11.Surah Hud

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلَئِنْ أَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِلَى أُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُودَةٍ لَّيَقُولُنَّ مَا يَحْبِسُهُ...   

11: 8.     If We delay the Penalty for them for a definite term, they are sure to say, "What keeps it back?"

C1505. As much as to say: "Oh! all this talk of punishment is nonsense. There is no such thing!"

...أَلاَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمْ لَيْسَ مَصْرُوفًا عَنْهُمْ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِؤُونَ ﴿٨﴾  

Ah! on the day it (actually) reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be completely encircled by that which they used to mock at!

Other versions:

11: 8

Asad And thus it is: if We defer their suffering until a time-limit set [by Us] [note 13] they are sure to say, “What is preventing it [from coming now]?” [Note 14]

Yusuf Ali If We delay the Penalty for them for a definite term they are sure to say "What keeps it back?" Ah! on the day it (actually) reaches them nothing will turn it away from them and they will be completely encircled by that which they used to mock at!

Pickthall And if We delay for them the doom until a reckoned time, they will surely say: What withholdeth it? Verily on the day when it cometh unto them, it cannot be averted from them, and that which they derided will surround them.

Yuksel If We delay for them the retribution to a near period, they will say, "What has kept it?" Alas, on the day it comes to them, nothing will turn it away from them, and what they used to mock will catch up with them.

Transliteration Wa la'in akhkharna_ 'anhumul'aza_ba ila_ ummatin ma'du_datil layaqu_lunna ma_ yahbisuh(u_), ala_ yauma ya'tihim laisa masru_fan 'anhum wa ha_qa bihim ma_ ka_nu_ bihi yastahzi'u_n(a).

[[Ali’s note - 1505 As much as to say: "Oh! all this talk of punishment is nonsense. There is no such thing!" (11.8)

[[ Asad’s note 13 – Lit., “a time computed [by Us]”………note 14 For an explanation of this allusion to the attitude of the unbelievers, see 8:32 and 10:50, as well as the corresponding notes; also 6:57-58. The repeated Quranic reference to the above derisive query are evidently meant to show that the attitude of mind responsible for it is not restricted to an isolated historic incident (see surah 8, note 32) but symptomatic of most, if not all, people “ who are bent on denying the truth”.]]

[[ Ruby’s note – The factors responsible for such an are: arrogance not caring to know and find out how one comes to being and how this reality is sustained, how vulnerable a human being is and how this reality comes through a narrow possibility and why? It is also deliberate rejection to the reasoning and emotion involving such fundamental human query and arrogantly going on disregarding all these to support what one is doing and thinking. It is therefore a deliberate hibernation in ignorance and not making an effort to find an answer to this at any level of knowledge-education. From different levels different signs/messages would come to give valid explanations to the existence of Supreme Being/Sustainer but people who do not have any humility go on about life disregarding all the things that come again and again before a life.]]