Al-Qur'an Surah Al-An'am Verse 157

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Or you would say, “If the Book had been sent down to us, we would have been more adhering to the right path than they are.”Now there has come to you a clear sign from your Lord, and a guidance and mercy. So, who is more unjust than the one who gives the lie to the verses of Allah and turns away from them? We will recompense those who turn away from Our verses with an evil punishment, because of their turning away.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Nor can you say, “If only the Scriptures had been revealed to us, we would have been better guided than they.” Now there has come to you from your Lord a clear proof[[ i.e., the Quran. ]]—a guide and mercy. Who then does more wrong than those who deny Allah’s revelations and turn away from them? We will reward those who turn away from Our revelations with a dreadful punishment for turning away.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Or you would say, “If only the Scriptures had been sent down to us, we would have been better guided than they.” Now there has come to you a clear proof from your Lord, a guidance and a mercy. Who does greater wrong than he who denies the verses of Allah and turns away from them? We will recompense those who turn away from Our verses with the worst punishment, for their turning away.

A. J. Arberry

or lest you say, 'If the Book had been sent down upon us, we had surely been more rightly guided than they.' Yet indeed a clear sign has come to you from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy; and who does greater evil than he who cries lies to God's signs, and turns away from them? We shall surely recompense those who turn away from Our signs with an evil chastisement for their turning away.

Abdul Haleem

or ‘If only the Scripture had been sent down to us, we would have been better guided than them.’ Now clear evidence, guidance, and mercy have come to you from your Lord. Who could be more wrong than someone who rejects God’s revelations and turns away from them? We shall repay those who turn away with a painful punishment.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Or lest ye should say. if only the Book had been sent down to us, we should surely have been better guided than they. So now surely there hath come unto you an evidence from Your Lord and a guidance and a mercy. Who then doth greater wrong than he who belieth the signs of Allah and shunneth them? Anon We will requite those who shun Our signs with an evil torment in as much as they were wont to shun them.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Or lest ye should say; "If the Book had only been sent down to us, we should have followed its guidance better than they." Now then hath come unto you a clear (sign) from your Lord,- and a guide and a mercy; then who could do more wrong than one who rejecteth Allah's signs, and turneth away therefrom? In good time shall We requite those who turn away from Our signs, with a dreadful penalty, for their turning away.

Abul Ala Maududi

Nor may you claim that: 'Had the Book been revealed to us, we would have been better guided than they.' Surely clear evidence has come to you from your Lord, which is both a guidance and a mercy. Who, then, is more unjust than he who gave the lie to the signs of Allah and turned away from them? And We shall soon requite those who turn away from Our signs with a severe chastisement for having turned away.

Ahmed Ali

Or that: "Had the Book been sent down to us we would surely have been guided better than they." So you have now received from your Lord a clear proof and a guidance and grace. Then who is more wicked than he who denies the signs of God and turns away from them? We shall punish those severely who turn away: A requital indeed for having turned aside.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Or may say that, “If the Book had been sent down to us, we would have been more upon guidance than them”; so the clear proof and guidance and mercy has come to you, from your Lord; so who is more unjust than one who denies the signs of Allah, and turns away from them? We shall soon punish those who turn away from Our signs with a great punishment, the recompense of their turning away.

Ali Quli Qarai

or [lest] you should say, ‘If the Book had been sent down to us, surely we would have been better-guided than them.’ There has already come to you a manifest proof from your Lord and a guidance and mercy. So who is a greater wrongdoer than him who denies the signs of Allah, and turns away from them? Soon We shall requite those who turn away from Our signs with a terrible punishment because of what they used to evade.

Ali Ünal

Or lest you should say, "Had the Book been sent down on us, we would surely have been more rightly guided than they are." Now there has come to you a manifest proof from your Lord, and a guidance, and a mercy. Who, then, is greater in doing wrong than he who denies God’s Revelations and turns away from them? We will recompense those who turn away from Our Revelations with an evil punishment for turning away.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Or lest you should say, `Had the Book been revealed to us we would surely have been better guided than they.´ Now there has certainly come to you from your Lord (in the form of the Qur´ân) a clear evidence, an excellent guidance and a great mercy. Who then, is more unjust than he who cries lies to the revelations of Allâh and turns away from them? We will certainly award those who turn away from Our revelations an awful punishment, because of their having turned away.

English Literal

Or you say: "If (only) that The Book was descended on us, we would have been more guided than them." So an evidence had come to you from your Lord, and guidance, and mercy, so who (is) more unjust/oppressive than who denied/falsified with God`s verses/evidences and discouraged/turned away from it? We will reward/reimburse those who discourage/turn away from Our verses/evidences the torture`s evil/harm ,because (of) what they were discouraging/turning away.

Faridul Haque

Or may say that, “If the Book had been sent down to us, we would have been more upon guidance than them”; so the clear proof and guidance and mercy has come to you, from your Lord; so who is more unjust than one who denies the signs of Allah, and turns away from them? We shall soon punish those who turn away from Our signs with a great punishment, the recompense of their turning away.

Hamid S. Aziz

Or, lest you should say, "Had we had a Book (Scripture) revealed to us we should surely have been more guided than they;" But now there is come to them a manifest sign from their Lord, and a guidance and a mercy; who then is more unjust (does greater wrong) than he who denies the Signs (revelations) of Allah, and turns away from them? We will reward those who turn from our Signs with a severe punishment because of their turning.

Hilali & Khan

Or lest you (pagan Arabs) should say: "If only the Book had been sent down to us, we would surely have been better guided than they (Jews and Christians)." So now has come unto you a clear proof (the Quran) from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy. Who then does more wrong than one who rejects the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah and turns away therefrom? We shall requite those who turn away from Our Ayat with an evil torment, because of their turning away (from them). [Tafsir At-Tabari, Vol. 8, Page 95]

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Lest you should say that the Book was revealed only to two parties before us and we were truly unaware of what they read,

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Or lest you should say: If the Book had been revealed to us, we would certainly have been better guided than they, so indeed there has come to you clear proof from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. Who then is more unjust than he who rejects Allah's communications and turns away from them? We will reward those who turn away from Our communications with an evil chastisement because they turned away.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Or lest ye should say: If the Scripture had been revealed unto us, we surely had been better guided than are they. Now hath there come unto you a clear proof from your Lord, a guidance and mercy; and who doeth greater wrong than he who denieth the revelations of Allah, and turneth away from them? We award unto those who turn away from Our revelations an evil doom because of their aversion.

Muhammad Sarwar

or proclaim, "Had the Book been revealed to us, we would have followed its guidance better than the (Jews and Christians). Evidence, guidance, and mercy have already come to you from your Lord. Who are more unjust than those who reject God's revelations and turn away from them? We will give an evil recompense to those who turn away from Our revelations and a terrible torment for their disregard (of Our guidance)

Qaribullah & Darwish

Or (you say), 'Had the Book been sent down to us, we would have been better guided than they' Indeed a clear sign has now come to you from your Lord; a guidance and a mercy. And who is more harmful than he who belies the verses of Allah and turns away from them! We shall recompense those who turn away from Our verses with an evil punishment for their turning away.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Or lest you should say: "If only the Book had been sent down to us, we would surely have been better guided than they." So now has come unto you a clear proof from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy. Who then does more wrong than one who rejects the Ayat of Allah and Sadafa away therefrom We shall requite those who turn away from Our Ayat with an evil torment, because of their turning away.

Wahiduddin Khan

or you may say, "If the Book had been sent down to us, we would surely have followed its guidance better than they did." There has now come to you clear evidence from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. Who, then, is more unjust than one who rejects the signs of God and turns away from them? We shall requite those who turn away from Our signs with a painful punishment, for their turning away.

Talal Itani

Or lest you say, “Had the Scripture been revealed to us, we would have been better guided than they.” Clarification has come to you from your Lord, and guidance, and mercy. Who then does greater wrong than he who gives the lie to God's messages, and turns away from them? We will repay those who turn away from Our messages with the worst kind of punishment, because of their turning away.

Tafsir jalalayn

Or lest you should say, `If the Scripture had been revealed to us, we would have surely been more rightly guided than they are', because of the excellence of our minds. Now indeed a clear proof, a [clear] statement, has come to you from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy, for him who follows it; and who, that is, none, does greater evil than he who denies God's signs and turns away from them? We shall surely requite those who turn away from Our signs with dreadful, the most severe, chastisement for their aversion.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

أَوْ تَقُولُواْ لَوْ أَنَّا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا الْكِتَابُ لَكُنَّا أَهْدَى مِنْهُمْ

Or lest you should say;"If only the Book had been sent down to us, we would surely, have been better guided than they."

meaning;We also refuted this excuse, had you used it, lest you say, "If a Book was revealed to us, just as they received a Book, we would have been better guided than they are."

Allah also said.

وَأَقْسَمُواْ بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـنِهِمْ لَيِن جَأءَهُمْ نَذِيرٌ لَّيَكُونُنَّ أَهْدَى مِنْ إِحْدَى الاٍّمَمِ

And they swore by Allah their most binding oath that if a warner came to them, they would be more guided than any of the nations (before them). (35;42)

Allah replied here,

فَقَدْ جَاءكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ

So now has come unto you a clear proof from your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy.

Allah says, there has come to you from Allah a Glorious Qur'an revealed to Muhammad, the Arab Prophet. In it is the explanation of the lawful and unlawful matters, guidance for the hearts and mercy from Allah to His servants who follow and implement it.

Allah said;

فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَذَّبَ بِأيَاتِ اللّهِ وَصَدَفَ عَنْهَا

Who then does more wrong than one who rejects the Ayat of Allah and Sadafa away therefrom,

This refers to the one who neither benefited from what the Messenger brought, nor followed what he was sent with by abandoning all other ways. Rather, he Sadafa from following the Ayat of Allah, meaning, he discouraged and hindered people from following it.

This is the explanation of As-Suddi for Sadafa, while Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah said that Sadafa means, he turned away from it.

سَنَجْزِي الَّذِينَ يَصْدِفُونَ عَنْ ايَاتِنَا سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَصْدِفُونَ



We shall requite those who turn away from Our Ayat with an evil torment, because of their turning away