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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
Say: "God knows best how long they remained [there]. His [alone] is the knowledge of the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth: how well does He see and hear! No guardian have they apart from Him, since He allots to no one a share in His rule!"
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him ˹alone˺ is ˹the knowledge of˺ the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How perfectly He hears and sees! They have no guardian besides Him, and He shares His command with none.”
Safi Kaskas   
Say, "God knows best how long they remained. All that is beyond our senses, in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him. How perfectly He sees, and how perfectly He Hears! They have no protector besides Him, and He does not share His rule with anyone."

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
قُلِ ٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُوا۟ۖ لَهُۥ غَیۡبُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ أَبۡصِرۡ بِهِۦ وَأَسۡمِعۡۚ مَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِیࣲّ وَلَا یُشۡرِكُ فِی حُكۡمِهِۦۤ أَحَدࣰا ۝٢٦
Transliteration (2021)   
quli l-lahu aʿlamu bimā labithū lahu ghaybu l-samāwāti wal-arḍi abṣir bihi wa-asmiʿ mā lahum min dūnihi min waliyyin walā yush'riku fī ḥuk'mihi aḥada
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Say, "Allah knows best about what (period) they remained. For Him (is the) unseen (of) the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees! [of it] And how clearly He hears! Not for them from besides Him any protector, and not He shares [in] His Commands (with) anyone."

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
Say: "God knows best how long they remained [there]. His [alone] is the knowledge of the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth: how well does He see and hear! No guardian have they apart from Him, since He allots to no one a share in His rule!"
M. M. Pickthall   
Say: Allah is Best Aware how long they tarried. His is the Invisible of the heavens and the earth. How clear of sight is He and keen of hearing! They have no protecting friend beside Him, and He maketh none to share in His government
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed: with Him is (the knowledge of) the secrets of the heavens and the earth: how clearly He sees, how finely He hears (everything)! They have no protector other than Him; nor does He share His Command with any person whatsoever
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him ˹alone˺ is ˹the knowledge of˺ the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How perfectly He hears and sees! They have no guardian besides Him, and He shares His command with none.”
Safi Kaskas   
Say, "God knows best how long they remained. All that is beyond our senses, in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him. How perfectly He sees, and how perfectly He Hears! They have no protector besides Him, and He does not share His rule with anyone."
Wahiduddin Khan   
Say, God knows best how long they stayed in it. Only God has knowledge of the unseen in the heavens and on the earth. How well He sees and how well He hears! Man has no other guardian besides Him. He allows none to share His sovereignty
Shakir   
Say: Allah knows best how long they remained; to Him are (known) the unseen things of the heavens and the earth; how clear His sight and how clear His hearing! There is none to be a guardian for them besides Him, and He does not make any one His associate in His Judgment
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Say: God is greater in knowledge of how long they lingered in expectation. And to Him belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How well He perceives and how well He hears! Other than him, they have no protector and He ascribes no one partners in His determination.
T.B.Irving   
SAY: "God is quite Aware as to how long they stayed [there]. He holds the Unseen in Heaven and Earth; He is quite Observant of it, quite Alert as well. They have no patron besides Him, nor does He let anyone else share in His discretion."
Abdul Hye   
(O Muhammad) say: “Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him is (the knowledge of) the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees with it and how clearly He hears! They did not have any helper other than Him, and He does not share in His Decision and rule with anyone.”
The Study Quran   
Say, “God knows best how long they tarried. Unto Him belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. How well He sees, how well He hears! They have no protector apart from Him, and He makes no one a partner unto Him in His Judgment.
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Say, “God knows best how long they stayed.” His are the mysteries of the heavens and the earth. His sight is perfect, His hearing is perfect. They have no protector against Him, and He shares His rule with no one.
Talal Itani (2012)   
Say, 'God knows best how long they stayed.' His is the mystery of the heavens and the earth. By Him you see and hear. They have no guardian apart from Him, and He shares His Sovereignty with no one
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Say: “Allah knows better how long they stayed. With Him is (the knowledge of) the unseen of the heavens and the earth. You should see and show through it and you should make people hear (through it, i.e., through the contents of the Book of Allah). There is not for them, besides Him, out of a wali. And He does not allow to share in His Decision (or Verdict), any one
M. Farook Malik   
O Prophet, say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed; He is the One Who knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth; sharp is His sight and keen His hearing! They have no protector besides Him and He does not let anyone share in His command
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
Say, " Allah knows best how long they lingered. To Him (belongs) the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. How well He beholds, and how well He hears!" In no way do they have any patron apart from Him, and He does not associate in His judgment anyone
Muhammad Sarwar   
(Muhammad), say, "God knows best how long they stayed there; to Him belongs the unseen of both the heavens and the earth. How clear is His sight and how keen His hearing! No one other than Him is their guardian and no one shares His Judgment
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Say, .Allah knows best how long they stayed. To Him belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth - how well He sees and how well He hears! They have no supporter other than Him and He lets no one share His authority
Shabbir Ahmed   
Say, "Allah knows best how long they remained there." His alone is the knowledge of the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth. How well does He see and hear! They have no guardian apart from Him and He allots no one a share in His Rule
Dr. Munir Munshey   
And say, "Allah knows exactly how long they stayed! To Him belong the secrets of the heavens and the earth! He hears (everything) clearly, and He sees (everything) plainly. They have no patrons besides Him, and He includes none in His decisions and domain."
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
(O Prophet!) say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed: With Him is (the knowledge of) the secrets of the heavens and of the earth: How clearly He sees, how finely He hears! They have no protector other than Him; And He does not share His command and His rule with anyone (whomsoever)."
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Say, " Allah is most knowing of how long they remained. He has [knowledge of] the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth. How Seeing is He and how Hearing! They have not besides Him any protector, and He shares not His legislation with anyone."
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Say: "God is fully aware how long they remained, to Him is the unseen of heavens and Earth, He sees and hears. They do not have besides Him any ally, nor does He share in His judgment with anyone."
Abdel Haleem   
Say [Prophet], ‘God knows best how long they stayed.’ His is the knowledge of all that is hidden in the heavens and earth- How well He sees! How well He hears!- and they have no one to protect them other than Him; He does not allow anyone to share His rule
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Say thou: Allah knoweth best how long they tarried; His alone is the hidden knowledge of the heavens and the earth. How well He seeth and heareth. They have no patron beside Him, nor in His rule He associateth anyone
Ahmed Ali   
You say: "God only knows how long they stayed. He alone knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth. How distinctly He sees and hears! They have no other guardian but Him, and He does not share His authority with any one."
Aisha Bewley   
Say: ´Allah knows best how long they stayed. The Unseen of the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. How perfectly He sees, how well He hears! They have no protector apart from Him. Nor does He share His rule with anyone.´
Ali Ünal   
Say: "God knows better how long they stayed. To Him belongs (absolute dominion and full knowledge of) the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How perfect His seeing and how perfect His hearing! And they have apart from Him no guardian, and He allots to no one a share in His absolute authority
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Say, ‘Allah knows best how long they remained. To Him belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. How well does He see! How well does He hear! They have no guardian besides Him, and none shares with Him in His judgement.’
Hamid S. Aziz   
Say, "Allah knows best how long they stayed. His are the unseen things of the heavens and the earth. How clear of Sight is He, and how keen of Hearing!" They have no patron beside Him, nor does He let any one share in His Sovereignty (or Comman
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
Say: “God knows better how long they stayed, the unseen of the skies and the earth belongs to Him, and how well He sees and He hears! They do not have any protector other than Him, and He does not make anyone partner in His command (and statute).”
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Say, “God knows best how long they stayed. With Him are the secrets of the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees, how well He hears. They have no protector other than Him, nor does He share His command with anyone.
Musharraf Hussain   
Say: “only Allah knows exactly how long they stayed. He has the knowledge of the unseen in the Heavens and the Earth. How wonderful is His Seeing and Hearing. They have no helper beside Him, and He does not allow anyone to share His rule.”
Maududi   
Say: "Allah knows best how long they remained in it, for only He knows all that is hidden in the heavens and the earth. How well He sees; how well He hears! The creatures have no other guardian than Him; He allows none to share His authority."
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Say: "God is fully aware how long they remained, to Him is the unseen of the heavens and the earth, He sees and hears. They do not have besides Him any ally, and He does not share in His judgment with anyone."
Mohammad Shafi   
Say, "Allah knows how long they remained. To Him belong secrets of the heavens and the earth. HE sees them and He hears! There is no walih for them besides Him, and He does not share His Sovereignty with any one."

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Say you, 'Allah knows well, how long they stayed. For Him alone is all the unseen of heavens and earth. What excellent He sees and what excellent He hears. They have no protector beside Him and He associates no one in His order.
Rashad Khalifa   
Say, "GOD is the best knower of how long they stayed there." He knows all secrets in the heavens and the earth. By His grace you can see; by His grace you can hear. There is none beside Him as Lord and Master, and He never permits any partners to share in His kingship.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Say: 'None but Allah knows how long they stayed. To Him belong the Unseen in the heavens and the earth. How well He sees, and how well He hears!They have no other guardian, other than Him, and He allows no one (to share) His rule.
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Say: Allah knows best how long they remained. His is the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How clear His sight and His hearing! There is no guardian for them beside Him, and He associates none in His judgment
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
Say: "God (is) more knowledgeable with what they stayed/remained , for Him (are) the skies'/space's and the earth's/Planet Earth's unseen/invisible , see/look/understand with Him, and make (to) hear/listen, (there is) none for them from other than Him (as a) guardian/ally , and He does not share/make partners in His judgment/rule anyone
Bijan Moeinian   
Say: “Only God knows exactly how many years they were in the cave. He knows every secret of the unseen, the heavens and the earth. He has the perfect sight and hearing capability. As a matter of fact, there is no guardian for the disbelievers besides Him as He does not let anyone to intervene in His passing the judgment
Faridul Haque   
Say, "Allah well knows how long they stayed; for Him only are the hidden of the heavens and the earth; how well He sees and hears! They do not have any supporter besides Him; and He does not associate anyone in His command."
Sher Ali   
Say, `ALLAH knows best how long they tarried.' To HIM belong the secrets of the heavens and the earth. How Seeing is HE, and how Hearing ! They have no helper beside HIM, and HE does not let anyone share in HIS judgment
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Say: ‘Allah is the One Who knows best for how long they remained (there).’ He alone knows (all) the secrets of the heavens and the earth. How well He sees and how well He hears! They have no protector besides Him, nor does He share His sovereignty with anyone
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Say, `Allah knows best how long they stayed. To Him belong the hidden realities in the heavens and the earth. How clear He sees and how well He hears! They have no helper beside Him. He lets none associate with Him and share His judgment
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him is (the knowledge of) the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees, and hears (everything)! They have no Walee (Helper, Disposer of affairs, Protector, etc.) other than Him, and He makes none to share in His Decision and His Rule."

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Say: 'God knows very well how long they tarried. To Him belongs the Unseen in the heavens and in the earth. How well He sees! How well He hears! They have no protector, apart from Him, and He associates in His government no one.
George Sale   
Say, God best knoweth how long they continued there: Unto Him are the secrets of heaven and earth known; do thou make him to see and to hear. The inhabitants thereof have no protector besides Him; neither doth He suffer any one to have a share in the establishment or knowledge of his decree
Edward Henry Palmer   
Say, 'God knows best of their tarrying. His are the unseen things of the heavens and the earth - He can see! and hear!' They have no patron beside Him, nor does He let any one share in His judgment
John Medows Rodwell   
SAY: God best knoweth how long they tarried: With Him are the secrets of the Heavens and of the Earth: Look thou and hearken unto Him alone. Man hath no guardian but Him, and none may bear part in his judgments:
N J Dawood (2014)   
Say: ‘God knows best how long they stayed. His are the secrets of the heavens and the earth. Clear is His sight, and keen His hearing. They have no other guardian besides Him. He allows none to share His sovereignty.‘

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
Say, “Allah knows best how long they stayed. For Him is the invisible kingdom of the heavens and the earth. How perfectly He sees and how perfectly He hears. There is no ally for them besides Him and He does not make anyone His associate in His authority.”
Munir Mezyed   
Say: "Allâh knows best how long they tarried, for He is the One who has the complete knowledge of the unseen of Heavens and Earth. Lo! How perfectly He sees and hears (everything)! They have no guardian other than Him, and He associates none in His resolution and judgment.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
Say: Allah knows best how long they stayed, His is the unseen of the heavens and the earth, He sees and hears all; they have no protector besides Him nor does He share His judgement with anyone.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Say, “Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him are the secrets of the skies and Earth. How clearly He sees! How perfectly He hears! They have no protector other than Him. He does not share His command with any other.”
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Saysg, “Allah knows better how long they remained; to Him belongs the hidden realm of the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees and how finely He hears! They have no guardian apart from Him, and He does not associate anyone in His judgment.”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
SAY: "Allah (God) is quite Aware as to how long they stayed [there]. He holds the Unseen in Heaven and Earth; He is quite Observant of it, quite Alert as well. They have no patron besides Him, nor does He let anyone else share in His discretion."
Samy Mahdy   
Say, “Allah is knower with what they tarried.” For Him the skies’ unseen and the earth. By Him see and hear. They have not without Him among a guardian, and He does not share in His judgment, a one.
Sayyid Qutb   
Say: 'God knows best how long they remained there. His alone is the knowledge of the secrets of the heavens and earth. How well does He see and hear! No guardian have they apart from Him; nor does He allot to anyone a share in His rule.'
Ahmed Hulusi   
Say, “Allah knows best how long they remained... To Him belongs the unknown (aspects) of the heavens and the earth! He is One whose sight and hearing cannot be comprehended with the mind! They have no friend or guardian besides Him! And there is none to share His verdict!”
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Say: 'Allah knows best how long they remained. To Allah belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth. How clear of sight is He and keen of hearing! There is none to be a guardian for them besides Him; and He makes none to share in His Sovereignt
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Say to them O Muhammad: "Allah alone knows how long they stayed in the cave. Knowledge of the mysteries of the heavens and the earth is a divine prerogative attributed only to Allah. How infinite is His vision arid how unlimited is His audition. Besides Him. People have no tutelary guardian. His Authority, Sovereignty and Command are absolute and independent and no one does He permit to go shares with Him in any measure or degree
Mir Aneesuddin   
Say, “Allah knows best how long they stayed, His is the unseen of the skies and the earth, how clear His sight and how clear His hearing. They have no guardian besides Him and He makes none to share His commandment.”

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Say: "God knows best how long they stayed: with Him is (the knowledge of) the secrets of the heavens and the earth: how clearly He sees, how finely He hears (everything)! They have no protector other than Him; nor does He share His Command wit h any person whatsoever
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Say, "Allah knows best about what (period) they remained. For Him (is the) unseen (of) the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees! [of it] And how clearly He hears! Not for them besides Him any protector, and not He shares [in] His Commands (with) anyone.
OLD Transliteration   
Quli Allahu aAAlamu bima labithoo lahu ghaybu alssamawati waal-ardi absir bihi waasmiAA ma lahum min doonihi min waliyyin wala yushriku fee hukmihi ahadan