Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tur Verse 38

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Or have they a stairway (to the heavens) by means of which they listen (to the divine decrees)? If so, their listener must bring a clear proof.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Or do they have a stairway, by which they eavesdrop ˹on the heavens˺? Then let those who do so bring a compelling proof.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Or do they have a stairway [to the heaven] by which they eavesdrop? Then let those who eavesdrop produce a compelling proof.

A. J. Arberry

Or have they a ladder whereon they listen? Then let any of them that has listened bring a clear authority.

Abdul Haleem

Do they have a ladder to climb, in order to eavesdrop [on Heaven’s secrets]? Let their eavesdropper produce clear proof.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Have they a stairway whereby they overhear? Then let their listener bring an authority manifest.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Or have they a ladder, by which they can (climb up to heaven and) listen (to its secrets)? Then let (such a) listener of theirs produce a manifest proof.

Abul Ala Maududi

Or do they have a ladder whereon they can climb and attempt to listen (to what is transpiring in the Higher Realm)? Then, let any of them who has listened to it produce a clear proof of it.

Ahmed Ali

Or do they have a ladder (climbing which) they can hear (the secrets of heaven)? Let one who has heard then bring a clear proof.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Or do they have any stairs, climbing upon which they eavesdrop? So their eavesdropper should bring some clear proof!

Ali Quli Qarai

Do they have a ladder [leading up to heaven] whereby they eavesdrop? If so, let their eavesdropper produce a manifest authority.

Ali Ünal

Or do they have a ladder by which (having climbed to heaven) they overhear (the secrets of heaven, confirming their stand against the Messenger and the Qur’an)? Then let their eavesdropper produce some clear authority (to prove what he claims to have heard).

Amatul Rahman Omar

Have they the means through which they can overhear (the Lord)? If so, let their listener bring forth a clear authoritative proof (just as the Prophet of God does).

English Literal

Or for them (is) a ladder, they hear/listen in (from) it? So their hearer/listener should come with a clear/evident proof/evidence/power .

Faridul Haque

Or do they have any stairs, climbing upon which they eavesdrop? So their eavesdropper should bring some clear proof!

Hamid S. Aziz

Or have they a ladder (unto heaven) the means by which they listen? Then let their listener bring a clear authority.

Hilali & Khan

Or have they a stairway (to heaven), by means of which they listen (to the talks of the angels)? Then let their listener produce some manifest proof.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Or have they the treasures of thy Lord with them? Or have they absolute authority?

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Or have they the means by which they listen? Then let their listener bring a clear authority.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Or have they any stairway (unto heaven) by means of which they overhear (decrees). Then let their listener produce some warrant manifest!

Muhammad Sarwar

Do they have a ladder (by which they can climb up to the heavens) and listen (to the angels) and come back to the rest of the people with clear authority?

Qaribullah & Darwish

Or, do they have a ladder on which they listen? Then let any of them that has listened bring a clear authority.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Or have they a stairway (to heaven), by means of which they listen Then let their listener produce some manifest proof.

Wahiduddin Khan

Have they a ladder up to heaven by means of which they can overhear? Then let their listeners bring a clear proof.

Talal Itani

Or do they have a stairway by means of which they listen? Then let their listener produce a clear proof.

Tafsir jalalayn

Or do they have a ladder, a means of ascension into the heaven, whereby they eavesdrop?, that is, at the top of which [they listen in], on the conversations of the angels, so that they are then able to dispute with the Prophet, as they claim. If that is what they assert; Then let their eavesdropper, [let] the one claiming to be able to listen [in on their conversations] on top of this [ladder], produce a manifest warrant, a plain and evident proof. Now, on account of the similarity of this assertion to their assertion that the angels are the daughters of God, He, exalted be He, says;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

أَمْ لَهُمْ سُلَّمٌ يَسْتَمِعُونَ فِيهِ

Or have they a stairway, by means of which they listen.

meaning, do they have a stairway to heaven (to the place where the angels are),

فَلْيَأْتِ مُسْتَمِعُهُم بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ



Then let their listener produce some manifest proof.

meaning, let their listener produce evidence to the truth of their actions and statements. They will never be able to do so and therefore, they have nothing and have no evidence for their stance.

Allah admonishes them regarding their claim that He has daughters and that the angels are females! The pagans chose for themselves male offspring and preferred them instead of females, and when one of them would be brought the good news of a daughter being born, his face would turn dark on account of his suppressed anger! Yet, they made the angels Allah's daughters and worshipped them besides Allah,

أَمْ لَهُ الْبَنَاتُ وَلَكُمُ الْبَنُونَ