Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tawbah Verse 32

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They wish to blow out the Light of Allah with their mouths, and Allah rejects everything short of making His light perfect, no matter how the disbelievers may hate it.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They wish to extinguish Allah’s light[[ i.e., religion of truth. ]] with their mouths, but Allah will only allow His light to be perfected, even to the dismay of the disbelievers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

They seek to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah refuses except to perfect His light, even if the disbelievers hate it.

A. J. Arberry

desiring to extinguish with their mouths God's light; and God refuses but to perfect His light, though the unbelievers be averse.

Abdul Haleem

They try to extinguish God’s light with their mouths, but God insists on bringing His light to its fullness, even if the disbelievers hate it.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

They seek to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths; and Allah refuseth to do otherwise than perfect His light, although the infidels may detest.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Fain would they extinguish Allah's light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow but that His light should be perfected, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it).

Abul Ala Maududi

They seek to extinguish the light of Allah by blowing through their mouths; but Allah refuses everything except that He will perfect His light howsoever the unbelievers might abhor it.

Ahmed Ali

They wish to extinguish the light of God by uttering blasphemies; but God will not have it so, for He wills to perfect His light, however the unbelievers be averse.

Ahmed Raza Khan

They wish to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will not agree except that He will perfect His light, even if the disbelievers get annoyed.

Ali Quli Qarai

They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah is intent on perfecting His light though the faithless should be averse.

Ali Ünal

They seek (with renewed plans and stratagems) to extinguish God’s light (His favor of Islam, as if by the breath issuing) from their mouths. Whereas God refuses but to complete His light, however hateful this may be to the unbelievers.

Amatul Rahman Omar

They seek to put out the light of Allâh with (the breath of) their mouths, but Allâh disdains every other thing save that He will perfect His light; however much the disbelievers may consider (it) hard.

English Literal

They want that they extinguish/put out God`s light with their mouths, and God refuses/hates except that He completes His light, and even if the disbelievers hated (it).

Faridul Haque

They wish to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will not agree except that He will perfect His light, even if the disbelievers get annoyed.

Hamid S. Aziz

They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdains all but that He should perfect His light, however averse to this the disbelievers may be!

Hilali & Khan

They (the disbelievers, the Jews and the Christians) want to extinguish Allah's Light (with which Muhammad SAW has been sent - Islamic Monotheism) with their mouths, but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the Kafirun (disbelievers) hate (it).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

They take their doctors of law and their monks for Lords besides Allah, and (also) the Messiah, son of Mary. And they were enjoined that they should serve one God only -- there is no god but He. Be He glorified from what they set up (with Him)!

Mohammad Habib Shakir

They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, and Allah will not consent save to perfect His light, though the unbelievers are averse.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdaineth (aught) save that He shall perfect His light, however much the disbelievers are averse.

Muhammad Sarwar

They would like to extinguish the light of God with a blow from their mouths, but even though the unbelievers may dislike it, God has decided to let His light shine forever.

Qaribullah & Darwish

They desire to extinguish the Light of Allah with their mouths; but Allah seeks only to perfect His Light, though the unbelievers hate it.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

They want to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the disbelievers hate (it).

Wahiduddin Khan

They want to extinguish God's light with their mouths, but God seeks only to perfect His light, no matter how those who deny the truth may abhor it.

Talal Itani

They want to extinguish God’s light with their mouths, but God refuses except to complete His light, even though the disbelievers dislike it.

Tafsir jalalayn

They desire to extinguish God's light, His Law and His proofs, with their tongues, with what they say about Him; and God refuses but to perfect, to make manifest, His light, even though the disbelievers be averse, to this.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

People of the Scriptures try to extinguish the Light of Islam

Allah says,

يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطْفِوُواْ نُورَ اللّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ

They (the disbelieving idolators and People of the Scriptures) want to extinguish the Light of Allah with their mouths,

They try through argument and lies to extinguish the guidance and religion of truth that the Messenger of Allah was sent with.

Their example is the example of he who wants to extinguish the light of the sun or the moon by blowing at them! Indeed, such a person will never accomplish what he sought. Likewise, the light of what the Messenger was sent with will certainly shine and spread.

Allah replied to the idolators' desire and hope,

وَيَأْبَى اللّهُ إِلاَّ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ



but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the disbelievers (Kafirun) hate (it).

Linguistically a Kafir is the person who covers something.

For instance, night is called Kafiran (covering) because it covers things (with darkness).

The farmer is called Kafiran, because he covers seeds in the ground.

Allah said in an Ayah,

أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ

thereof the growth is pleasing to the (Kuffar) tillers. (57;20)
Islam is the Religion That will dominate over all Other Religions

Allah said next