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←Prev   Ayah al-Anbiya` (The Prophets) 21:23   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
He cannot be called to account for whatever He does, whereas they will be called to account
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
He cannot be questioned about what He does, but they will ˹all˺ be questioned.
Safi Kaskas   
He will not be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُون
Transliteration (2021)   
lā yus'alu ʿammā yafʿalu wahum yus'alūn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more   
Not He (can) be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
He cannot be called to account for whatever He does, whereas they will be called to account
M. M. Pickthall   
He will not be questioned as to that which He doeth, but they will be questioned
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs)
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
He cannot be questioned about what He does, but they will ˹all˺ be questioned.
Safi Kaskas   
He will not be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.
Wahiduddin Khan   
None shall question Him about His works, but they shall be questioned
Shakir   
He cannot be questioned concerning what He does and they shall be questioned
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
He will not be asked as to what He accomplishes, but they will be asked.
T.B.Irving   
He will not be questioned about what He does, while they shall be so questioned.
Abdul Hye   
He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned.
The Study Quran   
He shall not be questioned about what He does, but they shall be questioned
Dr. Kamal Omar   
He is not put to question regarding what He does but they would be questioned (about their deeds)
Farook Malik   
He is accountable to none about what He does, but they are accountable to Him
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
He will not be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
He will not be questioned as (to) what He performs, and they will be questioned
Muhammad Sarwar   
He will not be questioned about anything He does, but all people will be questioned about their deeds
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
He is not questioned of what He does, and they are questioned
Shabbir Ahmed   
(The Ultimate Sovereignty, befits only Him.) He cannot be called to account for what He does, whereas they will be called to account
Dr. Munir Munshey   
He is not answerable for His actions, while all others are (to Him)
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
He cannot be questioned for His actions, but they will be questioned (for theirs)
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
He is not questioned about what He does, while they will be questioned
Abdel Haleem   
He cannot be called to account for anything He does, whereas they will be called to account
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
He shall be questioned not as to that which He doth, while they shall be questioned
Ahmed Ali   
He cannot be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned
Aisha Bewley   
He will not be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.
Ali Ünal   
He cannot be called to account for whatever He does, but their false deities (they have adopted from among conscious beings) are accountable
Ali Quli Qara'i   
He is not questioned concerning what He does, but they are questioned
Hamid S. Aziz   
He can not be questioned concerning what He does, but They shall be questioned
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
He is not questioned about what He does, while they are questioned
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned for theirs
Musharraf Hussain   
He won’t be questioned about what He does, but they’ll be questioned!
Maududi   
None shall question Him about what He does, but they shall be questioned
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
He is not questioned about what He does, while they will be questioned.
Mohammad Shafi   
He cannot be questioned concerning what He does but they (human beings) shall be

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
He is not questioned as to what He does, while they all shall be questioned.
Rashad Khalifa   
He is never to be asked about anything He does, while all others are questioned.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
He is not to be questioned about what He does, but they shall be questioned
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
He cannot be questioned as to what He does, and they will be questioned
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
(He is) not to be asked/questioned about what He makes/does, and they are being asked/questioned
Bijan Moeinian   
God is never to be asked about what He does. He is the one who questions
Faridul Haque   
He is not questioned whatever He does, whereas they will all be questioned
Sher Ali   
HE cannot be questioned as to what HE does, but they will be questioned
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
He cannot be questioned for what He does and they will be questioned (for every action)
Amatul Rahman Omar   
He cannot be questioned for what He does, (because the cause for an objection does not exist,) whereas all (others) will be questioned (for what they do)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
He shall not be questioned as to what He does, but they shall he questioned
George Sale   
No account shall be demanded of Him for what He shall do; but an account shall be demanded of them
Edward Henry Palmer   
He shall not be questioned concerning what He does, but they shall be questioned
John Medows Rodwell   
He shall not be asked of his doings, but they shall be asked
N J Dawood (2014)   
None shall question Him about His works, but questioned they shall be

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
He will not be questioned about what He does, while they shall be so questioned.
Sayyid Qutb   
He cannot be questioned about whatever He does, whereas they shall be questioned.
Ahmed Hulusi   
He is not questioned (called to account) for what He does! But they will be questioned (they will live the consequences of their actions)!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
He (Allah) will not be questioned as to what He does, but they will be questioned (for their deeds)
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
He is never questioned or examined judicially for whatever He does, whereas they as a whole shall have much to answer for
Mir Aneesuddin   
Had there been (other) gods in the (skies and the earth), besides Allah, there would have been disorder, both (in the skies and the earth). So glorified be Allah, the Lord of the throne (of the universe). (He is high above) that which they describe.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs)
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Not He (can) be questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned