Quran 42:51 — Ash-Shura, verse 51
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
It is not granted to any mortal that God should speak to him except through revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal by His command what He will: He is exalted and wise.
وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَنْ يُكَلِّمَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا وَحْيًا أَوْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حِجَابٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًا فَيُوحِيَ بِإِذْنِهِ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّهُ عَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ
wamā kāna libasharin an yukallimahu l-lahu illā waḥyan aw min warāi ḥijābin aw yur'sila rasūlan fayūḥiya bi-idh'nihi mā yashāu innahu ʿaliyyun ḥakīmun
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- It belongs not to any mortal that God should speak to him, except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or that He should send a messenger and he reveal whatsoever He will, by His leave; surely He is All-high, All-wise.
- Muhammad Asad
- And it is not given to mortal man that God should speak unto him otherwise than through sudden inspiration, or [by a voice, as it were,] from behind a veil, or by sending an apostle to reveal, by His leave, whatever He wills [to reveal]: for, verily, He is exalted, wise.
- Sahih International
- And it is not for any human being that Allāh should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a partition or that He sends a messenger [i.e., angel] to reveal, by His permission, what He wills. Indeed, He is Most High and Wise.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ۞ وَمَاwamā | And not | — |
| 2 | كَانَkāna | is | كون |
| 3 | لِبَشَرٍlibasharin | for any human | بشر |
| 4 | أَنan | that | — |
| 5 | يُكَلِّمَهُyukallimahu | Allah should speak to him | كلم |
| 6 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah should speak to him | أله |
| 7 | إِلَّاillā | except | — |
| 8 | وَحْيًاwaḥyan | (by) revelation | وحي |
| 9 | أَوْaw | or | — |
| 10 | مِنmin | from | — |
| 11 | وَرَآئِwarāi | behind | وري |
| 12 | حِجَابٍḥijābin | a veil | حجب |
| 13 | أَوْaw | or | — |
| 14 | يُرْسِلَyur'sila | (by) sending | رسل |
| 15 | رَسُولًۭاrasūlan | a messenger | رسل |
| 16 | فَيُوحِىَfayūḥiya | then he reveals | وحي |
| 17 | بِإِذْنِهِۦbi-idh'nihi | by His permission | أذن |
| 18 | مَاmā | what | — |
| 19 | يَشَآءُ ۚyashāu | He wills | شيأ |
| 20 | إِنَّهُۥinnahu | Indeed, He | — |
| 21 | عَلِىٌّʿaliyyun | (is) Most High | علو |
| 22 | حَكِيمٌۭḥakīmun | Most Wise | حكم |