Al-Qur'an Surah An-Naml Verse 46

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He said, “My people, why do you seek evil to come sooner before good? Why do you not seek forgiveness from Allah, so that you are treated with mercy?”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

He urged ˹the disbelieving group˺, “O my people! Why do you ˹seek to˺ hasten the torment[[ lit., the evil.]] rather than grace?[[ lit., the good. ]] If only you sought Allah’s forgiveness so you may be shown mercy!”

Ruwwad Translation Center

He said, “O my people, why do you seek to hasten punishment rather than good? If only you sought Allah’s forgiveness, so that you may be shown mercy!”

A. J. Arberry

He said, 'O my people, why do you seek to hasten evil before good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of God? Haply so you will find mercy.'

Abdul Haleem

Salih said, ‘My people, why do you rush to bring [forward] what is bad rather than good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of God, so that you may be given mercy?’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

He said: O my people! wherefore seek ye to hasten the evil before the good? Wherefore ask ye not forgiveness of Allah, that haply ye may be shewn mercy.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He said; "O my people! why ask ye to hasten on the evil in preference to the good? If only ye ask Allah for forgiveness, ye may hope to receive mercy.

Abul Ala Maududi

Salih said: "My people, why do you wish to hasten that evil rather than good should come upon you? Why should you not seek pardon from Allah so that mercy be shown to you?"

Ahmed Ali

(Saleh) said: "O people, why do you wish to hasten evil rather than good? Why not ask for God's forgiveness? You may well be forgiven."

Ahmed Raza Khan

He said, “O my people, why do you hasten upon the evil before the good? Why do you not seek forgiveness from Allah? Perhaps there may be mercy upon you.”

Ali Quli Qarai

He said, ‘O My people! Why do you press for evil sooner than for good? Why do you not plead to Allah for forgiveness so that you may receive His mercy?’

Ali Ünal

He (Salih) said (to them): "O my people! Why do you seek to hasten the coming (upon you) of evil instead of good? Why do you not seek God’s forgiveness for your sins so that you may be shown mercy (to be granted a good, virtuous life in the world and eternal happiness in the Hereafter)?"

Amatul Rahman Omar

He said, `O my people! why do you seek to hasten on evil, rather than good, (and you ask for a sign of destruction instead of that of bliss for you)? Why do you not ask for Allâh´s protection so that you may be shown mercy?´

English Literal

He said: "You my nation, why (do) you hasten/urge with the sin/crime before the good/goodness? If only you ask God for forgiveness, maybe/perhaps you attain mercy."

Faridul Haque

He said, “O my people, why do you hasten upon the evil before the good? Why do you not seek forgiveness from Allah? Perhaps there may be mercy upon you.”

Hamid S. Aziz

And We sent unto Thamud their brother Salih, saying "Serve Allah;" but behold! they became two parties quarrelling!

Hilali & Khan

He said: "O my people! Why do you seek to hasten the evil (torment) before the good (Allah's Mercy)? Why seek you not the Forgiveness of Allah, that you may receive mercy?"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

It was said to her: Enter the palace. But when she saw it she deemed it to be a great expanse of water, and prepared herself to meet the difficulty. He said: Surely it is a palace made smooth with glass. She said: My Lord, surely I have wronged myself, and I submit with Solomon to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He said: O my people! why do you seek to hasten on the evil before the good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of Allah so that you may be dealt with mercifully?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

He said: O my people! Why will ye hasten on the evil rather than the good? Why will ye not ask pardon of Allah, that ye may receive mercy.

Muhammad Sarwar

Salih said, "My people, why do you commit sins so quickly before doing good? Would that you ask forgiveness from God so that perhaps He will have mercy upon you."

Qaribullah & Darwish

'My nation' he said, 'why do you wish to hasten evil rather than good? Why do you not ask the forgiveness of Allah, in order that you find mercy'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

He said: "O my people! Why do you seek to hasten the evil before the good Why seek you not the forgiveness of Allah, that you may receive mercy"

Wahiduddin Khan

He urged them, "O my people, why do you wish to hasten on the evil rather than the good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of God, so that you may be shown mercy?"

Talal Itani

He said, “O my people, why are you quick to do evil rather than good? If only you would seek God’s forgiveness, so that you may be shown mercy.”

Tafsir jalalayn

He said, to the deniers; `O my people, why do you [seek to] hasten on evil before [seeking] good?, in other words, [why do you seek to hasten on] chastisement instead of mercy, when you say, `If what you bring us is true, then bring us the chastisement!' Why do you not ask God to forgive you, [your] idolatry, so that you might be shown mercy?', and not be chastised.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لِمَ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِالسَّيِّيَةِ قَبْلَ الْحَسَنَةِ

He said;"O my people! Why do you seek to hasten the evil before the good!"

meaning, `why are you praying for the punishment to come, and not asking Allah for His mercy!'

Then he said;

لَوْلَا تَسْتَغْفِرُونَ اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ