Quran 16:38 — An-Nahl, verse 38
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
They have sworn by God with their strongest oaths that He will not raise the dead to life. But He will- it is His binding promise, though most people do not realize it-
وَأَقْسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ ۙ لَا يَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَمُوتُ ۚ بَلَىٰ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
wa-aqsamū bil-lahi jahda aymānihim lā yabʿathu l-lahu man yamūtu balā waʿdan ʿalayhi ḥaqqan walākinna akthara l-nāsi lā yaʿlamūna
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- have sworn by God the most earnest oaths God will never raise up him who dies; nay, it is a promise binding upon Him, but most men know not,
- Muhammad Asad
- As it is, they swear by God with their most solemn oaths, "Never will God raise from the dead anyone who has died!" Yea indeed! [This very thing has God promised] by a promise which He has willed upon Himself; but most people know it not.
- Sahih International
- And they swear by Allāh their strongest oaths [that] Allāh will not resurrect one who dies. But yes - [it is] a true promise [binding] upon Him, but most of the people do not know.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَأَقْسَمُوا۟wa-aqsamū | And they swear | قسم |
| 2 | بِٱللَّهِbil-lahi | by Allah | أله |
| 3 | جَهْدَjahda | strongest | جهد |
| 4 | أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ ۙaymānihim | (of) their oaths | يمن |
| 5 | لَاlā | Allah will not resurrect | — |
| 6 | يَبْعَثُyabʿathu | Allah will not resurrect | بعث |
| 7 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah will not resurrect | أله |
| 8 | مَنman | (one) who | — |
| 9 | يَمُوتُ ۚyamūtu | dies | موت |
| 10 | بَلَىٰbalā | Nay | — |
| 11 | وَعْدًاwaʿdan | (it is) a promise | وعد |
| 12 | عَلَيْهِʿalayhi | upon Him | — |
| 13 | حَقًّۭاḥaqqan | (in) truth | حقق |
| 14 | وَلَـٰكِنَّwalākinna | but | — |
| 15 | أَكْثَرَakthara | most | كثر |
| 16 | ٱلنَّاسِl-nāsi | (of) the mankind | نوس |
| 17 | لَاlā | (do) not | — |
| 18 | يَعْلَمُونَyaʿlamūna | know | علم |