Al-Qur'an Surah Ghafir Verse 5

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Before these, the people of NūH and the groups after them had rejected (the messengers). Every group intended to seize their messenger, and raised disputes on the basis of falsehood, so that they might refute the truth with it, hence I seized them. So, how was My punishment?

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Before them, the people of Noah denied ˹the truth˺, as did ˹other˺ enemy forces afterwards. Every community plotted against its prophet to seize him, and argued in falsehood, ˹hoping˺ to discredit the truth with it. So I seized them. And how ˹horrible˺ was My punishment!

Ruwwad Translation Center

Before them, the people of Noah rejected and so did [other] parties after them. Every nation plotted against its messenger to seize him, and falsely argued to refute the truth with falsehood, so I seized them. How [horrible] was My punishment!

A. J. Arberry

The people of Noah before them also cried lies, and the parties after them; every nation purposed against their Messenger to seize him, and disputed with falsehood that they might rebut thereby the truth. Then I seized them; and how was My retribution!

Abdul Haleem

Before them the people of Noah rejected the truth and so did those who formed opposition after them: every community schemed to destroy its messenger and strove to refute truth with falsehood; but it was I who destroyed them. How terrible My punishment was!

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

The people of Nuh and the confederates after them belied their apostles before these, and each disbelieving community advanced toward their apostle that they may lay hold of him and disputed with vain speech that they may confute the truth thereby. Wherefore I laid hold of them; and how terrible was My chastisement!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But (there were people) before them, who denied (the Signs),- the People of Noah, and the Confederates (of Evil) after them; and every People plotted against their prophet, to seize him, and disputed by means of vanities, therewith to condemn the Truth; but it was I that seized them! and how (terrible) was My Requital!

Abul Ala Maududi

Before them the people of Noah also gave the lie (to Messengers), and so did many parties after them. Each nation sallied forth against its Messenger to seize him, and they disputed with false arguments seeking therewith to repudiate the Truth. Then I seized them; and behold, how woeful was My retribution!

Ahmed Ali

The people of Noah had denied before them, and many factions after them. Every nation has intrigued against its apostle and afflicted him, and argued with false arguments to condemn the truth. Then I seized them. How was then My retribution!

Ahmed Raza Khan

Before them, the people of Nooh and the groups after them had denied; and every nation intended to apprehend its Noble Messenger, and they fought along with falsehood to avert the truth, so I seized them; so how did My punishment turn out?

Ali Quli Qarai

The people of Noah denied before them and the [heathen] factions [who came] after them. Every nation attempted to lay hands on their apostle, and disputed erroneously to refute the truth. Then I seized them; so how was My retribution?!

Ali Ünal

Before them the people of Noah denied (God’s Revelations and signs), and so did the communities who came after them (and who have been mentioned in the Qur’an). Every community plotted against the Messenger sent to them to capture him (then kill or expel him), and they struggled (against God’s Message) with falsehood, so as to render the truth void thereby; but then I seized them, and (see) how was My retribution!

Amatul Rahman Omar

The people of Noah cried lies (to Our Messages) before these (disbelievers) and (so did) various other groups after them (- the people of Noah). And every community strove to seize their Messenger (of God) with a mind to destroy his mission. And they had begun arguing (with him) by means of false reasoning that they might thereby refute the truth. At this I seized them (with punishment). Behold! how (terrible) was My retribution (as a sequel to their evil deeds.

English Literal

Noah`s nation lied/denied/falsified before them, and the groups/parties from after them, and every/each nation intended/began with their messenger to take/punish him , and they argued/disputed with the falsehood to nullify with it the truth , so I punished/took them so how was My punishment?

Faridul Haque

Before them, the people of Nooh and the groups after them had denied; and every nation intended to apprehend its Noble Messenger, and they fought along with falsehood to avert the truth, so I seized them; so how did My punishment turn out?

Hamid S. Aziz

The people of Noah and the parties after them rejected (Prophets) before them, and every nation purposed against their Messengers to destroy him, and they disputed by means of falsehoods that they might thereby render null the truth, therefore I destroyed them; how terrible was then My retribution!

Hilali & Khan

The people of Nuh (Noah) and the confederates after them denied (their Messengers) before these, and every (disbelieving) nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him, and disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth. So I seized them (with punishment), and how (terrible) was My punishment!

Maulana Mohammad Ali

None dispute concerning the messages of Allah but those who disbelieve, so let not their control in the land deceive thee.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

The people of Nuh and the parties after them rejected (prophets) before them, and every nation purposed against their apostle to destroy him, and they disputed by means of the falsehood that they might thereby render null the truth, therefore I destroyed them; how was then My retribution!

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

The folk of Noah and the factions after them denied (their messengers) before these, and every nation purposed to seize their messenger and argued falsely, (thinking) thereby to refute the Truth. Then I seized them, and how (awful) was My punishment.

Muhammad Sarwar

The people of Noah who lived before and the Confederate tribes who lived after them rejected Our revelations. Every nation schemed against its Messengers to seize them and disputed against them to defeat the truth. But torment struck them and how terrible was their retribution!

Qaribullah & Darwish

The nation of Noah before them belied, and so did the parties after them. Every nation strove against their Messenger to seize him, disputing with false arguments to refute the truth. Then I seized them, how was My punishment!

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

The people of Nuh and the groups after them denied before these; and every nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him, and disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth. So I seized them, and how was My punishment!

Wahiduddin Khan

The people of Noah and later factions also rejected the truth and every community plotted against the messenger sent to them, aiming to lay hands on him, and they contended [against his message] with fallacious arguments, so that they might defeat the truth, therefore I seized them. How terrible was My punishment.

Talal Itani

Before them the people of Noah rejected the truth, as did the confederates after them. Every community plotted against their messenger, to capture him. And they argued with falsehood, to defeat with it the truth. But I seized them. What a punishment it was!

Tafsir jalalayn

The people of Noah denied before them and [also] the factions, such as `d, Thamd and others, [who came] after them. And every community sought to seize their messenger, to slay him, and they argued falsely [thinking] to rebut, to eliminate, thereby the truth. Then I seized them, with punishment; so how [fitting] was My punishment!, of them -- in other words, it was appropriate.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ

The people of Nuh denied before these;

Nuh was the first Messenger whom Allah sent to denounce and forbid idol worship.

وَالاْاَحْزَابُ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ

and the groups after them, (means, from every nation).

وَهَمَّتْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ بِرَسُولِهِمْ لِيَأْخُذُوهُ

and every (disbelieving) nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him,

means, they wanted to kill him by any means possible, and some of them did kill their Messenger.

وَجَادَلُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ

and disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth.

means, they came up with specious arguments with which to dispute the truth which was so plain and clear.

فَأَخَذْتُهُمْ

So I seized them,

means, `I destroyed them, because of the sins they committed.'

فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ



and how was My punishment!

means, `how have you heard that My punishment and vengeance was so severe and painful.'

Qatadah said,

"It was terrible, by Allah."

وَكَذَلِكَ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ