Al-Qur'an Surah Saba Verse 34

Mufti Taqi Usmani

We did not send a warner to a township, but said those who lived a luxurious life in it, “We reject what you have been sent with.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Whenever We sent a warner to a society, its elite would say, “We truly reject what you have been sent with.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

We never sent a warner to a town except that its affluent ones said, “We disbelieve in what you have been sent with.”

A. J. Arberry

We sent no warner into any city except its men who lived at ease said, 'We disbelieve in the Message you have been sent with.'

Abdul Haleem

Never have We sent a warner to a community without those among them who were corrupted by wealth saying, ‘We do not believe in the message you have been sent with.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And We sent not a warner Unto a town but the affluent thereof said:' verily in that wherewith ye have been sent we are disbelievers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Never did We send a warner to a population, but the wealthy ones among them said; "We believe not in the (Message) with which ye have been sent."

Abul Ala Maududi

We never sent a warner to any town but its wealthy ones said: “We disbelieve in the Message you have brought.”

Ahmed Ali

We never sent an admonisher to a habitation but its well-to-do people said: "We do not believe in what you have brought."

Ahmed Raza Khan

And whenever We sent a Herald of Warning to any town, its wealthy people said, “We disbelieve in what you have been sent with.”

Ali Quli Qarai

We did not send a warner to any town without its affluent ones saying, ‘We indeed disbelieve in what you have been sent with.’

Ali Ünal

We never sent a warner to any township but those of its people who had been lost in the pursuit of pleasures without scruples reacted, saying: "Surely we are unbelievers in that with which you have been sent."

Amatul Rahman Omar

We sent no Warner to any town but its corrupted well-to-do people said, `Surely we disbelieve in the Messages that you have been sent with.´

English Literal

And We did not send in a village/urban city from a warner/giver of notice except (that) its luxuriated ungrateful and arrogant said: "That we with what you were sent with it (are) disbelieving."

Faridul Haque

And whenever We sent a Herald of Warning to any town, its wealthy people said, “We disbelieve in what you have been sent with.”

Hamid S. Aziz

And those who were deemed weak (despised) shall say to those who were proud, "Nay, it was your scheming night and day when you told us to disbelieve in Allah and to set up rivals with Him." And they shall declare repentance when they see the penalty; and We will put shackles on the necks of those who disbelieved; they shall only be requited for what they did.

Hilali & Khan

And We did not send a warner to a township, but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them said: "We believe not in the (Message) with which you have been sent."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And those who were deemed weak say to those who were proud: Nay, (it was your) planning by night and day when you told us to disbelieve in Allah and to set up likes with Him. And they will manifest regret when they see the chastisement. And We put shackles on the necks of those who disbelieve. They will not be requited but for what they did.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And We never sent a warner to a town but those who led lives in ease in it said: We are surely disbelievers in what you are sent with.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And We sent not unto any township a warner, but its pampered ones declared: Lo! we are disbelievers in that wherewith ye have been sent.

Muhammad Sarwar

Every time We sent a warner to a town, the rich ones therein said (to Our Messenger), "We have no faith in what you have brought (to us).

Qaribullah & Darwish

We never sent a warner to a village except that those (who lived) in luxury said: 'We disbelieve in the Message you have been sent with'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And We did not send a warner to a township but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them said: "We believe not in what you have been sent with."

Wahiduddin Khan

For it has been thus whenever We sent a warner to any community. Its affluent ones said, "We reject what you have been sent with."

Talal Itani

We sent no warner to any town, without its affluent saying, “We reject what you are sent with.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And We did not send a warner to any town without its affluent ones, its leaders, those enjoying [life's] comforts, saying, `Indeed we disbelieve in that [Message] with which you have been sent'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

How Those Who lived a Life of Luxury disbelieved in the Messengers and were misled by Their pursuit of Wealth and Children

Allah is consoling His Prophet and commanding him to follow the example of the Messengers that came before him. He tells him that no Prophet was ever sent to a township but those among its people who lived a life of luxury disbelieved in him, and the weaker people of the town followed him.

The people of Nuh, peace be upon him, said to him;

أَنُوْمِنُ لَكَ وَاتَّبَعَكَ الاٌّرْذَلُونَ

Shall we believe in you, when the weakest (of the people) follow you. (26;110)

وَمَا نَرَاكَ اتَّبَعَكَ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِىَ الرَّأْى

nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking. (11;27)

The leaders among the people of Salih said;

قَالَ الْمَل الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ مِن قَوْمِهِ لِلَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُواْ لِمَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُمْ أَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ صَـلِحاً مُّرْسَلٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ قَالُواْ إِنَّا بِمَأ أُرْسِلَ بِهِ مُوْمِنُونَ

قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُواْ إِنَّا بِالَّذِى ءَامَنتُمْ بِهِ كَـفِرُونَ

The leaders of those who were arrogant among his people said to those who were counted weak -- to such of them as believed;"Know you that Salih is one sent from his Lord."

They said;"We indeed believe in that with which he has been sent."

Those who were arrogant said;"Verily, we disbelieve in that which you believe in." (7;75-76).

And Allah said;

وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـوُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَأ أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّـكِرِينَ

Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say;"Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from among us!"

Does not Allah know best those who are grateful! (6;53)

وَكَذلِكَ جَعَلْنَا فِي كُلِّ قَرْيَةٍ أَكَـبِرَ مُجْرِمِيهَا لِيَمْكُرُواْ فِيهَا

And thus We have set up in every town great ones of its wicked people to plot therein. (6;123)

and,

وَإِذَا أَرَدْنَأ أَن نُّهْلِكَ قَرْيَةً أَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِيهَا فَفَسَقُواْ فِيهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَيْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنَاهَا تَدْمِيرًا

And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order to those among them who lead a life of luxury. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the Word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction. (17;16)

And Allah says here;

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّذِيرٍ

And We did not send a warner to a township,

meaning a Prophet or a Messenger,

إِلاَّ قَالَ مُتْرَفُوهَا

but those who were given the worldly wealth and luxuries among them,

means, those who enjoyed a life of riches and luxury, and positions of leadership.

Qatadah said,

"They are their tyrants, chiefs and leaders in evil."

إِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِ كَافِرُونَ



We believe not in the (Message) with which you have been sent.

means, `we do not believe in it and we will not follow it.'

Allah tells us that those who enjoyed a life of luxury and who disbelieved the Messengers said;

وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَالاً وَأَوْلَادًا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ