Surah Al-Anbya (الأنبياء) • The Prophets

Quran 21:44

21:44

بَلْ مَتَّعْنَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَءَابَآءَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ طَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْعُمُرُ ۗ أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّا نَأْتِى ٱلْأَرْضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَآ ۚ أَفَهُمُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبُونَ

bal mattaʿnā hāulāi waābāahum ḥattā ṭāla ʿalayhimu l-ʿumuru afalā yarawna annā natī l-arḍa nanquṣuhā min aṭrāfihā afahumu l-ghālibūna

But, [on the contrary], We have provided good things for these [disbelievers] and their fathers until life was prolonged for them. Then do they not see that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders? Is it they who will overcome?

— Saheeh International

We have allowed these sinners and their forefathers to enjoy life for a long time. But do they not see how We are shrinking their borders? Is it they who will prevail?

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

Nay, We gave the luxuries of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them. See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will overcome?

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Juz 17Page 325meccan

Word by Word

بَلْbalNay
مَتَّعْنَاmattaʿnāWe gave provision
هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِhāulāi(to) these
وَءَابَآءَهُمْwaābāahumand their fathers
حَتَّىٰḥattāuntil
طَالَṭālagrew long
عَلَيْهِمُʿalayhimufor them
ٱلْعُمُرُۗl-ʿumuruthe life
أَفَلَاafalāThen do not
يَرَوْنَyarawnathey see
أَنَّاannāthat We
نَأْتِىnatīWe come
ٱلْأَرْضَl-arḍa(to) the land
نَنقُصُهَاnanquṣuhāWe reduce it
مِنْminfrom
أَطْرَافِهَآۚaṭrāfihāits borders
أَفَهُمُafahumuSo is (it) they
ٱلْغَـٰلِبُونَl-ghālibūna(who will be) overcoming