Al-Qur'an Surah Saba Verse 19

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Then they said, “Our Lord, make (the phases of) our journeys more distant.” And they wronged themselves, therefore We turned them into stories, and tore them into pieces. Surely in this there are signs for everyone who is ever-patient, fully grateful.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

But they said, “Our Lord! Make ˹the distances of˺ our journeys longer,” wronging themselves.[[ They became bored of living comfortably and traveling easily. A similar example can be found in {2:61}, where the Children of Israel became bored with the manna and quails and wanted to eat other things such as onions and garlic. ]] So We reduced them to ˹cautionary˺ tales, and scattered them utterly. Surely in this are lessons for whoever is steadfast, grateful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

But they said, “Our Lord, make [the distance between] our journeys longer,” and they wronged themselves. So We made them tales [of the past], and dispersed them in all directions. Indeed, there are signs in this for everyone who is patient and grateful.

A. J. Arberry

But they said, 'Our Lord, prolong the stages of our travel'; and they wronged themselves, so We made them as but tales, and We tore them utterly to pieces. Surely in that are signs for every man enduring, thankful.

Abdul Haleem

but [still] they complained, ‘Our Lord has made the distance between our staging posts so long!’They wronged themselves and, in the end, We made their fate a byword, and scattered them in countless fragments. There truly are signs in this for every patient, thankful person.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Then they said: Our Lord make the distance between our journeys longer. And they wronged themselves. Wherefore We made them by words and dispersed them with a total dispersion. Verily herein are signs for every persevering, grateful persons.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But they said; "Our Lord! Place longer distances between our journey-stages"; but they wronged themselves (therein). At length We made them as a tale (that is told), and We dispersed them all in scattered fragments. Verily in this are Signs for every (soul that is) patiently constant and grateful.

Abul Ala Maududi

But they said: “Lord, make the stages of our journeys longer.” They wronged their own selves so We reduced them to bygone tales, and utterly tore them to pieces. Verily there are Signs in this for everyone who is steadfast and thankful.

Ahmed Ali

But they said: "O Lord, make the distance between the stages of our journeys longer;" but (by doing so) they wronged themselves. So We turned them into bygone tales, and dispersed them, scattered in all directions. Surely there are signs in this for those who endeavour and are grateful.

Ahmed Raza Khan

So they said, “Our Lord! Make the stage between our journeys longer” and they wronged themselves – We therefore turned them into fables and scattered them completely with adversity; indeed in this are signs for every greatly enduring, most grateful person.

Ali Quli Qarai

But they said, ‘Our Lord! Make the stages between our journeys far apart,’ and they wronged themselves. So We turned them into folktales and caused them to disintegrate totally. There are indeed signs in that for every patient and grateful [servant].

Ali Ünal

But (this comfort and security spoiled them, and) they said: "Our Lord! Make the distances between our travel-stages longer!" , and they wronged themselves (by committing sins). So We caused them to become one of the legends (to circulate among later generations about the distant past), and dispersed them around in numerous fragments. Surely in that are signs (important lessons) for all who are greatly patient and perseverant (in obedience to God and in adversity for His sake), and greatly thankful (for His favors).

Amatul Rahman Omar

But (due to their ingratitude) they wanted (as if) to say, `Our Lord! make longer the distance between (the stages of) our journeys.´ And they did injustice to themselves. So We reduced them to mere legends and We broke them into complete disintegration (and scattered them far and wide). Behold! there are signs in this for all those who are patiently- persevering and highly grateful persons.

English Literal

So they said: "Our Lord, make distant between our journeys/voyages ." And they caused injustice/oppression (to) themselves, so We made them (as) information , and We tore/scattered them every/each tearing/scattering , that truly in that (are) evidences/signs (E) to every/each patient/endurer, thankful/grateful.

Faridul Haque

So they said, “Our Lord! Make the stage between our journeys longer” and they wronged themselves – We therefore turned them into fables and scattered them completely with adversity; indeed in this are signs for every greatly enduring, most grateful person.

Hamid S. Aziz

And We set between them and the towns which We had blessed, other towns to be easily seen (in prominent positions), and for the journey between then We appointed proportional stages, (saying) "Travel through them secure by nights and days."

Hilali & Khan

But they said: "Our Lord! Make the stages between our journey longer," and they wronged themselves, so We made them as tales (in the land), and We dispersed them all, totally. Verily, in this are indeed signs for every steadfast grateful (person).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We made between them and the towns which We had blessed, (other) towns easy to be seen, and We apportioned the journey therein: Travel through them nights and days, secure.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And they said: O our Lord! make spaces to be longer between our journeys; and they were unjust to themselves so We made them stories and scattered them with an utter scattering; most surely there are signs in this for every patient, grateful one

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

But they said: Our Lord! Make the stage between our journeys longer. And they wronged themselves, therefore We made them bywords (in the land) and scattered them abroad, a total scattering. Lo! herein verily are portents for each steadfast, grateful (heart).

Muhammad Sarwar

They said, "Lord, make the distances of our journeys longer." They did injustice to themselves and We turned their existence into ancient tales by making them disintegrate totally. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for every forbearing and grateful person.

Qaribullah & Darwish

But they said: 'Lord, make the stages between our journeys longer' so they wronged themselves; so We made them news and We tore them utterly into pieces. Surely, there are signs in this for every one who is patient, thankful.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

But they said: "Our Lord! Make the stages between our journey longer," and they wronged themselves; so We made them as tales (in the land), and We dispersed them all totally. Verily, in this are indeed signs for every steadfast, grateful (person).

Wahiduddin Khan

but they said, "Our Lord! Make the stages of our journeys longer." Thus they wronged themselves and We made them bygone tales and scattered them throughout the land. There are certainly signs in that for everyone who is steadfast and thankful.

Talal Itani

But they said, “Our Lord, lengthen the distances of our journeys.” They wronged themselves; so We made them history, and We scattered them in every direction. In this are lessons for every steadfast and appreciative person.

Tafsir jalalayn

But they said, `Our Lord, make far apart (ba``id; a variant reading has b`id) the stages of our travel', to Syria; make these [stages through] deserts, so that they could glory before the poor in riding their camels and bearing their supplies and water, and so they behaved wantonly with the graces [bestowed on them by God], and they wronged their souls, through disbelief, and so We made them bywords, [of wrongdoing] in this respect, for those who came after them, and We caused them to disintegrate totally, We scattered them all over the lands. Surely in that, which is mentioned, there are signs, lessons, for every [servant who is] steadfast, [in refraining] from acts of disobedience, grateful, for [God's] graces.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا بَاعِدْ بَيْنَ أَسْفَارِنَا وَظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ

But they said;"Our Lord! Make the stages between our journey longer," and they wronged themselves;

They failed to appreciate this blessing, as Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Al-Hasan and others said;

"They wanted to travel long distances through empty wilderness where they would need to carry provisions with them and would have to travel through intense heat in a state of fear."

فَجَعَلْنَاهُمْ أَحَادِيثَ وَمَزَّقْنَاهُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ

so We made them as tales (in the land), and We dispersed them all totally.

means, `We made them something for people to talk about when they converse in the evening, how Allah plotted against them and dispersed them after they had been together living a life of luxury, and they were scattered here and there throughout the land.'

So, the Arabs say of a people when they are dispersed,

"They have been scattered like Saba'," in all directions.

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَاتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ



Verily, in this are indeed signs for every steadfast, grateful.

In the punishment which these people suffered, the way in which their blessings and good health were turned into vengeance for their disbelief and sins, is a lesson and an indication for every person who is steadfast in the face of adversity and grateful for blessings.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"The Messenger of Allah said;

عَجِبْتُ مِنْ قَضَاءِ اللهِ تَعَالَى لِلْمُوْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَهُ خَيْرٌ حَمِدَ رَبَّهُ وَشَكَرَ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ مُصِيبَةٌ حَمِدَ رَبَّهُ وَصَبَرَ يُوْجَرُ الْمُوْمِنُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتْى فِي اللُّقْمَةِ يَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِه

I am amazed at what Allah has decreed for the believer; if something good befalls him, He praises his Lord and gives thanks, and if something bad befalls him, he praises his Lord and has patience. The believer will be rewarded for everything, even the morsel of food which he lifts to his wife's mouth."

This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i in Al-Yawm wal-Laylah.

There is a corroborating report in the Two Sahihs, where a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, says;

عَجَبًا لِلْمُوْمِنِ لَا يَقْضِي اللهُ تَعَالَى لَهُ قَضَاءً إِلاَّ كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ لاَِحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُوْمِن

How amazing is the affair of the believer! Allah does not decree anything for him but it is good for him. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks, and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him. This is not for anyone except the believer."

It was reported that Qatadah said;
إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَاتٍ لِّكُلِّ صَبَّارٍ شَكُورٍ
(Verily, in this are indeed signs for every steadfast, grateful). It was Mutarrif who used to say;

"How blessed is the grateful, patient servant. If he is given something, he gives thanks, and if he is tested, he bears it with patience.