←Prev   Ayah al-Anbiya` (The Prophets) 21:16   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
AND [know that] We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in mere idle play
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything in between for sport.
Safi Kaskas   
We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in play;

Listen: 
Did you notice?

 You can SEARCH IslamAwakened: 

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَاۤءَ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَیۡنَهُمَا لَـٰعِبِینَ ۝١٦
Transliteration (2021)   
wamā khalaqnā l-samāa wal-arḍa wamā baynahumā lāʿibīn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And not We created the heavens and the earth and what (is) between them (for) playing.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
AND [know that] We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in mere idle play
M. M. Pickthall   
We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them in play
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything in between for sport.
Safi Kaskas   
We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in play;
Wahiduddin Khan   
It was not in play that We created the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them
Shakir   
And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them for sport
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And We created not the heavens and the earth and what is between them as ones in play.
T.B.Irving   
We did not create Heaven and Earth and whatever lies in between them while just playing around.
Abdul Hye   
We have not created the heavens, the earth, and all that lies between them as a game.
The Study Quran   
And We did not create Heaven and earth and whatsoever is between them in play
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
We didn’t create the heavens, the earth, and everything in between for a pastime.
Talal Itani (2012)   
We did not create the sky and the earth and what is between them for amusement
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And We created not the heaven and the earth, and what is between the two, as those involved in play and sport
M. Farook Malik   
Our creation of the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them is not a game
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And in no way did We create the heaven and the earth and whatever is between them as playing
Muhammad Sarwar   
We did not create the heavens and the earth just for fun
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
We did not create the heavens and the earth and what lies between them for play
Shabbir Ahmed   
We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them without Purpose. (11:7), (45:22), (53:31)
Dr. Munir Munshey   
We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything in between as an amusement (and a pastime)
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And not for play did We create the heavens and earth and all that is between
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And We did not create the heaven and earth and that between them in play
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And We did not create the heavens and the Earth and what is between them for entertainment
Abdel Haleem   
We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them playfully
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And We created not the heaven and the earth and that which is in between in play
Ahmed Ali   
We have not created the heavens and the earth, and all that lies between them, out of fun
Aisha Bewley   
We did not create heaven and earth and everything in between them as a game.
Ali Ünal   
We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them as a play and game for Us
Ali Quli Qara'i   
We did not create the sky and the earth and whatever is between them for play
Hamid S. Aziz   
We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between the two in play
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And We did not create the skies and the earth and what is between them to play around.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
We did not create the heavens and the earth for fun, nor all that is in between
Musharraf Hussain   
We didn’t create the Heavens and the Earth and what is between the two as a sport.
Maududi   
We did not create in sport the heavens and the earth and all that lies between the two
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
AndWe did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them for entertainment.
Mohammad Shafi   
And We did not create the heavens and the earth, and what is between them, for fun

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And We made not the heavens and the earth and whatever is between the two in vain.
Rashad Khalifa   
We did not create the heavens and the earth, and everything between them just for amusement.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
It was not in play that We created the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And We created not the heaven and the earth and what is between them for sport
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
And We did not create the skies/space and the earth/Planet Earth and what (is) between them (B) playing/amusin
Bijan Moeinian   
Know that I have not created the heavens, the earth, and whatever there is between just for fun
Faridul Haque   
And We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, unnecessarily
Sher Ali   
And WE created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between the two in sport
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And We have not created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them (useless) as a sport
Amatul Rahman Omar   
We did not create the heaven and the earth and all that is between the two in idle sport
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them for a (mere) play

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
We created not the heaven and the earth, and whatsoever between them is, as playing
George Sale   
We created not the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them, by way of sport
Edward Henry Palmer   
We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between the two in play
John Medows Rodwell   
We created not the heaven and the earth, and what is between them, for sport
N J Dawood (2014)   
And it was not in sport that We created the heaven and the earth and all that lies between them.

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them in playful sport.
Munir Mezyed   
And We didn’t create the heavens, the earth and all that is between them in vain.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
And We did not create the heaven and earth and what is between as a pastime.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
And in no way did We create the sky and the earth and what is between them playfully.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
We did not create the skies and Earth and all among them simply as a sport.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
We did not create Heaven and Earth and whatever lies in between them while just playing around.
Samy Mahdy   
silent harvest.
Sayyid Qutb   
We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in mere idle play.
Thomas Cleary   
And not in play did We create heaven and earth and all that is between them.
Ahmed Hulusi   
And We did not create the heaven and the earth and everything in between them as a game (they have great functions)!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between them in play
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
We never created the heavens and the earth and all that is between just for fun
Mir Aneesuddin   
So, that call of theirs did not cease till We made them (as) reaped (corn), motionless.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And not We created the heavens and the earth and what (is) between them (for) playing
OLD Transliteration   
Wama khalaqna alssamaa waal-arda wama baynahuma laAAibeena