Quran 42:21 — Ash-Shura, verse 21
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
How can they believe in others who ordain for them things which God has not sanctioned in the practice of their faith? If it were not for God’s decree concerning the final Decision, judgement would already have been made between them. The evildoers will have a grievous punishment-
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةُ الْفَصْلِ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
am lahum shurakāu sharaʿū lahum mina l-dīni mā lam yadhan bihi l-lahu walawlā kalimatu l-faṣli laquḍiya baynahum wa-inna l-ẓālimīna lahum ʿadhābun alīmun
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- Or have they associates who have laid down for them as religion that for which God gave not leave? But for the Word of Decision, it had been decided between them. For the evildoers there awaits a painful chastisement.
- Muhammad Asad
- Is it that they [who care for no more than this world] believe in forces supposed to have a share in God’s divinity, which enjoin upon them as a moral law something that God has never allowed? Now were it not for [God’s] decree on the final judgment, all would indeed have been decided between them [in this world]: but, verily, grievous suffering awaits the evildoers [in the life to come].
- Sahih International
- Or have they partners [i.e., other deities] who have ordained for them a religion to which Allāh has not consented? But if not for the decisive word, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, the wrongdoers will have a painful punishment.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | أَمْam | Or | — |
| 2 | لَهُمْlahum | for them | — |
| 3 | شُرَكَـٰٓؤُا۟shurakāu | (are) partners | شرك |
| 4 | شَرَعُوا۟sharaʿū | who have ordained | شرع |
| 5 | لَهُمlahum | for them | — |
| 6 | مِّنَmina | of | — |
| 7 | ٱلدِّينِl-dīni | the religion | دين |
| 8 | مَاmā | what | — |
| 9 | لَمْlam | not | — |
| 10 | يَأْذَنۢyadhan | Allah has given permission of it | أذن |
| 11 | بِهِbihi | Allah has given permission of it | — |
| 12 | ٱللَّهُ ۚl-lahu | Allah has given permission of it | أله |
| 13 | وَلَوْلَاwalawlā | And if not | — |
| 14 | كَلِمَةُkalimatu | (for) a word | كلم |
| 15 | ٱلْفَصْلِl-faṣli | decisive | فصل |
| 16 | لَقُضِىَlaquḍiya | surely, it (would have) been judged | قضي |
| 17 | بَيْنَهُمْ ۗbaynahum | between them | بين |
| 18 | وَإِنَّwa-inna | And indeed | — |
| 19 | ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَl-ẓālimīna | the wrongdoers | ظلم |
| 20 | لَهُمْlahum | for them | — |
| 21 | عَذَابٌʿadhābun | (is a) punishment | عذب |
| 22 | أَلِيمٌۭalīmun | painful | ألم |