Surah Al-Baqara 2:118 — translation and meaning

البقرة · Verse 118 / 286 · Page 18

ۘ ۗ ۗ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ لَوْلَا يُكَلِّمُنَا اللَّهُ أَوْ تَأْتِينَا آيَةٌ كَذَلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ تَشَابَهَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ

Word by Word

ۘ
ۗ
ۗ
وَقَالَ
waqala
And said
الَّذِينَ
alladhina
those who
لَا
la
(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَ
ya'lamuna
know
لَوْلَا
lawla
Why not
يُكَلِّمُنَا
yukallimuna
speaks to us
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
أَوْ
aw
or
تَأْتِينَا
tatina
comes to us
آيَةٌ
ayatun
a sign
كَذَلِكَ
kadhalika
Like that
قَالَ
qala
said
الَّذِينَ
alladhina
those
مِن
min
from
قَبْلِهِم
qablihim
before them
مِّثْلَ
mith'la
similar
قَوْلِهِمْ
qawlihim
their saying
تَشَابَهَتْ
tashabahat
Became alike
قُلُوبُهُمْ
qulubuhum
their hearts
قَدْ
qad
Indeed
بَيَّنَّا
bayyanna
We have made clear
الْآيَاتِ
al-ayati
the signs
لِقَوْمٍ
liqawmin
for people
يُوقِنُونَ
yuqinuna
(who) firmly believe

Transliteration

Wa qaalal lazeena laa ya'lamoona law laa yukallimunal laahu aw taateenaaa aayah; kazaalika qaalal lazeena min qablihim misla qawlihim; tashaabahat quloobuhum; qad baiyannal aayaati liqawminy yooqinoon

Translation

Those who do not know say, "Why does Allah not speak to us or there come to us a sign?" Thus spoke those before them like their words. Their hearts resemble each other. We have shown clearly the signs to a people who are certain [in faith].

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

Those without knowledge from among the People of the Scripture and the idolaters asked, in their stubbornness against the truth, why Allah did not speak to them directly, or why a miracle was not sent for them to see. Disbelieving communities said similar things to their prophets in the past: their hearts are all similar, because all disbelievers are the same, even if they are from different times and places. Allah makes His signs clear to those who are certain of the truth when it appears to them, not doubting or resisting it.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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