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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
Are they, then, not aware of how little of the sky and the earth lies open before them, and how much is hidden from them? [or that,] if We so willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause fragments of the sky to fall down upon them? In all this, behold, there is a message indeed for every servant [of God] who is wont to turn unto Him [in repentance]
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Have they not then seen all that surrounds them of the heavens and the earth? If We willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause ˹deadly˺ pieces of the sky to fall upon them. Surely in this is a sign for every servant who turns ˹to Allah˺.
Safi Kaskas   
Have they not looked at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and earth? If We wanted, We could cause the earth to swallow them or let fragments from the sky fall down on them. There is a sign in that for every worshiper who turns back to God in repentance.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
أَفَلَمۡ یَرَوۡا۟ إِلَىٰ مَا بَیۡنَ أَیۡدِیهِمۡ وَمَا خَلۡفَهُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ إِن نَّشَأۡ نَخۡسِفۡ بِهِمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ أَوۡ نُسۡقِطۡ عَلَیۡهِمۡ كِسَفࣰا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَاۤءِۚ إِنَّ فِی ذَ ٰلِكَ لَءَایَةࣰ لِّكُلِّ عَبۡدࣲ مُّنِیبࣲ ۝٩
Transliteration (2021)   
afalam yaraw ilā mā bayna aydīhim wamā khalfahum mina l-samāi wal-arḍi in nasha nakhsif bihimu l-arḍa aw nus'qiṭ ʿalayhim kisafan mina l-samāi inna fī dhālika laāyatan likulli ʿabdin munībi
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Then, do not they see towards what (is) between their hands and what (is) behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We will We (could) cause to swallow them the earth or cause to fall upon them fragments from the sky. Indeed, in that surely, is a Sign for every slave who turns (to Allah).

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
Are they, then, not aware of how little of the sky and the earth lies open before them, and how much is hidden from them? [or that,] if We so willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause fragments of the sky to fall down upon them? In all this, behold, there is a message indeed for every servant [of God] who is wont to turn unto Him [in repentance]
M. M. Pickthall   
Have they not observed what is before them and what is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth swallow them, or cause obliteration from the sky to fall on them. Lo! herein surely is a portent for every slave who turneth (to Allah) repentant
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to Allah (in repentance)
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Have they not then seen all that surrounds them of the heavens and the earth? If We willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause ˹deadly˺ pieces of the sky to fall upon them. Surely in this is a sign for every servant who turns ˹to Allah˺.
Safi Kaskas   
Have they not looked at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and earth? If We wanted, We could cause the earth to swallow them or let fragments from the sky fall down on them. There is a sign in that for every worshiper who turns back to God in repentance.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Do they not observe how they are encompassed by what is before them and what is behind them in heaven and on earth? We could, if We pleased, cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. In that certainly there is a sign for every servant of Ours who turns to us
Shakir   
Do they not then consider what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We please We will make them disappear in the land or bring down upon them a portion from the heaven; most surely there is a sign in this for every servant turning (to Allah)
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Consider they not what is in advance of them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause to drop on them pieces of heaven. Truly, in this is a sign for every servant, one who turns in repentance.
T.B.Irving   
Have they not considered whatever lies before them from the sky and earth, and what is behind them? If We wished, We would let the earth swallow them up or a patch of sky drop down on them. In that is a sign for every penitent servant.
Abdul Hye   
Don’t they see what is before them and what is behind them in the heaven and the earth? If We will, We can sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. Surely, there is a sign for every believer who turns to Allah in repentance.
The Study Quran   
Have they not considered that which is before them and that which is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We will, We cause the earth to engulf them or fragments from the sky to fall upon them. Truly in that is a sign for every penitent servant
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Didn’t they contemplate what’s before them and what’s behind them of the heavens and the earth? If We will, We could let the earth swallow them, or drop pieces of the sky on them. In this, there is a sign for every returning servant.
Talal Itani (2012)   
Do they not reflect upon what lies before them and behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth cave in beneath them, or make pieces of the sky fall down on them. In that is a sign for every devout servant
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Have they then not seen towards what is between their two hands (i.e., facing them) and what is behind them out of the heaven and the earth? If We thought proper We shall make the earth slide-in alongwith them, or We shall cause a piece of the heaven (i.e., of any heavenly item like a meteor etc.) fall upon them. Verily, in this (warning) is surely a lesson for all human-subjects who turn (to Allah) in sincere devotion
M. Farook Malik   
Do they not see the sky and the earth that surrounds them from front and from behind? If We want, We can cave in the earth to swallow them up or let the fragments of the sky fall upon them. Surely there is a sign in this for every devotee that turns to Allah in repentance
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
So, have they not regarded whatever is before them (Literally: between their hands) and whatever is behind them of the heaven and the earth? In case We (so) decide, We would make the earth to cave in with them, or We would let fall down on them lumps from the heaven. Surely in that is indeed a sign to every penitent bondman
Muhammad Sarwar   
Have they not seen the heavens and the earth in front and behind them. Had We wanted, We could have caused the earth to swallow them up or made a part of the sky fall upon them. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for every repenting person
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Have they not, then, looked to the sky and the earth that lies before them and behind them? If We so will, We would make the earth swallow them up, or cause pieces of the sky to fall upon them. Surely, in this there is a sign for a servant (of Allah) who turns to Him
Shabbir Ahmed   
Have they not observed the heaven and the earth however little lies open before them, and however much is hidden from them? If We so Willed, We could have caused the earth to swallow them, or caused masses from the sky fall down upon them. Therein, behold, is a Sign for every servant who turns to his Lord
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Do they not look at the sky and the earth in front of and behind them? If We want We can make the earth cave in on them, or We can drop a piece of the sky (an asteroid?) upon them. In that, is surely a sign for every repentant believer
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Do they not see what is before them and (what is) behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We wished, We could make the earth swallow them up, or make a piece of the heaven fall upon them. Surely, in this is a Sign for the (loyal) servant who turns to Allah (in repentance)
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Then, do they not look at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and earth? If We should will, We could cause the earth to swallow them or [could] let fall upon them fragments from the sky. Indeed in that is a sign for every servant turning back [to Allah ]
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Have they not seen to all that is before them and behind them, in the heaven and the Earth If We wished, We could cause the Earth to swallow them, or cause pieces of the sky to fall on them. In this is a sign for every obedient servant
Abdel Haleem   
Do they not think about what is in front of them and behind them in the heavens and earth? If We wished, We could make the earth swallow them, or make fragments from the heavens fall down upon them. There truly is a sign in this for every servant who turns back to God in repentance
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Behold they not that which is before them and that which is behind them of the heaven and the earth If We will, We shall sink the earth with them or cause a fragment of the heaven to fall on them. Verily therein is a sign Unto every repentant bondman
Ahmed Ali   
Do they not see what is before them and what is behind them of the heavens and the earth? We could cleave the earth and sink them, if We pleased, or drop a fragment of the sky upon them. There is surely a sign in this for every penitent creature
Aisha Bewley   
Have they not looked at the sky and the earth in front of them and behind them? If We willed We would cause the earth to swallow them up or make great lumps fall down on them from the sky. There is certainly a Sign in that for every remorseful slave.
Ali Ünal   
Do they never consider that it is the heaven and the earth that are (extended) before and after them (so they are entirely and inescapably enclosed within His Kingdom)? If We so will, We can cause the earth to swallow them, or cause lumps of the heaven to fall down upon them. Surely in this is a sign for every servant of God who (being sincere in quest of the truth) will turn (to Him) in contrition
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Have they not regarded that which is before them and that which is behind them of the sky and the earth? If We like, We can make the earth swallow them, or let fall on them a fragment from the sky. There is indeed a sign in that for every penitent servant
Hamid S. Aziz   
Do they not then consider what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We will We can make them disappear in the land or bring down upon them a portion from the heaven; most surely in this is a sign for every servant who tu
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
Have they not looked at what is in front of them and what is behind them from the sky and the earth? If We want, We will sink them down into the earth or We make a piece of the sky fall on them. Indeed, there is a sign in that for every repenting servant.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Do they not see what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the universe to fall on them. Indeed in this is a sign for every devotee that turns to God
Musharraf Hussain   
Haven’t they considered all that is around them in the Heaven and Earth. If We so wanted, We could make the Earth swallow them, or drop a chunk of the sky on them. In that are signs for the servant of Allah who repents
Maududi   
Do they not see how the heavens and the earth encompass them from the front and the rear? We could, if We so wished, cause the earth to swallow them or let fragments of the sky fall upon them. Verily there is a Sign in this for every servant (of Allah) who penitently turns to Him
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Have they not seen all that is before them and behind them, in the heaven and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause pieces of the heaven to fall on them. In this is a sign for every obedient servant.
Mohammad Shafi   
See they not what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We so will, We can cause the earth to swallow them or bring down upon them a chunk of the heavens. There is indeed a sign in this for every obedient human turning in repentance to Allah

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Have they then not seen what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We will We may cause them to sink in the earth or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Undoubtedly, in it is a sign for every bondman repentant.
Rashad Khalifa   
Have they not seen all the things in front of them and behind them, in the heaven and the earth? If we willed, we could have caused the earth to swallow them, or caused masses to fall on them from the sky. This should be a sufficient proof for every obedient servant.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Have they not seen what is before them and behind them in heaven and earth? If We willed, We would make the earth swallow them up, or We would let lumps from heaven fall down on them. Surely, there is a sign in this for every penitent worshiper
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
See they not what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We please, We can make them low in the land or bring down upon them a portion of heaven. Surely there is a sign in this for every servant turning (to Allah)
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
Do they not see/understand to what (is) between their hands and what (is) behind them, from the sky/space and the earth/Planet Earth? If We will/want We make the earth/Planet Earth sink down/disappear or We drop on them pieces from the sky/space, that truly in that (is) an evidence/sign (E) to every/each repenting/returning to God slave/worshipper
Bijan Moeinian   
Do the disbelievers not look around and realize that [they owe their very life to the mercy and the grace of the same God that they deny and] if the Lord decides, He can sink them underground or send a meteor from the sky to destroy them. Only those servants of God who turn to him understand the magnitude of His Grace {and are grateful for that]
Faridul Haque   
So did they not see what is before them and what is behind them in the sky and the earth? If We will, We can bury them into the earth or cause a part of the sky to fall on them; indeed in this is a sign for every repentant bondman
Sher Ali   
Do they not see how they are encompassed by that which is before them and that which is behind them of the heaven and the earth? If WE please, WE could cause the earth to sink with them, or cause pieces of the sky to fall upon them. In that verily is a Sign for every repentant servant of ALLAH
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
So have they not seen those (signs) in the heaven and the earth (which have beset them) from their front and from their rear? If We so intended, We would sink them into the earth or let a part of the sky fall upon them. Verily, there is in it a sign for every servant of Allah who turns to Him
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Do they not see (how they are surrounded on all sides by) the heaven and the earth that lie before and behind them? If We (so) please, We can make them low (and abased) in the land (and thus show some signs of the earth), or let some portion of the clouds fall down upon them (showing some heavenly signs). Behold! there is a sign in this for every penitent servant (of God)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. Verily, in this is a sign for every faithful believer that (believes in the Oneness of Allah), and turns to Allah (in all affairs with humility and in repentance)

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Have they not regarded what lies before them and what lies behind them of heaven and earth? Did We will, We would make the earth to swallow them, or We would drop down on them lumps from heaven. Surely in that is a sign to every penitent servant
George Sale   
Have they not therefore considered what is before them, and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If We please, We will cause the earth to open and swallow them up, or will cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them: Verily herein is a sign unto every servant, who turneth unto God
Edward Henry Palmer   
Have they not looked at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and the earth? if we pleased we would cleave the earth open with them, or we would make to fall upon them a portion of the heaven; verily, in that is a sign to every repentant servant
John Medows Rodwell   
What! have they never contemplated that which is before them and behind them, the Heaven and the Earth? If such were our pleasure, we could sink them into that Earth, or cause a portion of that Heaven to fall upon them! herein truly is a sign for our every returning servant
N J Dawood (2014)   
Do they not see what is before them and behind them in heaven and earth? If We will, We can cause the earth to cave in beneath their feet or let fragments of the sky fall upon them. Surely there is a sign in this for every penitent man

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
Have they not seen that which is ahead of them and that which is behind them from the heaven and the earth? If We wish, we can cause the earth to swallow them or can cause a piece from the heaven to fall on them and truly in this is a sign for every slave who returns.
Munir Mezyed   
Have they not noticed what lies before them and what lies behind them of the sky and earth? If We will, We can make the earth to swallow them, or cause lumps from the sky to fall upon them. Most certainly there is a Sign for every penitent servant.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
Do they not see the sky and earth before and behind them? If We pleased, We could make the earth swallow them up or drop a piece of the sky on them. In that is a sign for every repenting servant.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Have they not seen what lies before them and behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We will, We can make the earth cave in beneath them, or let fall down on them pieces from the sky; indeed, in that is a sign for every penitent servant.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Do they not see what is before them and behind them of the sky and the earth? If We wanted, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause pieces from the sky to fall upon them. Truly, in this is a sign for every servant who turns to Allah.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Have they not considered whatever lies before them from the sky and earth, and what is behind them? If We wished, We would let the earth swallow them up or a patch of sky drop down on them. In that is a sign for every penitent servant.
Samy Mahdy   
So, have they not seen what is between their hands and what is behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We will, We will collapse down the earth by them, or will fall fragments on them from the sky. Surely in that, is a verse for every penitent slave.
Sayyid Qutb   
Do they not consider how much of the sky and the earth lies open before them and how much lies hidden from them? If We so willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause fragments of the sky to fall upon them. In all this, there is a sign for every servant of God turning to Him in repentance.
Thomas Cleary   
Do they not see what is before them and what is after them of heaven and earth? If We willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or make a piece of the sky fall upon them. Surely in that is a sign for every servant who turns to God.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Did they not see what is before them and after them (past and future) of the heaven (consciousness) and earth (the body)? If We should will, We could cause the earth to swallow them (drown them in corporeality by means of our Names) or make fragments from the sky fall upon them (turn all their thoughts upside down)! Indeed, there is a sign in this for every servant who turns (to his reality).
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Have they not then observed what is before them and what is behind them of the heavens and the earth? If We please We will make them sink into the earth or We drop down upon them lamps from heaven. Verily in that is a sign to every penitent servant.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Do they not see what is before them and what is behind them of the heavens and the earth and contemplate their existence, maintenance and conservation. If We willed We could eclipse them in one swallow by a yawning earthly chasm We create beneath them or cause a piece of heaven to fall upon them in the form of discs of cumuli; either incident is by itself a great inducement for lifting to Allah the inward sight by the votary devoted to religious observances and to repentance with a breast filled with reverential awe
Mir Aneesuddin   
Did they not then consider that which is before them (future) and that which is behind them (past) of the sky and the earth? If We will We can cause the earth to sink with them or We can drop on them pieces from the sky. Certainly there is a sign in that for every servant who turns in repentance (to Allah).

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
See they not what is before them and behind them, of the sky and the earth? If We wished, We could cause the earth to swallow them up, or cause a piece of the sky to fall upon them. Verily in this is a Sign for every devotee that turns to God ( in repentance)
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Then, do not they see towards what (is) before them and what (is) behind them of the heaven and the earth? If We will We (could) cause to swallow th the earth or cause to fall upon them fragments from the sky. Indeed, in that surely, is a Sign for every slave who turns (to Allah)
OLD Transliteration   
Afalam yaraw ila ma bayna aydeehim wama khalfahum mina alssama-i waal-ardi in nasha/ nakhsif bihimu al-arda aw nusqit AAalayhim kisafan mina alssama-i inna fee thalika laayatan likulli AAabdin muneebin