Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Furqan Verse 60

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And when it is said to them, “Prostrate yourselves to the RaHmān (the All-Merciful, Allah),” they say “What is RaHmān? Shall we prostrate ourselves to the one to whom you direct us?” And it increases nothing in them except aversion.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

When it is said to them, “Prostrate to the Most Compassionate,” they ask ˹in disgust˺, “What is ‘the Most Compassionate’? Will we prostrate to whatever you order us to?” And it only drives them farther away.

Ruwwad Translation Center

When it is said to them, “Prostrate to the Most Compassionate,” they say, “What is ‘the Most Compassionate?’ Shall we prostrate to what you order us?” And it only increases them in aversion.

A. J. Arberry

But when they are told, 'Bow yourselves to the All-merciful,' they say, 'And what is the All-merciful? Shall we bow ourselves to what thou biddest us?' And it increases them in aversion.

Abdul Haleem

Yet when they are told, ‘Bow down before the Lord of Mercy,’ they say, ‘What is the Lord of Mercy? Should we bow down before anything you command?’ and they turn even further away.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And when it is said unto them: prostrate yourselves unto the Compassionate, they say: and what is the Compassionate? Shall we prostrate ourselves unto that which thou commandest us? And it increaseth in them aversion.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When it is said to them, "Prostrate to (Allah) Most Gracious!", they say, "And what is (Allah) Most Gracious? Shall we prostrate to that which thou commandest us?" And it increases their flight (from the Truth).

Abul Ala Maududi

When it is said to them. "Prostrate yourselves before the Merciful," they retort, "What is the Merciful? Would you have us prostrate ourselves before whomsoever you will?" And this invitation only helps to increase their hatred all the more.

Ahmed Ali

When you say to them: "Bow before Ar-Rahman," they say: "What is Ar-Rahman? Should we adore whoever you ask us to?" And their aversion increases further.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And when it is said to them, “Prostrate to the Most Gracious” – they say, “And what is the Most Gracious? Shall we prostrate to whatever you command us?” And this command only increases the hatred in them. (Command of Prostration # 7)

Ali Quli Qarai

When they are told: ‘Prostrate yourselves before the All-beneficent,’ they say, ‘What is ‘‘the All-beneficent’’? Shall we prostrate ourselves before whatever you bid us?’ And it increases their aversion.

Ali Ünal

When they are told: "Prostrate before the All-Merciful (to express your submission to Him)," they say: "What is the All-Merciful? Shall we prostrate before whatever you command us?" Your call but increases them in (their haughty) aversion.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And when it is said to them, `Prostrate (to show submission) to the Most Gracious (God).´ They say, `What (thing) is this the Most Gracious (God)? Shall we prostrate to whatever you bid us to show submission?´ So this (bidding of the Prophet to submit to the Lord) increased them in aversion (to the truth). [Prostration]

English Literal

And if (it) was said to them: "Prostrate to the merciful." They said: "And what (is) the merciful? Do we prostrate to what you order/command us?" And (it) increased them hastening away with aversion.

Faridul Haque

And when it is said to them, “Prostrate to the Most Gracious” - they say, “And what is the Most Gracious? Shall we prostrate to whatever you command us?” And this command only increases the hatred in them. (Command of Prostration # 7)

Hamid S. Aziz

He who created the heavens and the earth, and what is between them, in six days, and then mounted the Throne; the Beneficent! Ask any one who is aware concerning Him.

Hilali & Khan

And when it is said to them: "Prostrate to the Most Beneficent (Allah)! They say: "And what is the Most Beneficent? Shall we fall down in prostration to that which you (O Muhammad SAW) command us?" And it increases in them only aversion.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six periods, and He is established on the Throne of Power, the Beneficent. So ask respecting Him one aware.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when it is said to them: Prostrate to the Beneficent Allah, they say: And what is the Allah of beneficence? Shall we prostrate to what you bid us? And it adds to their aversion.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And when it is said unto them: Prostrate to the Beneficent! they say: And what is the Beneficent? Are we to prostrate to whatever thou (Muhammad) biddest us? And it increaseth aversion in them.

Muhammad Sarwar

When they are told to prostrate themselves before the Beneficent God, they say, "Who is the Beneficent God? Why should we prostrate ourselves before the one whom you have commanded us to?" This only increases their rebelliousness.

Qaribullah & Darwish

When it is said to them: 'Prostrate yourselves before the Merciful', they ask: 'And what is the Merciful? Shall we prostrate ourselves to whatever you bid us' And it increases their aversion.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And when it is said to them: "Prostrate yourselves to Ar-Rahman!" They say: "And what is Ar-Rahman Shall we fall down in prostration to that which you command us" And it increases in them only aversion.

Wahiduddin Khan

When they are told, "Prostrate yourselves before the Gracious One," they ask, "Who is this Gracious One? Shall we prostrate ourselves before whatever you will?" This increases their aversion.

Talal Itani

And when it is said to them, “Bow down to the Merciful,” they say, “And what is the Merciful? Are we to bow down to whatever you command us?” And it increases their aversion.

Tafsir jalalayn

And when it is said to them, to the disbelievers of Mecca, `Prostrate yourselves before the Compassionate One', they say, `And what is the Compassionate One? Should we prostrate ourselves to whatever you bid us' (ta'murun; or read ya'murun, `[whatever] he bids us') -- [in both cases] the one bidding is Muhammad (s) -- when we do not know who He is? No! And it, this that is said to them, increases their aversion, to faith.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اسْجُدُوا لِلرَّحْمَنِ قَالُوا وَمَا الرَّحْمَنُ

And when it is said to them;"Prostrate yourselves to Ar-Rahman!"

They say;"And what is Ar-Rahman!"

meaning;we do not know Ar-Rahman. They did not like to call Allah by His Name Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), as they objected on the day of (the treaty of) Al-Hudaybiyyah, when the Prophet told the scribe;

اكْتُبْ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيم

Write;"In the Name of Allah, Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful)."

They said, "We do not know Ar-Rahman or Ar-Rahim. Write what you used to write;`Bismika Allahumma (in Your Name, O Allah)."'

So Allah revealed the words;

قُلِ ادْعُواْ اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُواْ الرَّحْمَـنَ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُواْ فَلَهُ الاٌّسْمَأءَ الْحُسْنَى

Say;"Invoke Allah or invoke Ar-Rahman, by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names. (17;110)

meaning, He is Allah and He is the Most Gracious.

And in this Ayah, Allah said;

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اسْجُدُوا لِلرَّحْمَنِ قَالُوا وَمَا الرَّحْمَنُ

And when it is said to them;"Prostrate yourselves to Ar-Rahman!"

They say;"And what is the Ar-Rahman!"

meaning;we do not know or approve of this Name.

أَنَسْجُدُ لِمَا تَأْمُرُنَا

Shall we fall down in prostration to that which you command us!

means, "Just because you tell us to!"

وَزَادَهُمْ نُفُورًا



And it increases in them only aversion.

As for the believers, they worship Allah Who is the Most Gracious, Most Merciful, and they attribute divinity to Him Alone and prostrate to Him.

The scholars, agree that it is allowed and approved for the reader and the listener to prostrate when he reaches this mention of prostration in Surah Al-Furqan, and Allah knows best