Surah Al-Qasas (القصص) • The Stories

Quran 28:78

28:78

قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُۥ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِندِىٓ ۚ أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا ۚ وَلَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ

qāla innamā ūtītuhu ʿalā ʿil'min ʿindī awalam yaʿlam anna l-laha qad ahlaka min qablihi mina l-qurūni man huwa ashaddu min'hu quwwatan wa-aktharu jamʿan walā yus'alu ʿan dhunūbihimu l-muj'rimūna

He said, "I was only given it because of knowledge I have." Did he not know that Allāh had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation [of wealth]? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked.

— Saheeh International

but he answered, ‘This wealth was given to me on account of the knowledge I possess.’ Did he not know that God had destroyed many generations before him, who had greater power than him and built up greater wealth? The guilty will not be questioned about their sins.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

He said: "This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess." Did he not know that Allâh had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected? But the Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) will not be questioned of their sins (because Allâh knows them well, so they will be punished without being called to account).

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

Juz 20Page 395meccan

Word by Word

قَالَqālaHe said
إِنَّمَآinnamāOnly
أُوتِيتُهُۥūtītuhuI have been given it
عَلَىٰʿalāon (account)
عِلْمٍʿil'min(of) knowledge
عِندِىٓۚʿindīI have
أَوَلَمْawalamDid not
يَعْلَمْyaʿlamhe know
أَنَّannathat
ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
قَدْqadindeed
أَهْلَكَahlakadestroyed
مِنminbefore him
قَبْلِهِۦqablihibefore him
مِنَminaof
ٱلْقُرُونِl-qurūnithe generations
مَنْmanwho
هُوَhuwa[they]
أَشَدُّashaddu(were) stronger
مِنْهُmin'huthan him
قُوَّةًۭquwwatan(in) strength
وَأَكْثَرُwa-aktharuand greater
جَمْعًۭاۚjamʿan(in) accumulation
وَلَاwalāAnd not
يُسْـَٔلُyus'aluwill be questioned
عَنʿanabout
ذُنُوبِهِمُdhunūbihimutheir sins
ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَl-muj'rimūnathe criminals