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An-Naml (النمل)

Quran 27:21 — Surah An-Naml, Verse 21

Chapter 27 · The Ant · Juz 19

21

لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُۥ عَذَابًۭا شَدِيدًا أَوْ لَأَا۟ذْبَحَنَّهُۥٓ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّى بِسُلْطَٰنٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ

La-u'azzibanahoo 'azaaban shadeedan aw la azbahannahoo aw layaatiyannee bisultaanim mubeen

I will surely punish him with a severe punishment or slaughter him unless he brings me clear authorization."

Quran 27:21 — Surah An-Naml

About This Verse

This is verse 21 of 93 in Surah An-Naml (النمل), meaning “The Ant”. It is a Meccan surah — revealed in Makkah before the Hijrah. This verse is located in Juz 19 (Part 19) of the Quran.

Surah An-Naml is the 27th chapter of the Holy Quran and contains 93 verses (ayat). You can listen to this surah with audio recitation and follow along with transliteration on QuranMakkah.com.

How to Read Quran 27:21

To pronounce this verse, follow the transliteration below. Each syllable represents the Arabic sounds written in Latin letters:

La-u'azzibanahoo 'azaaban shadeedan aw la azbahannahoo aw layaatiyannee bisultaanim mubeen

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Surrounding Verses

19

فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًۭا مِّن قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَٰلِحًۭا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِى بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِى عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ

So [Solomon] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants."

20

وَتَفَقَّدَ ٱلطَّيْرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِىَ لَآ أَرَى ٱلْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْغَآئِبِينَ

And he took attendance of the birds and said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe - or is he among the absent?

21

لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُۥ عَذَابًۭا شَدِيدًا أَوْ لَأَا۟ذْبَحَنَّهُۥٓ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّى بِسُلْطَٰنٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ

I will surely punish him with a severe punishment or slaughter him unless he brings me clear authorization."

22

فَمَكَثَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍۢ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِۦ وَجِئْتُكَ مِن سَبَإٍۭ بِنَبَإٍۢ يَقِينٍ

But the hoopoe stayed not long and said, "I have encompassed [in knowledge] that which you have not encompassed, and I have come to you from Sheba with certain news.

23

إِنِّى وَجَدتُّ ٱمْرَأَةًۭ تَمْلِكُهُمْ وَأُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ وَلَهَا عَرْشٌ عَظِيمٌۭ

Indeed, I found [there] a woman ruling them, and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne.