Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ahqaf Verse 24

Mufti Taqi Usmani

So, when they saw it as a cloud proceeding towards their valleys, they said, “This is a cloud that will bring us rain.” No, it is the very thing you asked to hasten up - a wind in which there is a painful punishment,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Then when they saw the torment as a ˹dense˺ cloud approaching their valleys, they said ˹happily˺, “This is a cloud bringing us rain.” ˹But Hûd replied,˺ “No, it is what you sought to hasten: a ˹fierce˺ wind carrying a painful punishment!”

Ruwwad Translation Center

When they saw it as a cloud approaching their valleys, they said, “This is a cloud bringing us rain.” [Hūd said,] No, it is what you sought to hasten – a wind bearing a painful punishment.

A. J. Arberry

Then, when they saw it as a sudden cloud coming towards their valleys, they said, 'This is a cloud, that shall give us rain!' 'Not so; rather it is that you sought to hasten -- a wind, wherein is a painful chastisement,

Abdul Haleem

When they saw a cloud approaching their valley, they said, ‘This cloud will give us rain!’ ‘No indeed! It is what you wanted to hasten: a storm-wind bearing a painful punishment

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Then when they beheld it as an overpeering cloud tending toward their valleys they said: yonder is an overpeering cloud bringing us rain. Nay it is that which ye sought to be hastened: a wind wherein is a torment afflictive.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then, when they saw the (Penalty in the shape of) a cloud traversing the sky, coming to meet their valleys, they said, "This cloud will give us rain!" "Nay, it is the (Calamity) ye were asking to be hastened!- A wind wherein is a Grievous Penalty!

Abul Ala Maududi

When they saw the scourge advancing towards their valleys, they said: “This is a cloud that will bring much rain to us.” “By no means; it is what you had sought to hasten -- a wind-storm bearing a grievous chastisement

Ahmed Ali

So when they saw it as a cloud advancing towards their valleys, they said: "This is just a passing cloud that will bring us rain." "No. It is what you were trying to hasten: The wind which carries the grievous punishment!

Ahmed Raza Khan

So when they saw the punishment coming towards their valleys, spread like a cloud on the horizon, they said, “That is a cloud which will shower rain upon us”; said Hud “In fact this is what you were being impatient for; a windstorm carrying a painful punishment.”

Ali Quli Qarai

When they saw it as a cloud advancing toward their valleys, they said, ‘This cloud brings us rain.’ ‘No, it is what you sought to hasten: a hurricane carrying a painful punishment,

Ali Ünal

Then (as the events unfolded) they saw that (which they were threatened with) as a dense cloud in the sky advancing towards their valleys, and they said: "This is a cloud bringing us rain." No; it is what you have (derisively) asked to be hastened: a wind bearing a painful punishment,

Amatul Rahman Omar

Then, when they saw this (punishment they were threatened with) in the form of a cloud (spreading in the sky) heading towards their valleys, they said, `This is a cloud which will rain over us.´ (They were told,) `It is no such thing, rather it is that (punishment) which you sought to hasten. (It is) a hurricane carrying a woeful punishment.

English Literal

So when they saw/understood it an obstructing cloud approaching/coming (to) their valleys, they said: "That obstructing cloud (is) raining on us." No/rather it is what you hurried/hastened with it, a wind/smell in it (is) a painful torture.

Faridul Haque

So when they saw the punishment coming towards their valleys, spread like a cloud on the horizon, they said, “That is a cloud which will shower rain upon us”; said Hud “In fact this is what you were being impatient for; a windstorm carrying a painful punishment.”

Hamid S. Aziz

So when they saw it (the threat) as a cloud in the sky advancing towards their valleys, they said, "This is a cloud which will give us rain." "Nay! It is (the calamity) which you sought to hasten on, a blast of wind in which is a painful punishment,

Hilali & Khan

Then, when they saw it as a dense cloud coming towards their valleys, they said: "This is a cloud bringing us rain!" Nay, but it is that (torment) which you were asking to be hastened! a wind wherein is a painful torment!

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He said: The knowledge is only with Allah, and I deliver to you that wherewith I am sent, but I see you are an ignorant people.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

So when they saw it as a cloud appearing in the sky advancing towards their valleys, they said: This is a cloud which will give us rain. Nay! it is what you sought to hasten on, a blast of wind in which is a painful punishment,

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Then, when they beheld it as a dense cloud coming toward their valleys, they said: Here is a cloud bringing us rain. Nay, but it is that which ye did seek to hasten, a wind wherein is painful torment,

Muhammad Sarwar

When they saw the torment as a cloud proceeding to their valleys, they said, "This cloud will bring us rain." He said, "No, it is the torment which you wanted to suffer immediately. It is a wind bearing and painful torment.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And when they saw it as a sudden cloud heading for their valley they said: 'This is a cloud that will bring us rain' 'Rather' (he replied): 'it is that which you have sought to hasten, a wind in which there is a painful punishment.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Then, when they saw it as a dense cloud approaching their valleys, they said: "This is a cloud bringing us rain!" Nay, but it is that which you were asking to be hastened - a wind wherein is a painful torment!

Wahiduddin Khan

So, when they saw it in the shape of a dense cloud approaching their valleys, they exclaimed, "This is only a heavy cloud which will bring us [welcome] rain!" [But Hud said]: "By no means! It is the very thing which you sought to hasten -- a wind bearing grievous suffering

Talal Itani

Then, when they saw a cloud approaching their valley, they said, “This is a cloud that will bring us rain.” “In fact, it is what you were impatient for: a wind in which is grievous suffering.”

Tafsir jalalayn

Then, when they saw it, that is, [when they saw] what chastisement [really] was, as a sudden cloud, a cloud that appeared [out of nowhere] on the horizon, heading towards their valleys, they said, `This is a cloud that will bring us rain!'. God, exalted be He, says; Nay, but it is what you sought to hasten, of the chastisement -- a hurricane (rhun substitutes for m, `what') containing a painful chastisement,

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ عَارِضًا مُّسْتَقْبِلَ أَوْدِيَتِهِمْ

Then, when they saw it as a dense cloud approaching their valleys,

meaning, when they saw the punishment coming towards them, they thought it to be clouds full of rain. That made them happy and joyful, because they had a drought and needed rain.

قَالُوا هَذَا عَارِضٌ مُّمْطِرُنَا

they said;"This is a cloud bringing us rain!"

Allah then said,

بَلْ هُوَ مَا اسْتَعْجَلْتُم بِهِ رِيحٌ فِيهَا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ



Nay, but it is that which you were asking to be hastened -- a wind wherein is a painful torment!

meaning, this is the torment that you called for saying, "Bring to us what you promise us if you should be of the truthful.