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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
How can you refuse to acknowledge God, seeing that you were lifeless and He gave you life, and that He will cause you to die and then will bring you again to life, whereupon unto Him you will be brought back
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
How can you deny Allah? You were lifeless and He gave you life, then He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, and then to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned.
Safi Kaskas   
How can you deny the truth in God when you were dead, and He made you alive? Then He will make you die, then make you alive, and then you will return to Him.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
كَیۡفَ تَكۡفُرُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَكُنتُمۡ أَمۡوَ ٰتࣰا فَأَحۡیَـٰكُمۡۖ ثُمَّ یُمِیتُكُمۡ ثُمَّ یُحۡیِیكُمۡ ثُمَّ إِلَیۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ۝٢٨
Transliteration (2021)   
kayfa takfurūna bil-lahi wakuntum amwātan fa-aḥyākum thumma yumītukum thumma yuḥ'yīkum thumma ilayhi tur'jaʿūn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
How (can) you disbelieve in Allah? While you were dead then He gave you life; then He will cause you to die, then He will give you life, then to Him you will be returned.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
How can you refuse to acknowledge God, seeing that you were lifeless and He gave you life, and that He will cause you to die and then will bring you again to life, whereupon unto Him you will be brought back
M. M. Pickthall   
How disbelieve ye in Allah when ye were dead and He gave life to you! Then He will give you death, then life again, and then unto Him ye will return
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
How can ye reject the faith in Allah?- seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
How can you deny Allah? You were lifeless and He gave you life, then He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, and then to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned.
Safi Kaskas   
How can you deny the truth in God when you were dead, and He made you alive? Then He will make you die, then make you alive, and then you will return to Him.
Wahiduddin Khan   
How can you disbelieve in God when you were dead [lifeless] and He gave you life? He will let you die once more, then bring you back to life again, whereupon you will be returned to Him
Shakir   
How do you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life? Again He will cause you to die and again bring you to life; then you shall be brought back to Him
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
How is it you are ungrateful to God? You had been lifeless, then, He gave you life. again, He will cause you to die. Again, He will give you life. And, again, you are returned to Him.
T.B.Irving   
How can you disbelieve in God when you once were dead and He furnished you with life? Soon He will let you die once more, then bring you back to life again; then unto Him will you return!
Abdul Hye   
How can you disbelieve in Allah? While you were lifeless and He gave you life. Then He will give you death, then again will bring you to life (on the Day of Resurrection), and then you will return to Him.
The Study Quran   
How can you disbelieve in God, seeing that you were dead and He gave you life; then He causes you to die; then He gives you life; then unto Him shall you be returned
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
How can you disbelieve in God, when you were lifeless, then He gave you life, then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you back to life, and then to Him you will be returned?
Talal Itani (2012)   
How can you deny God, when you were dead and He gave you life, then He will put you to death, then He will bring you to life, then to Him you will be returned?
Dr. Kamal Omar   
How do you disbelieve concerning Allah and you were dead and He gave you life; then He will give you death, then He will bring you to life, then unto Him you will be returned
M. Farook Malik   
How can you deny Allah? Did He not give you life when you were lifeless; and will He not cause you to die and again bring you to life; and will you not ultimately return to Him
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
How do you disbelieve in Allah and you were dead, then He gave you life, thereafter He (causes) you to die, (and) thereafter He gives you life (again), (and) thereafter to Him you will be returned
Muhammad Sarwar   
How dare you deny the existence of God Who gave you life when you initially had no life. He will cause you to die and bring you to life again. Then you will return to His Presence
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
.How is it that you deny Allah, while you were lifeless and He gave you life; then He will make you die, and then He will make you live again, and then to Him you will be returned
Shabbir Ahmed   
How can you disbelieve in Allah (knowing that) He it is Who gave you life when you were lifeless? Then He will cause you to die and bring you back to life again. And then, all of you will return unto Him. ((37:58), (40:11), (44:56), (76:1))
Dr. Munir Munshey   
How can you not believe in Allah? You were (once) lifeless and He gave you life. Then, He will give you death, and then He will bring you back to life. Then, you shall return to Him
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
How can you reject the Faith in Allah? Seeing that you were without life, and He gave you life: Then He will cause you to die and (He) will again bring you to life; And again to Him you will return
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him you will be returned
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
How can you reject God when you were dead and He brought you to life Then He makes you die, then He brings you to life, then to Him you return
Abdel Haleem   
How can you ignore God when you were lifeless and He gave you life, when He will cause you to die, then resurrect you to be returned to Him
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
How will ye disbelieve in Allah whereas ye were lifeless and he quickened you; thereafter He will cause you to die, thereafter He will give you life, thereafter unto Him ye shall be returned
Ahmed Ali   
Then how can you disbelieve in God? He gave you life when you were dead. He will make you die again then bring you back to life: To Him then you will return
Aisha Bewley   
How can you reject Allah, when you were dead and then He gave you life, then He will make you die and then give you life again, then you will be returned to Him?
Ali Ünal   
How can you disbelieve in God, seeing that you were dead, and He gave you life. Then He causes you to die. Then He will bring you to life again; and then you will be returned to Him
Ali Quli Qara'i   
How can you be unfaithful to Allah, [seeing that] you were lifeless and He gave you life, then He will make you die, and then He shall bring you to life, and then you will be brought back to Him
Hamid S. Aziz   
How can you disbelieve in Allah, when you were dead and He made you alive, and then He will cause you to die, and then make you alive again, and then to Him will you return
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
How do you disbelieve in God, when you were lifeless and He gave you life then He causes you to die and brings you back to life, and then you are returned to Him?
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
How can you lose faith in God, seeing that you were without life, and He gave you life? Then He will cause you to die, and will again bring you to life, and again to Him you will return
Musharraf Hussain   
How can you deny Allah when you were dead and He brought you to life, then He will cause you to die and give you life once more, and to Him you shall be returned.
Maududi   
How is it that you adopt the attitude of disbelief towards Allah when the fact is that you were lifeless and He gave you life, and He will take away life from you and will again restore you to life: then you shall ultimately return to Him
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
How can you reject God when you were dead and He brought you to life? Then He makes you die, then He brings you to life, then to Him you return.
Mohammad Shafi   
How can you suppress the Truth about Allah!? It was He Who gave you life when you were but dead. He will then make you die and raise you up again to life. And to Him you will then return

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
How you will disbelieve in Allah, whereas, you were dead, He gave you life, then will cause you to die then again will give you life, then towards Him you will return.
Rashad Khalifa   
How can you disbelieve in GOD when you were dead and He gave you life, then He puts you to death, then He brings you back to life, then to Him you ultimately return
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
How can you disbelieve Allah? Did He not give you life when you were dead, and He will cause you to die and then restore you to life. Then you will return to Him
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
How can you deny Allah and you were without life and He gave you life? Again, He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, then you shall be brought back to Him
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
How do you disbelieve with God and you were deads, so He revived you, then He makes you die, then He revives you , then to Him you are being returned
Bijan Moeinian   
How can you reject the faith in God, knowing that you were dead and he brought you to life? Then He puts you to death and then He brings you back to life; and again to Him ultimately you will return
Faridul Haque   
What has made you disbelieve in Allah? Whereas you were dead and He gave you life; then He will give you death, then bring you to life again, and then it is to Him you will return
Sher Ali   
How can you disbelieve in ALLAH? You were without life and HE gave you life, and then HE will cause you to die, then restore you to life, and then to HIM shall you be made to return
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
How can you deny Allah, whereas you were lifeless and He gave you life, then He will cause you to die and will again bring you back to life, and then to Him you will be returned
Amatul Rahman Omar   
(O people!) how can you deny Allah? When you were without life He gave you life, then He will cause you to die and again raise you to life and you shall be made to return to Him
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
How can you disbelieve in Allah? Seeing that you were dead and He gave you life. Then He will give you death, then again will bring you to life (on the Day of Resurrection) and then unto Him you will return

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
How do you disbelieve in God, seeing you were dead and He gave you life, then He shall make you dead, then He shall give you life, then unto Him you shall be returned
George Sale   
How is it that ye believe not in God? Since ye were dead, and He gave you life; He will hereafter cause you to die, and will again restore you to life; then shall ye return unto Him
Edward Henry Palmer   
How can ye disbelieve in God, when ye were dead and He made you alive, and then He will kill you and then make you alive again, and then to Him will ye return
John Medows Rodwell   
How can ye withhold faith from God? Ye were dead and He gave you life; next He will cause you to die; next He will restore you to life: next shall ye return to Him
N J Dawood (2014)   
How can you deny God? Did He not give you life when you were dead, and will He not cause you to die and then restore you to life? Will you not return to Him at last

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
How can you disbelieve in Allah when you used to be dead and then He brought you to life and then He puts you to death and then He will bring you to life and then unto Him will you return.
Munir Mezyed   
How can you be tempted to reject Allâh, seeing you were lifeless, He brought you into existence, then He will cause you to die, then give you life, then to Him you shall be returned?
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
How can you reject (faith in) Allah when you were dead and He brought you to life? Then He makes you die again, then He brings you to life again to return to Him.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
How can youpl deny Allah when you were lifeless and He gave you life, then He puts you to death, then He brings you to life, then to Him you are returned?
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
How can you reject faith in Allah? You know that once you were without life, and then He gave you life. He will cause you to die, and then He will again bring you to life. You will return to Him.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
How can you disbelieve in Allah (God)? when you once were lifeless (not born yet) and He furnished you with life then He will let you die, then bring you back to life again (the Day of Resurrection when the dead will rise from their graves); then unto Him will you return! (the Day of Judgement in front of God for reward and punishment)
Samy Mahdy   
How are you disbelieving with Allah? And you were dead, So, He gave life to you then He will cause you death, then He will revive you, then to Him you will be returning.
Sayyid Qutb   
How can you reject God who has given you life after you were dead? He will cause you to die again then He will bring you back to life. To Him you shall return.
Thomas Cleary   
How can you deny God, since you were dead and God gave you life; and will then kill you, and then bring you to life; then you will be returned to God.
Ahmed Hulusi   
How can you deny that the Names of Allah comprise your essence (in accord with the meaning of the letter B) when you were lifeless (unaware of your essential reality) and He brought you to life (with the knowledge He disclosed to you); again He will cause you to die (from the state of thinking you are only the body), and again He will bring you to life (purify you from confining your existence to your body and enable you to live in a state of consciousness)... eventually you will see your reality.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
How can you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life, then He will cause you to die, then again restore you to life, and unto Him you will be returned ? (Therefore, neither your life nor your death is in your will; what you have is Allah's.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
How could you people deny Allah when you were inanimate and He brought you into being from nothingness and caused you to exist, then He shall deprive you of certain functional activities to occasion your death and then at the predetermined moment He shall resurrect you and back to Him you return for judgment
Mir Aneesuddin   
How is it, that you do not believe in Allah, when you were dead then He gave you life, then He will cause you to die then bring you to life again, then to Him you will return?
The Ascendant Qur‘an, Muhammad H. al-‘Asi   
How can you refuse to acknowledge Allah, seeing that you were lifeless and He gave you life, and that He will cause you to die and then He will bring you again to life, whereupon unto Him you will be brought back

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
How can ye reject the faith in God?- seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return
OLD Literal Word for Word   
How (can) you disbelieve in Allah? While you were dead then He gave you life; then He will cause you to die, then He will give you life, then to Him you will be returned
OLD Transliteration   
Kayfa takfuroona biAllahi wakuntum amwatan faahyakum thumma yumeetukum thumma yuhyeekum thumma ilayhi turjaAAoona