←Prev   Ayah Saba` (Saba, Sheba) 34:21   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
And yet, he had no power at all over them: [for if We allow him to tempt man,] it is only to the end that We might make a clear distinction between those who [truly] believe in the life to come and those who are in doubt thereof: for thy Sustainer watches over all things
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
He does not have any authority over them, but ˹Our Will is˺ only to distinguish those who believe in the Hereafter from those who are in doubt about it. And your Lord is a ˹vigilant˺ Keeper over all things.”
Safi Kaskas   
He had no authority over them, but We wanted to know who believes in the Hereafter and who is in doubt about it. Your Lord is the Preserver over all things.

Listen: 
Did you notice?

 You can SEARCH IslamAwakened: 

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَمَا كَانَ لَهُۥ عَلَیۡهِم مِّن سُلۡطَـٰنٍ إِلَّا لِنَعۡلَمَ مَن یُؤۡمِنُ بِٱلۡءَاخِرَةِ مِمَّنۡ هُوَ مِنۡهَا فِی شَكࣲّۗ وَرَبُّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَیۡءٍ حَفِیظࣱ ۝٢١
Transliteration (2021)   
wamā kāna lahu ʿalayhim min sul'ṭānin illā linaʿlama man yu'minu bil-ākhirati mimman huwa min'hā fī shakkin warabbuka ʿalā kulli shayin ḥafīẓu
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And not was for him over them any authority except that We (might) make evident who believes in the Hereafter from (one) who [he] about it (is) in doubt. And your Lord over all things (is) a Guardian.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
And yet, he had no power at all over them: [for if We allow him to tempt man,] it is only to the end that We might make a clear distinction between those who [truly] believe in the life to come and those who are in doubt thereof: for thy Sustainer watches over all things
M. M. Pickthall   
And he had no warrant whatsoever against them, save that We would know him who believeth in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt thereof; and thy Lord (O Muhammad) taketh note of all things
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
But he had no authority over them,- except that We might test the man who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it: and thy Lord doth watch over all things
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
He does not have any authority over them, but ˹Our Will is˺ only to distinguish those who believe in the Hereafter from those who are in doubt about it. And your Lord is a ˹vigilant˺ Keeper over all things.”
Safi Kaskas   
He had no authority over them, but We wanted to know who believes in the Hereafter and who is in doubt about it. Your Lord is the Preserver over all things.
Wahiduddin Khan   
but he had no authority over them; We only desired to distinguish those who believed in the Hereafter from those who were in doubt concerning it. Your Lord is watchful over all things
Shakir   
And he has no authority over them, but that We may distinguish him who believes in the hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it; and your Lord is the Preserver of all thing
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
There had not been for him any authority over them, but that We know who believe in the world to come from who is in uncertainty of it. And thy Lord is Guardian over everything.
T.B.Irving   
Yet he held no authority over them, except so We might distinguish someone who believes in the Hereafter from someone who is in any uncertainty about it. Your Lord acts as an Overseer for everything.
Abdul Hye   
And there was no authority for him (Satan) over them except that We might test him who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt about it. Your Lord is watching over everything.
The Study Quran   
And yet he had no authority over them, save that We might know one who believes in the Hereafter from one who is in doubt thereof. And thy Lord guards over all things
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
He had no authority over them, except to distinguish those who believed in the Hereafter from those who harbored doubts. Your Lord oversees everything.
Talal Itani (2012)   
He had no authority over them; except that We willed to distinguish him who believes in the Hereafter, from him who is doubtful about it. Your Lord is Guardian over all things
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And there is not in him (i.e., in Iblis), regarding them (i.e., the human beings), out of some authority — except that We may know (as to) who Believes in the Hereafter, as against one who is in doubt and suspicion about it. And your Nourisher-Sustainer is All-Protector and All-Surveillant over every thing
M. Farook Malik   
even though he had no authority over them. It all happened because We wanted to see who among them believed in the hereafter and who is in doubt concerning it. Your Lord is watching over all things
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And in no way did he have any all-binding authority over them, except that We would know him who believed in the Hereafter from him who was in doubt thereof. And your Lord is Ever-Preserving over everything
Muhammad Sarwar   
He did not have any authority over them except to the extent that would allow Us to know who had faith in the life to come and who had doubts about it. Your Lord is a Guard over all things
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
He did not have any power over them, but for the reason that We should recognize the one who believes in the Hereafter as distinct from the one who is in doubt about it; and your Lord is Watchful over every thing
Shabbir Ahmed   
And yet he (Iblis) had no power at all over them (15:38-41). But We thus distinguish between those who believe in the life to come from those who keep doubting it. And your Lord is Watcher over all things. (Those who deny the Law of Requital easily succumb to their desires)
Dr. Munir Munshey   
He did not have any control (or authority) over them. (We let ´Iblees´ tempt people) so We may distinguish the one who believes in the afterlife from the one who remained in doubt about its existence. Your Lord is Watchful over every single thing
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And he had no authority over them— Except that We may test the man who believes in the Hereafter, from him who is in doubt about it: And your Lord watches Protectively (Hafeez) over all things
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And he had over them no authority except [it was decreed] that We might make evident who believes in the Hereafter from who is thereof in doubt. And your Lord, over all things, is Guardian
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And he did not have any authority over them except that We might know who believed in the Hereafter from those who are doubtful about it. And your Lord is Keeper over all things
Abdel Haleem   
even though he had no authority over them. But [We aim] to distinguish those who believe in the life to come from those who doubt it: [Prophet], your Lord observes everything
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And he hath no authority over them except that We would know him who believeth in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt thereof. And thy Lord is over everything a Warden
Ahmed Ali   
He had no authority over them save for the purpose of Our knowing who believed in the world to come, and who doubted it. For your Lord keeps a watch over everything
Aisha Bewley   
He had no authority over them except to enable Us to know those who have iman in the Next World from those who are in doubt about it. Your Lord is the Preserver of all things.
Ali Ünal   
And yet, he had no authority over them (to compel them to do anything), except in that (by testing humankind through him) We distinguish those who truly believe in the Hereafter from those who are in doubt concerning it. Your Lord keeps watch and record of all things
Ali Quli Qara'i   
He had no authority over them, but that We may ascertain those who believe in the Hereafter from those who are in doubt about it, and your Lord is watchful over all things
Hamid S. Aziz   
And he has no authority over them, but that We may distinguish him who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it; and your Lord is the Watcher (Preserver) of all things
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And there was no authority (and power) for him over them, except that We know anyone who believes in the Hereafter from anyone who is in doubt about it. And your Lord is guardian of everything.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
But he had no authority over them, except that We might make evident the person who believes in the hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it, and your Lord watches over all things
Musharraf Hussain   
over who he had no power. We will distinguish believers in the Hereafter from those who were doubtful. Your Lord is the Protector of everything
Maududi   
Iblis had no authority over them and whatever happened was in order that We might know him who believes in the Hereafter as distinct from him who is in doubt about it. Your Lord is watchful over everything
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And he did not have any authority over them except that We might distinguish those who believed in the Hereafter from those who are doubtful about it. And your Lord is Keeper over all things.
Mohammad Shafi   
And he (Satan) holds no authoritative power over them, but that for Us his (satanic) influence distinguishes him who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it. And your Lord monitors everything

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And there was no control of the devil (Satan) over them but it was so that We may show him who believes in the Hereafter and who is of them in doubt. And your Lord is Watchful over all things.
Rashad Khalifa   
He never had any power over them. But we thus distinguish those who believe in the Hereafter from those who are doubtful about it. Your Lord is in full control of all things.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Yet he had no authority over them except that We would know who believed in the Everlasting Life, from he who doubted. Your Lord is the Watcher over all things
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And he has no authority over them, but that We may know him who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it. And thy Lord is the Preserver of all things
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
And nothing from a power/authority/control was for him on them, except to know who believes with (in) the end (other life) than who he is from it in doubt/suspicion, and your Lord (is) on every thing (an) honest protector/observor
Bijan Moeinian   
Satan did not mislead them forcibly. I let him to seduce them as a test to see who believed in Hereafter and who doubted it. Your Lord has full control and watches over everything
Faridul Haque   
And Satan had no control over them at all, except that We willed to reveal as to who believes in the Hereafter and who is in doubt of it; and your Lord is a Guardian over all things
Sher Ali   
And he had no power over them, but it was so that WE might distinguish those who believed in the Hereafter from those who were in doubt about it. And thy Lord is watchful over all things
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And Satan had no power over them but for the reason that We might distinguish those who believe in the Hereafter from those who are in doubt about it. And your Lord is Watchful over everything
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Though he (- Iblis) had no authority over them (for it is by their own wrong beliefs and evil deeds that mankind brings about their spiritual ruin). (It happened thus) so that We might distinguish those who believed in the Hereafter from those who were suffering from doubts about it. Indeed, your Lord is Watchful over and Preserver of everything
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And he (Iblees Satan) had no authority over them, except that We might test him, who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt about it. And your Lord is a Hafiz over everything. (AllKnower of everything i.e. He keeps record of each and every person as regards deeds, and then He will reward them accordingly)

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Yet he had no authority over them, but that We might know him who believed in the Hereafter from him who was in doubt thereof Thy Lord is Guardian over everything
George Sale   
And he had no power over them, unless to tempt them, that We might know him who believed in the life to come, from him who doubted thereof. Thy Lord observeth all things
Edward Henry Palmer   
Yet had he no authority over them, save that we might know who it was that believed in the hereafter from him who amongst them was in doubt; for thy Lord guards everything
John Medows Rodwell   
Yet no power had he over them. Only we would discern him who believed in the life to come, from him who doubted of it; for thy Lord watcheth all things
N J Dawood (2014)   
Yet had he no power over them: Our only aim was to recognize those who believed in the life to come and those who were in doubt. Your Lord takes cognizance of all things

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And he had no authority over them except that We may mark out who believes in the hereafter from who is in incredulity about it and your Lord is All-keeper for everything.
Munir Mezyed   
Yet he had no authority over them, except that We would identify the one who acknowledged the existence of the Hereafter from the one who harbored doubts about it. And Your Lord is the Preserver of all things.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
And he had no authority over them other than that We would tell apart who believes in the hereafter from who is in doubt of it, and your Lord is keeper of everything.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
He had no authority over them except to recognize the person who believes in the hereafter from he/she who is in doubt concerning it. Your Lord watches over everything.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
And never did he have any authority over them, except that We may know the one who believes in the Hereafter from the one who is doubtful about it. And yoursg Lord is a Constant Preserver over everything.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Yet he held no authority over them, except so We might distinguish someone who believes in the Hereafter from someone who is in any uncertainty about it. Your Lord acts as an Overseer for everything.
Samy Mahdy   
And he had no Sultan over them; except that We might know who believes in the Hereafter, from him who is in suspicion from it. And your Lord, over everything, is Keeper.
Sayyid Qutb   
Yet he had no power at all over them; it is only for the end that We might make a clear distinction between those who truly believe in the life to come and those who are in doubt about it. Your Lord watches over all things.
Ahmed Hulusi   
And yet he (Iblis) had no influential power over them at all! We only did this to reveal who really believes in their eternal life to come and who is in doubt thereof. Your Rabb is Hafiz over all things.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And he has no authority over them, save that We would know (distinguished) him who believes in the Hereafter, from him who is in doubt concerning it, and your Lord is the Preserver of all things.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
In fact AL-Shaytan had no authority over them but We occasioned his attempt to tempt them to identify justly those who affirm with certainty and satisfaction the fundamental truth of the Hereafter and those who are in doubt thereof. And Allah your Creator is indeed Hafizun. (He Keeps a vigilant eye upon the whole and upon all in all)
Mir Aneesuddin   
And he (the devil) has no authority on them, except that (through his instigations to human beings) We (come to ) know (or distinguish) him who believes in the hereafter from him who is in doubt about it, and your Fosterer is a Custodian over everything.
The Wise Quran   
And he had no authority over them, except that We might know who it was that believed in the hereafter from him who amongst them was in doubt; And your Lord is guardian over everything.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
But he had no authority over them,- except that We might test the man who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it: and thy Lord doth watch over all things
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And not was for him over them any authority except that We (might) make evident who believes in the Hereafter from (one) who [he] about it (is) in doubt. And your Lord over all things (is) a Guardian
OLD Transliteration   
Wama kana lahu AAalayhim min sultanin illa linaAAlama man yu/minu bial-akhirati mimman huwa minha fee shakkin warabbuka AAala kulli shay-in hafeethun