←Prev   Ayah an-Nahl (The Bee) 16:46   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
or that He will not take them to task [suddenly] in the midst of their comings and goings, without their being able to elude [Him]
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Or that He will not seize them while they go about ˹their day˺, for then they will have no escape?
Safi Kaskas   
Or that He will not take them suddenly while they are coming and going-they being unable to escape him--

Listen: 
Did you notice?

 You can SEARCH IslamAwakened: 

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
أَوۡ یَأۡخُذَهُمۡ فِی تَقَلُّبِهِمۡ فَمَا هُم بِمُعۡجِزِینَ ۝٤٦
Transliteration (2021)   
aw yakhudhahum fī taqallubihim famā hum bimuʿ'jizīn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Or that He may seize them in their going to and fro then not they will be able to escape?

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
or that He will not take them to task [suddenly] in the midst of their comings and goings, without their being able to elude [Him]
M. M. Pickthall   
Or that He will not seize them in their going to and fro so that there be no escape for them
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Or that He may not call them to account in the midst of their goings to and fro, without a chance of their frustrating Him?
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Or that He will not seize them while they go about ˹their day˺, for then they will have no escape?
Safi Kaskas   
Or that He will not take them suddenly while they are coming and going-they being unable to escape him--
Wahiduddin Khan   
Or that He will not seize them suddenly in their daily activities and they will not be able to frustrate Him
Shakir   
Or that He may not seize them in the course of their journeys, then shall they not escape
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Or that He take them in their going to and fro where they will not be ones who frustrate Him?
T.B.Irving   
Or lest He should overtake them as they bustle around and they cannot prevent it,
Abdul Hye   
Or that He may not seize them in their going to and from (journey) so they will not be able to escape (from His punishment)?
The Study Quran   
Or that He will not seize them in the midst of their going to and fro, and they will be powerless to thwart [it]
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Or that He won’t catch them amidst their everyday activities, from which they can’t escape?
Talal Itani (2012)   
Or that He will not seize them during their activities? And they will not be able to prevent it
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Or He may get hold of them during their free movement? Then they will not be those who may create obstructions (for Allah’s plan) or may frustrate (His intentions)
M. Farook Malik   
Or that He may not seize them in the course of their journey leaving no way for their escape
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
Or that He will not take them (away) in their moving about? Then in no way are they able to be defiant to Him
Muhammad Sarwar   
Are they confident that God will not seize them while they are on a journey? They will not be able to escape from God
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
or that He seizes them when roaming about - while they are not able to frustrate Him
Shabbir Ahmed   
Or that His Law of Requital will not take them to task suddenly in the midst of their comings and goings? Then there is no escape for them
Dr. Munir Munshey   
And grab them while they are bustling with activity? They cannot thwart (Allah´s designs)
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Or that He may not bring them to account in the middle of their coming and going with never a chance of stopping Him
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Or that He would not seize them during their [usual] activity, and they could not cause failure
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Or that He will take them in their sleep, for they cannot stop it
Abdel Haleem   
that it will not catch them suddenly in the midst of their comings and goings- for they cannot frustrate God
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Or, thathe will not take hold of them in their going to and fro! so that they cannot escape
Ahmed Ali   
Or that He will not seize them as they move about, and they will not be able to elude (His grasp)
Aisha Bewley   
Or that He will not seize them on their travels, something they are powerless to prevent?
Ali Ünal   
Or that He will not seize them in the midst of their strutting about (the land in pomp and show of dominion), and they are helpless to frustrate Him
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Or that He will not seize them in the midst of their bustle, whereupon they will not be able to thwart [Him]
Hamid S. Aziz   
Or that He may not call them to account in the midst of their going to and fro, without the possibility of frustrating Him
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
Or He will (not) punish them when they are going back and forth (going about their business) and they cannot disable/escape it?
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Or that He will not call them to account in the middle of their goings back and forth, without a chance of them stopping Him
Musharraf Hussain   
or He may punish them whilst they are busy in their everyday jobs; they can’t escape Him.
Maududi   
or that He will not suddenly seize them while they are going about to and fro and they will be unable to frustrate His design
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Or that He will take them in their sleep? For they cannot stop it
Mohammad Shafi   
Or that He may not seize them while they are on the move, and so they cannot escape

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Or that He may seize them while going to and fro, because they can not tire Him.
Rashad Khalifa   
It may strike them while they are asleep; they can never escape.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Or, that He will not seize them in their going to and fro, and they will not be able to frustrate Him
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Or that He will not seize them in their going to and fro, then they will not be able to escape
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
Or He takes/receives/punishes them in their turning/returning so they are not with disabling/frustrating
Bijan Moeinian   
Do they not mind, if their punishment strikes them when they are sleeping and, therefore, incapable of escaping it? Know that they have no power to prevent the Lord’s punishment
Faridul Haque   
Or that He may seize them while they move here and there, for they cannot escape
Sher Ali   
Or that HE will not seize them in their going to and fro so that they shall not be able to frustrate HIS plans
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Or He may seize them during their movements (travelling and business trips). So, they cannot hinder Allah
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Or (do they feel secure) that He will not seize them in their going to and fro so that they shall not be able to frustrate (Him in His designs and plans)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Or that He may catch them in the midst of their going to and fro (in their jobs), so that there be no escape for them (from Allahs Punishment)

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Or that He will not seize them in their going to and fro, and they will not be able to frustrate Him
George Sale   
or that He will not chastise them while they are busied in travelling from one place to another, and in traffic? (for they shall not be able to elude the power of God,
Edward Henry Palmer   
or seize them in their going to and fro? for they cannot make Him helpless
John Medows Rodwell   
Or that He will not seize upon them in their comings and goings, while they shall not be able to resist him
N J Dawood (2014)   
Or smite them in the course of their journeys when they cannot escape

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
or that He may seize them in their movements going and coming and they are not going to escape,
Munir Mezyed   
Or that He will not capture them in their going to and fro (during their trips), whereupon they will not be able to escape?
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
Or overtake them whilst they move about, then they will not escape?
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Or [do they think] that He may not seize them in the midst of their goings to and fro, without a chance of their escape?
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Or that He will not seize them (suddenly) during their movement so that they cannot thwart (Him)?
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Or lest He should overtake them as they bustle around and they cannot prevent it,
Samy Mahdy   
Or will he take them in their daily activity fluctuation? So, they will not cause its incapacitation.
Sayyid Qutb   
Or that He will not suddenly take them to task in the midst of their comings and goings; for they can never frustrate His design?
Ahmed Hulusi   
Or that We will not seize them during their usual activity? They cannot render Allah powerless!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Or that He may not seize them during their movement, so that they shall not frustrate (Allah's wrath) .
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Or are they certain in their minds that they shall not be seized with punishment in the midst of their activities, doings or movements and they be able to escape
Mir Aneesuddin   
or that He will (not) seize them in their going to and fro, when they will not be in (a position to) frustrate (Him),

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Or that He may not call them to account in the midst of their goings to and fro, without a chance of their frustrating Him?
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Or that He may seize them in their going to and fro then not they will be able to escape
OLD Transliteration   
Aw ya/khuthahum fee taqallubihim fama hum bimuAAjizeena