Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Mu'minun Verse 83

Mufti Taqi Usmani

This is what has been promised to us and to our fathers before. It is nothing but the tales of the ancients.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

We have already been promised this, as well as our forefathers earlier. This is nothing but ancient fables!”

Ruwwad Translation Center

This is what we and our forefathers were promised before; this is nothing but ancient fables.”

A. J. Arberry

We and our fathers have been promised this before; this is naught but the fairy-tales of the ancients.'

Abdul Haleem

We have heard such promises before, and so did our forefathers. These are just ancient fables.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Assuredly this we have been promised--we and our fathers-- aforetime: naught is this but the fables of the ancients.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Such things have been promised to us and to our fathers before! they are nothing but tales of the ancients!"

Abul Ala Maududi

We were promised such things and so were our forefathers before us. All these are no more than tales of the past."

Ahmed Ali

We and our fathers were promised this before; it is nothing but ancient lore!"

Ahmed Raza Khan

“Indeed this promise was given to us and before us to our forefathers – this is nothing but stories of earlier people.”

Ali Quli Qarai

Certainly, we and our fathers were promised this before. [But] these are nothing but myths of the ancients.’

Ali Ünal

"We were already promised such things, we and our forefathers. These are no more than the fables of the ancients."

Amatul Rahman Omar

`Surely, we and our forefathers have already been given such promises before. These are nothing but only fables of the former people.´

English Literal

We had been promised this from before, we, and our fathers, that this (is) except the first`s/beginner`s myths/baseless stories .

Faridul Haque

"Indeed this promise was given to us and before us to our forefathers – this is nothing but stories of earlier people."

Hamid S. Aziz

They said, "What! When we have become earth and bones, are we then going to be raised again?

Hilali & Khan

"Verily, this we have been promised, we and our fathers before (us)! This is only the tales of the ancients!"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

They say: When we die and become dust and bones, shall we then be raised up?

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Certainly we are promised this, and (so were) our fathers aforetime; this is naught but stories of those of old.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

We were already promised this, we and our forefathers. Lo! this is naught but fables of the men of old.

Muhammad Sarwar

Our fathers and we have been given such promises before. These are no more than ancient legends."

Qaribullah & Darwish

We and our fathers have been promised this before. It is but of the ancients' fictitious tales'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"Verily, this we have been promised -- we and our fathers before! This is only (from) tales of the ancients!") Allah's saying:

Wahiduddin Khan

We and our forefathers were promised this before. This is nothing but fables of the ancients."

Talal Itani

We were promised this before—we and our ancestors—these are nothing but legends of the ancients.”

Tafsir jalalayn

Already We and our fathers have been promised this, resurrection after death, before; these are nothing but the fables, the lies, of the ancients', [mere] jokes and strange tales (astr, the plural of ustra).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

"Verily, this we have been promised -- we and our fathers before (us)! This is only the tales of the ancients!"

This means,

"It is impossible that we could be brought back. This was said by those who learned it from the books and disputes of the ancients."

This denial and rejection on their part is like the Ayah where Allah tells us about them;

أَءِذَا كُنَّا عِظَـماً نَّخِرَةً

قَالُواْ تِلْكَ إِذاً كَرَّةٌ خَـسِرَةٌ

فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ زَجْرَةٌ وَحِدَةٌ

فَإِذَا هُم بِالسَّاهِرَةِ

"Even after we are crumbled bones,"

They say;"It would in that case, be a return with loss!"

But it will be only a single Zajrah, When behold, they find themselves on the surface of the earth alive after their death. (79;11-14)

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الاِنسَـنُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مٌّبِينٌ

وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلً وَنَسِىَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ مَن يُحىِ الْعِظَـمَ وَهِىَ رَمِيمٌ

قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِى أَنشَأَهَأ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ

Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah. Yet behold he (stands forth) as an open opponent. And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation.

He says;"Who will give life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust!"

Say;"He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation!" (36;77-79