Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 91

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Those who disbelieve and die as disbelievers, even an Earth-full of gold shall never be accepted from any of them, even if one were to offer it as ransom. They are the ones for whom there is a painful punishment, and for them there are no helpers.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, if each of those who disbelieve then die as disbelievers were to offer a ransom of enough gold to fill the whole world, it would never be accepted from them. It is they who will suffer a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Those who disbelieve and die as disbelievers, even an earth full of gold will never be accepted from any of them, if offered as ransom. For such people there will be a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers.

A. J. Arberry

Surely those who disbelieve, and die disbelieving, there shall not be accepted from any one of them the whole earth full of gold, if he would ransom himself thereby; for them awaits a painful chastisement, and they shall have no helpers.

Abdul Haleem

those who disbelieve and die disbelievers will not be saved even if they offer enough gold to fill the entire earth. Agonizing torment is in store for them, and there will be no one to help them.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Verily those who disbelieve and die while they are infidels, not an earthful of gold shall be accepted from any such, were he to offer it as a ransom. These! theirs shall be a torment afflictive, nor shall they have any helpers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

As to those who reject Faith, and die rejecting,- never would be accepted from any such as much gold as the earth contains, though they should offer it for ransom. For such is (in store) a penalty grievous, and they will find no helpers.

Abul Ala Maududi

Truly those who disbelieved and died as unbelievers, not even an earth full of gold will be accepted from them as ransom. For such people there is painful chastisement; and none shall come to their help.

Ahmed Ali

From those who deny and die disbelieving will never be accepted an earthful of gold if proferred by them as ransom. For them is grievous punishment, and none will help them.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Those who disbelieved and died as disbelievers – an earth full of gold will never be accepted from any one of them, even if he offers it, for his freedom; for them is a painful punishment and they do not have any aides.

Ali Quli Qarai

Indeed those who turn faithless and die while they are faithless, a world of gold will not be accepted from any of them should he offer it for ransom. For such there will be a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers.

Ali Ünal

Assuredly, those who disbelieve and die as unbelievers, no ransom even if it was as much gold as to fill the earth will be accepted from any of them. Such are those for whom is a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers (against it).

Amatul Rahman Omar

Verily, as to those who have disbelieved and die while they are disbelievers, there shall not be accepted from anyone of them (even) an earthful of gold if he would ransom himself thereby. There awaits them a woeful punishment, they shall have no helpers (either).

English Literal

That those who disbelieved, and died and they are disbelievers, so will never/not be accepted from anyone of them the Earth`s fill (of) gold and (even) if he ransomed/compensated with it. Those, for them (is) a painful torture, and (there are) none for them from victoriors/saviors.

Faridul Haque

Those who disbelieved and died as disbelievers - an earth full of gold will never be accepted from any one of them, even if he offers it, for his freedom; for them is a painful punishment and they do not have any aides.

Hamid S. Aziz

You cannot attain to righteousness until you spend freely of what you love. But what you spend, of that Allah is aware.

Hilali & Khan

Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them even if they offered it as a ransom. For them is a painful torment and they will have no helpers.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Those who disbelieve after their believing, then increase in disbelief, their repentance is not accepted, and these are they that go astray.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely, those who disbelieve and die while they are unbelievers, the earth full of gold shall not be accepted from one of them, though he should offer to ransom himself with it, these it is who shall have a painful chastisement, and they shall have no helpers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! those who disbelieve, and die in disbelief, the (whole) earth full of gold would not be accepted from such an one if it were offered as a ransom (for his soul). Theirs will be a painful doom and they will have no helpers.

Muhammad Sarwar

From those who have rejected the truth and died in disbelief, no ransom will be accepted even though they may pay a whole earth of gold. They will suffer a painful torment and no one will help them.

Qaribullah & Darwish

As for those who disbelieve and die unbelievers, there shall be not accepted from anyone of them, the whole earth full of gold, if he would ransom himself thereby. Those, for them there is a painful punishment, and none shall help them.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them if they offered it as a ransom. For them is a painful torment and they will have no helpers.

Wahiduddin Khan

Those who reject faith and die in the state of rejection will not be saved, even if they offer as ransom enough gold to fill the entire earth. Painful punishment is in store for them and they will have no supporters.

Talal Itani

As for those who disbelieve and die disbelievers, even the earth full of gold would not be accepted from any of them, were he to offer it for ransom. These will have a painful torment, and will have no saviors.

Tafsir jalalayn

Surely those who disbelieve, and die disbelieving, the whole earth full, the amount needed to fill it up, of gold shall not be accepted from any one of them (the f' [of fa-lan yuqbala, `it shall not be accepted'] has been included in the predicate of the inna clause, because the statement about alladhna, `those [who disbelieve]', resembles a conditional statement; and as a declaration of the reason for it [repentance] not being acceptable in the case of one who dies in unbelief) if he would ransom himself thereby; for them awaits a painful chastisement (alm is [the same as] mu'lim, `painful'), and they shall have no helpers, to protect them from it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِم مِّلْءُ الارْضِ ذَهَبًا وَلَوِ افْتَدَى بِهِ

Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them even if they offered it as a ransom.

Those who die while disbelievers, shall have no good deed ever accepted from them, even if they spent the earth's fill of gold in what was perceived to be an act of obedience.

The Prophet was asked about Abdullah bin Jud`an, who used to be generous to guests, helpful to the indebted and who gave food (to the poor); will all that benefit him?

The Prophet said,

لَاا إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَقُلْ يَوْمًا مِنَ الدَّهْرِ رَبِّ اغْفِر لِي خَطِييَتِي يَوْمَ الدِّين

No, for not even one day during his life did he pronounce, `O my Lord! Forgive my sins on the Day of Judgment.

Similarly, if the disbeliever gave the earth's full of gold as ransom, it will not be accepted from him.

Allah said,

وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ وَلَا تَنفَعُهَا شَفَـعَةٌ
nor shall compensation be accepted from him, nor shall intercession be of use to him. (2;123)

and,

لااَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ وَلَا خِلَـلٌ
on which there will be neither mutual bargaining nor befriending. (14;31)

and,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوْ أَنَّ لَهُمْ مَّا فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً وَمِثْلَهُ مَعَهُ لِيَفْتَدُواْ بِهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

Verily, those who disbelieve, if they had all that is in the earth, and as much again therewith to ransom themselves thereby from the torment on the Day of Resurrection, it would never be accepted of them, and theirs would be a painful torment. (5;36)

This is why Allah said here,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِم مِّلْءُ الارْضِ ذَهَبًا وَلَوِ افْتَدَى بِهِ


Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them if they offered it as a ransom.

The implication of this Ayah is that the disbeliever shall never avoid the torment of Allah, even if he spent the earth's fill of gold, or if he ransoms himself with the earth's fill of gold, - all of its mountains, hills, sand, dust, valleys, forests, land and sea.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah said,

يُوْتَى بِالرَّجُلِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ يَا ابْنَ ادَمَ كَيْفَ وَجَدْتَ مَنْزِلَكَ



A man from among the people of Paradise will be brought and Allah will ask him, "O son of Adam! How did you find your dwelling?"

فَيَقُولُ أَيْ رَبِّ خَيْرَ مَنْزِلٍ

He will say, "O Lord, it is the best dwelling."

فَيَقُولُ سَلْ وَتَمَنَّ

Allah will say, "Ask and wish."

فَيَقُولُ مَا أَسْأَلُ وَلَا أَتَمَنَّى إِلاَّ أَنْ تَرُدَّنِي إِلَى الدُّنْيَا فَأُقْتَلَ فِي سَبِيلِكَ عَشْرَ مِرَارٍ

The man will say, "I only ask and wish that You send me back to the world so that I am killed ten times in Your cause,"

لِمَا يَرَى مِنْ فَضْلِ الشَّهَادَةِ

because of the honor of martyrdom he would experience.

وَيُوْتَى بِالرَّجُلِ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ يَا ابْنَ ادَمَ كَيْفَ وَجَدْتَ مَنْزِلَكَ




A man from among the people of the Fire will be brought, and Allah will say to him, "O son of Adam! How do you find your dwelling?"

فَيَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ شَرَّ مَنْزِلٍ


He will say, "It is the worst dwelling, O Lord."

فَيَقُولُ لَهُ تَفْتَدِي مِنِّي بِطِلَعِ الاَْرْضِ ذَهَبًا




Allah will ask him, "Would you ransom yourself from Me with the earth's fill of gold?"

فَيَقُولُ أَيْ رَبِّ نَعَمْ


He will say, "Yes, O Lord."

فَيَقُولُ كَذَبْتَ قَدْ سَأَلْتُكَ أَقَلَّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَيْسَرَ فَلَمْ تَفْعَلْ


Allah will say, "You have lied. I asked you to do what is less and easier than that, but you did not do it,"

فَيُرَدُّ إِلَى النَّار

and he will be sent back to the Fire.

This is why Allah said,

أُوْلَـيِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ



For them is a painful torment and they will have no helpers.

for they shall not have anyone who will save them from the torment of Allah or rescue them from His painful punishment