Al-Qur'an Surah Fatir Verse 28

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And among humans and beasts and cattle, there are those having different colours as well. Only those of His slaves fear Allah who are knowledgeable. Surely Allah is Mighty, Forgiving.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

just as people, living beings, and cattle are of various colours as well. Of all of Allah’s servants, only the knowledgeable ˹of His might˺ are ˹truly˺ in awe of Him. Allah is indeed Almighty, All-Forgiving.

Ruwwad Translation Center

just as humans, animals and livestock are of various colors. Only the people of knowledge among His slaves fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Forgiving.

A. J. Arberry

men too, and beasts and cattle -- diverse are their hues. Even so only those of His servants fear God who have knowledge; surely God is All-mighty, All-forgiving.

Abdul Haleem

that there are various colours among human beings, wild animals, and livestock too? It is those of His servants who have knowledge who stand in true awe of God. God is almighty, most forgiving.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And of men and beasts and cattle, likewise of diverse colours. Those only of His bondmen who have knowledge fear Allah Verily Allahis the Mighty, the Forgiving.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And so amongst men and crawling creatures and cattle, are they of various colours. Those truly fear Allah, among His Servants, who have knowledge; for Allah is Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.

Abul Ala Maududi

and human beings too, and beasts, and cattle -- diverse are their hues. From among His servants, it is only those who know that fear Allah. Verily Allah is Most Mighty, Most Forgiving.

Ahmed Ali

And so are among men, beasts and cattle, different shades. Only those of His creatures fear God who have knowledge. Verily He is all-mighty and forgiving.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And similarly the colours of men and beasts and cattle, are different; among the bondmen of Allah, only the people of knowledge fear Him; indeed Allah is the Most Honourable, Oft Forgiving.

Ali Quli Qarai

And of humans and beasts and cattle there are likewise diverse hues. Only those of Allah’s servants having knowledge fear Him. Indeed Allah is all-mighty, all-forgiving.

Ali Ünal

And likewise human beings, and beasts, and cattle, diverse are their colors. Of all His servants, only those possessed of true knowledge stand in awe of God. Surely God is All-Glorious with irresistible might, All-Forgiving.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Likewise there are some (species of) human beings, beasts and cattle of colours varying from one another. Only those of His servants who are endowed with right knowledge (and who can visualize the unity of the Creator by pondering over the diversity of the Creation) hold Allâh in reverential awe. Mighty is Allâh, Great Protector.

English Literal

And from the people, and the walkers/creepers/crawlers , and the camels/livestock its colours (are) different, as/like that, but/truly God fears from His worshippers/slaves the learned ones/knowledgeable (from God`s313slaves/worshippers, only the learned ones/knowledgeable fear Him), that truly God (is) glorious/mighty ,forgiving.

Faridul Haque

And similarly the colours of men and beasts and cattle, are different; among the bondmen of Allah, only the people of knowledge fear Him; indeed Allah is the Most Honourable, Oft Forgiving.

Hamid S. Aziz

Do you not see that Allah sends down water from the cloud, then We bring forth therewith fruits of various colours; and in the mountains are streaks, white and red, of various hues and (others) intensely black?

Hilali & Khan

And of men and AdDawab (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.), and cattle, in like manner of various colours. It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah. Verily, Allah is AllMighty, OftForgiving.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Seest thou not that Allah sends down water from the clouds, then We bring forth therewith fruits of various hues? And in the mountains are streaks, white and red, of various hues and (others) intensely black.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And of men and beasts and cattle are various species of it likewise; those of His servants only who are possessed of knowledge fear Allah; surely Allah is Mighty, Forgiving.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And of men and beasts and cattle, in like manner, divers hues? The erudite among His bondmen fear Allah alone. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Forgiving.

Muhammad Sarwar

He has also created people, beasts, and cattle of various colors. Only God's knowledgeable servants fear Him. God is Majestic and All-pardoning.

Qaribullah & Darwish

People too, and beasts and cattle have their different colors. But it is only those amongst His worshippers that fear Allah who have knowledge. Indeed, Allah is the Almighty and the Forgiving.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And likewise, men and moving creature and cattle are of various colors. It is only those among His servants who have knowledge that fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Almighty, Oft-Forgiving.

Wahiduddin Khan

in like manner, men, beasts, and cattle have their diverse hues too. Only those of His servants, who possess knowledge, fear God. God is almighty and most forgiving.

Talal Itani

Likewise, human beings, animals, and livestock come in various colors. From among His servants, the learned fear God. God is Almighty, Oft-Forgiving.

Tafsir jalalayn

And of humans and beasts and cattle, there are diverse hues likewise, like the diversity of the [hues of] fruits and mountains. Indeed only those of God's servants who have knowledge fear Him, in contrast to the ignorant, such as the disbelievers of Mecca. Truly God is Mighty, in His kingdom, Forgiving, of the sins of His faithful servants.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ وَالدَّوَابِّ وَالاَْنْعَامِ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ كَذَلِكَ

And likewise, men and moving creatures and cattle are of various colors.

means, the same is true of living creatures too, humans and animals, all creatures which walk on their feet, and cattle. Here something general is followed by something specific. These are all different too, for among mankind there are Berbers, Ethiopians and some non-Arabs who are very black, and Slavs and Romans who are very white, and the Arabs who are in between, and the Indians.

Allah says in another Ayah;

وَاخْتِلَـفُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَنِكُمْ إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لَايَـتٍ لِّلْعَـلَمِينَ

and the difference of your languages and colors. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge. (30;22)

Similarly, animals and cattle vary in their colors, even within one species, and a single animal may have patches of different colors. Blessed be Allah, the Best of creators.

Allah then says;

إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاء

It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah.

meaning, only those who have knowledge truly fear Him as He should be feared, because the more they know about the Almighty, All-Powerful, All-Knowing Who has the most perfect attributes and is described with the most beautiful Names, the more they will fear Him.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas commented on the Ayah;
إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاء
(It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah),

those who know that Allah is able to do all things.

Ibn Abbas said,

"The one among His servants who knows about Ar-Rahman, is the one who does not associate anything in worship with Him; the one who accepts as lawful that which He has permitted and accepts as unlawful that which He has prohibited. He obeys His commands and is certain that he will meet Him and be brought to account for his deeds."

Sa`id bin Jubayr said,

"Fear is what stands between you and disobeying Allah, may He be glorified."

Al-Hasan Al-Basri said,

"The knowledgeable person is the one who fears Ar-Rahman with regard to the Unseen, who likes that which Allah wants him to like, and who shuns that which angers Allah."

Then Al-Hasan recited;

إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاء إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ غَفُورٌ



It is only those among His servants who have knowledge that fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Almighty, Oft-Forgiving.

Sufyan Ath-Thawri narrated from Abu Hayyan At-Taymi from a man who said,

"It used to be said that the knowledgeable are of three types;

first, one who knows Allah and the command of Allah,

second, one who knows Allah but does not know the command of Allah, and

third, one who knows the command of Allah but does not know Allah.

The one who knows Allah and the command of Allah is the one who fears Allah and knows the limits (Hudud) and the obligatory duties (Fara'id).

The one who knows Allah but does not know the command of Allah is the one who fears Allah but does not know the limits (Hudud) and the obligatory duties (Fara'id).

The one who knows the command of Allah but does not know Allah is the one who knows the limits (Hudud) and the obligatory duties (Fara'id) but does not fear Allah.