Surah Al-'A`rāf (The Heights) in English

1. قل لا أملك لنفسي نفعا ولا ضرا إلا ما شاء الله ولو كنت أعلم الغيب لاستكثرت من الخير وما مسني السوء إن أنا إلا نذير وبشير لقوم يؤمنون

   188

   Say, ‘I have no control over any benefit for myself, nor [over] any harm except what Allah may wish. Had I known the Unseen, I would have acquired much good, and no ill would have befallen me. I am only a warner and bearer of good news to a people who have faith.’

   qul lā ʾamliku li-nafsī nafʿan wa-lā ḍarran ʾillā mā shāʾa llāhu wa-law kuntu ʾaʿlamu l-ghayba la-stakthartu mina l-khayri wa-mā massaniya s-sūʾu ʾin ʾana ʾillā nadhīrun wa-bashīrun li-qawmin yuʾminūna

2. هو الذي خلقكم من نفس واحدة وجعل منها زوجها ليسكن إليها فلما تغشاها حملت حملا خفيفا فمرت به فلما أثقلت دعوا الله ربهما لئن آتيتنا صالحا لنكونن من الشاكرين

   189

   It is He who created you from a single soul, and made from it its mate, that he might find comfort with her. So when he had covered her, she bore a light burden and passed [some time] with it. When she had grown heavy, they both invoked Allah, their Lord: ‘If You give us a healthy [child], we will be surely grateful.’

   huwa lladhī khalaqakum min nafsin wāḥidatin wa-jaʿala minhā zawjahā li-yaskuna ʾilayhā fa-lammā taghashshāhā ḥamalat ḥamlan khafīfan fa-marrat bihī fa-lammā ʾathqalat daʿawā llāha rabbahumā la-ʾin ʾātaytanā ṣāliḥan la-nakūnanna mina sh-shākirīna

3. فلما آتاهما صالحا جعلا له شركاء فيما آتاهما فتعالى الله عما يشركون

   190

   Then when He gave them a healthy [child], they ascribed partners to Him in what He had given them. Exalted is Allah above [having] any partners that they ascribe [to Him]!

   fa-lammā ʾātāhumā ṣāliḥan jaʿalā lahū shurakāʾa fī-mā ʾātāhumā fa-taʿālā llāhu ʿammā yushrikūna

4. أيشركون ما لا يخلق شيئا وهم يخلقون

   191

   Do they ascribe [to Him] partners that create nothing and have been created themselves,

   ʾa-yushrikūna mā lā yakhluqu shayʾan wa-hum yukhlaqūna

5. ولا يستطيعون لهم نصرا ولا أنفسهم ينصرون

   192

   and can neither help them, nor help themselves?

   wa-lā yastaṭīʿūna lahum naṣran wa-lā ʾanfusahum yanṣurūna

6. وإن تدعوهم إلى الهدى لا يتبعوكم سواء عليكم أدعوتموهم أم أنتم صامتون

   193

   If you call them to guidance, they will not follow you: it is the same to you whether you call them or whether you are silent.

   wa-ʾin tadʿūhum ʾilā l-hudā lā yattabiʿūkum sawāʾun ʿalaykum ʾa-daʿawtumūhum ʾam ʾantum ṣāmitūna

7. إن الذين تدعون من دون الله عباد أمثالكم فادعوهم فليستجيبوا لكم إن كنتم صادقين

   194

   Indeed those whom you invoke besides Allah are creatures like you. So invoke them: they should answer you, if you are truthful.

   ʾinna lladhīna tadʿūna min dūni llāhi ʿibādun ʾamthālukum fa-dʿūhum fa-l-yastajībū lakum ʾin kuntum ṣādiqīna

8. ألهم أرجل يمشون بها أم لهم أيد يبطشون بها أم لهم أعين يبصرون بها أم لهم آذان يسمعون بها قل ادعوا شركاءكم ثم كيدون فلا تنظرون

   195

   Do they have any feet to walk with? Do they have any hands to grasp with? Do they have any eyes to see with? Do they have any ears to hear with? Say, ‘Invoke your partners [that you ascribe to Allah] and try out your stratagems against me without granting me any respite.

   ʾa-lahum ʾarjulun yamshūna bihā ʾam lahum ʾaydin yabṭishūna bihā ʾam lahum ʾaʿyunun yubṣirūna bihā ʾam lahum ʾādhānun yasmaʿūna bihā quli dʿū shurakāʾakum thumma kīdūni fa-lā tunẓirūni