سورة البَقَرَة
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:24
The Cow · Verse 24 of 286
فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَلَنْ تَفْعَلُوا فَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ ۖ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَ
Abdul Mannan Omar
But if you fail to do (so), and never shall you do (it), then guard against the Fire, the fuel of which will be human beings (who are deviating from the way of truth) and stones, (it is) prepared for the disbelievers.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
But if ye cannot- and of a surety ye cannot- then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones,- which is prepared for those who reject Faith.
Ahmed Ali
But if you cannot, as indeed you cannot, then guard yourselves against the Fire whose fuel is men and rocks, which has been prepared for the infidels.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
If you fail to do that – and you will most certainly fail – then guard yourselves against the Fire whose fuel is human beings and stones (that you have shaped into idols to adore), prepared for the unbelievers.
Daryabadi
But if ye do it not, --and by no means ye shall, --then dread the Fire, the fuel whereof is men and stones, gotten ready for the infidels.
Faridul Haque
And if you are unable to bring forth (one chapter) - and We declare that you can never bring one - then fear the fire (of hell), the fuel of which is men and stones; kept ready for the disbelievers.
Maulana Muhammad Ali
But if you do (it) not -- and you can never do (it) -- then be on your guard against the fire whose fuel is men and stones; it is prepared for the disbelievers.
Maulvi Sher Ali
But if you do it not - and never shall you do it - then guard against the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, which is prepared for the disbelievers.
Muhammad Asad
And if you cannot do it - and most certainly you cannot do it - then be conscious of the fire whose fuel is human beings and stones which awaits all who deny the truth!
Muhammad Musin Khan
But if you do it not, and you can never do it, then fear the Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.
Muhammad Pickthall
And if ye do it not - and ye can never do it - then guard yourselves against the Fire prepared for disbelievers, whose fuel is of men and stones.
Muhammad Sarwar
If you do not produce such a chapter, and you never will, then guard yourselves against the fire whose fuel will be people and stones and is prepared for those who hide the Truth.
Muhammed ali Shakir
But if you do (it) not and never shall you do (it), then be on your guard against the fire of which men and stones are the fuel; it is prepared for the unbelievers.
Rashad Khalifa
If you cannot do this - and you can never do this - then beware of the Hellfire, whose fuel is people and rocks; it awaits the disbelievers.
Shabbir Ahmed
And if you fail to do it - and fail you will - yet remain haughty and scornful, then guard yourselves against the fire that has been readied for those who oppose the truth, and its fuel is the masses and their stonehearted leaders alike.
Commentary 2:24 “And never shall you do” وَلَن تَفْعَلُوا۟ is another challenge. Al-Hijârahالحجارة is derived from hajaraحجَرَ and means to deprive, harden, hide, resist,…
فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا۟ وَلَن تَفْعَلُوا۟ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِى وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ ۖ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
2:24 “And never shall you do” وَلَن تَفْعَلُوا۟ is another challenge. Al-Hijârahالحجارة is derived from hajaraحجَرَ and means to deprive, harden, hide, resist, forbid, prevent, or prohibit access. AlـHijârah literally refers the stones and rocks. It also refers to people who try to hide Truth, prevent people from worshipping, and who are hard hearted like stones (Lisân). Concerning the Jews of the time of Jesus, the Holy Qur’ân says: “Then your hearts hardened after that, so that they were [hard] like stones (rocks) or harder still; for there are rocks out of which streams come gushing, and there are some others out of which water comes forth when they split asunder” (2:74).
The verse informs us about two classes of the inmates of Hell, ordinary disbelievers (ٱلنَّاسُ) and stone-hearted persons (ٱلْحِجَارَةُ) who have no love for God. Stones are also the objects to which people turn for worship, the powerlessness and inefficacy of the stones finding a symbolic equivalence in their lifelessness.