The Quran

سورة الصَّافات

Surah Al-Sâffât 37:142

Those Ranging in Ranks · Verse 142 of 182

فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ

Abdul Mannan Omar

Then (it came about that) a big fish took him in its mouth while he was reproaching (himself).

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then the big Fish did swallow him, and he had done acts worthy of blame.

Ahmed Ali

Then he was swallowed by a large fish as he was worthy of blame.

12 more translations

Ali Unal

(They threw him into the sea, and) the big fish swallowed him, while he was accused (by his conscience).

Daryabadi

And a fish swallowed him, and he was reproaching himself.

Faridul Haque

The fish then swallowed him and he blamed himself. (For not waiting for Allah’s command.)

Maulana Muhammad Ali

So the fish took him into its mouth while he was blamable.

Maulvi Sher Ali

And the fish swallowed him while he was reproaching himself.

Muhammad Asad

[and they cast him into the sea,] whereupon the great fish swallowed him, for he had been blameworthy.

Muhammad Musin Khan

Then a (big) fish swallowed him and he had done an act worthy of blame.

Muhammad Pickthall

And the fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy;

Muhammad Sarwar

The fish swallowed him up and he deserved (all this).

Muhammed ali Shakir

So the fish swallowed him while he did that for which he blamed himself

Rashad Khalifa

Consequently, the fish swallowed him, and he was the one to blame.

Shabbir Ahmed

Then the fish grabbed him while he was blaming himself.

Commentary 37:142 Fâ-iltaqama-hu al-Hûtفَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ - literally means, “Then the big fish took him in his mouth.” According to the Bible, Jonas went into a boat…

فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ

37:142 Fâ-iltaqama-hu al-Hûtفَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ - literally means, “Then the big fish took him in his mouth.” According to the Bible, Jonas went into a boat but was cast into the sea because of a storm and was devoured by a fish (Jonas, 1:15-17). The words used in the Qur’ân to describe this event are Iltaqama الْتَقَمَهُ. Laqm لقَمَmeans a morsel, and it stems from the same root is iltaqama, which means to take into mouth, it also means to embrace (Tâj; Lisân), which does not signify an act of devouring or swallowing. So the meaning can be rendered thus: Then it came about that he embraced himself to a big fish. Rendering the above words, “Then the big fish took him in his mouth” is also correct.