Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
And then he broke those [idols] to pieces, [all] save the biggest of them, so that they might [be able to] turn to it
M. M. Pickthall
Then he reduced them to fragments, all save the chief of them, that haply they might have recourse to it
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
So he broke them to pieces, (all) but the biggest of them, that they might turn (and address themselves) to it
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
So he smashed them into pieces, except the biggest of them, so they might turn to it ˹for answers˺.
Safi Kaskas
So he broke them into pieces, except for the largest one among them, so that they might return to it [and question].
Wahiduddin Khan
He broke them all into pieces, except for the biggest one of them, so that they might return to it [for enquiry]
Shakir
So he broke them into pieces, except the chief of them, that haply they may return to it
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
So he made them broken pieces—but the greatest of them—so that perhaps they will return to it.
T.B.Irving
So he broke them into fragments except for the biggest one of them, so that they might return to [question] it.
Abdul Hye
So he made them fragments, except the biggest of them so that they might turn to it.
The Study Quran
So he broke them into pieces—save the largest of them—that haply they may have recourse to it
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
So he reduced them to fragments, except their largest, so they might return to it.
Talal Itani (2012)
So he reduced them into pieces, except for their biggest, that they may return to it
Dr. Kamal Omar
So he (i.e., Ibrahim) made them into pieces except the Most High and Most Great to them so that they may turn to Him (Alone) in devotion
So he broke them all in pieces, except the biggest of them, so that they might turn to it
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
So he made them into scraps, except a great one they had, that possibly they would return to it
Muhammad Sarwar
He broke all the idols into pieces, except the biggest among them so that perhaps people would refer to it
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
Then, he turned all of them into pieces, except the big one of them, so that they may come back to it
Shabbir Ahmed
Then he reduced them to fragments except the big one, so that they might turn to it. (37:88-98)
Dr. Munir Munshey
So he battered them to pieces, except the one most prominent. Maybe they would turn to it
Syed Vickar Ahamed
So he broke them to pieces, (everyone) except the biggest of them, that they might turn (and try asking) it
So he made them into fragments, except a large one among them, that they might return to it [and question]
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
So he broke them into pieces except for the biggest of them, so that they may turn to him
Abdel Haleem
He broke them all into pieces, but left the biggest one for them to return to
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
Then he made them fragments, all except the big one of them, that haply unto it they may return
Ahmed Ali
So he smashed them up to pieces with the exception of the biggest, so that they may turn to it
Aisha Bewley
He broke them in pieces, except for the biggest one, so that they would have it to consult!
Ali Ünal
And then he broke all of them to pieces except the one biggest in their sight, so that they might be able turn back to it (to ask what had happened)
Ali Quli Qara'i
So he broke them into pieces, —all except the biggest of them— so that they might come back to it
Hamid S. Aziz
So he broke them in pieces, all except their largest, that they might have recourse to it
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
So, he made them into small pieces except the biggest one of them, so that they may return to him.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
Then he broke them to pieces, all but the biggest of them, so that they might turn to it
Musharraf Hussain
He smashed them to pieces except the biggest, which He left intact so they would return to it.
Maududi
Then he broke them all into pieces, sparing only the supreme one among them that they may possibly return to him
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
So he broke them into pieces except for the biggest of them, so that they may turn to him.
Mohammad Shafi
So he broke those (idols) into pieces, except for the biggest of them, that they (polytheists) may turn to it (to inform them as to who did the destruction of the other idols)
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
Then he broke them into pieces but the big one of them, that haply they may ask to it something.
He broke them into pieces, except for a big one, that they may refer to it.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
He broke them all into pieces, except their great one so that they might return to it
Maulana Muhammad Ali
So he broke them into pieces, except the chief of them, that haply they might return to it
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
So he made them broken/pieces except a big/large (one) for them, maybe/perhaps to it they return
Bijan Moeinian
Accordingly he broke them all into pieces, except the chief “god” so that it may serve as a subject of discussion at their return
Faridul Haque
He shattered them all, except the biggest among them, that perhaps they may question it
Sher Ali
So he broke them into pieces, all except the chief of them, that they might return to it
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
Then Ibrahim (Abraham) broke those (idols) into pieces except the biggest (idol) so that they might turn to it
Amatul Rahman Omar
So he smashed them all into pieces, except their chief (idol), that they might return to it (for inquiry as he planned)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
So he broke them to pieces, (all) except the biggest of them, that they might turn to it
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
So he broke them into pieces except the biggest of them so that they might return to it.
Munir Mezyed
So he broke all of them into pieces, except the biggest one of them, so that they might return to it.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
Then he cut them into pieces except for their chief so that they would return to him.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
(Abraham) broke (the idols) to pieces except for the biggest one of them, so that (the idolaters) may address it.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
So he reduced them into pieces, except for their biggest, that they may return to it.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
So he broke them into fragments except for the biggest one of them, so that they might return to [question] it.
Samy Mahdy
So he set them, broken parts, except a grand for them, perhaps they may be returning to it.
Sayyid Qutb
So he broke the idols to pieces, [all] except for the biggest of them, so that they might turn back to him.
Ahmed Hulusi
So (Abraham) broke all of them into pieces except the biggest one of them, in case they wanted to resort to him for enquiry.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli
So he broke them into pieces, (all) except the chief of them, that haply they may return to it
And so he reduced them -the idols- into a useless form except their biggest, so that they might turn to it for information
Mir Aneesuddin
And by Allah, I have a definite plot for your idols after you go away turning your backs."
The Wise Quran
So he made them fragments, except a large one they had; that perhaps they might return to it.