Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'arij Verse 41

Mufti Taqi Usmani

to bring those better than them in their place, and We are not to be frustrated.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

of replacing them with ˹others˺ better than them, and We cannot be prevented ˹from doing so˺.

Ruwwad Translation Center

to replace them with others better than them, and none can escape Our decree.

A. J. Arberry

to substitute a better than they; We shall not be outstripped.

Abdul Haleem

to substitute for them others better than they are- nothing can prevent Us from doing this.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

To replace them by others better than they; and We are not to be outrun.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Substitute for them better (men) than they; And We are not to be defeated (in Our Plan).

Abul Ala Maududi

to replace them by others who would be better than they; and We shall certainly not be overpowered.

Ahmed Ali

To bring better people than they in their place; and they will not be able to thwart Us.

Ahmed Raza Khan

To replace them by those better than them; and none can escape from Us.

Ali Quli Qarai

to replace them with [others] better than them and We are not to be outmaneuvered.

Ali Ünal

To replace them with (others) better than them (in respect of faith in God and in their worship of Him), and We are not to be frustrated (in doing what We will).

Amatul Rahman Omar

To change (them into) better beings than they are and that We can never be frustrated (in Our purpose).

English Literal

On that (E) We exchange/replace better than them, and We are not with being raced/preceded .

Faridul Haque

To replace them by those better than them; and none can escape from Us.

Hamid S. Aziz

To replace them with others better than them, and We shall not be overcome.

Hilali & Khan

To replace them by (others) better than them; and We are not to be outrun.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

The day when they come forth from the graves in haste, as hastening on to a goal,

Mohammad Habib Shakir

To bring instead (others) better than them, and We shall not be overcome.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

To replace them by (others) better than them. And we are not to be outrun.

Muhammad Sarwar

to replace them by a better people and none can challenge Our power.

Qaribullah & Darwish

to exchange them with others better than they; nothing can outstrip Us!

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

To replace them by (others) better than them; and We are not to be outrun.

Wahiduddin Khan

to replace them with others better than them: nothing can prevent Us from doing this,

Talal Itani

To replace them with better than they, and We are not to be outdone.

Tafsir jalalayn

to replace [them], to bring in their place, with [others] better than them, and We are not to be outmanoeuvred, [We will not be] frustrated in this.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

عَلَى أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ

But no!

I swear by the Lord of the easts and the wests that surely We are Able to replace them by (others) better than them..

meaning, `on the Day of Judgement We will bring them back (to life) in bodies that are better than these bodies that they have now.'

For verily, Allah's power is suitable (able) to do that.


وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ




and We are not to be outrun.

meaning, `We are not unable.'

This is as Allah says,

أَيَحْسَبُ الاِنسَـنُ أَلَّن نَّجْمَعَ عِظَامَهُ بَلَى قَـدِرِينَ عَلَى أَن نُّسَوِّىَ بَنَانَهُ

Does man think that We shall not assemble his bones?

Yes, We are able to put together in perfect order the tips of his fingers. (75;3,4)

Allah also says,

نَحْنُ قَدَّرْنَا بَيْنَكُمُ الْمَوْتَ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ

عَلَى أَن نُّبَدِّلَ أَمْثَـلَكُمْ وَنُنشِيَكُمْ فِى مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

We have decreed death to you all, and We are not outstripped. To transfigure you and create you in (forms) that you know not. (56;60,61)

Ibn Jarir preferred the meaning to be;

`a nation who will obey Us and not disobey Us.'

He (Ibn Jarir) interpreted it in the same way as Allah's statements,
عَلَى أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ
(To replace them by (others) better than them..) and;

الْفُقَرَاءُ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْاْ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْماً غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُواْ

And if you turn away, He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be like you. (47;38)

However, the first interpretation is more obvious since the other Ayat support that, and Allah the Most High knows best.

Then Allah says