Al-Qur'an Surah An-Naml Verse 61

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Or the One who made the earth a place to settle and made rivers amidst it and made mountains for (making) it (firm), and made a barrier between two seas? Is there any god along with Allah? No, but most of them do not have knowledge.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Or ˹ask them,˺ “Who made the earth a place of settlement, caused rivers to flow through it, placed firm mountains upon it, and set a barrier between ˹fresh and salt˺ bodies of water?[[ See footnote for {25:53}.]] Was it another god besides Allah?” Absolutely not! But most of them do not know.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Is He [not better] Who made the earth a stable place to live, and caused rivers to flow through it, and placed therein firm mountains, and made a barrier between two flowing bodies of water? Is there any god besides Allah? No, but most of them do not know.

A. J. Arberry

He who made the earth a fixed place and set amidst it rivers and appointed for it firm mountains and placed a partition between the two seas. Is there a god with God? Nay, but the most of them have no knowledge.

Abdul Haleem

Who is it that made the earth a stable place to live? Who made rivers flow through it? Who set immovable mountains on it and created a barrier between the fresh and salt water? Is it another god beside God? No! But most of them do not know.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Is not he best Who hath made the earth a fixed abode and placed rivers in the midst thereof and placed Firm mountains thereon, and hath set a barrier between the two seas? IS there any god along with Allah? Nay! but most of them know not.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Or, Who has made the earth firm to live in; made rivers in its midst; set thereon mountains immovable; and made a separating bar between the two bodies of flowing water? (can there be another) god besides Allah? Nay, most of them know not.

Abul Ala Maududi

Who is it Who has made the earth a place of resort, and has caused rivers to flow in its midst, and has placed upon it firm mountains, and has placed a barrier between two masses of water? Is there any god associated with Allah (in these tasks)? Nay; but most of them do not know.

Ahmed Ali

Who then made the earth a habitable place, and made the rivers (flow) in its valleys and dales, and placed upon it firm stabilisers, and kept a barrier between two bodies of water? Is there any other god along with God? In reality most of them do not know.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Or He Who made the earth for habitation, and placed rivers within it, and created mountains as anchors for it, and kept a barrier between the two seas? Is there a God along with Allah?! In fact, most of them are ignorant.

Ali Quli Qarai

Is He who made the earth an abode [for you], and made rivers [flowing] through it, and set firm mountains for it [’s stability], and set a barrier between the two seas...? What! Is there a god besides Allah? Indeed, most of them do not know.

Ali Ünal

Or He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has caused rivers to flow in its fissures, and has set for it firm mountains, and has placed a barrier between the two large bodies of water? Is there another deity besides God? No, but most of them do not know.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Or Who is it that made the earth a resting place; and made the rivers flow in it; and raised (on the earth) firm mountains for its advantage; and put a barrier between the two waters? Is there a god with Allâh (as an associate with Him in His works)? Nay, not so, yet most of them do not know (the truth).

English Literal

Or Who made/created the earth/Planet Earth (as) a settlement/establishment , and made/created in between and around it rivers/waterways, and made/created for it anchors/mountains , and made/created between the two large bodies of water/seas a barrier/hindrance , is a god with God? But most of them do not know.

Faridul Haque

Or He Who made the earth for habitation, and placed rivers within it, and created mountains as anchors for it, and kept a barrier between the two seas? Is there a God along with Allah?! In fact, most of them are ignorant.

Hamid S. Aziz

He who created the heavens and the earth; and sends down upon you water from the sky wherewith We cause to grow beautiful orchards, whose trees it has never been yours to grow; is there a God besides Him? Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals with Him!

Hilali & Khan

Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Say: Praise be to Allah and peace on His servants whom He has chosen! Is Allah better or what they associate (with Him)?

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Or, Who made the earth a restingplace, and made in it rivers, and raised on it mountains and placed between the two seas a barrier. Is there a god with Allah? Nay! most of them do not know!

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Is not He (best) Who made the earth a fixed abode, and placed rivers in the folds thereof, and placed firm hills therein, and hath set a barrier between the two seas? Is there any Allah beside Allah? Nay, but most of them know not!

Muhammad Sarwar

"(Are the idols worthier or) the One who has made the earth a resting place, the rivers flow from its valleys, the mountains as anchors and a barrier between the two seas? Is there any lord besides God? In fact, most people do not know.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Who has established the earth a fixed place and set therein rivers; and set for it firm mountains and placed a barrier between the two seas, is there a god with Allah? No, most of them are without knowledge.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water) Is there any ilah (god) with Allah Nay, but most of them know not!

Wahiduddin Khan

Who is it that made the earth a stable place to live in? Who made rivers flow through it? Who set mountains upon it and placed a barrier between the two seas? Is there another deity besides God? Indeed, most of them have no knowledge.

Talal Itani

Or, who made the earth habitable, and made rivers flow through it, and set mountains on it, and placed a partition between the two seas? Is there another god with God? But most of them do not know.

Tafsir jalalayn

Or He Who made the earth an abode [of stability], that does not [constantly] shake beneath [the feet of] its inhabitants, and made rivers [to flow] throughout it and set firm mountains for it, with which He fixed the earth [in place], and set an isthmus between the two seas, between the sweet one and the salty one, the one not mixing with the other. Is there a god with God? Nay, but most of them have no knowledge, of His Oneness.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah says;

أَمَّن جَعَلَ الاَْرْضَ قَرَارًا

Is not He Who has made the earth as a fixed abode,

meaning, stable and stationary, so that it does not move or convulse, because if it were to do so, it would not be a good place for people to live on. But by His grace and mercy, He has made it smooth and calm, and it is not shaken or moved.

This is like the Ayah,

اللَّهُ الَّذِى جَعَـلَ لَكُـمُ الاٌّرْضَ قَـرَاراً وَالسَّمَأءَ بِنَـأءً

Allah, Who has made for you the earth as a dwelling place and the sky as a canopy. (40;64)

وَجَعَلَ خِلَلَهَا أَنْهَارًا

and has placed rivers in its midst,

means, He has placed rivers which are fresh and sweet, cutting through the earth, and He has made them of different types, large rivers, small rivers and some in between. He has caused them to flow in all directions, east, west, south, north, according to the needs of mankind in different areas and regions, as He has created them throughout the world and sends them their provision according to their needs.

وَجَعَلَ لَهَا رَوَاسِيَ

and has placed firm mountains therein,

means, high mountains which stabilize the earth and make it steadfast, so that it does not shake.

وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ حَاجِزًا

and has set a barrier between the two seas,

means, He has placed a barrier between the fresh water and the salt water, to prevent them from mixing lest they corrupt one another. Divine wisdom dictates that each of them should stay as it is meant to be. The sweet water is that which flows in rivers among mankind, and it is meant to be fresh and palatable so that it may be used to water animals and plants and fruits. The salt water is that which surrounds the continents on all sides, and its water is meant to be salty and undrinkable lest the air be corrupted by its smell, as Allah says;

وَهُوَ الَّذِى مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ هَـذَا عَذْبٌ فُرَاتٌ وَهَـذَا مِلْحٌ أُجَاجٌ وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَهُمَا بَرْزَخاً وَحِجْراً مَّحْجُوراً

And it is He Who has let free the two seas, this is palatable and sweet, and that is salty and bitter; and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them. (25;53)

Allah says;

أَإِلَهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ

Is there any god with Allah!

meaning, any god who could do this, or who deserves to be worshipped

Both meanings are indicated by the context.

بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ



Nay, but most of them know not!

means, in that they worship others than Allah