Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Jinn Verse 17

Mufti Taqi Usmani

so that We test them thereby; and if one turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will thrust him into a severe torment,

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

as a test for them.[[ Meaning, to see if they will be grateful to Allah for rain and other provisions.]] And whoever turns away from the remembrance of their Lord will be admitted by Him into an overwhelming punishment.

Ruwwad Translation Center

as a test for them. But whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will make him suffer an arduous punishment.

A. J. Arberry

that We might try them therein. And whosoever turns away from the Remembrance of his Lord, He will thrust him into chastisement rigorous.

Abdul Haleem

a test for them––but anyone who turns away from his Lord’s Revelation will be sent by Him to spiralling torment.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

That We might try them there by. And whosoever turneth aside from the remembrance of his Lord, him He shall thrust into a torment vehement.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"That We might try them by that (means). But if any turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will cause him to undergo a severe Penalty.

Abul Ala Maududi

so that We might try them through this bounty. Whoso turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will cause him to suffer a grievous chastisement;

Ahmed Ali

In order to try them through it. But whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, will be given increasing torment by Him."

Ahmed Raza Khan

‘In order to test them with it; and whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord – He will put him in a punishment that keeps on increasing.’

Ali Quli Qarai

so that We may test them therein, and whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will let him into an escalating punishment.

Ali Ünal

We try them in that (which We grant them). Whoever turns away from his Lord’s Reminder (His Book of instruction), He will drive him into an ever-growing punishment (enveloping him in its severity).

Amatul Rahman Omar

With the result that (in that case) We will thereby purify them thoroughly and well. And he who turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will drive him into an overwhelmingly stern punishment.

English Literal

`To test them in it, and who opposes/turns away from his Lord`s reminder , He enters/passes him a severe torture.`

Faridul Haque

‘In order to test them with it; and whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord – He will put him in a punishment that keeps on increasing.’

Hamid S. Aziz

"So that We might test them therewith. And whoever turns aside from the remembrance of his Lord, He will afflict him with a severe penalty.

Hilali & Khan

That We might try them thereby. And whosoever turns away from the Reminder of his Lord (i.e. this Quran, and practice not its laws and orders), He will cause him to enter in a severe torment (i.e. Hell).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Say: I control not evil nor good for you.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

So that We might try them with respect to it; and whoever turns aside from the reminder of his Lord, He will make him enter into an afflicting chastisement:

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

That We may test them thereby, and whoso turneth away from the remembrance of his Lord; He will thrust him into ever-growing torment.

Muhammad Sarwar

as a trial for them. God will make those who disregard the guidance from their Lord suffer increasing torment.

Qaribullah & Darwish

and tested them with it. And whosoever turns away from his Lord's Remembrance, He will hurl him into a stern punishment.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

That We might try them thereby. And whosoever turns away from the Reminder of his Lord, He will cause him to enter in a Sa`ad torment.

Wahiduddin Khan

so that We may test them by it -- whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord shall be sternly punished.

Talal Itani

To test them with it. Whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will direct him to torment ever mounting.

Tafsir jalalayn

so that We may try them, test them, therein, and so know, through knowledge outwardly manifested, the nature of their gratitude. And whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, [from] the Qur'n, We will admit him (naslukhu, or read [first person] yaslukhu, `He will admit him') into a tortuous chastisement.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ

If they had believed in Allah, and went on the way, We would surely have bestowed on them water in abundance. That We might try them thereby.

The commentators have differed over the explanation of this. There are two views concerning it.

- The First View That if the deviant ones would stand firmly upon the path of Islam, being just upon it and remaining upon it,
لَاأَسْقَيْنَاهُم مَّاء غَدَقًا
(We would surely have bestowed on them water in abundance).

meaning, a lot. The intent behind this is to say that they would be given an abundance of sustenance.

With this, the meaning of Allah's statement,
لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ
(That We might try them thereby). is that,

`We will test them.'

As Malik reported from Zayd bin Aslam, he said,

"That We might try them - means, so that We may test them to see who will remain upon the guidance from those who will turn back to sin."
Mentioning Those Who held this View

Al-`Awfi reported similar to this from Ibn `Abbas, and likewise said Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib, `Ata, As-Suddi, Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, Qatadah and Ad-Dahhak.

Muqatil said,

"This Ayah was revealed about the disbelievers of the Quraysh when they were deprived of rain for seven years."

- The Second View
وَأَلَّوِ اسْتَقَامُوا عَلَى الطَّرِيقَةِ
(If they had believed in Allah, and went on the way),

meaning, of misguidance.

لَاأَسْقَيْنَاهُم مَّاء غَدَقًا
We would surely have bestowed on them water in abundance.

meaning, `then We would have increased their sustenance to allow a gradual respite.'

As Allah says,

فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَأ أُوتُواْ أَخَذْنَـهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُّبْلِسُونَ

So, when they forgot that with which they had been reminded, We opened for them the gates of everything, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows. (6;44)

Allah also says,

أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُمْ بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ

نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِى الْخَيْرَتِ بَل لاَّ يَشْعُرُونَ

Do they think that in wealth and children with which We expand them. We hasten unto them with good things. Nay, but they perceive not. (23;55,56)

This is the view of Abu Mijlaz and it agrees with the opinion of Ibn Humayd.

For verily, he (Ibn Humayd) said concerning Allah's statement,
وَأَلَّوِ اسْتَقَامُوا عَلَى الطَّرِيقَةِ
(If they had believed in Allah, and went on the way),

"This means the path of misguidance."

Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim both recorded this.

Al-Baghawi also mentioned it from Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Zayd bin Aslam, Al-Kalbi and Ibn Kaysan.

It seems that he (Al-Baghawi) took this position. And it is supported by Allah's saying, "That We might try them thereby."

Concerning Allah's statement,

وَمَن يُعْرِضْ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِّهِ يَسْلُكْهُ عَذَابًا صَعَدًا



And whosoever turns away from the Reminder of his Lord, He will cause him to enter in a Sa`ad torment.

meaning, a harsh, severe, agonizing and painful punishment.

Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd, all said,
عَذَابًا صَعَدًا
(in a Sa`ad torment).

"This means harsh having no relaxation in it."

It has also been reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said,

"It is a mountain in Hell."

It has been related from Sa`id bin Jubayr that he said,

"It is a well in Hell.