سورة الرّعد
Surah Al-Ra‘d 13:31
The Thunder · Verse 31 of 43
وَلَوْ أَنَّ قُرْآنًا سُيِّرَتْ بِهِ الْجِبَالُ أَوْ قُطِّعَتْ بِهِ الْأَرْضُ أَوْ كُلِّمَ بِهِ الْمَوْتَىٰ ۗ بَلْ لِلَّهِ الْأَمْرُ جَمِيعًا ۗ أَفَلَمْ يَيْأَسِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ لَوْ يَشَاءُ اللَّهُ لَهَدَى النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا ۗ وَلَا يَزَالُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا تُصِيبُهُمْ بِمَا صَنَعُوا قَارِعَةٌ أَوْ تَحُلُّ قَرِيبًا مِنْ دَارِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ وَعْدُ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ
Abdul Mannan Omar
Had there been a Qur´ân whereby mountains could be moved, or whereby the earth could be torn asunder, or whereby the dead could be made to speak (it is this very Qur´ân indeed). Behold! the commandment and all power belongs to Allâh. Have not those who believe realized yet that if Allâh had (enforced) His will He would have indeed guided all mankind. And as for those who disbelieve, one calamity or the other will continue to befall them owing to their (evil) activities till you come to alight in their neighborhood, until the promise of Allâh (about the conquest of Makkah) comes to pass. Verily, Allâh will not fail (this) promise (of His).
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
If there were a Qur'an with which mountains were moved, or the earth were cloven asunder, or the dead were made to speak, (this would be the one!) But, truly, the command is with Allah in all things! Do not the Believers know, that, had Allah (so) willed, He could have guided all mankind (to the right)? But the Unbelievers,- never will disaster cease to seize them for their (ill) deeds, or to settle close to their homes, until the promise of Allah come to pass, for, verily, Allah will not fail in His promise.
Ahmed Ali
Had there been a Qur´an which could have made the mountains move, or the earth to cleave asunder, or the dead to speak, yet all authority belongs to God. Have the believers not learnt that if God had so willed He could have guided all mankind? As for unbelievers, they will be visited by misfortune endlessly for what they have done; or it would sit in their homes till the promised threat of God comes to pass. Surely God does not go back on His promise.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
If at all through a discourse (qur’an) mountains were moved, or the earth were torn apart, or the dead were made to speak, (all would be only through this Qur’an so that the unbelievers would be compelled, having no choice but, to believe). No, but to God belongs the whole command (to decide what shall be and how it shall be). Do not yet those who believe accept that, if God had so willed, He would indeed have guided all humankind (to faith)? Those who disbelieve will not cease to be struck by severe blows for what they have been contriving, or these will alight close to their homes (to afflict them), until God’s promise (of the final victory of Islam or Judgment Day) is fulfilled. Surely God does not fail to keep the promise.
Daryabadi
And if there were a Qur´an whereby the mountains could be moved or Whereby the earth could be traversed or whereby the dead could be spoken to, it would be in vain. Aye! the affair belongeth to Allah entirely. Have not then those who believe yet known that had Allah willed, He would have guided all mankind! And a rattling adversity ceaseth not to befall those who disbelieve for that which they have wrought or to alight nigh unto their habitation. until Allah´s promise cometh; verily Allah faileth not the tryst.
Faridul Haque
And were such a Qur’an to come that would cause the mountains to move, or the earth to split asunder, or the dead to speak, even then these disbelievers would not believe; in fact, all matters are only at Allah’s discretion; so have not the Muslims despaired in that, had Allah willed, He would have guided all mankind? Disasters shall continue to strike the disbelievers on account of their deeds, or descend near their homes until Allah’s promise comes; indeed Allah does not break the promise.
Maulana Muhammad Ali
And if there could be a Qur
Maulvi Sher Ali
And if there was a Qur'an by which mountains could be moved or by which the earth could be cut asunder or by which the dead could be spoken to, they would still not believe in it. Nay, the matter of their believing rests entirely with ALLAH. Have not the believers yet come to know that if ALLAH had enforced HIS will HE could have surely guided all mankind? And as for those who disbelieve, disaster shall not cease to befall them for what they have wrought or to alight near their home, until the promise of ALLAH comes to pass. Surely, ALLAH fails not in HIS promise.
Muhammad Asad
Yet even if [they should listen to] a [divine] discourse by which mountains could be moved, or the earth cleft asunder, or the dead made to speak - [they who are bent on denying the truth would still refuse to believe in it]!
Muhammad Musin Khan
And if there had been a Qur'an with which mountains could be moved (from their places), or the earth could be cloven asunder, or the dead could be made to speak (it would not have been other than this Qur'an). But the decision of all things is certainly with Allah. Have not then those who believe yet known that had Allah willed, He could have guided all mankind? And a disaster will not cease to strike those who disbelieve because of their (evil) deeds or it (i.e. the disaster) settle close to their homes, until the Promise of Allah comes to pass. Certainly, Allah does not fail in His Promise.
Muhammad Pickthall
Had it been possible for a Lecture to cause the mountains to move, or the earth to be torn asunder, or the dead to speak, (this Qur'an would have done so). Nay, but Allah's is the whole command. Do not those who believe know that, had Allah willed, He could have guided all mankind? As for those who disbelieve, disaster ceaseth not to strike them because of what they do, or it dwelleth near their home until the threat of Allah come to pass. Lo! Allah faileth not to keep the tryst.
Muhammad Sarwar
Even if the Quran would make mountains move, cut the earth into pieces and make the dead able to speak, (the unbelievers still would not believe). All affairs are in the hands of God. Do the believers still hope that they will believe? Had God wanted he could have guided the whole of mankind to the right path. The unbelievers will always suffer afflictions that result from their deeds or the affliction which occur near their homes, until God's promise of punishing them will be fulfilled. God does not disregard His promise.
Muhammed ali Shakir
And even if there were a Quran with which the mountains were made to pass away, or the earth were travelled over with it, or the dead were made to speak thereby; nay! the commandment is wholly Allah's, Have not yet those who believe known that if Allah please He would certainly guide all the people? And (as for) those who disbelieve, there will not cease to afflict them because of what they do a repelling calamity, or it will alight close by their abodes, until the promise of Allah comes about; surely Allah will not fail in (His) promise.
Rashad Khalifa
Even if a Quran caused mountains to move, or the earth to tear asunder, or the dead to speak (they will not believe). GOD controls all things. Is it not time for the believers to give up and realize that if GOD willed, He could have guided all the people? The disbelievers will continue to suffer disasters, as a consequence of their own works, or have disasters strike close to them, until GOD's promise is fulfilled. GOD will never change the predetermined destiny.
Shabbir Ahmed
The Divine law precludes the possibility that a Lecture would move the mountains, tear the earth asunder, or make the dead speak. Nay, all decrees belong to God. Do not the believers know that if God had willed, He could have guided all mankind (by making them driven by positive instincts)? As for those who reject the Divine laws in nature: Disasters will not cease to strike them for their deeds, even close to their homes until the promise of God come to pass. Surely, God never fails in His promise.
Commentary 13:31 The verse indicates that the Holy Qur’ân will work great wonders. Jibâl الْجِبَالُ is the plural form of jabal جبل and figuratively indicates…
وَلَوْ أَنَّ قُرْآنًا سُيِّرَتْ بِهِ الْجِبَالُ أَوْ قُطِّعَتْ بِهِ الْأَرْضُ أَوْ كُلِّمَ بِهِ الْمَوْتَىٰ ۗ بَل لِّلَّهِ الْأَمْرُ جَمِيعًا ۗ أَفَلَمْ يَيْأَسِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن لَّوْ يَشَاءُ اللَّهُ لَهَدَى النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا ۗ وَلَا يَزَالُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا تُصِيبُهُم بِمَا صَنَعُوا قَارِعَةٌ أَوْ تَحُلُّ قَرِيبًا مِّن دَارِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ وَعْدُ اللَّهِ
13:31 The verse indicates that the Holy Qur’ân will work great wonders. Jibâl الْجِبَالُ is the plural form of jabal جبل and figuratively indicates difficulties, chiefs, learned men, proud people, lords, mighty persons, heights towering above and mountains (Lisân). One meaning of the phrase is therefore that the Holy Qur’ân provides a solution to every problem encountered by human beings. It can also mean that the chiefs and learned persons will be moved by the arguments of the Holy Qur’ân. The phrase أَوْ قُطِّعَتْ بِهِ الْأَرْضُ, “the earth could be torn asunder”, also means that the Words of Allâh penetrate deep down into the heart of people, which are compared here to the earth. The phrase, “the dead could be made to speak,” أَوْ كُلِّمَ بِهِ الْمَوْتَىٰ also signifies that the spiritually dead will not only be reanimated into a new life, but will also be made to speak powerful words of wisdom. The phrase,“as for those who disbelieve, one calamity or the other will continue to befall them,” وَلَا يَزَالُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا تُصِيبُهُم بِمَا صَنَعُوا قَارِعَةٌ means that disaster after disaster will strike the disbelievers; a prophecy relating to the complete destruction of their power.