Al-Qur'an Surah Qaf Verse 18

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Not a single word is uttered by one but there is a watcher near him, ready (to record).

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

not a word does a person utter without having a ˹vigilant˺ observer ready ˹to write it down˺.[[ The angel to the right records the good deeds of each person, while the one to the left records every evil deed. They always accompany the person at all times, except when one uses the toilet or is intimate with their spouse. ]] 

Ruwwad Translation Center

Not a single word he utters but there is with him a vigilant watcher, ready [to record it].

A. J. Arberry

not a word he utters, but by him is an observer ready.

Abdul Haleem

he does not utter a single word without an ever-present watcher.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Not a word he uttereth but there is with him a watcher ready.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Not a word does he utter but there is a sentinel by him, ready (to note it).

Abul Ala Maududi

He utters not a word, but there is a vigilant watcher at hand.

Ahmed Ali

There is not a word he utters but an observer is ready (to make note of it).

Ahmed Raza Khan

He does not utter a single word, without a ready recorder seated next to him.

Ali Quli Qarai

he says no word but that there is a ready observer beside him.

Ali Ünal

Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him, ever-present.

Amatul Rahman Omar

He utters not a word but (it is noted down by) a guardian (angel of his who) stands ready by his side (to record his words).

English Literal

Nothing emits/vocalizes from a word except at Him (is a) prepared/made ready observer/guard .

Faridul Haque

He does not utter a single word, without a ready recorder seated next to him.

Hamid S. Aziz

He utters not a word but there is by him a watcher (sentinel, one who censors) at hand.

Hilali & Khan

Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

When the two receivers receive, sitting on the right and on the left,

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He utters not a word but there is by him a watcher at hand.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

He uttereth no word but there is with him an observer ready.

Muhammad Sarwar

The human being will certainly experience the agony of death

Qaribullah & Darwish

whatever phrase he utters, an observer is present.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).

Wahiduddin Khan

each word he utters shall be noted down by a vigilant guardian.

Talal Itani

Not a word does he utter, but there is a watcher by him, ready.

Tafsir jalalayn

he does not utter a word but that there is beside him a watcher, a guardian, [who is] ready, present (both [raqbun, `watcher', and `atdun, `ready'] are meant to indicate the dual).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

مَا يَلْفِظُ

whatever he utters,

(in reference to the human),

مِن قَوْلٍ

of a word,

means any word that he or she speaks,

إِلاَّ لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ



but there is a watcher by him ready.

means, but there is a scribe whose job is to record it, leaving no word or movement unrecorded.

Allah the Exalted said,

وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَـفِظِينَ

كِرَاماً كَـتِبِينَ

يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ

But verily, over you (are appointed angels) to watch you, Kiraman (honorable) Katibin writing down (your deeds), they know all that you do. (82;10-12)

Therefore, the scribe records every word that is spoken, according to the explanation of Al-Hasan and Qatadah.

This is also the apparent meaning of this Ayah.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Bilal bin Al-Harith Al-Muzani said,

"The Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ مِنْ رِضْوَانِ اللهِ تَعَالَى مَا يَظُنُّ أَنْ تَبْلُغَ مَا بَلَغَتْ يَكْتُبُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُ بِهَا رِضْوَانَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ يَلْقَاهُ

وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ مِنْ سَخَطِ اللهِ تَعَالَى مَا يَظُنُّ أَنْ تَبْلُغَ مَا بَلَغَتْ يَكْتُبُ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ بِهَا سَخَطَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ يَلْقَاه

Verily, a man might utter a word that pleases Allah the Exalted, unaware of how highly it will be regarded, and on its account Allah the Exalted and Most Honored decrees His pleasure of him until the Day he meets Him.

A man might indeed utter a word that angers Allah the Exalted, unaware of how dreadful it will be and on its account Allah the Exalted decrees for him His anger until the Day he meets Him."

Alqamah used to say,

"How many words did I not utter because of the Hadith that Bilal bin Al-Harith narrated."

At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah collected this Hadith. At-Tirmidhi said, "Hasan Sahih."

There is a Hadith similar to this in the Sahih.
Reminding Mankind of the Stupor of Death, the Blast of the Trumpet and the Day of Gathering

Allah the Exalted and Most High said,

وَجَاءتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ