←Prev   Ayah az-Zukhruf (Ornaments of Gold, Luxury, The Embellishment) 43:58   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
and say, “Which is better - our deities or he?” [But] it is only in the spirit of dispute that they put this comparison before thee: yea, they are contentious folk
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
They exclaimed, “Which is better: our gods or Jesus?” They cite him only to argue. In fact, they are a people prone to dispute.
Safi Kaskas   
and they said, "who is better, our gods or him?" They cite him only for arguments sake. In fact, they are a confrontational people.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَقَالُوۤا۟ ءَأَ ٰلِهَتُنَا خَیۡرٌ أَمۡ هُوَۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلَۢاۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٌ خَصِمُونَ ۝٥٨
Transliteration (2021)   
waqālū aālihatunā khayrun am huwa mā ḍarabūhu laka illā jadalan bal hum qawmun khaṣimūn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And they said, "Are our gods better or he?" Not they present it to you except (for) argument. Nay, they (are) a people argumentative.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
and say, “Which is better - our deities or he?” [But] it is only in the spirit of dispute that they put this comparison before thee: yea, they are contentious folk
M. M. Pickthall   
And say: Are our gods better, or is he? They raise not the objection save for argument. Nay! but they are a contentious folk
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
And they say, "Are our gods best, or he?" This they set forth to thee, only by way of disputation: yea, they are a contentious people
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
They exclaimed, “Which is better: our gods or Jesus?” They cite him only to argue. In fact, they are a people prone to dispute.
Safi Kaskas   
and they said, "who is better, our gods or him?" They cite him only for arguments sake. In fact, they are a confrontational people.
Wahiduddin Khan   
saying, Are our gods better or him?they cite him only to challenge you: they are a contentious peopl
Shakir   
And they say: Are our gods better, or is he? They do not set it forth to you save by way of disputation; nay, they are a contentious people
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
and said: Are our gods better or is he? They cited him to thee not but to be argumentative. Nay! They are a contentious folk.
T.B.Irving   
They say: "Are our gods better, or is he?" They quote him to you only for the sake of argument; indeed they are such quarrelsome folk!
Abdul Hye   
and say: “Are our deities better or is he (Jesus)?” They did not quote the above example for you except for argument. But they are a quarrelsome people.
The Study Quran   
They say, “Are our gods better, or is he?” They do not cite him to thee, save to dispute. Nay, they are a contentious people
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
They argued, “Are our gods better, or is he?” They posed this question only to argue. They are a quarrelsome lot.
Talal Itani (2012)   
They said, 'Are our gods better, or he?' They cited him only for argument. In fact, they are a quarrelsome people
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And they said: “Are our aalihah better or he?” They did not make him a target before you except for creating trouble. Nay! They are a nation of quarrelsome people
M. Farook Malik   
and say: "Are Our gods better or is he?" They cite this to you merely to provoke you. They are but a quarrelsome people
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And they have said, "Are our gods more charitable, or rather he? In no way have they struck (the similitude) to you except in dispute; no indeed, (but) they are a people, (who are) constant adversaries
Muhammad Sarwar   
"Are our gods any better than Jesus (for according to Muhammad), if our gods go to hell so too will Jesus. What they say is only a false argument. In fact, they are a quarrelsome people
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
and said, .Are Our gods better or is he?. They did not cite it (the example) but for the sake of disputation. Rather, they are a quarrelsome people
Shabbir Ahmed   
And they say, "Which is better, our gods or he?" They raise this objection as a vain argument. Nay! But they are a contentious folk
Dr. Munir Munshey   
They say, "Are our gods better or is he _ (Jesus)?" They raise such questions merely to argue and bicker. Indeed, they are a quarrelsome belligerent people
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And (they) say: "Are our gods best or he (Isa)?" This they put in front of you, only by the way of dispute: Yes! They are a challenging (and opposing) people
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And they said, "Are your gods better, or is he?" They did not present the comparison except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And they said: "Are our gods better or is he" They only cited this to argue with you. Indeed, they are a quarrelsome people
Abdel Haleem   
saying, ‘Are our gods better or him?’- they cite him only to challenge you: they are a contentious people
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And they say: are our gods better, or is he? They mention him not to thee save for disputation. Aye! they are a people contentious
Ahmed Ali   
And say: "Are our deities better or he?" They say this only for disputing. Surely they are a contentious people
Aisha Bewley   
They retort, ´Who is better then, our gods or him?´ They only say this to you for argument´s sake. They are indeed a disputatious people.
Ali Ünal   
And they say, "Are our deities better or is he?" They put it to you only for disputation. Indeed, they are a people addicted to contentiousness
Ali Quli Qara'i   
They say, ‘Are our gods better or he?’ They only cite him to you for the sake of contention. Rather they are a contentious lot
Hamid S. Aziz   
And they say, "Are our gods better, or is he?" They raise not the objection save by way of disputation; nay, they are a contentious people
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And they said: “Are our gods better or he?” They only gave you (this example) to argue. No, but they are argumentative people.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
And they said, “Are our gods best, or is he?” This was presented to you only for argument. Yes, they are a contentious people
Musharraf Hussain   
and say, “Are our gods better or him?” They say this just to annoy you; they really are a quarrelsome lot.
Maududi   
and said: "Who is better, our deities or he?" They said so only out of contentiousness. They are a disputatious people
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And they said: "Our gods are better or is he?" They only put this forth to argue with you. Indeed, they are a quarrelsome people
Mohammad Shafi   
And they say, "Are our gods better, or he [Jesus]?" They mention him to you not but by way of argument. Yes, they are a contentious people

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And say 'are our gods better or he? They said not this to you but for quarreling, Nay, but they are a people quarrel-some.
Rashad Khalifa   
They said, "Is it better to worship our gods, or to worship him?" They said this only to argue with you. Indeed, they are people who have joined the opposition.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
and say: 'What are our gods better, or is he? ' They do not mention him to you except to dispute, truly, they are a contentious nation
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And they say: Are our gods better, or is he? They set it forth to thee only by way of disputation. Nay, they are a contentious people
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
And they said: "Are our gods better or He?" They did not give it (the question) to you except arguing/disputing (E), but they are a nation disputing/controverting
Bijan Moeinian   
“Who is better to worship, our gods or Jesus?” They said this in the spirit of dispute [and not a sincere discussion.] They are indeed nothing but a bunch of argumentative people
Faridul Haque   
And they say, “Are our deities better or he?” They did not say this to you except to unjustly argue; in fact they are a quarrelsome people
Sher Ali   
And they say, `Are our gods better, or he?' They mention not this to thee but for the sake of disputation. Nay, but they are a contentious people
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And say: ‘Are our gods better or he (‘Isa [Jesus])?’ They say this only to have a dispute with you. No doubt, they are very quarrelsome
Amatul Rahman Omar   
And they said, `What! are our gods better or he (- the Christ)?' They have mentioned his case to you only by way of disputation. Nay, but (the thing is that) they are a contentious people
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And say: "Are our aliha (gods) better or is he (Iesa (Jesus))?" They quoted not the above example except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people. ((See VV. 21:97-101) - The Quran.

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
and say, 'What, are our gods better, or he?' They cite not him to thee, save to dispute;. nay, but they are a people contentious
George Sale   
and they said, are our gods better, or he? They have proposed this instance unto Thee no otherwise than for an occasion of dispute. Yea, they are contentious men
Edward Henry Palmer   
and said, 'Are our gods better, or is he?' They did not set it forth to thee save for wrangling. Nay, but they are a contentious people
John Medows Rodwell   
And they said, "Are our gods or is he the better?" They put this forth to thee only in the spirit of dispute. Yea, they are a contentious people
N J Dawood (2014)   
and say: ‘Who is better, he or our gods?‘ They cite him to you merely to provoke you. They are indeed a contentious people

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And they said, “Are our deities better or he [Jesus]?” They only set it forth for you for the sake of argument. Nay! They are a people who are given to contention.
Munir Mezyed   
And they exclaimed (with joy): "Are our gods better, or is he?" They only mention him to you for the sake of contention. Nay, but they are a people prone to argue.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
And they say: are our gods better or he? They only present it to you as a contradiction, for they are argumentative people.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
They say, “Is he any better than our gods?” They ask you this only for the sake of argument, because they are a contentious people.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
and said, “Are our gods better, or he?” They cited him only for argument; in fact, they are a quarrelsome people.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
They say: "Are our gods better, or is he?" They quote him to you only for the sake of argument; indeed they are such quarrelsome folk!
Samy Mahdy   
They said, “Are our gods better, or is he?” They did not cite it for you except to argue. Nay, but they are kinfolk who dispute.
Ahmed Hulusi   
They said, “Are our gods better or him?” They only presented this to dispute with you! They are a people fond of dispute!
Mir Aneesuddin   
and say, “Are our gods better or he?” They do not strike you (with) this statement but for disputation. No, they are a disputing people.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Knowing that he is venerated as a deity by Christians and that you Muhammad might have consigned him with their idols, to damnation, they created a connected series of statements intended to annoy you and subvert your position when they said: " Are our God's the better or Him, and if his abode is Hell, we and our God's would love to be there". They are quarrelsome people given to contention

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
And they say, "Are our gods best, or he?" This they set forth to thee, only by way of disputation: yea, they are a contentious people
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And they said, "Are our gods better or he?" Not they present it to you except (for) argument. Nay, they (are) a people argumentative
OLD Transliteration   
Waqaloo aalihatuna khayrun am huwa ma daraboohu laka illa jadalan bal hum qawmun khasimoona