Al-Qur'an Surah Fatir Verse 40

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Say, “Tell me about your (presumed) co-gods whom you invoke beside Allah. Show me that part of the earth that they have created. Or do they have a share in the (creation) of the heavens?” Or have We given them a book so that they are upon a clear proof from it? No, but the wrongdoers promise one another nothing but delusion.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “Have you considered your associate-gods which you invoke besides Allah? Show me what they have created on earth! Or do they have a share in ˹the creation of˺ the heavens? Or have We given the polytheists a Book, which serves as a clear proof for them? In fact, the wrongdoers promise each other nothing but delusion.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Say, “Tell me about your associate-gods whom you supplicate besides Allah. Show me what they created on earth, or do they have a share in the heavens? Or have We given them a Book so they have a clear proof? No, the wrongdoers promise one another nothing but delusion.”

A. J. Arberry

Say: 'Have you considered your associates on whom you call, apart from God? Show me what they have created in the earth; or have they a partnership in the heavens?' Or have We given them a Book, so that they are upon a clear sign from it? Nay, but the evildoers promise one another naught but delusion.

Abdul Haleem

Say, ‘Consider those “partners” of yours that you call upon beside God. Show me! What part of the earth did they create? What share of the heavens do they possess?’ Have We given them a book that contains clear evidence? No indeed! The idolaters promise each other only delusion.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Say thou: what bethink ye of your associate-gods upon which ye call besides Allah? Show me whatsoever they have created of the earth. Or, have they7 any partnership in the heavens? Or have We vouchsafed to them a Book so that they stand on an evidence therefrom? Nay! the wrong-doers promise each other only delusions.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Say; "Have ye seen (these) 'Partners' of yours whom ye call upon besides Allah? Show Me what it is they have created in the (wide) earth. Or have they a share in the heavens? Or have We given them a Book from which they (can derive) clear (evidence)?- Nay, the wrong-doers promise each other nothing but delusions.

Abul Ala Maududi

Say to them (O Prophet): “Have you ever seen those of your associates upon whom you call apart from Allah? Show me what have they created in the earth? Or do they have any partnership (with Allah) in the heavens? Or have We given them a Book so that they have a clear proof (for associating others with Allah in His Divinity)?” Nay, what these wrong-doers promise each other is nothing but delusion.

Ahmed Ali

Say: "Look at the compeers you invoke apart from God. Show me, what of the earth have they created, or what share have they in the heavens?" Or have We given them a Book whose testimony they possess? Not in the least. What the unbelievers have been promising one another is nothing but deceit.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Proclaim, “Just show me your partners (false deities) whom you worship other than Allah; show me which part of the earth have they created – or do they have any share in the heavens?” Or have We given them some Book, so they are on its clear proofs? In fact the unjust do not give promises to each other, except of deceit.

Ali Quli Qarai

Say, ‘Tell me about your ‘partners’ whom you invoke besides Allah? Show me what [part] of the earth have they created. Have they any share in the heavens?’ Have We given them a scripture so that they stand on a manifest proof from it? No, the wrongdoers do not promise one another [anything] except delusion.

Ali Ünal

Say: "Have you considered those (beings and things) that you associate with God and, apart from God, invoke? Show me what it is that they have created of the earth. Or do they have a share in the (process of creation in the) heavens?" Or have We granted those people a Book so that they are (in associating partners with God) based on a clear evidence from it? No! Rather, the wrongdoers promise each other nothing but delusion.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Say, `Have you considered regarding your associate-gods whom you call upon apart from Allâh? Show Me then what they have created of the earth. Or have they any partnership in (the creation of) the heavens? Or have We given these (worshippers of false deities) a Book so that they are supported by some clear proofs (mentioned) therein? Nay, not so at all, but (the truth is that) the wrongdoers hold out vain promises one to another only to deceive.

English Literal

Say: "Did you see/understand your partners (with God) those whom you call from other than God? Show me/make me understand what they created from the earth/Planet Earth, or for them (is) a share/partnership in the skies/space, or We gave/brought them a Book so they are on an evidence from it? But that truly the unjust/oppressive promise some of them (to) some (each other) except deceit/temptation."314

Faridul Haque

Proclaim, “Just show me your partners (false deities) whom you worship other than Allah; show me which part of the earth have they created - or do they have any share in the heavens?” Or have We given them some Book, so they are on its clear proofs? In fact the unjust do not give promises to each other, except of deceit.

Hamid S. Aziz

He it is Who made you regents (inheritors and vicegerents) in the land; therefore whoever disbelieves, his disbelief is against himself; and their disbelief does not increase the disbelievers with their Lord in anything but hatred; and their disbelief does not increase the disbelievers in anything but loss.

Hilali & Khan

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Tell me or inform me (what) do you think about your (socalled) partnergods to whom you call upon besides Allah, show me, what they have created of the earth? Or have they any share in the heavens? Or have We given them a Book, so that they act on clear proof therefrom? Nay, the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers, etc.) promise one another nothing but delusions."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He it is Who made you successors in the earth. So whoever disbelieves, his disbelief is against himself. And their disbelief increases the disbelievers with their Lord in naught but hatred; and their disbelief increases the disbelievers in naught but loss.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Say: Have you considered your associates which you call upon besides Allah? Show me what part of the earth they have created, or have they any share in the heavens; or, have We given them a book so that they follow a clear argument thereof? Nay, the unjust do not hold out promises one to another but only to deceive.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Say: Have ye seen your partner-gods to whom ye pray beside Allah? Show me what they created of the earth! Or have they any portion in the heavens? Or have We given them a scripture so they act on clear proof therefrom? Nay, the evil-doers promise one another only to deceive.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), ask them, "Think about the idols which you worship besides God. Show me what part of the earth they have created. Do they have any share in the heavens? Has God sent them a Book to confirm their authority? In fact, whatever the unjust promise each other is nothing but deceit."

Qaribullah & Darwish

Say: 'Have you considered your associates who you call upon, other than Allah? Show me what they have created in the earth! Or, have they a partnership in the heavens' Or, have We given them a Book so that they have proof of it? No, the harmdoers promise each other nothing else but delusion.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Say: "Have you considered your partners whom you call upon besides Allah Show Me, what they have created of the earth. Or have they any share in the heavens Or have We given them a Book, so that they act on clear proof therefrom Nay, the wrongdoers promise one another nothing but delusions."

Wahiduddin Khan

Say, "Have you ever considered your associate gods whom you call on besides God? Show me what it is that they have created on earth. Or have they a share in the creation of the heavens?" Or have We given them a book so that they may act on evidence from it? Indeed, the wrongdoers' promises to one another are nothing but deception.

Talal Itani

Say, “Have you considered those partners of yours that you worship instead of God? Show me what they have created on earth. Or do they have any share in the heavens?” Or have We given them a book whose clear teachings they follow? In fact, the wrongdoers promise one another nothing but delusions.

Tafsir jalalayn

Say; `Have you considered your associates on whom you call, [those whom] you worship, besides God?, in other words, other than God -- and they are the idols whom you asserted to be partners of God, exalted be He. Show me, apprise me of, what [part] of the earth they have created. Or do they have some partnership, some share alongside God, in, the creation of, the heavens?' Or have We given them a scripture, so that they are [acting] upon a clear proof, a definitive argument, therefrom?, to the effect that they have some partnership with Me? Nothing of the sort! Nay, but the evildoers, the disbelievers, promise one another nothing but delusion, falsehood, when they say that the idols will intercede for them.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Helplessness of the false gods and the Power of Allah

Allah tells His Messenger to say to the idolators;

قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ شُرَكَاءكُمُ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ


Say;"Have you considered your partners whom you call upon besides Allah,

i.e. the idols and rivals.

أَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقُوا مِنَ الاَْرْضِ أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ

Show Me what they have created of the earth. Or have they any share in the heavens!

meaning, they have nothing at all of that, they do not possess even the membrane covering the stone of a date.

أَمْ اتَيْنَاهُمْ كِتَابًا فَهُمْ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّنْهُ

Or have We given them a Book, so that they act on clear proof therefrom!

meaning, `have We revealed to them a Book on which they base their Shirk and disbelief?'

This is not the case at all.

بَلْ إِن يَعِدُ الظَّالِمُونَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا إِلاَّ غُرُورًا




Nay, the wrongdoers promise one another nothing but delusions.

means, they are merely following their own whims, opinions and wishes which are their personal desires, and they are no more than misguidance and falsehood.

Then Allah tells us of His mighty power, by which the heavens and the earth stand by His command, and the forces that He has placed between them to hold them.

He says