Surah Al-Baqara 2:255 — translation and meaning

البقرة · Verse 255 / 286 · Page 42

ۚ ۚ ۖ ۚ ۖ ۚ ۗ ۚ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

Word by Word

ۚ
ۚ
ۖ
ۚ
ۖ
ۚ
ۗ
ۚ
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
لَا
la
(there is) no
إِلَهَ
ilaha
God
إِلَّا
illa
except
هُوَ
huwa
Him
الْحَيُّ
al-hayu
the Ever-Living
الْقَيُّومُ
al-qayumu
the Sustainer of all that exists
لَا
la
Not
تَأْخُذُهُ
takhudhuhu
overtakes Him
سِنَةٌ
sinatun
slumber
وَلَا
wala
[and] not
نَوْمٌ
nawmun
sleep
لَّهُ
lahu
To Him (belongs)
مَا
ma
what(ever)
فِي
fi
(is) in
السَّمَاوَاتِ
al-samawati
the heavens
وَمَا
wama
and what(ever)
فِي
fi
(is) in
الْأَرْضِ
al-ardi
the earth
مَن
man
Who
ذَا
dha
(is) the one
الَّذِي
alladhi
who
يَشْفَعُ
yashfa'u
(can) intercede
عِندَهُ
indahu
with Him
إِلَّا
illa
except
بِإِذْنِهِ
bi-idh'nihi
by His permission
يَعْلَمُ
ya'lamu
He knows
مَا
ma
what
بَيْنَ
bayna
(is)
أَيْدِيهِمْ
aydihim
before them
وَمَا
wama
and what
خَلْفَهُمْ
khalfahum
(is) behind them
وَلَا
wala
And not
يُحِيطُونَ
yuhituna
they encompass
بِشَيْءٍ
bishayin
anything
مِّنْ
min
of
عِلْمِهِ
il'mihi
His Knowledge
إِلَّا
illa
except
بِمَا
bima
[of] what
شَاءَ
shaa
He willed
وَسِعَ
wasi'a
Extends
كُرْسِيُّهُ
kur'siyyuhu
His Throne
السَّمَاوَاتِ
al-samawati
(to) the heavens
وَالْأَرْضَ
wal-arda
and the earth
وَلَا
wala
And not
يَئُودُهُ
yauduhu
tires Him
حِفْظُهُمَا
hif'zuhuma
(the) guarding of both of them
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
الْعَلِيُّ
al-'aliyu
(is) the Most High
الْعَظِيمُ
al-'azimu
the Most Great

Transliteration

Allahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwal Haiyul Qaiyoom; laa taakhuzuhoo sinatunw wa laa nawm; lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; man zal lazee yashfa'u indahooo illaa bi-iznih; ya'lamu maa baina aydeehim wa mww khalfahum wa laa yuheetoona bishai'im min 'ilmihee illaa bimaa shaaa'; wasi'a Kursiyyuhus samaawaati wal arda wa laa ya'ooduho hifzuhumaa; wa Huwal Aliyyul 'Azeem

Translation

Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

Allah is the One Who alone deserves to be worshipped. He is the One who lives perfectly without any death or deficiency. He exists by Himself and is not in need of any of His creation. The creation only exists through Him and is always in need of Him. Drowsiness or sleep does not come upon Him due to the perfection of His life and existence. He alone controls the heavens and the earth. No one can intercede before Him without His acceptance and permission. He knows what has happened in the past and what will happen in the future. The creation has no share in His knowledge unless He wills to grant them some of it. His Throne covers the vastness of the heavens and the earth. It is not difficult for Him to preserve the heaven and the earth. He is High in His essence and attributes and Great in His dominion and authority.

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

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