Al-Qur'an Surah Al-An'am Verse 80

Mufti Taqi Usmani

His people argued with him. He said, “Do you argue with me about Allah while He has already led me to the right path? I do not fear that which you associate with Him, (because it cannot harm me), unless, of course, something is willed by my Lord. My Lord encompasses everything with His knowledge. Would you, then, take no lesson?

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And his people argued with him. He responded, “Are you arguing with me about Allah, while He has guided me? I am not afraid of whatever ˹idols˺ you associate with Him—˹none can harm me,˺ unless my Lord so wills. My Lord encompasses everything in ˹His˺ knowledge. Will you not be mindful?

Ruwwad Translation Center

His people argued with him. He said, “Do you argue with me concerning Allah, when He has guided me? I do not fear what you associate with Him, [none can harm me] except what my Lord wills. My Lord encompasses everything in His knowledge. Will you not then take heed?

A. J. Arberry

His people disputed with him. He said, 'Do you dispute with me concerning God, and He has guided me? I fear not what you associate with Him, except my Lord will aught. My Lord embraces all things in His knowledge; will you not remember?

Abdul Haleem

His people argued with him, and he said, ‘How can you argue with me about God when He has guided me? I do not fear anything you associate with Him: unless my Lord wills [nothing can happen]. My Lord encompasses everything in His knowledge. How can you not take heed?

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And his people contended with him. He said; contend ye with me concerning Allah when He hath surely guided me? I fear not that which ye associate with Him save aught that mine Lord may will. My Lord comprehendeth everything in His Knowledge. Will ye not then be admonished?

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

His people disputed with him. He said; "(Come) ye to dispute with me, about Allah, when He (Himself) hath guided me? I fear not (the beings) ye associate with Allah; Unless my Lord willeth, (nothing can happen). My Lord comprehendeth in His knowledge all things. Will ye not (yourselves) be admonished?

Abul Ala Maududi

His. people remonstrated with him whereupon Abraharn said: 'Do you remonstrate with me concerning Allah Who has guided me to the right way? I do not fear those whom you associate with Allah in His divinity. Only that which my Lord wills, indeed that alone will come by. My Lord embraces all things within His knowledge. Will you not take heed?

Ahmed Ali

His people argued, and he said: "Do you argue with me about God? He has guided me already, and I fear not what you associate with Him, unless my Lord wills, for held within the knowledge of my Lord is everything. Will you not reflect?

Ahmed Raza Khan

And his people argued with him; he said, “What! You dispute with me concerning Allah? So He has guided me; and I do not have any fear of whatever you ascribe as partners, except what my Lord wills (to happen); my Lord’s knowledge encompasses all things; so will you not accept advice?”

Ali Quli Qarai

His people argued with him. He said, ‘Do you argue with me concerning Allah, while He has guided me for certain? I do not fear what you ascribe to Him as [His] partners, excepting anything that my Lord may wish. My Lord embraces all things in [His] knowledge. Will you not then take admonition?

Ali Ünal

His people set out to remonstrate with him. Abraham said: "Do you remonstrate with me concerning God, when He has guided me? I do not fear those that you associate with Him as partners (and that cannot even benefit or harm themselves, so what do I have to fear of your threats?). Whatever my Lord wills happens, and no evil befalls me unless He so wills. My Lord embraces all things in His Knowledge. Will you not, then, reflect and take heed?

Amatul Rahman Omar

His people tried to overpower him in argument, he said, `Do you argue with me regarding Allâh, when He (Himself) has already guided me aright? And I fear not, in anyway, the things you worship besides Him, unless it is my Lord Who wills some (harm to me, it is a different) thing. My Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge. Will you not even then take admonition?

English Literal

And his nation disputed with him, he said: "Do you argue/dispute with me in God and He had guided me, and I do not fear what you share/make partners (with God) with it, except that my lord wills/wants a thing, my lord spread/enriched every thing (in) knowledge, so do you not think?"

Faridul Haque

And his people argued with him; he said, “What! You dispute with me concerning Allah? So He has guided me; and I do not have any fear of whatever you ascribe as partners, except what my Lord wills (to happen); my Lord’s knowledge encompasses all things; so will you not accept advice?”

Hamid S. Aziz

And his people disputed with him. He said, "Do you dispute with me concerning Allah, when He has guided me? But I fear not what you associate with Him; unless my Lord should wish it (nothing can happen). My Lord does comprehend all things in His knowledge. Will you not then remember (or understand or be admonished)?

Hilali & Khan

His people disputed with him. He said: "Do you dispute with me concerning Allah while He has guided me, and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord (Allah) wills something. My Lord comprehends in His Knowledge all things. Will you not then remember?

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Surely I have turned myself, being upright, wholly to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am not of the polytheists.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And his people disputed with him. He said: Do you dispute with me respecting Allah? And He has guided me indeed; and I do not fear in any way those that you set up with Him, unless my Lord pleases; my Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge; will you not then mind?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

His people argued with him. He said: Dispute ye with me concerning Allah when He hath guided me? I fear not at all that which ye set up beside Him unless my Lord willeth aught. My Lord includeth all things in His knowledge. Will ye not then remember?

Muhammad Sarwar

In an argument with his people, (Abraham) asked them, "Why do you argue with me about God who has given me guidance? Your idols can do no harm to me unless God wills. God knows all things. Why, then, do you not consider this?

Qaribullah & Darwish

His nation argued with him. He said: 'Will you argue with me about Allah, indeed He guided me! Except by His will, I do not fear those you associate with Him. My Lord embraces all things in knowledge, will you not remember?

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

His people disputed with him. He said: "Do you dispute with me about Allah while He has guided me, and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord wills something. My Lord comprehends in His knowledge all things. Will you not then remember

Wahiduddin Khan

His people argued with him. He said, "Are you arguing with me about God, while He has guided me? I have no fear of any partner you ascribe to Him, unless my Lord should wish otherwise. My Lord encompasses all things in His knowledge, so will you not pay heed?

Talal Itani

And his people argued with him. He said, “Do you argue with me about God, when He has guided me? I do not fear what you associate with Him, unless my Lord wills it. My Lord comprehends all things in knowledge. Will you not reconsider?

Tafsir jalalayn

But his people disputed with him, they argued with him about his religion and threatened him that the idols would strike him with evil if he abandoned them. He said, `Do you dispute with me (read a-tuhjjnn, or a- tuhjn where one of the two letters nn is omitted, the nn which grammarians refer to as nn al-raf`, `the nn of [modal] independence', and which the Qur'nic reciters refer to as nn al-wiqya, `the nn of preservation'); do you argue with me, concerning, the Oneness of, God when He, exalted be He, has guided me, to it? I have no fear of what you associate with Him, in the way of idols, that they might strike me with some evil, since they have no power to do anything, unless my Lord wills something, harmful to befall me and it does. My Lord encompasses all things through His knowledge; will you not remember, this and believe?

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah says;

وَحَأجَّهُ قَوْمُهُ قَالَ

His people disputed with him. He said;

Allah states that His Khalil, Prophet Ibrahim, said when his people mentioned various doubts and disputed with him about the Tawhid that he called to;

أَتُحَاجُّونِّي فِي اللّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَانِ

Do you dispute with me about Allah while He has guided me.

The Ayah means, do you argue with me about Allah, other than Whom there is no god worthy of worship, while He has guided me to the Truth and made me aware of it! Therefore, how can I ever consider your misguided statements and false doubts!

Ibrahim said next,

وَلَا أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِ إِلاَّ أَن يَشَاء رَبِّي شَيْيًا

and I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship. (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Lord wills something.

Ibrahim said, among the proofs to the falsehood of your creed, is that these false gods that you worship do not bring about any effect, and I do not fear them or care about them. Therefore, if these gods are able to cause harm, then use them against me and do not give me respite.

Ibrahim's statement,
إِلاَّ أَن يَشَاء رَبِّي شَيْيًا
(except when my Lord wills something),

means, only Allah causes benefit or harm.

وَسِعَ رَبِّي كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا

My Lord comprehends in His knowledge all things.

meaning, Allah's knowledge encompasses all things and nothing escapes His complete observation.

أَفَلَ تَتَذَكَّرُونَ



Will you not then remember!

what I explained to you, considering your idols as false gods and refraining from worshipping them.

This reasoning from Prophet Ibrahim is similar to the argument that Prophet Hud used against his people, `Ad. Allah mentioned this incident in His Book, when He said,

قَالُواْ يَهُودُ مَا جِيْتَنَا بِبَيِّنَةٍ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِتَارِكِى ءالِهَتِنَا عَن قَوْلِكَ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُوْمِنِينَ

إِن نَّقُولُ إِلاَّ اعْتَرَاكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوءٍ قَالَ إِنِّى أُشْهِدُ اللَّهِ وَاشْهَدُواْ أَنِّى بَرِىءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ

مِن دُونِهِ فَكِيدُونِى جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ لَا تُنظِرُونِ

إِنِّى تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّى وَرَبِّكُمْ مَّا مِن دَابَّةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ ءاخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَأ إِنَّ رَبِّى عَلَى صِرَطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

They said;"O Hud! No evidence have you brought us, and we shall not leave our gods for your (mere) saying! And we are not believers in you. All that we say is that some of our gods have seized you with evil."

He said;"I call Allah to witness - and bear you witness - that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship with Him (Allah). So plot against me, all of you, and give me no respite. I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature but He has grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path (the truth)." (11;53-56)

Ibrahim's statement