Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anbya Verse 5

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Further they said, “(The Qur’ān is) a mixture of jumble dreams. Rather, he (the prophet) has fabricated it. Rather, he is a poet. So, let him bring a sign to us, as the earlier ones were sent with.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Yet they say, “This ˹Quran˺ is a set of confused dreams! No, he has fabricated it! No, he must be a poet! So let him bring us a ˹tangible˺ sign like those ˹prophets˺ sent before.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Yet they say, “This [Qur’an] is a set of jumbled dreams! Rather, he has fabricated it! Rather, he is a poet! So let him bring us a sign such as the earlier messengers were sent with.”

A. J. Arberry

Nay, but they say: 'A hotchpotch of nightmares! Nay, he has forged it; nay, he is a poet! Now therefore let him bring us a sign, even as the ancient ones were sent as Messengers.'

Abdul Haleem

Some say, ‘Muddled dreams’; others, ‘He made it up’; yet others, ‘He is just a poet, let him show us a sign as previous messengers did.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Aye! they say: a medley of dreams; aye! he hath fabricated it; aye! he is a poet; so let him bring us a sign even as the ancients were sent with.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Nay," they say, "(these are) medleys of dream! - Nay, He forged it! - Nay, He is (but) a poet! Let him then bring us a Sign like the ones that were sent to (Prophets) of old!"

Abul Ala Maududi

They say: "Nay, these are confused dreams; nay, he has forged it; nay, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign, even as the Messengers of the past were sent with signs."

Ahmed Ali

Yet they say: "These are only confused dreams," or rather: "He has invented them;" or: "He is only a poet. Let him therefore bring a miracle to us as the earlier (apostles) were sent with."

Ahmed Raza Khan

Rather they said, “These are confused dreams, but in fact he has fabricated it – but in fact he is a poet; so he must bring us some sign, like those who were sent before.”

Ali Quli Qarai

But they said, ‘[They are] muddled dreams!’ ‘Indeed, he has fabricated it!’ ‘Indeed, he is a poet!’ ‘Let him bring us a sign, like those sent to the former generations.’

Ali Ünal

(Confused about which source they should attribute the Qur’an to) they say, "No, but Muhammad offers some jumbles of dream images he has. No, but he fabricates all this! No, but he is a poet. If he is true in his claim, then let him come to us with a sign (a miracle), just as the previous Messengers were sent with miracles!"

Amatul Rahman Omar

Nay, they say, `This (Qur´ân) is (no revelation), but a jumble of confused dreams, rather he (- the Prophet) has forged it himself; he is a poet. (If it is not) so let him then bring us some sign (of destruction) just as the former (Prophets) were sent with.´

English Literal

But they said: "A confused mixture of dreams with no basis, rather he fabricated/cut and split it, rather he is a poet, so he should come/bring us with a verse/evidence/sign, as/like the first/beginners were sent."

Faridul Haque

Rather they said, "These are confused dreams, but in fact he has fabricated it - but in fact he is a poet; so he must bring us some sign, like those who were sent before."

Hamid S. Aziz

Say, "My Lord knows what is said in the heavens and the earth, He is Hearer and Knower."

Hilali & Khan

Nay, they say:"These (revelations of the Quran which are inspired to Muhammad SAW) are mixed up false dreams! Nay, he has invented it! Nay, he is a poet! Let him then bring us an Ayah (sign as a proof) like the ones (Prophets) that were sent before (with signs)!"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He said: My Lord knows (every) utterance in the heaven and the earth, and He is the Hearer, the Knower.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Nay! say they: Medleys of dreams; nay! he has forged it; nay! he is a poet; so let him bring to us a sign as the former (prophets) were sent (with).

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Nay, say they, (these are but) muddled dreams; nay, he hath but invented it; nay, he is but a poet. Let him bring us a portent even as those of old (who were Allah's messengers) were sent (with portents).

Muhammad Sarwar

They have said, "It, (the Quran), is only the result of some confused dreams. He is only a poet. He should show us some miracles, as the ancient Prophets had done."

Qaribullah & Darwish

Some say: 'No, it is only mixed dreams' 'No, he has forged it himself', or, 'no, he is a poet! Let him bring us a sign, just as the ancient ones were sent asMessengers'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Nay, they say: "These are mixed up false dreams! Nay, he has invented it! -- Nay, he is a poet! Let him then bring us an Ayah like the ones that were sent before!"

Wahiduddin Khan

Some say, "These are his confused dreams." Others say, "He has invented it himself," and yet others say, "He is a poet. Let him bring us a sign as previous messengers did."

Talal Itani

And they said, “A jumble of dreams,” and, “He made it up,” and, “He is a poet,” “let him bring us a sign, like those sent to the ancients.”

Tafsir jalalayn

Nay (bal, in the three instances [below] effects a transition from one subject to another) but they say, regarding those parts of the Qur'n he [the Prophet] has brought [to them] are; `A muddle of nightmares, a confusion [of things] he has seen in [his] sleep. Nay, he has fabricated it, he has invented it; nay, he is a poet, and what he has brought is [merely] poetry! So let him bring us a sign, such as was sent to the ancients', like the she-camel [Slih], the staff and the [glowing] hand [of Moses]. God, exalted be He, says;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

بَلْ قَالُواْ أَضْغَاثُ أَحْلَمٍ بَلِ افْتَرَاهُ بَلْ هُوَ شَاعِرٌ

Nay, they say;"These are mixed up false dreams!

Nay, he has invented it! -- Nay, he is a poet!

Here Allah tells us of the stubbornness and heresy of the disbelievers, and the various things they said about the Qur'an, and how they were confused and misguided about it. Sometimes they described it as magic, and sometimes they described it as poetry, or mixed up false dreams, or a fabrication.

As Allah says;

انْظُرْ كَيْفَ ضَرَبُواْ لَكَ الاٌّمْثَالَ فَضَلُّواْ فَلَ يَسْتَطِيعْونَ سَبِيلً

See what examples they have put forward for you. So they have gone astray, and never can they find a way. (17;48)

فَلْيَأْتِنَا بِأيَةٍ كَمَا أُرْسِلَ الَاوَّلُونَ



Let him then bring us an Ayah like the ones that were sent before!

They were referring to the she-camel of Salih, and the signs of Musa and `Isa.

And Allah says,

وَمَا مَنَعَنَأ أَن نُّرْسِلَ بِالاٌّيَـتِ إِلاَّ أَن كَذَّبَ بِهَا الاٌّوَّلُونَ

And nothing stops Us from sending the Ayat but that the people of old denied them. (17;59)

So Allah said here;

مَا امَنَتْ قَبْلَهُم مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَاهَا أَفَهُمْ يُوْمِنُونَ