43. Surah Az-Zukhruf, Verse 58
وَقَالُٓوا ءَاٰلِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ اَمْ هُوَۜ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ اِلَّا جَدَلاًۜ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ
Waqaloo aalihatunakhayrun am huwa ma daraboohu laka illajadalan bal hum qawmun khasimoon
They retort, ‘Who is better then, our gods or him?’ They only say this to you for argument’s sake. They are indeed a disputatious people.
- Progressive Muslims
And they said: "Are our gods better or is he" They only cited this to argue with you. Indeed, they are a quarrelsome people.
- Shabbir Ahmed
And they say, "Which is better, our gods or he?" They raise this objection as a vain argument. Nay! But they are a contentious folk.
- Sam Gerrans
And they say: “Are our gods better or is he?” They strike it for thee only by way of contention. The truth is, they are a contentious people.
- The Monotheist Group
And they said: "Our gods are better or is he?" They only put this forth to argue with you. Indeed, they are a quarrelsome people.
- Edip-Layth
They said, "Are our gods better or is he?" They only cited this to argue with you. Indeed, they are a quarrelsome people.
- Aisha Bewley
They retort, ‘Who is better then, our gods or him?’ They only say this to you for argument’s sake. They are indeed a disputatious people.
- Rashad Khalifa
They said, "Is it better to worship our gods, or to worship him?" They said this only to argue with you. Indeed, they are people who have joined the opposition.
- Mohamed Ahmed - Samira
And say: "Are our deities better or he?" They say this only for disputing. Surely they are a contentious people.
- Sahih International
And they said, "Are your gods better, or is he?" They did not present the comparison except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute.
- Muhammad Asad
and say, "Which is better - our deities or he?" [But] it is only in the spirit of dispute that they put this comparison before thee: yea, they are contentious folk!
- Marmaduke Pickthall
And say: Are our gods better, or is he? They raise not the objection save for argument. Nay! but they are a contentious folk.
- Abdel Khalek Himmat
Knowing that he is venerated as a deity by Christians and that you Muhammad might have consigned him with their idols, to damnation, they created a connected series of statements intended to annoy you and subvert your position when they said: " Are our Gods the better or Him, and if his abode is Hell, we and our Gods would love to be there". They are quarrelsome people given to contention.
- Bijan Moeinian
"Who is better to worship, our gods or Jesus?" They said this in the spirit of dispute [and not a sincere discussion. ] They are indeed nothing but a bunch of argumentative people.
- Al-Hilali & Khan
And say: "Are our âlihah (gods) better or is he [‘Îsâ (Jesus)]?" They quoted not the above example except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people. (See V. 21:98-101)
- Abdullah Yusuf Ali
And they say, "Are our gods best, or he?" This they set forth to thee, only by way of disputation: yea, they are a contentious people.
- Mustafa Khattab
They exclaimed, "Which is better: our gods or Jesus?" They cite him only to argue. In fact, they are a people prone to dispute.
- Taqi Usmani
and said, "Are Our gods better or is he?" They did not cite it (the example) but for the sake of disputation. Rather, they are a quarrelsome people.
- Abdul Haleem
saying, ‘Are our gods better or him?’- they cite him only to challenge you: they are a contentious people-
- Arthur John Arberry
and say, 'What, are our gods better, or he?' They cite not him to thee, save to dispute;. nay, but they are a people contentious.
- E. Henry Palmer
and said, 'Are our gods better, or is he?' They did not set it forth to thee save for wrangling. Nay, but they are a contentious people.
- Hamid S. Aziz
And they say, "Are our gods better, or is he?" They raise not the objection save by way of disputation; nay, they are a contentious people.
- Mahmoud Ghali
And they have said, "Are our gods more charitable, or rather he? In no way have they struck (the similitude) to you except in dispute; no indeed, (but) they are a people, (who are) constant adversaries.
- George Sale
and they said, are our gods better, or he? They have proposed this instance unto Thee no otherwise than for an occasion of dispute. Yea, they are contentious men.
- Syed Vickar Ahamed
And (they) say: "Are our gods best or he (Isa)?" This they put in front of you, only by the way of dispute: Yes! They are a challenging (and opposing) people.
- Amatul Rahman Omar
And they said, `What! are our gods better or he (- the Christ)?' They have mentioned his case to you only by way of disputation. Nay, but (the thing is that) they are a contentious people.
- Ali Quli Qarai
They say, ‘Are our gods better or he?’ They only cite him to you for the sake of contention. Rather they are a contentious lot.