Surah Al-Anfal — Verse 31

The Spoils of War · 8:31 · 31/75

وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا قَالُوا۟ قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَآءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هَـٰذَآ ۙ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّآ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

Wa-itha tutla AAalayhim ayatunaqaloo qad samiAAna law nashao laqulnamithla hatha in hatha illa asateerual-awwaleen

Verse recitation

Translations of this verse 11

Saheeh International

And when Our verses are recited to them, they say, "We have heard. If we willed, we could say [something] like this. This is not but legends of the former peoples."

M.A.S. Abdel Haleem

Whenever Our Revelation is recited to them they say, ‘We have heard all this before- we could say something like this if we wanted- this is nothing but ancient fables.’

Marmaduke Pickthall

And when Our revelations are recited unto them they say: We have heard. If we wish we can speak the like of this. Lo! this is naught but fables of the men of old.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When Our Signs are rehearsed to them, they say: "We have heard this (before): if we wished, we could say (words) like these: these are nothing but tales of the ancients."

Mufti Taqi Usmani

When Our verses are recited to them, they say, “We have heard; if we wish, we can compose a discourse like this. It is nothing but the tales of the ancient people.”

Al-Hilali & Khan

And when Our Verses (of the Qur’ân) are recited to them, they say: "We have heard (the Qur’ân); if we wish we can say the like of this. This is nothing but the tales of the ancients."

Abul A'la Maududi (Tafhim)

And when Our verses are recited to them, they say: 'We have heard. We could, if we willed, compose the like of it. They, are nothing but fables of the ancient times.'

Muhammad Asad — The Message of the Qur’an

And whenever Our messages were conveyed to them, they would say, "We have heard [all this] before; if we wanted, we could certainly compose sayings like these [ourselves]: they are nothing but fables of ancient times!"