Surah Al-Mu'minun (المؤمنون) • The Believers

Quran 23:71

23:71

وَلَوِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلْحَقُّ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ لَفَسَدَتِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُ وَٱلْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ ۚ بَلْ أَتَيْنَـٰهُم بِذِكْرِهِمْ فَهُمْ عَن ذِكْرِهِم مُّعْرِضُونَ

walawi ittabaʿa l-ḥaqu ahwāahum lafasadati l-samāwātu wal-arḍu waman fīhinna bal ataynāhum bidhik'rihim fahum ʿan dhik'rihim muʿ'riḍūna

But if the Truth [i.e., Allāh] had followed their inclinations, the heavens and the earth and whoever is in them would have been ruined. Rather, We have brought them their message, but they, from their message, are turning away.

— Saheeh International

but if the truth were in accordance with their desires, the heavens, the earth, and everyone in them would disintegrate. We have brought them their Reminder and they turn away from it.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

And if the truth had been in accordance with their desires, verily, the heavens and the earth, and whosoever is therein would have been corrupted! Nay, We have brought them their reminder, but they turn away from their reminder.

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

Juz 18Page 346meccan

Word by Word

وَلَوِwalawiBut if
ٱتَّبَعَittabaʿa(had) followed
ٱلْحَقُّl-ḥaquthe truth
أَهْوَآءَهُمْahwāahumtheir desires
لَفَسَدَتِlafasadatisurely (would) have been corrupted
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتُl-samāwātuthe heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضُwal-arḍuand the earth
وَمَنwamanand whoever
فِيهِنَّۚfīhinna(is) therein
بَلْbalNay
أَتَيْنَـٰهُمataynāhumWe have brought them
بِذِكْرِهِمْbidhik'rihimtheir reminder
فَهُمْfahumbut they
عَنʿanfrom
ذِكْرِهِمdhik'rihimtheir reminder
مُّعْرِضُونَmuʿ'riḍūna(are) turning away