Al-Qur'an Surah Sad Verse 28

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Shall We make those who believe and do righteous deeds equal to those who commit mischief on the earth? Or shall We make the God-fearing equal to the sinners?

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Or should We treat those who believe and do good like those who make mischief throughout the land? Or should We treat the righteous like the wicked?

Ruwwad Translation Center

Should We make those who believe and do righteous deeds equal to those who spread corruption on earth? Or should We make the righteous equal to the wicked?

A. J. Arberry

Or shall We make those who believe and do righteous deeds as the workers of corruption in the earth, or shall We make the godfearing as the transgressors?

Abdul Haleem

but would We treat those who believe and do good deeds and those who spread corruption on earth as equal? Would We treat those who are aware of God and those who recklessly break all bounds in the same way?

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Shall We make those who believe and work righteous works I i ke Unto the corrupters in the earth; Or Shall We make the God-fearing like Unto the wicked!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Shall We treat those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, the same as those who do mischief on earth? Shall We treat those who guard against evil, the same as those who turn aside from the right?

Abul Ala Maududi

Shall We then treat alike those that believe and act righteously and those that create mischief on earth? Or treat alike the God-fearing and the wicked?

Ahmed Ali

Should We equate those who do the right with those who spread corruption in the land? Should We make those who are morally integrated equal to those who seek disintegration?

Ahmed Raza Khan

Shall We make those who believe and do good deeds equal to those who spread turmoil in the earth? Or shall We equate the pious with the disobedient?

Ali Quli Qarai

Shall We treat those who have faith and do righteous deeds like those who cause corruption on the earth? Shall We treat the Godwary like the vicious?

Ali Ünal

Or (do they think that) We treat those who believe and do good, righteous deeds the same as those who provoke disorder and corruption on earth, or (that) We treat the pious, God-revering ones the same as the shameless, dissolute ones?

Amatul Rahman Omar

Are We to treat those who believe and do deeds of righteousness in the same way as the creators of disorder in the land? Or are We to treat those who guard against evil in the same way as the wicked and impious?

English Literal

Or We make/put those who believed and made/did the correct/righteous deeds as/like the corrupting in the earth/Planet Earth, or We make/put the fearing and obeying as/like the debauchers/corrupters.

Faridul Haque

Shall We make those who believe and do good deeds equal to those who spread turmoil in the earth? Or shall We equate the pious with the disobedient?

Hamid S. Aziz

Shall We treat those who believe and do good like the mischief-makers in the earth? Or shall We make those who guard (against evil) like the wicked?

Hilali & Khan

Shall We treat those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, as Mufsidun (those who associate partners in worship with Allah and commit crimes) on earth? Or shall We treat the Muttaqun (pious - see V. 2:2), as the Fujjar (criminals, disbelievers, wicked, etc)?

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We created not the heaven and the earth and what is between them in vain. That is the opinion of those who disbelieve. So woe to those who disbelieve on account of the Fire!

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Shall We treat those who believe and do good like the mischief-makers in the earth? Or shall We make those who guard (against evil) like the wicked?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Shall We treat those who believe and do good works as those who spread corruption in the earth; or shall We treat the pious as the wicked?

Muhammad Sarwar

Do We consider the righteously striving believers equal to the evil-doers in the land? Are the pious ones equal to those who openly commit sin?

Qaribullah & Darwish

Are We to make those who believe and do good works the same as those who corrupt the earth? Are We to make the righteous as the wicked?

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Shall We treat those who believe and do righteous good deeds as those who cause mischief on the earth Or shall We treat those who have Taqwa as the evildoers

Wahiduddin Khan

shall We treat those who believe and do good works the same as those who spread corruption in the land; shall We treat the pious the same as the wicked?

Talal Itani

Or are We to treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like those who make trouble on earth? Or are We to treat the pious like the shameless?

Tafsir jalalayn

Or shall We treat those who believe and perform righteous deeds like those who cause corruption in the earth; or shall We treat the God-fearing like the profligate? This was revealed when the Meccan disbelievers said to the believers, `In the Hereafter we will receive the same [reward] as that which you will receive' (am, `or', contains the [rhetorical] hamza of denial).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Shall We treat those who believe and do righteous good deeds as those who do mischief on the earth? Or shall We treat Those who have Taqwa as the evildoers?

meaning, `We shall not do that.'

They are not equal before Allah, and since this is the case, there must inevitably be another realm in which those who obey Allah will be rewarded and the wicked will be punished. This teaching indicates to those of a sound mind and upright nature that there must inevitably be a resurrection and recompense.

We see evildoers and criminals are prospering and increasing in wealth, children and luxury, until they die in that state. We see oppressed believers dying of grief and distress, so by the wisdom of the All-Wise, All-Knowing, All-Just who does not do even a speck of dust's weight of injustice, there should be a time when the rights of the oppressed are restored with due justice. If this does not happen in this world, there must be another realm where recompense may be made and consolation may be found.

The Qur'an teaches sound aims based on a rational way of thinking, so Allah says;

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا ايَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُوا الاَْلْبَابِ