Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anbya Verse 17

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Had We intended to have a pastime, We would have had it from Our own, if We were ever to do so.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Had We intended to take ˹some˺ amusement, We could have found it in Our presence, if that had been Our Will.

Ruwwad Translation Center

If We had wished for a pastime, We could have had it from Our own, if We were to do so.

A. J. Arberry

had We desired to take to Us a diversion We would have taken it to Us from Ourselves, had We done aught.

Abdul Haleem

If We had wished for a pastime, We could have found it within Us- if We had wished for any such thing.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Had We intended that We should choose a sport, surely We would choose it from before Us--if We were ever going to do that.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If it had been Our wish to take (just) a pastime, We should surely have taken it from the things nearest to Us, if We would do (such a thing)!

Abul Ala Maududi

Had it been Our will to find a pastime, We would have found one near at hand; if at all We were inclined to do so.

Ahmed Ali

If We had pleased to make a plaything We could have made it Ourself, if We had cared to do so.

Ahmed Raza Khan

If We willed to choose a pastime, We could have chosen it from Ourselves – if We wanted to.

Ali Quli Qarai

Had We desired to take up some diversion We would have taken it up with Ourselves, were We to do [so].

Ali Ünal

If We had willed to find a pastime (without creating the heavens and the earth with all that is in and between them), We would indeed have found it in Our Presence, if We were going to do so!

Amatul Rahman Omar

If We had meant to make something vain and idle We would surely have made it so on Our part. (But) We were by no means to do (such a thing).

English Literal

If We wanted that We take a plaything/an amusement , We would have taken it from at Us, if We were making/doing.

Faridul Haque

If We willed to choose a pastime, We could have chosen it from Ourselves - if We wanted to.

Hamid S. Aziz

We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between the two in play.

Hilali & Khan

Had We intended to take a pastime (i.e. a wife or a son, etc.), We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We created not the heaven and the earth and what is between them for sport.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Had We wished to make a diversion, We would have made it from before Ourselves: by no means would We do (it).

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

If We had wished to find a pastime, We could have found it in Our presence - if We ever did.

Muhammad Sarwar

Had We wanted to play games, We could have certainly done so with things at hand.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Had We wished to take to Us an amusement We would have taken it to Us from Ours had We done so.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Had We intended to take a pastime, We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that).

Wahiduddin Khan

Had We wished to find a pastime, We would surely have found it in that which is with Us, if such had been Our will.

Talal Itani

If We wanted amusement, We could have found it within Us, were We to do so.

Tafsir jalalayn

Had We desired to find some diversion, that which provides diversion, in the way of a partner or a child, We would have found it with Ourselves, from among the beautiful-eyed houris or angels, were We to do [so]. But We did not do so, thus We never desired it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Had We intended to take a pastime, We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that).

Ibn Abi Najih said, narrating from Mujahid;
لَوْ أَرَدْنَا أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْوًا لاَّتَّخَذْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا
(Had We intended to take a pastime, We could surely have taken it from Us),

"Meaning, `From Ourself,' He is saying, `We would not have created Paradise or Hell or death or the resurrection or the Reckoning."'

إِن كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ


if We were going to do (that).

Qatadah, As-Suddi, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i and Mughirah bin Miqsam said;

"This means, `We will not do that."'

Mujahid said,

every time the word
أَن
(if) is used in the Qur'an, it is a negation