Quran 28:78 — Al-Qasas, verse 78
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
but he answered, ‘This wealth was given to me on account of the knowledge I possess.’ Did he not know that God had destroyed many generations before him, who had greater power than him and built up greater wealth? The guilty will not be questioned about their sins.
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أُوتِيتُهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِنْدِي ۚ أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا ۚ وَلَا يُسْأَلُ عَنْ ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ
qāla innamā ūtītuhu ʿalā ʿil'min ʿindī awalam yaʿlam anna l-laha qad ahlaka min qablihi mina l-qurūni man huwa ashaddu min'hu quwwatan wa-aktharu jamʿan walā yus'alu ʿan dhunūbihimu l-muj'rimūna
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- He said, 'What I have been given is only because of a knowledge that is in me.' What, did he not know that God bad destroyed before him generations of men stronger than he ill might, and more numerous in multitude? And yet the sinners shall not be questioned concerning their sins.
- Muhammad Asad
- Answered he: “This [wealth] has been given to me only by virtue of the knowledge that is in me!” Did he not know that God had destroyed [the arrogant of] many a generation that preceded him - people who were greater than he in power, and richer in what they had amassed? But such as are lost in sin may not be asked about, their sins.
- Sahih International
- He said, "I was only given it because of knowledge I have." Did he not know that Allāh had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation [of wealth]? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | قَالَqāla | He said | قول |
| 2 | إِنَّمَآinnamā | Only | — |
| 3 | أُوتِيتُهُۥūtītuhu | I have been given it | أتي |
| 4 | عَلَىٰʿalā | on (account) | — |
| 5 | عِلْمٍʿil'min | (of) knowledge | علم |
| 6 | عِندِىٓ ۚʿindī | I have | عند |
| 7 | أَوَلَمْawalam | Did not | — |
| 8 | يَعْلَمْyaʿlam | he know | علم |
| 9 | أَنَّanna | that | — |
| 10 | ٱللَّهَl-laha | Allah | أله |
| 11 | قَدْqad | indeed | — |
| 12 | أَهْلَكَahlaka | destroyed | هلك |
| 13 | مِنmin | before him | — |
| 14 | قَبْلِهِۦqablihi | before him | قبل |
| 15 | مِنَmina | of | — |
| 16 | ٱلْقُرُونِl-qurūni | the generations | قرن |
| 17 | مَنْman | who | — |
| 18 | هُوَhuwa | [they] | — |
| 19 | أَشَدُّashaddu | (were) stronger | شدد |
| 20 | مِنْهُmin'hu | than him | — |
| 21 | قُوَّةًۭquwwatan | (in) strength | قوي |
| 22 | وَأَكْثَرُwa-aktharu | and greater | كثر |
| 23 | جَمْعًۭا ۚjamʿan | (in) accumulation | جمع |
| 24 | وَلَاwalā | And not | — |
| 25 | يُسْـَٔلُyus'alu | will be questioned | سأل |
| 26 | عَنʿan | about | — |
| 27 | ذُنُوبِهِمُdhunūbihimu | their sins | ذنب |
| 28 | ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَl-muj'rimūna | the criminals | جرم |