Surah Al-'An`ām (The Cattle) in English

1. وإذ قال إبراهيم لأبيه آزر أتتخذ أصناما آلهة إني أراك وقومك في ضلال مبين

   74

   When Abraham said to Azar, his father, ‘Do you take idols for gods? Indeed I see you and your people in manifest error.’

   wa-ʾidh qāla ʾibrāhīmu li-ʾabīhi ʾāzara ʾa-tattakhidhu ʾaṣnāman ʾālihatan ʾinnī ʾarāka wa-qawmaka fī ḍalālin mubīnin

2. وكذلك نري إبراهيم ملكوت السماوات والأرض وليكون من الموقنين

   75

   Thus did We show Abraham the dominions of the heavens and the earth, that he might be of those who possess certitude.

   wa-ka-dhālika nurī ʾibrāhīma malakūta s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi wa-li-yakūna mina l-mūqinīna

3. فلما جن عليه الليل رأى كوكبا قال هذا ربي فلما أفل قال لا أحب الآفلين

   76

   When night darkened over him, he saw a star and said, ‘This is my Lord!’ But when it set, he said, ‘I do not like those who set.’

   fa-lammā janna ʿalayhi l-laylu raʾā kawkaban qāla hādhā rabbī fa-lammā ʾafala qāla lā ʾuḥibbu l-ʾāfilīna

4. فلما رأى القمر بازغا قال هذا ربي فلما أفل قال لئن لم يهدني ربي لأكونن من القوم الضالين

   77

   Then, when he saw the moon rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord!’ But when it set, he said, ‘Had my Lord not guided me, I would surely have been among the astray lot.’

   fa-lammā raʾā l-qamara bāzighan qāla hādhā rabbī fa-lammā ʾafala qāla la-ʾin lam yahdinī rabbī la-ʾakūnanna mina l-qawmi ḍ-ḍāllīna

5. فلما رأى الشمس بازغة قال هذا ربي هذا أكبر فلما أفلت قال يا قوم إني بريء مما تشركون

   78

   Then, when he saw the sun rising, he said, ‘This is my Lord! This is bigger!’ But when it set, he said, ‘O my people, indeed I disown what you take as [His] partners.’

   fa-lammā raʾā sh-shamsa bāzighatan qāla hādhā rabbī hādhā ʾakbaru fa-lammā ʾafalat qāla yā-qawmi ʾinnī barīʾun mimmā tushrikūna

6. إني وجهت وجهي للذي فطر السماوات والأرض حنيفا وما أنا من المشركين

   79

   ‘Indeed I have turned my face toward Him who originated the heavens and the earth, as a Hanif, and I am not one of the polytheists.’

   ʾinnī wajjahtu wajhiya li-lladhī faṭara s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍa ḥanīfan wa-mā ʾana mina l-mushrikīna

7. وحاجه قومه قال أتحاجوني في الله وقد هدان ولا أخاف ما تشركون به إلا أن يشاء ربي شيئا وسع ربي كل شيء علما أفلا تتذكرون

   80

   His people argued with him. He said, ‘Do you argue with me concerning Allah, while He has guided me for certain? I do not fear what you ascribe to Him as [His] partners, excepting anything that my Lord may wish. My Lord embraces all things in [His] knowledge. Will you not then take admonition?

   wa-ḥājjahū qawmuhū qāla ʾa-tuḥājjūnnī fī llāhi wa-qad hadāni wa-lā ʾakhāfu mā tushrikūna bihī ʾillā ʾan yashāʾa rabbī shayʾan wasiʿa rabbī kulla shayʾin ʿilman ʾa-fa-lā tatadhakkarūna

8. وكيف أخاف ما أشركتم ولا تخافون أنكم أشركتم بالله ما لم ينزل به عليكم سلطانا فأي الفريقين أحق بالأمن إن كنتم تعلمون

   81

   How could I fear what you ascribe [to Him] as [His] partners, when you do not fear ascribing to Allah partners for which He has not sent down any authority to you? So [tell me,] which of the two sides has a greater right to safety, if you know?

   wa-kayfa ʾakhāfu mā ʾashraktum wa-lā takhāfūna ʾannakum ʾashraktum bi-llāhi mā lam yunazzil bihī ʿalaykum sulṭānan fa-ʾayyu l-farīqayni ʾaḥaqqu bi-l-ʾamni ʾin kuntum taʿlamūna