Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ahqaf Verse 8

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Is it that they say, “He has forged it (the Qur’ān)”? Say, “If I have forged it, then you do not have any power to help me against Allah. He is well aware of what you are engaged in. He is enough as a witness between me and you, and He is the Most-Forgiving, the Very-Merciful.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Or do they say, “He[[ Muḥammad (ﷺ). ]] has fabricated this ˹Quran˺!”? Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If I have done so, then there is nothing whatsoever you can do to save me from Allah. He knows best what ˹slurs˺ you indulge about it. Sufficient is He as a Witness between you and me. And He is the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Or do they say, “He has fabricated it”? Say, “If I did fabricate it, there is nothing you can do to protect me against Allah. He knows best what you gossip about it. He is Sufficient as a witness between me and you, and He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”

A. J. Arberry

Or do they say, 'He has forged it'? Say: 'If I have forged it, you have no power to help me against God. He knows very well what you are pressing upon; He suffices as a witness between me and you; He is the All-forgiving, the All-compassionate.'

Abdul Haleem

or they say, ‘He has invented it himself.’ Say [Prophet], ‘If I have really invented it, there is nothing you can do to save me from God. He knows best what you say amongst yourselves about it; He is sufficient as a witness between me and you; He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Say they: he hath fabricated it. Say thou: if I have fabricated it, then ye cannot avail me against Allah in aught. He is the Knower of that which ye utter thereof; He sufficeth as a witness between me and you; and He is Forgiving, Merciful.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Or do they say, "He has forged it"? Say; "Had I forged it, then can ye obtain no single (blessing) for me from Allah. He knows best of that whereof ye talk (so glibly)! Enough is He for a witness between me and you! And he is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Abul Ala Maududi

Do they claim that the Messenger himself has fabricated it? (If so), tell them: “If I have fabricated it, then you have no power to protect me from Allah's chastisement. He knows well the idle talk in which you indulge. He suffices as a witness between me and you. He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Ahmed Ali

Do they say: "He has fabricated it?" Tell them: "If I have fabricated it, you have no power to save me from God. He knows what you are busy with concerning this. He is sufficient as witness between you and me; yet He is forgiving, ever-merciful."

Ahmed Raza Khan

What! They dare say, “He has fabricated it”? Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “If I have fabricated it, then (I know that) you have no power to support me against Allah; He well knows the matters you are involved in; He is Sufficient as a Witness between me and you; and He only is the Oft Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”

Ali Quli Qarai

Or they say, ‘He has fabricated it.’ Say, ‘Should I have fabricated it, you would not avail me anything against Allah. He best knows what you gossip concerning it. He suffices as a witness between me and you, and He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful.’

Ali Ünal

Or do they say, "He (the Messenger) has fabricated it (the Qur’an)?" Say: "If I have fabricated it, you have no power at all to help me against God. He knows best all that you are busy inventing concerning it (the Qur’an). He suffices for a Witness between me and you. He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Compassionate.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Do they say, `He himself has forged this (Qur´ân)?´ Say, `If I have forged it, you have no power to help me in anyway against Allâh, He knows what nonsensical talk you are indulging in. Sufficient is He for a witness between me and you. And He is the Great Protector, the Ever Merciful.´

English Literal

Or they say: "He fabricated/cut and split it." Say: "If I fabricated/cut and split it, so you do not own/possess for me from God a thing. He is more knowledgeable with what you rush/hurry in it, enough/sufficient with Him (as) a witness/testifier between me and between you, and He is the forgiving, the merciful."

Faridul Haque

What! They dare say, “He has fabricated it”? Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), “If I have fabricated it, then (I know that) you have no power to support me against Allah; He well knows the matters you are involved in; He is Sufficient as a Witness between me and you; and He only is the Oft Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”

Hamid S. Aziz

Nay! They say, "He has forged (invented) it." Say, "If I have forged (invented) it, still you do not control anything for me from Allah; He knows best what you utter concerning it; He is enough as a witness between me and you, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful."

Hilali & Khan

Or say they: "He (Muhammad SAW) has fabricated it." Say: "If I have fabricated it, still you have no power to support me against Allah. He knows best of what you say among yourselves concerning it (i.e. this Quran)! Sufficient is He for a witness between me and you! And He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And when Our clear messages are recited to them, those who disbelieve say of the Truth when it comes to them: This is clear enchantment.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Nay! they say: He has forged it. Say: If I have forged it, you do not control anything for me from Allah; He knows best what you utter concerning it; He is enough as a witness between me and you, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Or say they: He hath invented it? Say (O Muhammad): If I have invented it, still ye have no power to support me against Allah. He is Best Aware of what ye say among yourselves concerning it. He sufficeth for a witness between me and you. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Muhammad Sarwar

They say, "(Muhammad) has invented it (Quran) by himself." Say, "Had I invented it, you would not have been able to rescue me from God. He knows best what you say about it. He is our witness and He is All-forgiving and All-merciful".

Qaribullah & Darwish

Or, do they say: 'He has forged it' Say: 'If I have forged it, then you have no power to help me against Allah, He knows what you say. It is sufficient that Heis the Witness between me and you. He is the Forgiving, the Most Merciful'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Or say they: "He has fabricated it." Say: "If I have fabricated it, still you have no power to support me against Allah. He knows best of what you say among yourselves concerning it! Sufficient is He as a witness between me and you! And He is the Oft--Forgiving, the Most Merciful."

Wahiduddin Khan

Do they mean to say that the Messenger himself has fabricated it? Say [O Muhammad], "If I have fabricated it myself, you will not be able to do anything to save me from God. He knows quite well what talk you indulge in. He is enough as a witness between me and you; and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful One."

Talal Itani

Or do they say, “He invented it himself”? Say, “If I invented it myself, there is nothing you can do to protect me from God. He knows well what you are engaged in. He is sufficient witness between me and you. He is the Forgiver, the Merciful.”

Tafsir jalalayn

Or (am has the significance of bal, `nay, but ...' and the [rhetorical interrogative] hamza of denial) do they say, `He has invented it?', that is, the Qur'n. Say; `If I have invented it, hypothetically [speaking], still you would have no power to avail me against God, that is to say, against His chastisement, in any way, in other words, you would not be able to ward it off from me if God chooses to chastise me. He knows best what you delve into [of gossip] concerning it, what you say about the Qur'n. He, exalted be He, suffices as a witness between me and you. And He is the Forgiving, to the one who repents, the Merciful', to him, and so He does not hasten to punish you.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ افْتَرَاهُ

Or they say;"He has fabricated it."

They are referring to Muhammad.

Allah responds saying,

قُلْ إِنِ افْتَرَيْتُهُ فَلَ تَمْلِكُونَ لِي مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْيًا

هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ كَفَى بِهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ

وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ




Say;"If I have fabricated it, you have no power to support me against Allah..."

which means, `if I lie against Allah and falsely claim that He sent me when He actually had not, then He would punish me with a severe punishment. No one on the earth -- you or anyone else -- would then be able to protect me from Him.'

It is similar to Allah's saying,

قُلْ إِنِّى لَن يُجِيرَنِى مِنَ اللَّهِ أَحَدٌ وَلَنْ أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِ مُلْتَحَداً إِلاَّ بَلَغاً مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِسَـلَـتِهِ

Say;"None can protect me from Allah, nor would I find a refuge except in Him. (My duty) is only to convey from Allah and (deliver) His Messages." (72;22-23)

Allah says,

وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ الاٌّقَاوِيلِ

لاأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِالْيَمِينِ

ثُمَّ لَقَطَعْنَا مِنْهُ الْوَتِينَ

فَمَا مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ عَنْهُ حَـجِزِينَ

And if he made up a false saying concerning Us, We surely would have seized him by the right hand. Then we would have cut off his life artery. And none of you could withhold Us from (punishing) him. (69;44-47)

Thus, Allah says here,

قُلْ إِنِ افْتَرَيْتُهُ فَلَ تَمْلِكُونَ لِي مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْيًا

هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ كَفَى بِهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ


Say;"If I have fabricated it, still you have no power to support me against Allah. He knows best of what you say among yourselves concerning it (i.e. this Qur'an)! Sufficient is He as a witness between me and you!..."

This is a severe threat, intimidation and warning for them.

Allah then says,

وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ




And He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

This is an encouragement for them to repent and turn to Allah. It means, `despite all of this, if you turn back and repent, Allah will accept your repentance, pardon you, forgive you, and have mercy upon on.'

This is similar to Allah's saying in Surah Al-Furqan,

وَقَالُواْ أَسَـطِيرُ الاٌّوَّلِينَ اكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِىَ تُمْلَى عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلً

قُلْ أَنزَلَهُ الَّذِى يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً

And they say;"(This Book is) legends of the ancients that he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon."

Say;"It has been sent down by the One Who knows every secret within the heavens and the earth. Truly, He is ever Forgiving and Merciful." (25;5-6)

Allah then says