Al-Qur'an Surah Luqman Verse 32

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And when they are covered by waves like canopies, they pray to Allah, having faith exclusively in Him. Then, once He brings them safe to the land, some of them remain balanced, (while others turn ungrateful by denying Allah’s signs.) And no one denies Our signs except every ungrateful traitor.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And as soon as they are overwhelmed by waves like mountains, they cry out to Allah ˹alone˺ in sincere devotion. But when He delivers them ˹safely˺ to shore, only some become relatively grateful. And none rejects Our signs except whoever is deceitful, ungrateful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

When they are overwhelmed by waves like canopies, they cry out to Allah in sincere devotion to Him alone, but when He delivers them to the land, only some of them take a middle course [in faith]. But none rejects Our signs except every ungrateful treacherous.

A. J. Arberry

And when the waves cover them like shadows they call upon God, making their religion sincerely His; but when He has delivered them to the land, some of them are lukewarm. And none denies Our signs, except every ungrateful traitor.

Abdul Haleem

When the waves loom over those on board like giant shadows they call out to God, devoting their religion entirely to Him. But, when He has delivered them safely to land, some of them waver- only a treacherous, thankless person refuses to acknowledge Our signs.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And when a wave covereth them like awnings, they call upon Allah, making their religion pure for Him. Then when He delivereth them on the land, only some of them keep to the middle course. And none gainsaith Our signssave each perfidious, ingrate one.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When a wave covers them like the canopy (of clouds), they call to Allah, offering Him sincere devotion. But when He has delivered them safely to land, there are among them those that halt between (right and wrong). But none reject Our Signs except only a perfidious ungrateful (wretch)!

Abul Ala Maududi

When waves engulf them (in the sea) like canopies, they call upon Allah, consecrating their faith solely to Him. But when He delivers them safely to the land, some of them become lukewarm. None denies Our Signs except the perfidious, the ungrateful.

Ahmed Ali

When the waves overshadow them like a canopy, they pray to God with all-exclusive faith in Him. But after He has safely brought them to the shore, there are some who vacillate between doubt and belief, but no one rejects Our signs except those who are perverse and disbelieve.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And if a wave comes upon them like mountains, they pray to Allah believing purely in Him; then when He brings them safely to land, some of them remain upon justice; and none will deny Our signs except an extremely unfaithful, ungrateful person.

Ali Quli Qarai

When waves cover them like awnings; they invoke Allah, putting exclusive faith in Him. But when He delivers them towards land, [only] some of them remain unswerving. No one will impugn Our signs except an ungrateful traitor.

Ali Ünal

When the waves overwhelm them like a canopy (of dark clouds), they call upon God sincerely believing in Him alone (as the only Deity, Lord and Sovereign). But when He brings them safe to land, some of them are lukewarm, wavering between faith and unbelief. None opposes and rejects Our signs (knowingly) unless he is perfidious, ungrateful.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And when a huge wave covers (the sailors) like (so many) canopies, they call upon Allâh bearing sincere faith in Him. But when He brings them safe to land then (only) some of them keep to the right course (and some of them become indifferent). Yet none denies Our signs except every perfidious ungrateful person.

English Literal

And if waves/surges as the shades covered/darkened them , they called God faithful/devoted to him (in) the religion, so when He saved/rescued them to the shore/land, so from them (are) moderate/in the middle range , and none disbelieves and denies with Our verses/evidences except every/each traitor/betrayer (insistent) disbeliever.

Faridul Haque

And if a wave comes upon them like mountains, they pray to Allah believing purely in Him; then when He brings them safely to land, some of them remain upon justice; and none will deny Our signs except an extremely unfaithful, ungrateful person.

Hamid S. Aziz

Do you not see that the ship rides on in the sea by the favour of Allah, that He may show you of His wonders? Verily, in that are signs to every grateful heart.

Hilali & Khan

And when a wave covers them like shades (i.e. like clouds or the mountains of sea-water), they invoke Allah, making their invocations for Him only. But when He brings them safe to land, there are among them those that stop in the middle, between (Belief and disbelief). But none denies Our Signs except every perfidious ungrateful.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

This is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon besides Him is falsehood, and that Allah is the High, the Great.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when a wave like mountains covers them they call upon Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience, but when He brings them safe to the land, some of them follow the middle course; and none denies Our signs but every perfidious, ungrateful one.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And if a wave enshroudeth them like awnings, they cry unto Allah, making their faith pure for Him only. But when He bringeth them safe to land, some of them compromise. None denieth Our signs save every traitor ingrate.

Muhammad Sarwar

When the waves cover them like shadows, they pray to God with sincerity in their religion, but when We bring them safely to land, only some of them follow the right path. No one rejects Our revelations except the treacherous ungrateful ones.

Qaribullah & Darwish

When the waves, like shadows, envelop them, they call to Allah making their religion sincerely His, but no sooner does He bring them safely to land then some of them are halfhearted. None denies Our verses, except the ungrateful traitor.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And when waves cover them like shades, they invoke Allah, making their invocations for Him only. But when He brings them safe to land, there are among them those that stop in between. And Our Ayat are not denied except by every Khattar Kafur.

Wahiduddin Khan

When the waves engulf them like shadows [of death], they call to God, sincere [at that moment] in their faith in Him alone: but as soon as He has brought them safe ashore, only some of them take the right course. And none denies Our signs save the perfidious and ungrateful person.

Talal Itani

When waves, like canopies, cover them, they call upon God, devoting their religion to Him. But when He has delivered them to dry land, some of them waver. No one renounces Our revelations except the treacherous blasphemer.

Tafsir jalalayn

And if waves cover them, that is, [if] these rise above the disbelievers, like awnings, like mountains that act as awnings over those below them, they call on God, sincere before Him in their faith, that is, [in their] supplication, that He may deliver them, in other words, they do not call on any other [god] with Him; but when He delivers them to land, some of them compromise, middling between belief and disbelief, while others persist in their disbelief. And none denies Our signs, an example of which is Our delivering [them] from [such treacherous] waves, except every perfidious ingrate, [ungrateful] for God's graces, exalted be He.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَإِذَا غَشِيَهُم مَّوْجٌ كَالظُّلَلِ

And when waves cover them like shades,

meaning, like mountains or clouds,

دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ

they invoke Allah, making their invocations for Him only.

This is like the Ayah,

وَإِذَا مَسَّكُمُ الْضُّرُّ فِى الْبَحْرِ ضَلَّ مَن تَدْعُونَ إِلَا إِيَّاهُ

And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him. (17;67)

فَإِذَا رَكِبُواْ فِى الْفُلْكِ

And when they embark on a ship... (29;65)

Then Allah says;

فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ فَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ

But when He brings them safe to land, there are among them those that stop in between.

Mujahid said,

"This refers to the disbelievers -- as if he interpreted the word Muqtasid to mean denier as in the Ayah,

فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَ

but when He brings them safely to land, behold, they give a share of their worship to others. (29;65)

وَمَا يَجْحَدُ بِأيَاتِنَا إِلاَّ كُلُّ خَتَّارٍ كَفُورٍ



And Our Ayat are not denied except by every Khattar Kafur.
Khattar means one who betrays or stabs in the back.

This was the view of Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Malik, narrating from Zayd bin Aslam.

This word describes a person who, whenever he makes a promise, breaks his promise, and it refers to the worst form of treachery.

كَفُورٍ
(Kafur) means,

one who denies blessings and does not give thanks for them, rather he forgets them and does not remember them