Al-Qur'an Surah Al-An'am Verse 9

Mufti Taqi Usmani

If We had made him an angel, We would have obviously made him a man, and would have caused them the same confusion they are causing now.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And if We had sent an angel, We would have certainly made it ˹assume the form of˺ a man—leaving them more confused than they already are.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And if We had made him an angel, We would have surely made him [appear as] a man, and We would have caused them confusion just as they are confused.

A. J. Arberry

And had We made him an angel, yet assuredly We would have made him a man, and confused for them the thing which they themselves are confusing.

Abdul Haleem

Indeed, if We had sent an angel as messenger, We would still have sent him in the form of a man, so increasing their confusion.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And had We made him an angel, We would still have made him a man, and We would have confounded for them that which they are confounding.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If We had made it an angel, We should have sent him as a man, and We should certainly have caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion.

Abul Ala Maududi

Had We appointed an angel, We would have sent him down in the form of a man - and thus We would have caused them the same doubt which they now entertain.

Ahmed Ali

Even if We had sent down an angel as messenger he would have appeared in the garb of a man and filled them with confusion, like the one they are filled with.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And had we appointed an angel as a Prophet, We would still have made him as a man and would keep them in the same doubt, as they are now in.

Ali Quli Qarai

Had We made him an angel, We would have surely made him a man, and We would have surely confounded them just as they confound [the truth now].

Ali Ünal

Had We appointed an angel (as Our Messenger) We would surely have made him (since he would have to guide humankind in all aspects of life, in the form of) a man, and thus We would have confused for them what they themselves are confusing.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And had We appointed him (-this Messenger) from among the angels. We would surely have made him (appear as) a man and (even in that case) We would have obscured that which they are themselves obscuring now.

English Literal

And if We made him an angel, We would have made him a man, We would have dressed on him (from) what they dress.

Faridul Haque

And had we appointed an angel as a Prophet, We would still have made him as a man and would keep them in the same doubt, as they are now in.

Hamid S. Aziz

There have been Messengers before you who were mocked at, but that at which they mocked surrounded (mocked, turned the tables on) the mockers.

Hilali & Khan

And had We appointed him an angel, We indeed would have made him a man, and We would have certainly caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion (i.e. the Message of Prophet Muhammad SAW).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And they say: Why has not an angel been sent down to him? And if We send down an angel, the matter would be decided and then they would not be respited.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And if We had made him angel, We would certainly have made him a man, and We would certainly have made confused to them what they make confused.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Had we appointed him (Our messenger) an angel, We assuredly had made him (as) a man (that he might speak to men); and (thus) obscured for them (the truth) they (now) obscure.

Muhammad Sarwar

Were We to have made him (Our Messenger) an angel, We would have made him resemble a human being and they would have again complained that the matter was as confusing to them as it is to them now.

Qaribullah & Darwish

If We had made him an angel, We would have given him the resemblance of a man, and would have as such confused them with that in which they are already confused.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And had We appointed him an angel, We indeed would have made him a man, and We would have certainly caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion.

Wahiduddin Khan

Indeed, if We had sent an angel as messenger, We would have made him in the form of a man as well, and would have thus added to their confusion.

Talal Itani

Had We made him an angel, We would have made him a man, and confused them when they are already confused.

Tafsir jalalayn

And had We appointed him, the one who is sent down to them, an angel, We would assuredly have made him, the angel, a man, that is, [We would have sent him] in the form of a man, so that they would be able to see him, since no human being is capable of seeing an angel; and, had We sent him down and made him a man, We would have assuredly confused, obscured, for them what they are confusing, for themselves, when they say, `This is but a mere mortal like the rest of you'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

And had We appointed him an angel, We indeed would have made him a man, and We would have certainly caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion.

meaning, if We send an angel along with the human Messenger, or if We send an angel as a Messenger to mankind, he would be in the shape of a man so that they would be able to speak to him and benefit from his teachings. In this case, the angel (in the shape of a human) will also cause confusion for them, just as the confusion they caused themselves over accepting humans as Messengers!

Allah said,

قُل لَوْ كَانَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مَلَـيِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَيِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ السَّمَأءِ مَلَكًا رَّسُولاً

Say;"If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security, We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger." (17;95)

It is a mercy from Allah to His creation that He sends every type of creation, Messengers from among their kind, so that they are able to call their people to Allah, and their people able to talk to them, ask them and benefit from them.

In another Ayah, Allah said;

لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُومِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُواْ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ

Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them His verses (the Qur'an), and purifying them. (3;164)

Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn Abbas said about the Ayah (6;9),

"If an angel was sent to them, he would come in the shape of a man. This is because they will not be able to look at the angel due to light."

وَلَلَبَسْنَا عَلَيْهِم مَّا يَلْبِسُونَ
and We would have certainly caused them confusion in a matter which they have already covered with confusion.

meaning, We would confuse them over their confusion.

And Al-Walibi reported Ibn Abbas saying;

"We brought doubts around them."

Allah's statement,

وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِىءَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَحَاقَ بِالَّذِينَ سَخِرُواْ مِنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِوُونَ