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وَهُوَ الَّذ۪ي خَلَقَ السَّمٰوَاتِ وَالْاَرْضَ ف۪ي سِتَّةِ اَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَٓاءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ اَيُّكُمْ اَحْسَنُ عَمَلاًۜ وَلَئِنْ قُلْتَ اِنَّكُمْ مَبْعُوثُونَ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْمَوْتِ لَيَقُولَنَّ الَّذ۪ينَ كَفَرُٓوا اِنْ هٰذَٓا اِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُب۪ينٌ

Wahuwa allathee khalaqa assamawatiwal-arda fee sittati ayyamin wakanaAAarshuhu AAala alma-i liyabluwakum ayyukum ahsanuAAamalan wala-in qulta innakum mabAAoothoona min baAAdi almawtilayaqoolanna allatheena kafaroo in hatha illasihrun mubeen

It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days when His Throne was on the water, in order to test which of you has the best actions. If you say, ‘You will be raised up after death,’ those who are kafir will say, ‘This is nothing but downright magic.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    He is the One who created the heavens and Earth in six days, and His throne was upon the water, and to test who from amongst you works the best. And when you Say: "You will be resurrected after death." those who rejected will Say: "This is but clear magic!"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    He created the heavens and the earth in six stages and established Himself on the throne of His Almightiness. He has Supreme Control over the origination of life which began in water (21:30). Life is a test for yourselves to see which of you leads a balanced life and is best in conduct. Yet, if you (O Prophet), say, "You will be raised again after death," the rejecters of the Truth will surely answer, "This is clearly nothing but a fabulous delusion!" (45:24).

  • Sam Gerrans

    And He it is that created the heavens and the earth in six days, — and His Throne was upon the water — that He might try you, which of you is best in deed. And if thou sayest: “You will be raised up after death,” those who ignore warning will say: “This is only obvious sorcery.”

  • The Monotheist Group

    He is the One who has created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His Throne was upon the water; so as to test who from among you works the best. And when you say: "You will be resurrected after the death," those who have rejected say: "This is but clear magic!"

  • Edip-Layth

    He is the One who created the heavens and earth in six days, and His dominion was upon the water, and to test who from amongst you works the best. When you say, "You will be resurrected after death." those who rejected will say, "This is but clear magic!"

  • Aisha Bewley

    It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days when His Throne was on the water, in order to test which of you has the best actions. If you say, ‘You will be raised up after death,’ those who are kafir will say, ‘This is nothing but downright magic.’

  • Rashad Khalifa

    He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days - and His (earthly) domain was completely covered with water - in order to test you, to distinguish those among you who work righteousness. Yet, when you say, "You will be resurrected after death," those who disbelieve would say, "This is clearly witchcraft.",

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    It is He who created the heavens and the earth In six spans, and has control over the waters (of life) so that he may bring out the best that everyone of you could do. Yet if you said to them: "You shall certainly be raised from the dead," the unbelievers will say: "This will be nothing but sorcery."

  • Sahih International

    And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days - and His Throne had been upon water - that He might test you as to which of you is best in deed. But if you say, "Indeed, you are resurrected after death," those who disbelieve will surely say, "This is not but obvious magic."

  • Muhammad Asad

    And He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons; and [ever since He has willed to create life, ] the throne of His almightiness has rested upon water. [God reminds you of your dependence on Him] in order to test you [and thus to make manifest] which of you is best in conduct. For thus it is: if thou sayest [unto men], "Behold, you shall be raised again after death!" - they who are bent on denying the truth are sure to answer, "This is clearly nothing but an enchanting delusion"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days - and His Throne was upon the water - that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct. Yet if thou (O Muhammad) sayest: Lo! ye will be raised again after death! those who disbelieve will surely say: This is naught but mere magic.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat

    He is it who created the heavens and the earth and brought them into existence in six days* determined by His own unit of time and proclaimed in His calendar; His Throne of supremacy and dominion and of grace and mercy was then set over the water** He created the universe and you people as a part of it in Order to determine which of you performs the better deed and whether his deeds agree with his words and whether his work is imprinted with wisdom and piety! Yet when you O Muhammad say to them that they shall rise again at the Last Day after they had been dead and buried, the infidels shall say: " This is nothing but sheer sorcery assumed by him. "

  • Bijan Moeinian

    God is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six days. His (earthly) domain was completely covered with water. He has provided this [hospitable] world for your trial (so that you prove yourself to Him and learn by going through hardships) and see which one of you will do his best. If you (Mohammad) let them know that they will be raised after death, their only response will be: "This man is talking witchcraft."

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was on the water, that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds. But if you were to say to them: "You shall indeed be raised up after death," those who disbelieve would be sure to say, "This is nothing but obvious magic.[1]"

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days - and His Throne was over the waters - that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct. But if thou wert to say to them, "Ye shall indeed be raised up after death", the Unbelievers would be sure to say, "This is nothing but obvious sorcery!"

  • Mustafa Khattab

    He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days[1]—and His Throne was upon the waters—in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And if you ˹O Prophet˺ say, "Surely you will ˹all˺ be raised up after death," the disbelievers will certainly say, “That is nothing but pure magic!”

  • Taqi Usmani

    He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days, while His throne was on water, so that He might test you as to who among you is better in deed. And if you say, "You shall be raised after death," the disbelievers will surely say, “This is nothing but sheer magic.”

  • Abdul Haleem

    It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six Days––His rule extends over the waters too––so as to test which of you does best. Yet [Prophet], if you say to them, ‘You will be resurrected after death,’ the disbelievers are sure to answer, ‘This is clearly nothing but sorcery.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His Throne was upon the waters -- that He might try you, which one of you is fairer in works. And if thou sayest, 'you shall surely be raised up after death,' the unbelievers will say, 'This is naught but a manifest sorcery.'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His throne was upon the water that He might try you, which of you did best. But shouldst thou say, 'Ye will be raised up after death,' those who misbelieve will surely say, 'This is naught but obvious sorcery;'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    There is no creature that walks upon the earth but its provision is from Allah. He knows its permanent settlement and its temporary resting-place. All is in the Perspicuous Book (or in a Clear Record).

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And He (is The One) Who created the heavens and the earth in six days-and His Throne was upon the water-that He might try you, whichever of you is fairer in deeds. And indeed in case you say, "Surely you will be made to rise again even after death, " the ones who have disbelieved will indeed say definitely, "Decidedly this is nothing except evident sorcery."

  • George Sale

    It is He who hath created the heavens and the earth in six days, -- but his throne was above the waters before the creation thereof, -- that He might prove you, and see which of you would excel in works. If thou say, ye shall surely be raised again, after death; the unbelievers will say, this is nothing but manifest sorcery.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And it is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days— And His Throne was over the Waters, that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds (and conduct). But if you were to say to them, "You shall truly be raised up after death;" The disbeliever will surely say; "This is nothing but clear (and open) magic!"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And it is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six aeons and His Throne (of power ever) rests on water (to which the life is due), that He might show whoever of you is best in deeds and conduct. And if you were to say (to them), `You are indeed going to be raised after death,' those who disbelieve will certainly say, `This is naught but an obvious hoax.'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days —and His Throne was [then] upon the waters— that He may test you [to see] which of you is best in conduct. Yet if you say, ‘You will indeed be raised up after death,’ the faithless will surely say, ‘This is nothing but plain magic.’