Al-Qur'an Surah Al-An'am Verse 35

Mufti Taqi Usmani

If their aversion is too hard on you, then seek, if you can, a tunnel into the earth or a ladder unto the sky in order to bring them a sign. Had Allah so willed, He would have brought all of them to the right path. So, never be one of the ignorant.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

If you find their denial unbearable, then build—if you can—a tunnel through the earth or stairs to the sky to bring them a ˹more compelling˺ sign. Had Allah so willed, He could have guided them all. So do not be one of those ignorant ˹of this fact˺.

Ruwwad Translation Center

If you find their denial hard to bear, then seek – if you can – a tunnel into the earth or a stairway into the sky to bring them a sign. If Allah had willed, He could have brought them all to guidance; so do not be of those who are ignorant.

A. J. Arberry

And if their turning away is distressful for thee, why, if thou canst seek out a hole in the earth, or a ladder in heaven, to bring them some sign but had God willed, He would have gathered them to the guidance; so be not thou one of the ignorant.

Abdul Haleem

If you find rejection by the disbelievers so hard to bear, then seek a tunnel into the ground or a ladder into the sky, if you can, and bring them a sign: God could bring them all to guidance if it were His will, so do not join the ignorant.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And if their backsliding is hard unto thee, then seek out, if thou canst, an opening into the earth or a ladder to the heaven that thou mayst bring unto them a sign. And had Allah willed, He would have assembled them unto the guidance; wherefore be not thou of the ignorant.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If their spurning is hard on thy mind, yet if thou wert able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the skies and bring them a sign,- (what good?). If it were Allah's will, He could gather them together unto true guidance; so be not thou amongst those who are swayed by ignorance (and impatience)!

Abul Ala Maududi

Nevertheless, if their turning away grieves you, then seek - if you can - either a way down into the earth or a ladder to the heavens, and try to bring to them some sign. Had Allah so willed, He would have gathered them all to the true guidance. Do not, then, be among the ignorant.

Ahmed Ali

If their aversion still weighs upon you, seek out a tunnel (going deep) into the earth, or a ladder reaching out to the skies, and bring them a sign: (Even then they will not believe). If God had willed He would have brought them all to the right path. So be not like the pagans.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And if their turning away has grieved you, then if you can, seek a tunnel into the earth or a ladder into the sky to bring a sign for them; and if Allah willed, He could have brought them all together upon guidance, so O listener (followers of this Prophet) do not ever be of the ignorant.

Ali Quli Qarai

And should their aversion be hard on you, find, if you can, a tunnel into the ground, or a ladder into sky, that you may bring them a sign. Had Allah wished, He would have brought them together on guidance. So do not be one of the ignorant.

Ali Ünal

If their recalcitrance is distressful for you, then if you are able seek a way down into the earth or a ladder up to the heavens to bring them a sign (a miracle of the kind that they wrongly think would persuade them to believe) – then know that had God so willed, He could surely have gathered them all to the true guidance (whether by a single miracle or by some other means. Seeing that God wills otherwise: that the truth be set before people with its supporting arguments through Messengers, and people should choose their way by exercise of their free will and judgment, then) do not be among those who act as if ignorant (of this fact).

Amatul Rahman Omar

If their (-of the disbelievers) turning away in aversion is hard on you (to bear) then you may, if you can, seek a tunnel into the earth or a ladder into the heaven and then bring them some sign (to bring all to guidance); but if Allâh had willed, He could surely have brought them all together (by force) to the guidance, so do not be of those who lack knowledge.

English Literal

And if their objection/opposition has become a burden on you, so if you were able, that (E) you desire/wish a tunnel in the earth/Planet Earth, or a ladder in the sky/space, so you come to them with a verse/evidence, and if God wanted/willed He would have gathered/collected them on the guidance, so do not be (E) from the ignorant/lowly (P).

Faridul Haque

And if their turning away has grieved you, then if you can, seek a tunnel into the earth or a ladder into the sky to bring a sign for them; and if Allah willed, He could have brought them all together upon guidance, so O listener (followers of this Prophet) do not ever be of the ignorant.

Hamid S. Aziz

Only those can accept who hear. As for the dead, Allah will raise them up, then unto Him shall they return.

Hilali & Khan

If their aversion (from you, O Muhammad SAW and from that with which you have been sent) is hard on you, (and you cannot be patient from their harm to you), then if you were able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky, so that you may bring them a sign (and you cannot do it, so be patient). And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together (all) unto true guidance, so be not you one of those who are Al-Jahilun (the ignorant).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And messengers indeed were rejected before thee, but they were patient when rejected and persecuted, until Our help came to them. And there is none to change the words of Allah. And there has already come to thee some information about the messengers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And if their turning away is hard on you, then if you can seek an opening (to go down) into the earth or a ladder (to ascend up) to heaven so that you should bring them a sign and if Allah had pleased He would certainly have gathered them all on guidance, therefore be not of the ignorant.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And if their aversion is grievous unto thee, then, if thou canst, seek a way down into the earth or a ladder unto the sky that thou mayst bring unto them a portent (to convince them all)! - If Allah willed, He could have brought them all together to the guidance - So be not thou among the foolish ones.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), if their refusal of the faith is so grievous to you and if you can dig up the earth or ascend into the sky in search of further evidence to inevitably make them believe you, you should have done so, but note that had God wanted, He could have made them all follow the same guidance. Do not ever be unaware (of this fact).

Qaribullah & Darwish

If their turning away is hard upon you, seek if you can, a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky by which you can bring them a sign. Had Allah willed, He would gather them to guidance. Do not then be among the ignorant.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

If their aversion is hard on you, then if you were able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky, so that you may bring them a sign. And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance, so be not you one of the ignorant.

Wahiduddin Khan

If you find their rejection hard to bear, then seek a tunnel into the ground or a ladder into the sky, if you can, and bring them a sign. Had God so willed, He would indeed have given them all [His] guidance. So do not be among the ignorant.

Talal Itani

If you find their rejection hard to bear, then if you can, seek a tunnel into the earth, or a stairway into the heaven, and bring them a sign. Had God willed, He could have gathered them to guidance. So do not be of the ignorant.

Tafsir jalalayn

And if their aversion, to Islam, is grievous, [too] great, for you, on account of your concern for them, then, if you can, seek out a hole, an underground passage, in the earth, or a ladder, a stairway, to heaven, that you may bring them a sign, from among those they have requested, then go ahead; the meaning is that you will not be able to do this, so be patient until God delivers His judgement -- but had God willed, to guide them, He would have gathered them together in guidance, but He did not will this, and so they do not believe; so do not be among the ignorant, of this matter.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَإِن كَانَ كَبُرَ عَلَيْكَ إِعْرَاضُهُمْ
If their aversion is hard on you,
and you cannot be patient because of their aversion,

فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَن تَبْتَغِيَ نَفَقًا فِي الَارْضِ أَوْ سُلَّمًا فِي السَّمَاء
then if you were able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the sky...
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas commented,
"If you were able to seek a tunnel and bring them an Ayah, or go up a ladder in the sky and bring a better Ayah than the one I (Allah) gave them, then do that."

Similar was reported from Qatadah, As-Suddi and others.

فَتَأْتِيَهُم بِأيَةٍ

so that you may bring them a sign.

Allah's statement,

وَلَوْ شَاء اللّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى فَلَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ



And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance, so be not you one of the ignorant.

is similar to His statement,

وَلَوْ شَاء رَبُّكَ

لاامَنَ مَن فِي الَارْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا


And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. (10;99)

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said about Allah's statement,
وَلَوْ شَاء اللّهُ لَجَمَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْهُدَى
(And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together upon true guidance),

"The Messenger of Allah was eager that all people believe and be guided to follow him. Allah told him that only those whose happiness Allah has written in the first Dhikr will believe."

Allah's statement