Al-Qur'an Surah Fatir Verse 42

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They had sworn forceful oaths that if a warner would come to them, they would be more receptive to guidance than any other community. But when a warner came to them, it added nothing to them but aversion,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They swore by Allah their most solemn oaths that if a warner were to come to them, they would certainly be better guided than any other community. Yet when a warner did come to them, it only drove them farther away—

Ruwwad Translation Center

They swore by Allah their most solemn oaths that if a warner came to them, they would surely be more guided than any other community. But when a warner came to them, it only added to their aversion –

A. J. Arberry

They have sworn by God the most earnest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be more rightly guided than any one of the nations; but when a warner came to them, it increased them only in aversion,

Abdul Haleem

[The idolaters] swore their most solemn oath that, if someone came to warn them, they would be more rightly guided than any [other] community, but when someone did come they turned yet further away,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And`they swear by God with a most solemn oath, that if there came a warnet Unto them, they would surely be better guided than any of the other communities. Then when there did come Unto them a warner, it increased in them naught save aversion,-

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They swore their strongest oaths by Allah that if a warner came to them, they would follow his guidance better than any (other) of the Peoples; But when a warner came to them, it has only increased their flight (from righteousness),-

Abul Ala Maududi

Swearing by Allah their strongest oaths they claimed that if a warner came to them they would be better-guided than any other people. But when a warner did come to them, his coming only increased their aversion (to the Truth).

Ahmed Ali

The unbelievers swore on oath emphatically that if an admonisher came to them they would be guided better than the other communities. But when the admonisher came to them their aversion for the truth increased,

Ahmed Raza Khan

And they swore by Allah most vehemently in their oaths, that if a Herald of Warning came to them, they would be more upon guidance than any other group; then when a Herald of Warning did come to them, he increased nothing in them except hatred.

Ali Quli Qarai

They had sworn by Allah with solemn oaths that if a warner were to come to them, they would be better guided than any of the nations. But when a warner came to them, it only increased their distance [from the truth],

Ali Ünal

They swore by God with their most solemn oaths that if a warner came to them, they would most certainly follow his guidance more than any of the communities (to whom a warner came). Yet, now that a warner has come to them, it has increased them in nothing but aversion;

Amatul Rahman Omar

These people used to swear by Allâh by their most ardent oaths that if ever a Warner should come to them from Allâh they would be more rightly guided than anyone of the nations. But when a Warner did come to them this (coming of his) only increased them in aversion,

English Literal

And they swore/made oath by God their rights`/oath`s utmost if (E) a warner/giver of notice came to them they will be/become more guided than any (of) the nations , so when a warner/giver of notice came to them, did not (nothing) increased them except hastening away with aversion .

Faridul Haque

And they swore by Allah most vehemently in their oaths, that if a Herald of Warning came to them, they would be more upon guidance than any other group; then when a Herald of Warning did come to them, he increased nothing in them except hatred.

Hamid S. Aziz

Surely Allah sustains the heavens and the earth lest they fail (deviate, collapse); and if they should fail, there is none who can uphold them after Him; surely He is the Forbearing, the Forgiving.

Hilali & Khan

And they swore by Allah their most binding oath, that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than any of the nations (before them), yet when a warner (Muhammad SAW) came to them, it increased in them nothing but flight (from the truth),

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Surely Allah upholds the heavens and the earth lest they come to naught. And if they come to naught, none can uphold them after Him. Surely He is ever Forbearing, Forgiving.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And they swore by Allah with the strongest of their oaths that if there came to them a warner they would be better guided than any of the nations; but when there came to them a warner it increased them in naught but aversion.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And they swore by Allah, their most binding oath, that if a warner came unto them they would be more tractable than any of the nations; yet, when a warner came unto them it aroused in them naught save repugnance,

Muhammad Sarwar

They solemnly swear that if a warner were to come to them, they would certainly have been better guided than any other nation. But when a warner came to them, it only increased their hatred

Qaribullah & Darwish

They solemnly swore by Allah that if a warner came to them they would be more rightly guided than any other of the nations. Yet, when a warner came to them, it only increased their aversion,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And they swore by Allah their most binding oath that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than any of the nations; yet when a warner came to them, it increased in them nothing but flight (from the truth).

Wahiduddin Khan

They swore their most solemn oaths that if a warner should ever come to them, they would be better guided than any other community. But when a warner did come to them, it only increased their aversion,

Talal Itani

And they swore by God with their solemn oaths, that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than any other people. Yet when a warner came to them, it only increased them in aversion.

Tafsir jalalayn

And they, that is, the disbelievers of Mecca, swore by God their most solemn oaths, [they swore] with utmost effort [to be sincere] in them, that if a warner, a messenger, were to come to them, they would be more readily guided than any one of the communities, [than] the Jews, the Christians or others, in other words, [more readily guided] than any one of these -- having [themselves] seen the extent to which these [groups] called each other liars, given that; The Jews say, `The Christians stand on nothing', and the Christians say, `The Jews stand on nothing', [Q. 2;113]. But when a warner, namely, Muhammad (s), did come to them, this, coming of his, only increased them in aversion, further away from [right] guidance,

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

They longed for a Warner to come, but when He came, They disbelieved in Him

Allah tells;

وَأَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ

And they swore by Allah their most binding oath

Allah tells us how Quraysh and the Arabs swore by Allah their most binding oath before the Messenger came to them,

لَيِن جَاءهُمْ نَذِيرٌ لَّيَكُونُنَّ أَهْدَى مِنْ إِحْدَى الاُْمَمِ

that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than any of the nations;

i.e., than any of the nations to whom Messengers had been sent.

This was the view of Ad-Dahhak and others.

This is like the Ayat;

أَن تَقُولُواْ إِنَّمَأ أُنزِلَ الْكِتَـبُ عَلَى طَأيِفَتَيْنِ مِن قَبْلِنَا وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَاسَتِهِمْ لَغَـفِلِينَ

أَوْ تَقُولُواْ لَوْ أَنَّأ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا الْكِتَـبُ لَكُنَّأ أَهْدَى مِنْهُمْ فَقَدْ جَأءَكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَّبَ بِأيَـتِ اللَّهِ وَصَدَفَ عَنْهَا

Lest you (pagan Arabs) should say;"The Book was sent down only to two sects before us, and for our part, we were in fact unaware of what they studied."

Or lest you should say;"If only the Book had been sent down to us, we would surely have been better guided than they."

So, now has come unto you a clear proof from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy. Who then does more wrong than one who rejects the Ayat of Allah and turns away therefrom! (6;156-157)

وَإِن كَانُواْ لَيَقُولُونَ

لَوْ أَنَّ عِندَنَا ذِكْراً مِّنَ الاٌّوَّلِينَ

لَكُنَّا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ

فَكَفَرُواْ بِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ

And indeed they (Arab pagans) used to say;"If we had a reminder as had the men of old, We would have indeed been the chosen servants of Allah!" But they disbelieve therein, so they will come to know! (37;167-170)

Allah says;

فَلَمَّا جَاءهُمْ نَذِيرٌ

yet when a warner came to them, --

meaning, Muhammad with the Book revealed to him, i.e., the Clear Qur'an,

مَّا زَادَهُمْ إِلاَّا نُفُورًا



it increased in them nothing but flight (from the truth).

means, they only increased in their disbelief.

Then Allah explains this further