Quran 46:17 — Al-Ahqaf, verse 17
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
But some say to their parents, ‘What? Are you really warning me that I shall be raised alive from my grave, when so many generations have already passed and gone before me?’ His parents implore God for help; they say, ‘Alas for you! Believe! God’s promise is true,’ but still he replies, ‘These are nothing but ancient fables.’
وَالَّذِي قَالَ لِوَالِدَيْهِ أُفٍّ لَكُمَا أَتَعِدَانِنِي أَنْ أُخْرَجَ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ الْقُرُونُ مِنْ قَبْلِي وَهُمَا يَسْتَغِيثَانِ اللَّهَ وَيْلَكَ آمِنْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ فَيَقُولُ مَا هَـٰذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ
wa-alladhī qāla liwālidayhi uffin lakumā ataʿidāninī an ukh'raja waqad khalati l-qurūnu min qablī wahumā yastaghīthāni l-laha waylaka āmin inna waʿda l-lahi ḥaqqun fayaqūlu mā hādhā illā asāṭīru l-awalīna
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- But he who says to his father and his mother, 'Fie upon you! Do you promise me that I shall be brought forth, when already generations have passed away before me?' while they call upon God for succour -- 'Woe upon thee! Believe; surely God's promise is true'; then he says, 'This is naught but the fairy-tales of the ancients' --
- Muhammad Asad
- But [there is many a one] who says to his parents [whenever they try to imbue him with faith in God]: “Fie upon both of you! Do you promise me that I shall be brought forth [from the dead], although [so many] generations have passed away before me?” And [while] they both pray for God’s help [and say], “Alas for thee! For, behold, God’s promise always comes true!” - he but answers, “All this is nothing but fables of ancient times!”
- Sahih International
- But one who says to his parents, "Uff to you; do you promise me that I will be brought forth [from the earth] when generations before me have already passed on [into oblivion]?" while they call to Allāh for help [and to their son], "Woe to you! Believe! Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth." But he says, "This is not but legends of the former peoples" -
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَٱلَّذِىwa-alladhī | But the one who | — |
| 2 | قَالَqāla | says | قول |
| 3 | لِوَٰلِدَيْهِliwālidayhi | to his parents | ولد |
| 4 | أُفٍّۢuffin | Uff | أفف |
| 5 | لَّكُمَآlakumā | to both of you | — |
| 6 | أَتَعِدَانِنِىٓataʿidāninī | Do you promise me | وعد |
| 7 | أَنْan | that | — |
| 8 | أُخْرَجَukh'raja | I will be brought forth | خرج |
| 9 | وَقَدْwaqad | and have already passed away | — |
| 10 | خَلَتِkhalati | and have already passed away | خلو |
| 11 | ٱلْقُرُونُl-qurūnu | the generations | قرن |
| 12 | مِنmin | before me | — |
| 13 | قَبْلِىqablī | before me | قبل |
| 14 | وَهُمَاwahumā | And they both | — |
| 15 | يَسْتَغِيثَانِyastaghīthāni | seek help | غوث |
| 16 | ٱللَّهَl-laha | (of) Allah | أله |
| 17 | وَيْلَكَwaylaka | Woe to you | — |
| 18 | ءَامِنْāmin | Believe | أمن |
| 19 | إِنَّinna | Indeed | — |
| 20 | وَعْدَwaʿda | (the) Promise | وعد |
| 21 | ٱللَّهِl-lahi | (of) Allah | أله |
| 22 | حَقٌّۭḥaqqun | (is) true | حقق |
| 23 | فَيَقُولُfayaqūlu | But he says | قول |
| 24 | مَاmā | Not | — |
| 25 | هَـٰذَآhādhā | (is) this | — |
| 26 | إِلَّآillā | but | — |
| 27 | أَسَـٰطِيرُasāṭīru | (the) stories | سطر |
| 28 | ٱلْأَوَّلِينَl-awalīna | (of) the former (people) | أول |