FRIDAY NOTES (16/10/2026) FROM THE QURAN - ASAATEERU AL-AWWALEEN OR TALES FROM THE PAST

 

Non Muslims can skip this. But it is a one minute read.

Surah 25:5   وَقَالُوا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ اكْتَتَبَهَا فَهِيَ تُمْلَى عَلَيْهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا  and here are ELEVEN different translators of this verse:

1. Mohammad Shaikh Literal: And they said: "The first's/beginner's myths/baseless stories, he wrote it, so it is being dictated on (to) him early mornings and evening to sunset ."

2. Yusuf Ali And they say: "Tales of the ancients, which he has caused to be written: and they are dictated before him morning and evening."

3. Shakir And they say: The stories of the ancients-- he has got them written-- so these are read out to him morning and evening.

4. Sarwar They have also said, "It ,(the Quran), is only ancient legends, which were written down while they were dictated to him in the mornings and the evenings".

5. H/K/Saheeh And they say, Legends of the former peoples which he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon.

6. Malik And they say: "These are the stories of the ancients which he has copied down from what is read to him day and night."

7. Free Minds And they said: "Tales of the people of old, he wrote them down while they were being dictated to him morning and evening."

8. Qaribullah They say: 'He has written tales of the ancients, they are recited to him at dawn and at the evening. '

9. JM Rodwell And they say, "Tales of the ancients that he hath put in writing! and they were dictated to him morn and even."

10. Hilali/Khan And they say: "Tales of the ancients, which he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon."

11. QXP Shabbir Ahmed And they say, "Fables of ancient times which he has written down as they are dictated to him morning and evening."

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT