Al-Qur'an Surah Fussilat Verse 14

Mufti Taqi Usmani

when the messengers came to them from their front and from their rear, saying, “Do not worship anyone but Allah.” They said, “Had our Lord (really) willed (to send someone as messenger), He would have sent down angels. So, we are deniers of what you have been sent with.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

The messengers had come to them from all angles, ˹proclaiming,˺ “Worship none but Allah.” They responded, “Had our Lord willed, He could have easily sent down angels ˹instead˺. So we totally reject what you have been sent with.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

when the messengers came to them from the front and from behind [saying], “Worship none but Allah,” they said, “If our Lord had willed, He would have sent down angels; so we disbelieve in what you have been sent with.”

A. J. Arberry

When the Messengers came unto them from before them and from behind them, saying, 'Serve none but God,' they said, 'Had our Lord willed, surely He would have sent down angels; so we disbelieve in the Message you were sent with.'

Abdul Haleem

when their messengers came to them, from all angles, saying, “Serve no one but God,” they said, “If our Lord had wished, He would have sent down angels. We do not believe in the message with which you have been sent.”

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Recall what time the apostles came Unto them from before them and behind them, saying: worship none save Allah. They said: had our Lord listed, He surely would have sent down angels, so verily in that wherewith ye have been sent we are disbelievers altogether.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Behold, the messengers came to them, from before them and behind them, (preaching); "Serve none but Allah." They said, "If our Lord had so pleased, He would certainly have sent down angels (to preach). Now we reject your mission (altogether)."

Abul Ala Maududi

When the Messengers (of Allah) came to them from the front and from the rear, saying: “Do not serve any but Allah”; they said: “Had our Lord so willed, He would have sent down angels. So we deny the Message you have brought.”

Ahmed Ali

Their apostles came to them one after the other (saying): "Do not worship any one but God." They said: "If our Lord had pleased He would have sent the angels down. We reject what is sent with you."

Ahmed Raza Khan

When their Noble Messengers approached them from front and from behind saying, "Do not worship any one except Allah"; they said, "If our Lord willed, He would surely have sent down angels – we therefore deny whatever you have been sent with.”

Ali Quli Qarai

When the apostles came to them, before them and in their own time, saying, ‘Worship no one except Allah!’ They said, ‘Had our Lord wished, He would have sent down angels [to us]. We indeed disbelieve in what you have been sent with.’

Ali Ünal

When the Messengers (sent to each) came to them (with all evidence of truth) from every approach, preaching: "Worship none but God alone!" they said: "Had it been the will of our Lord (to send us Messengers to warn us), He would certainly have sent down angels. So we disbelieve in what (you claim) you have been sent with."

Amatul Rahman Omar

When the Messengers (of God) came to them (successively) from before them and from behind them (- from all directions with the teaching) `Worship none but Allâh.´ They said, `If Allâh had willed (to send Messengers), He would certainly have sent angels. So we are indeed disbelievers in that (teachings) with which you have been sent.´

English Literal

When the messengers came to them from between their hands and from behind them: "That do not worship except God." They said: "If our Lord wanted/willed, He would have descended angels, so we are with what you were sent with it disbelieving."

Faridul Haque

When their Noble Messengers approached them from front and from behind saying, "Do not worship any one except Allah"; they said, "If our Lord willed, He would surely have sent down angels - we therefore deny whatever you have been sent with.”

Hamid S. Aziz

When their messengers came to them from before them and from behind them, saying, "Serve nothing but Allah", they said, "If our Lord had pleased He would certainly have sent down angels, so we are surely unbelievers in that with which you are sent."

Hilali & Khan

When the Messengers came to them, from before them and behind them (saying): "Worship none but Allah" They said: "If our Lord had so willed, He would surely have sent down the angels. So indeed! We disbelieve in that with which you have been sent."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

But if they turn away, then say: I warn you of a scourge like the scourge of ‘Ad and Thamud.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

When their apostles came to them from before them and from behind them, saying, Serve nothing but Allah, they said: If our Lord had pleased He would certainly have sent down angels, so we are surely unbelievers in that with which you are sent.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

When their messengers came unto them from before them and behind them, saying: Worship none but Allah! they said: If our Lord had willed, He surely would have sent down angels (unto us), so lo! we are disbelievers in that wherewith ye have been sent.

Muhammad Sarwar

When Messengers from all sides came to them saying, "Do not worship anything besides God, " they said, "Had our Lord wanted, He would have sent us angelic Messengers. We do not believe in your message".

Qaribullah & Darwish

When their Messengers came to them from before them and behind them, (saying): 'Worship none except Allah' they answered: 'Had it been the will of our Lord, He would have sent down angels. So we disbelieve in the Message with which you were sent'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

When the Messengers came to them, from before them and behind them (saying): "Worship none but Allah," they said: "If our Lord had so willed, He would surely have sent down the angels. So, indeed we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent."

Wahiduddin Khan

when the messengers came to them from before them and behind them, saying, 'Worship none but God!" They said, "If our Lord had willed, He would have sent down angels [to us]. Therefore, we shall never believe in your message.'"

Talal Itani

Their messengers came to them, from before them and from behind them, saying, “Do not worship anyone but God.” They said, “Had our Lord willed, He would have sent down angels; Therefore, we reject what you are sent with.”

Tafsir jalalayn

When the messengers came to them from in front of them and from behind them, that is, coming to them [to warn them] and leaving them behind [as they departed], but they disbelieved, as will be stated shortly -- the destruction [of them meant] would only take place in his time -- saying, `Worship none but God', they said, `Had our Lord willed, He would have surely sent down, to us, angels; therefore we indeed disbelieve in what you, according to your claim, have been sent with!'

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِذْ جَاءتْهُمُ الرُّسُلُ مِن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ

When the Messengers came to them, from before them and behind them,

This is like the Ayah;

وَاذْكُرْ أَخَا عَادٍ إِذْ أَنذَرَ قَوْمَهُ بِالاٌّحْقَافِ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ النُّذُرُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ

And remember (Hud) the brother of `Ad, when he warned his people in Al-Ahqaf. And surely, there have passed away warners before him and after him. (46;21)

which means that in the neighboring towns and cities, Allah sent Messengers who commanded the people to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and they brought good news as well as warnings. They saw the punishment Allah sent upon His enemies, and the blessings which He bestowed upon His friends, yet despite all of this, they did not believe in them.

أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُوا إِلاَّ اللَّهَ

قَالُوا

(saying);"Worship none but Allah," they said;

On the contrary, they denied them and rejected them, and said;

لَوْ شَاء رَبُّنَا لَاَنزَلَ مَلَيِكَةً

If our Lord had so willed, He would surely have sent down the angels.

meaning, if Allah were to send Messengers, they would be angels sent from His presence.

فَإِنَّا بِمَا أُرْسِلْتُمْ بِهِ كَافِرُونَ



So, indeed we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent.

means, `because you are a mere human; we will not follow you because you are just men like us.