Verse 11:28 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

24 ۞ مَثَلُ ٱلۡفَرِیقَیۡنِ كَٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ وَٱلۡأَصَمِّ وَٱلۡبَصِیرِ وَٱلسَّمِیعِۚ هَلۡ یَسۡتَوِیَانِ مَثَلًاۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ۝٢٤ mathalu l-farīqayni kal-aʿmā wal-aṣami wal-baṣīri wal-samīʿi hal yastawiyāni mathalan afalā tadhakkarūn These two groups are like the blind and the deaf as compared with those who can see and hear well: can they be alike? How can you not take heed 25 وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦۤ إِنِّی لَكُمۡ نَذِیرࣱ مُّبِینٌ ۝٢٥ walaqad arsalnā nūḥan ilā qawmihi innī lakum nadhīrun mubīnu We sent Noah to his people to say, ‘I have come to you to give a clear warning 26 أَن لَّا تَعۡبُدُوۤا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَۖ إِنِّیۤ أَخَافُ عَلَیۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ أَلِیمࣲ ۝٢٦ an lā taʿbudū illā l-laha innī akhāfu ʿalaykum ʿadhāba yawmin alīmi worship no one but God. I fear you will have torment on a painful Day.’ 27 فَقَالَ ٱلۡمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوۡمِهِۦ مَا نَرَىٰكَ إِلَّا بَشَرࣰا مِّثۡلَنَا وَمَا نَرَىٰكَ ٱتَّبَعَكَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ أَرَاذِلُنَا بَادِیَ ٱلرَّأۡیِ وَمَا نَرَىٰ لَكُمۡ عَلَیۡنَا مِن فَضۡلِۭ بَلۡ نَظُنُّكُمۡ كَـٰذِبِینَ ۝٢٧ faqāla l-mala-u alladhīna kafarū min qawmihi mā narāka illā basharan mith'lanā wamā narāka ittabaʿaka illā alladhīna hum arādhilunā bādiya l-rayi wamā narā lakum ʿalaynā min faḍlin bal naẓunnukum kādhibīn But the prominent disbelievers among his people said, ‘We can see that you are nothing but a mortal like ourselves, and it is clear to see that only the vilest among us follow you. We cannot see how you are any better than we are. In fact, we think you are a liar.’

28 قَالَ یَـٰقَوۡمِ أَرَءَیۡتُمۡ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَیِّنَةࣲ مِّن رَّبِّی وَءَاتَىٰنِی رَحۡمَةࣰ مِّنۡ عِندِهِۦ فَعُمِّیَتۡ عَلَیۡكُمۡ أَنُلۡزِمُكُمُوهَا وَأَنتُمۡ لَهَا كَـٰرِهُونَ ۝٢٨ qāla yāqawmi ara-aytum in kuntu ʿalā bayyinatin min rabbī waātānī raḥmatan min ʿindihi faʿummiyat ʿalaykum anul'zimukumūhā wa-antum lahā kārihūn He said, ‘My people, think: if I did have a clear sign from my Lord, and He had given me grace of His own, though it was hidden from you, could we force you to accept it against your will

29 وَیَـٰقَوۡمِ لَاۤ أَسۡءَلُكُمۡ عَلَیۡهِ مَالًاۖ إِنۡ أَجۡرِیَ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ وَمَاۤ أَنَا۠ بِطَارِدِ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوۤا۟ۚ إِنَّهُم مُّلَـٰقُوا۟ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَـٰكِنِّیۤ أَرَىٰكُمۡ قَوۡمࣰا تَجۡهَلُونَ ۝٢٩ wayāqawmi lā asalukum ʿalayhi mālan in ajriya illā ʿalā l-lahi wamā anā biṭāridi alladhīna āmanū innahum mulāqū rabbihim walākinnī arākum qawman tajhalūn My people, I ask no reward for it from you; my reward comes only from God. I will not drive away the faithful: they are sure to meet their Lord. I can see you are foolish 30 وَیَـٰقَوۡمِ مَن یَنصُرُنِی مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِن طَرَدتُّهُمۡۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ ۝٣٠ wayāqawmi man yanṣurunī mina l-lahi in ṭaradttuhum afalā tadhakkarūn My people, who could help me against God if I drove the faithful away? Will you not take heed 31 وَلَاۤ أَقُولُ لَكُمۡ عِندِی خَزَاۤىِٕنُ ٱللَّهِ وَلَاۤ أَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡغَیۡبَ وَلَاۤ أَقُولُ إِنِّی مَلَكࣱ وَلَاۤ أَقُولُ لِلَّذِینَ تَزۡدَرِیۤ أَعۡیُنُكُمۡ لَن یُؤۡتِیَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ خَیۡرًاۖ ٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا فِیۤ أَنفُسِهِمۡ إِنِّیۤ إِذࣰا لَّمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ ۝٣١ walā aqūlu lakum ʿindī khazāinu l-lahi walā aʿlamu l-ghayba walā aqūlu innī malakun walā aqūlu lilladhīna tazdarī aʿyunukum lan yu'tiyahumu l-lahu khayran l-lahu aʿlamu bimā fī anfusihim innī idhan lamina l-ẓālimīn I am not telling you that I hold God’s treasures, or have any knowledge of what is hidden, or that I am an angel. Nor do I say that God will not grant any good to those who are despised in your eyes: God Himself knows best what is in their souls. If I did this I would be one of the wrongdoers.’ 32 قَالُوا۟ یَـٰنُوحُ قَدۡ جَـٰدَلۡتَنَا فَأَكۡثَرۡتَ جِدَ ٰلَنَا فَأۡتِنَا بِمَا تَعِدُنَاۤ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِینَ ۝٣٢ qālū yānūḥu qad jādaltanā fa-aktharta jidālanā fatinā bimā taʿidunā in kunta mina l-ṣādiqīn They said, ‘Noah! You have argued with us for too long. Bring down on us the punishment you threaten us with, if you are telling the truth.’