Al-Qur'an Surah An-Naml Verse 21

Mufti Taqi Usmani

I will punish him with a severe punishment or slaughter him unless he brings to me a clear plea.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

I will surely subject him to a severe punishment, or ˹even˺ slaughter him, unless he brings me a compelling excuse.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

I will surely punish him severely, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a valid reason.”

A. J. Arberry

Assuredly I will chastise him with a terrible chastisement, or I will slaughter him, or he bring me a clear authority.'

Abdul Haleem

I will punish him severely, or kill him, unless he brings me a convincing excuse for his absence.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Surely I shall torment him with a severe torment, or I shall slaughter him, unless he bringeth unto me a warranty manifest.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"I will certainly punish him with a severe penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence)."

Abul Ala Maududi

I will inflict a severe punishment on him or maybe even slaughter him unless he comes forth with a convincing reason (for his absence)."

Ahmed Ali

I will punish him severely, or cut his throat, unless he bring a valid excuse."

Ahmed Raza Khan

“I will indeed punish him severely or slay him, or he must bring to me some clear evidence.”

Ali Quli Qarai

‘I will punish him with a severe punishment, or I will behead him, unless he brings me a credible excuse.’

Ali Ünal

"I will certainly inflict a severe punishment on him or maybe even kill him unless he comes to me with a convincing reason (for his absence)."

Amatul Rahman Omar

`I will certainly punish him very severely, rather I will execute him or else he must give me some valid excuse (for remaining absent).

English Literal

I will slaughter it (E) , or it comes/brings to me (E) with a proof/evidence clear/evident .

Faridul Haque

“I will indeed punish him severely or slay him, or he must bring to me some clear evidence.”

Hamid S. Aziz

And he reviewed the birds, and said, "How is it that I see not the hoopoe (perhaps used as a spy, messenger or observer or symbolizing one)? Is he then amongst the absent?

Hilali & Khan

"I will surely punish him with a severe torment, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear reason."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So he smiled, wondering at her word, and said: My Lord, grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favour which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do good such as Thou art pleased with, and admit me, by Thy mercy, among Thy righteous servants.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

I will most certainly punish him with a severe punishment, or kill him, or he shall bring to me a clear plea.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

I verily will punish him with hard punishment or I verily will slay him, or he verily shall bring me a plain excuse.

Muhammad Sarwar

I shall certainly punish him severely or slaughter him unless he has a good reason for his absence."

Qaribullah & Darwish

Surely, I will punish him with a terrible punishment, or I will slaughter him or he gives me a good reason'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"I will surely punish him with a severe torment or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear reason."

Wahiduddin Khan

I shall surely punish him severely or order him to be executed, unless he gives me a good reason for his absence."

Talal Itani

I will punish him most severely, or slay him, unless he gives me a valid excuse.”

Tafsir jalalayn

He said, `Assuredly I will chastise him with a severe chastisement, by having [all] his feathers as well as his tail plucked and leaving him out in the sun, where he would not be able to escape from reptiles, or I will slaughter him, by slitting his throat, unless he brings me (read la-ya'tiyann or la-ya'tinann) a clear warrant', plain manifest proof for his [having a valid] excuse.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

لَاأُعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا

I will surely punish him with a severe torment,

Al-A`mash said, narrating from Al-Minhal bin `Amr from Sa`id that Ibn Abbas said;

"He meant, by plucking his feathers."

Abdullah bin Shaddad said;

"By plucking his feathers and exposing him to the sun."

This was also the view of more than one of the Salaf, that it means plucking his feathers and leaving him exposed to be eaten by ants.

أَوْ لَاَذْبَحَنَّهُ

or slaughter him,

means, killing him.

أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّي بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ



unless he brings me a clear reason.

i.e., a valid excuse.

Sufyan bin Uyaynah and Abdullah bin Shaddad said;

"When the hoopoe came back, the other birds said to him;"What kept you, Suleiman has vowed to shed your blood."

The hoopoe said;"Did he make any exception (did he say `unless!')."

They said, "Yes, he said;
لَاأُعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا أَوْ لَاأَذْبَحَنَّهُ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّي بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ
(I will surely punish him with a severe torment or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear reason).

The hoopoe said, "Then I am saved.