Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zukhruf Verse 32

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Is it they who allocate the mercy of your Lord? We have allocated among them their livelihood in the worldly life, and have raised some of them over others in ranks, so that some of them may put some others to work. And the mercy of your Lord is much better than what they accumulate.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Is it they who distribute your Lord’s mercy? We ˹alone˺ have distributed their ˹very˺ livelihood among them in this worldly life and raised some of them in rank above others so that some may employ others in service. ˹But˺ your Lord’s mercy is far better than whatever ˹wealth˺ they amass.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Is it they who distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We Who have distributed their livelihood among them in the life of this world, and have raised some of them above others in ranks, so that they may serve one another. But the mercy of your Lord is better than what they accumulate.

A. J. Arberry

What, is it they who divide the mercy of the Lord? We have divided between them their livelihood in the present life, and raised some of them above others in rank, that some of them may take others in servitude; and the mercy of thy Lord is better than that they amass.

Abdul Haleem

Are they the ones who share out your Lord’s grace? We are the ones who give them their share of livelihood in this world and We have raised some of them above others in rank, so that some may take others into service: your Lord’s grace is better than anything they accumulate.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Shall they apportion their Lord's mercy? It is We Who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of the War, and raised some of them over others in degrees, so that one of them may take another as a serf; and the mercy of thy Lord is better than that which they amass.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of thy Lord? It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in the life of this world; and We raise some of them above others in ranks, so that some may command work from others. But the Mercy of thy Lord is better than the (wealth) which they amass.

Abul Ala Maududi

Is it they who distribute the Mercy of your Lord? It is We Who have distributed their livelihood among them in the life of this world, and have raised some above others in rank that some of them may harness others to their service. Your Lord's Mercy is better than all the treasures that they hoard.

Ahmed Ali

Are they the ones who dispense the favour of your Lord? It is He who apportions the means of livelihood among them in this world, and raises some in position over the others to make some others submissive. The favours of your Lord are better than what they amass.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Are they the distributors of your Lord’s mercy? We have distributed among them their comforts in the life of this world, and gave high status to some over others so that they mock at each other; and the mercy of your Lord is better than all what they hoard.

Ali Quli Qarai

Is it they who dispense the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have dispensed among them their livelihood in the present life, and raised some of them above others in rank, so that some may take others into service, and your Lord’s mercy is better than what they amass.

Ali Ünal

Is it they who distribute the mercy of your Lord (so that they may appoint whom they wish as Messenger to receive the Book)? (Moreover, how do they presume to value some above others only because of their wealth or status, when) it is also We Who distribute their means of livelihood among them in the life of this world, and raise some of them above others in degree, so that they may avail themselves of one another’s help? But your Lord’s mercy (in particular Prophethood) is better than what they amass (in this life).

Amatul Rahman Omar

What! is it they who distribute the grace of your Lord? Nay, but it is We Who distribute among them their livelihood pertaining to the present life. We exalt them (in rank) one over another so that some of them may take others in service. And the grace of your Lord is much better than what they amass (of the worldly provisions).

English Literal

Are they apportioning/dividing/making fate (of) your Lord`s mercy, We (E) apportioned/divided/fated between them their livelihood in the life the present/worldly life, and We raised some of them over/above some steps/stages/degrees, for some to take some of them making fun/ridiculing , and your Lord`s mercy (is) better than what they gather/collect .

Faridul Haque

Are they the distributors of your Lord’s mercy? We have distributed among them their comforts in the life of this world, and gave high status to some over others so that they mock at each other; and the mercy of your Lord is better than all what they hoard.

Hamid S. Aziz

Will they distribute (portion out, administer) the mercy of your Lord? We distribute among them their livelihood in the life of this world, and We have exalted some of them above others in degrees, that some of them may take others in subjection (or take labour from others or command and direct others); and the mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass.

Hilali & Khan

Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of your Lord? It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world, and We raised some of them above others in ranks, so that some may employ others in their work. But the Mercy (Paradise) of your Lord (O Muhammad SAW) is better than the (wealth of this world) which they amass.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And they say: Why was not this Qur’an revealed to a man of importance in the two towns?

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Will they distribute the mercy of your Lord? We distribute among them their livelihood in the life of this world, and We j have exalted some of them above others in degrees, that some of them may take others in subjection; and the mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Is it they who apportion thy Lord's mercy? We have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of the world, and raised some of them above others in rank that some of them may take labour from others; and the mercy of thy Lord is better than (the wealth) that they amass.

Muhammad Sarwar

Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have distributed their sustenance in this world and raised the positions of some of them above the others so that they would mock each other. The mercy of your Lord is better than what they can amass.

Qaribullah & Darwish

What, is it they who divide the Mercy of your Lord! (It is) We who divided between them their livelihoods in this life, raising some in rank above others, sothat some may take the other into his service. Your Lord's Mercy is better than all they gather.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Is it they who would portion out the mercy of your Lord It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world, and We raised some of them above others in ranks, so that some may employ others in their work. But the mercy of your Lord is better than what they amass.

Wahiduddin Khan

Is it they who apportion the mercy of your Lord? It is We who distribute among them their livelihood in the life of this world, and raise some of them above others in rank, so that they may take one another into service; and the mercy of your Lord is better than [the wealth] which they amass.

Talal Itani

Is it they who allocate the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have allocated their livelihood in this life, and We elevated some of them in rank above others, that some of them would take others in service. But your Lord’s mercy is better than what they amass.

Tafsir jalalayn

Is it they who apportion the mercy of your Lord?, [the mercy being] prophethood. We have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world, making some of them wealthy and others poor, and raised some of them, in wealth, above others by degrees, so that some of them, who are wealthy, may take others, who are poor, in service, disposed to work for them in return for a wage (the [final] y' [in sukhriyy] is attributive; a variant reading has sikhriyyan); and the mercy of your Lord, that is, Paradise, is better than what they amass, in this world.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

أَهُمْ يَقْسِمُونَ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّكَ

Is it they who would portion out the mercy of your Lord?

meaning, the matter has nothing to do with them; it is for Allah to decide. Allah knows best where to direct His Message, and He does not reveal it except to the one who is the purest in heart and soul, and of the noblest descent. Then Allah points out that He differentiates among His creation in terms of what He gives them of wealth, provision, intellect, understanding and other visible and hidden strengths;

نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَيْنَهُم مَّعِيشَتَهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا

It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world,

وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ
.

and We raised some of them above others in ranks,

..
لِيَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُهُم بَعْضًا سُخْرِيًّا

so that some may employ others in their work.

It was said that this means that some employ others in their work, because one needs the other, and vice versa.

This was the view of As-Suddi and others.

وَرَحْمَتُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ



But the mercy of your Lord is better than which they amass.

means, the mercy of Allah towards His creation is better for them than the wealth and conveniences of this world which they possess.
Wealth is not a Sign of Divine Pleasure

Allah says,