Al-Qur'an Surah Saba Verse 9

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Have they not, then, looked to the sky and the earth that lies before them and behind them? If We so will, We would make the earth swallow them up, or cause pieces of the sky to fall upon them. Surely, in this there is a sign for a servant (of Allah) who turns to Him.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Have they not then seen all that surrounds them of the heavens and the earth? If We willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause ˹deadly˺ pieces of the sky to fall upon them. Surely in this is a sign for every servant who turns ˹to Allah˺.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Do they not see all that is before them and all that is behind them of the heavens and earth? If We willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause fragments of the sky to fall upon them. Indeed, there is a sign in this for every slave who turns to Allah in repentance.

A. J. Arberry

Have they not regarded what lies before them and what lies behind them of heaven and earth? Did We will, We would make the earth to swallow them, or We would drop down on them lumps from heaven. Surely in that is a sign to every penitent servant.

Abdul Haleem

Do they not think about what is in front of them and behind them in the heavens and earth? If We wished, We could make the earth swallow them, or make fragments from the heavens fall down upon them. There truly is a sign in this for every servant who turns back to God in repentance.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Behold they not that which is before them and that which is behind them of the heaven and the earth If We will, We shall sink the earth with them or cause a fragment of the heaven to fall on them. Verily therein is a sign Unto every repentant bondman.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance).

Abul Ala Maududi

Do they not see how the heavens and the earth encompass them from the front and the rear? We could, if We so wished, cause the earth to swallow them or let fragments of the sky fall upon them. Verily there is a Sign in this for every servant (of Allah) who penitently turns to Him.

Ahmed Ali

Do they not see what is before them and what is behind them of the heavens and the earth? We could cleave the earth and sink them, if We pleased, or drop a fragment of the sky upon them. There is surely a sign in this for every penitent creature.

Ahmed Raza Khan

So did they not see what is before them and what is behind them in the sky and the earth? If We will, We can bury them into the earth or cause a part of the sky to fall on them; indeed in this is a sign for every repentant bondman.

Ali Quli Qarai

Have they not regarded that which is before them and that which is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We like, We can make the earth swallow them, or let a fragment from the sky fall on them. There is indeed a sign in that for every penitent servant.

Ali Ünal

Do they never consider that it is the heaven and the earth that are (extended) before and after them (so they are entirely and inescapably enclosed within His Kingdom)? If We so will, We can cause the earth to swallow them, or cause lumps of the heaven to fall down upon them. Surely in this is a sign for every servant of God who (being sincere in quest of the truth) will turn (to Him) in contrition.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Do they not see (how they are surrounded on all sides by) the heaven and the earth that lie before and behind them? If We (so) please, We can make them low (and abased) in the land (and thus show some signs of the earth), or let some portion of the clouds fall down upon them (showing some heavenly signs). Behold! there is a sign in this for every penitent servant (of God).

English Literal

Do they not see/understand to what (is) between their hands and what (is) behind them, from the sky/space and the earth/Planet Earth? If We will/want We make the earth/Planet Earth sink down/disappear or We drop on them pieces from the sky/space, that truly in that (is) an evidence/sign (E) to every/each repenting/returning to God slave/worshipper .

Faridul Haque

So did they not see what is before them and what is behind them in the sky and the earth? If We will, We can bury them into the earth or cause a part of the sky to fall on them; indeed in this is a sign for every repentant bondman.

Hamid S. Aziz

"He has forged a lie against Allah or there is madness in him. "Nay! Those who do not believe in the Hereafter are in torment and in great error.

Hilali & Khan

See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every faithful believer that [believes in the Oneness of Allah], and turns to Allah (in all affairs with humility and in repentance).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Has he forged a lie against Allah or is there madness in him? Nay, those who believe not in the Hereafter are in torment and in far error.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Do they not then consider what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We please We will make them disappear in the land or bring down upon them a portion from the heaven; most surely there is a sign in this for every servant turning (to Allah).

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Have they not observed what is before them and what is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth swallow them, or cause obliteration from the sky to fall on them. Lo! herein surely is a portent for every slave who turneth (to Allah) repentant.

Muhammad Sarwar

Have they not seen the heavens and the earth in front and behind them. Had We wanted, We could have caused the earth to swallow them up or made a part of the sky fall upon them. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for every repenting person.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Have they not seen what is before them and behind them in heaven and earth? If We willed, We would make the earth swallow them up, or We would let lumps from heaven fall down on them. Surely, there is a sign in this for every penitent worshiper.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every servant who turns (to Allah) in repentance.

Wahiduddin Khan

Do they not observe how they are encompassed by what is before them and what is behind them in heaven and on earth? We could, if We pleased, cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. In that certainly there is a sign for every servant of Ours who turns to us.

Talal Itani

Do they not reflect upon what lies before them and behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth cave in beneath them, or make pieces of the sky fall down on them. In that is a sign for every devout servant.

Tafsir jalalayn

Have they not observed what is before them and what is behind them, in other words, what is above them and what is beneath them, of heaven and earth? If We will [it], We can make the earth swallow them or let fall on them fragments (read kisfan or kisafan; `large pieces') from the heaven (a variant reading has the third person singular for all three verbs [sc. yash', `He will', yakhsif, `He makes to swallow', yusqit, `He lets fall']). Surely in that, which is observed, there is a sign for every penitent servant, turning back to his Lord, [signs] indicating God's power to resurrect and to do what He will.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

أَفَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُم مِّنَ السَّمَاء وَالاَْرْضِ

See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth!

meaning, wherever they go, in whatever direction, the heavens are above them and the earth is beneath them.

This is like the Ayah;

وَالسَّمَأءَ بَنَيْنَـهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ

وَالاٌّرْضَ فَرَشْنَـهَا فَنِعْمَ الْمَـهِدُونَ

With Hands did We construct the heaven. Verily, We are Able to extend the vastness of space thereof. And We have spread out the earth; how Excellent Spreader (thereof) are We! (51;47-48)

إِن نَّشَأْ نَخْسِفْ بِهِمُ الاَْرْضَ أَوْ نُسْقِطْ عَلَيْهِمْ كِسَفًا مِّنَ السَّمَاء

If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them.

means, `if We wished, We could do that to them because of their wrongdoing and Our power over them, but We delay it because We are Patient and Forgiving.'

Then Allah says;

إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَايَةً لِّكُلِّ عَبْدٍ مُّنِيبٍ



Verily, in this is a sign for every Munib servant.

Ma`mar narrating from Qatadah, said that Al-Munib

means every one who repents.

Sufyan narrated from Qatadah, that Al-Munib

is the one who turns to Allah.

This means that in looking at the creation of the heavens and the earth, there is a sign for every servant who is intelligent and wise and who turns towards Allah. There is a sign of the Allah's ability to recreate bodies and bring about the Resurrection, because the One Who was able to create these heavens -- with their vast reaches of space, and this earth, as deep and vast as it is -- is able to recreate bodies and revive decayed bones.

This is like the Ayat;

أَوَلَـيْسَ الَذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم بَلَى

Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, Able to create the like of them! Yes, indeed! (36;81)

لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْـثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not. (40;57