11. Surah Hud

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ...   

11: 47.   Noah said:

"O my Lord! I do seek refuge with Thee, lest I ask Thee for that of which I have no knowledge.

...وَإِلاَّ تَغْفِرْ لِي وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُن مِّنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴿٤٧﴾

And unless Thou forgive me and have Mercy on me, I should indeed be lost!"

C1541. Noah, in his natural affection and respect for ties of relationship, was overcome with human weakness in wishing to reverse the Decree of Allah.

It was not sin but ignorance. His ignorance was corrected by divine inspiration, and he immediately saw the full Truth, acknowledged his error, and asked for Allah's forgiveness and mercy. This is the standard set for us all.

Pickthall’s Version:

11: 47

Pickthall He said: My Lord! Lo! in Thee do I seek refuge (from the sin) that I should ask of Thee that whereof I have no knowledge. Unless Thou forgive me and have mercy on me I shall he among the lost.

Transliteration Qa_la rabbi inni a'u_zu bika an as'alaka ma_ laisa li bihi 'ilm(un), wa illa_ tagfir li wa tarhamni akum minal kha_sirin(a).