Quran 21:28 — Al-Anbiyaa, verse 28
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede without His permission––indeed they themselves stand in awe of Him.
يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَىٰ وَهُمْ مِنْ خَشْيَتِهِ مُشْفِقُونَ
yaʿlamu mā bayna aydīhim wamā khalfahum walā yashfaʿūna illā limani ir'taḍā wahum min khashyatihi mush'fiqūna
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- He knows what is before them and behind them, and they intercede not save for him with whom He is well-pleased, and they tremble in awe of Him.
- Muhammad Asad
- He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them: hence, they cannot intercede for any but those whom He has [already] graced with His goodly acceptance, since they themselves stand in reverent awe of Him.
- Sahih International
- He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves. And they, from fear of Him, are apprehensive.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | يَعْلَمُyaʿlamu | He knows | علم |
| 2 | مَاmā | what | — |
| 3 | بَيْنَbayna | (is) before them | بين |
| 4 | أَيْدِيهِمْaydīhim | (is) before them | يدي |
| 5 | وَمَاwamā | and what | — |
| 6 | خَلْفَهُمْkhalfahum | (is) behind them | خلف |
| 7 | وَلَاwalā | and not | — |
| 8 | يَشْفَعُونَyashfaʿūna | they (can) intercede | شفع |
| 9 | إِلَّاillā | except | — |
| 10 | لِمَنِlimani | for whom | — |
| 11 | ٱرْتَضَىٰir'taḍā | He approves | رضو |
| 12 | وَهُمwahum | And they | — |
| 13 | مِّنْmin | from | — |
| 14 | خَشْيَتِهِۦkhashyatihi | fear of Him | خشي |
| 15 | مُشْفِقُونَmush'fiqūna | stand in awe | شفق |