, who is more unjust than the one who fabricates a lie against Allah?

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Then they said to one another,˺ “These people of ours have taken gods besides Him. Why do they not produce a clear proof of them? Who then does more wrong than those who fabricate lies against Allah?

Ruwwad Translation Center

These people of ours have taken besides Him other gods. Why do they not bring a clear proof about them? Who does greater wrong than one who fabricates lies against Allah?

A. J. Arberry

These our people have taken to them other gods, apart from Him. Ah, if only they would bring some clear authority regarding them! But who does greater evil than he who forges against God a lie?

Abdul Haleem

These people of ours have taken gods other than Him. Why do they not produce clear evidence about them? Who could be more unjust than someone who makes up lies about God?

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

These, our people, have taken for themselves gods beside Him - wherefore bring they not for them an authority manifest? --and who doth greater wrong than he who fabricateth against God a lie?

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"These our people have taken for worship gods other than Him; why do they not bring forward an authority clear (and convincing) for what they do? Who doth more wrong than such as invent a falsehood against Allah?

Abul Ala Maududi

(Then they conferred among themselves and said): "These men, our own people, have taken others as gods beside Him: why do they not bring any clear evidence that they indeed are gods? Who can be more unjust than he who foists a lie on Allah?

Ahmed Ali

As for these our people here, they have taken to other gods apart from Him. Then why do they not bring a clear authority for them? Who is more wicked than he who fabricates a lie against God?"

Ahmed Raza Khan

“These – the people of ours – have set up Gods besides Allah; why do they not bring a clear proof regarding them? And who is more unjust than one who fabricates a lie against Allah?”

Ali Quli Qarai

These—our people—have taken gods besides Him. Why do they not bring any clear authority touching them? So who is a greater wrongdoer than he who fabricates a lie against Allah?

Ali Ünal

"These people of ours have adopted deities other than Him: although they cannot bring any clear authority for them. And who is more in the wrong than he who fabricates falsehood against God?"

Amatul Rahman Omar

`These people of ours have taken to them (for worship) other gods apart from Him. Why do they not bring any clear proof and authority in support (of their belief). (Infact they have no such proof,) Who can be more unjust than the person who forges a lie against Allâh?´

English Literal

Those (are) Our nation they took from other than Him gods, if only they come on them with a proof/authority , clear/shown/explained, so who (is) more unjust/oppressive than who fabricated/cut and split on (about) God lies/denials/falsifications?

Faridul Haque

"These - the people of ours - have set up Gods besides Allah; why do they not bring a clear proof regarding them? And who is more unjust than one who fabricates a lie against Allah?"

Hamid S. Aziz

"These people of ours have taken to other gods beside Him. Though they do not bring any manifest authority for them. And who is more unjust than he who invents against Allah falsehoods?

Hilali & Khan

"These our people have taken for worship aliha (gods) other than Him (Allah). Why do they not bring for them a clear authority? And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We strengthened their hearts when they stood up and said: Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth; we call upon no god beside Him, for then indeed we should utter an enormity.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

These our people have taken gods besides Him; why do they not produce any clear authority in their support? Who is then more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

These, our people, have chosen (other) gods beside Him though they bring no clear warrant (vouchsafed) to them. And who doth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie concerning Allah?

Muhammad Sarwar

Our people have considered other things equal to God. Why cannot they present clear proof in support of their claim. Who is more unjust than one who invents falsehood against God?"

Qaribullah & Darwish

These, our nation have taken to themselves gods, other than Allah. Why do they not bring some clear authority regarding them! Who does greater evil than he who forges a lie against Allah'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

These our people have taken for worship gods other than Him. Why do they not bring for them a clear authority And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah.

Wahiduddin Khan

These people of ours have taken deities other than Him. Why do they not produce clear evidence about them? Who is more wicked than the man who invents a falsehood against God?

Talal Itani

“These people, our people, have taken to themselves gods other than Him. Why do they not bring a clear proof concerning them? Who, then, does greater wrong than he who invents lies and attributes them to God?”

Tafsir jalalayn

These (h'l' is the subject [of the sentence]) our people (qawmun is an explicative supplement [to the subject]) have taken gods besides Him. Why [if what they claim is true] do they not bring some clear warrant, some manifest argument, regarding them? regarding worship of these [idols]. And who does greater wrong -- in other words, no one does greater wrong -- than he who invents a lie against God?, by ascribing partners to Him, exalted be He. Some among the youths said to the others;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

هَوُلَاء قَوْمُنَا اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ الِهَةً لَّوْلَا يَأْتُونَ عَلَيْهِم بِسُلْطَانٍ بَيِّنٍ

These, our people, have taken for worship gods other than Him (Allah). Why do they not bring for them a clear authority!

meaning, why do they not produce some clear evidence and genuine proof for their behavior!

فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا



And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah.

They said;`but by saying that they are lying transgressors.'

It was said that when they called their king to believe in Allah, he refused, and warned and threatened them. He commanded them to be stripped of their clothing bearing the adornments of their people, then he gave them some time to think about the situation, hoping that they would return to their former religion.

This was a way that Allah showed kindness for them, because during that time they managed to escape from him and flee from persecution for the sake of their religion.

This is what is prescribed in the Shariah during times of trial and persecution -- a person who fears for his religion should flee from his persecutors, as was reported in the Hadith;

يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَكُونَ خَيْرُ مَالِ أَحَدِكُمْ غَنَمًا يَتْبَعُ بِهَا شَعَفَ الْجِبَالِ وَمَوَاقِعَ القَطْرِ يَفِرُّ بِدِينِهِ مِنَ الْفِتَن

Soon there will come a time when the best wealth any of you can have will be sheep, which he can follow to the tops of the mountains and places where rain falls, (fleeing) for the sake of his religion from persecution.

In such cases, it is allowed to seclude oneself from people, but this is not prescribed in any other case, because by such seclusion one loses the benefits of congregational and Friday prayers.

These young men were determined to flee from their people, and Allah decreed that for them, as He says about them