Verse 72:20 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

16 وَأَلَّوِ ٱسۡتَقَـٰمُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلطَّرِیقَةِ لَأَسۡقَیۡنَـٰهُم مَّاۤءً غَدَقࣰا ۝١٦ wa-allawi is'taqāmū ʿalā l-ṭarīqati la-asqaynāhum māan ghadaqa If they had taken to the right way, We would have given them abundant water to drink 17 لِّنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِیهِۚ وَمَن یُعۡرِضۡ عَن ذِكۡرِ رَبِّهِۦ یَسۡلُكۡهُ عَذَابࣰا صَعَدࣰا ۝١٧ linaftinahum fīhi waman yuʿ'riḍ ʿan dhik'ri rabbihi yasluk'hu ʿadhāban ṣaʿada a test for them––but anyone who turns away from his Lord’s Revelation will be sent by Him to spiralling torment 18 وَأَنَّ ٱلۡمَسَـٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدۡعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدࣰا ۝١٨ wa-anna l-masājida lillahi falā tadʿū maʿa l-lahi aḥada Places of worship are for God alone- so do not pray to anyone other than God 19 وَأَنَّهُۥ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبۡدُ ٱللَّهِ یَدۡعُوهُ كَادُوا۟ یَكُونُونَ عَلَیۡهِ لِبَدࣰا ۝١٩ wa-annahu lammā qāma ʿabdu l-lahi yadʿūhu kādū yakūnūna ʿalayhi libada yet when God’s Servant stood up to pray to Him, they pressed in on him

20 قُلۡ إِنَّمَاۤ أَدۡعُوا۟ رَبِّی وَلَاۤ أُشۡرِكُ بِهِۦۤ أَحَدࣰا ۝٢٠ qul innamā adʿū rabbī walā ush'riku bihi aḥada Say, ‘I pray to my Lord alone; I set up no partner with Him.’

21 قُلۡ إِنِّی لَاۤ أَمۡلِكُ لَكُمۡ ضَرࣰّا وَلَا رَشَدࣰا ۝٢١ qul innī lā amliku lakum ḍarran walā rashada Say, ‘I have no control over any harm or good that may befall you.’ 22 قُلۡ إِنِّی لَن یُجِیرَنِی مِنَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدࣱ وَلَنۡ أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلۡتَحَدًا ۝٢٢ qul innī lan yujīranī mina l-lahi aḥadun walan ajida min dūnihi mul'taḥada Say, ‘No one can protect me from God: I have no refuge except in Him 23 إِلَّا بَلَـٰغࣰا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِسَـٰلَـٰتِهِۦۚ وَمَن یَعۡصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَـٰلِدِینَ فِیهَاۤ أَبَدًا ۝٢٣ illā balāghan mina l-lahi warisālātihi waman yaʿṣi l-laha warasūlahu fa-inna lahu nāra jahannama khālidīna fīhā abada I only deliver [what I receive] from God- only His messages.’ Whoever disobeys God and His Messenger will have Hell’s Fire as his permanent home 24 حَتَّىٰۤ إِذَا رَأَوۡا۟ مَا یُوعَدُونَ فَسَیَعۡلَمُونَ مَنۡ أَضۡعَفُ نَاصِرࣰا وَأَقَلُّ عَدَدࣰا ۝٢٤ ḥattā idhā ra-aw mā yūʿadūna fasayaʿlamūna man aḍʿafu nāṣiran wa-aqallu ʿadada when they are confronted by what they have been warned about, they will realize who has the weaker protector and the smaller number