waqāla alladhīna lā yaʿlamūna lawlā yukallimunā l-lahu aw tatīnā āyatun kadhālika qāla alladhīna min qablihim mith'la qawlihim tashābahat qulūbuhum qad bayyannā l-āyāti liqawmin yūqinūna
Translation
Those who do not know say, "Why does Allāh not speak to us or there come to us a sign?" Thus spoke those before them like their words. Their hearts resemble each other. We have shown clearly the signs to a people who are certain [in faith].
Verse 118 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:118), a Medinan surah, is in juz 1, on page 18 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 69 reciters.
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Tafsir of verse 118
Al-Mukhtasar
Those without knowledge from among the People of the Scripture and the idolaters asked, in their stubbornness against the truth, why Allah did not speak to them directly, or why a miracle was not sent for them to see. Disbelieving communities said similar things to their prophets in the past: their hearts are all similar, because all disbelievers are the same, even if they are from different times and places. Allah makes His signs clear to those who are certain of the truth when it appears to them, not doubting or resisting it.
Those who have no knowledge50 say, “If only Allah would speak to us or a sign be given to us.” Those who came before them said similar words. Their hearts are all alike. We have made the signs clear to people who have sure faith.
Notes
[50] These are from Arab pagans and from the people of the Book, elsewhere called ‘the illiterates’.
And those who have no knowledge say: "Why does not Allâh speak to us (face to face) or why does not a sign come to us?" So said the people before them words of similar import. Their hearts are alike, We have indeed made plain the signs for people who believe with certainty.
And those who have no knowledge say: Why doth not Allah speak unto us, or some sign come unto us? Even thus, as they now speak, spake those (who were) before them. Their hearts are all alike. We have made clear the revelations for people who are sure.
Say those without knowledge: "Why speaketh not Allah unto us? or why cometh not unto us a Sign?" So said the people before them words of similar import. Their hearts are alike. We have indeed made clear the Signs unto any people who hold firmly to Faith (in their hearts).
And those who have no knowledge say: Why does not Allah speak to us or a sign come to us? Even thus said those before them, the like of what they say; their hearts are all alike. Indeed We have made the communications clear for a people who are sure.
And they that do not know have said, "if (only) Allah had spoken to us or a sign had come up to us." Thus did the ones even before them say the like of their saying. Their hearts resemble each other. We have already made evident the signs for a people that have certitude.
And thus We have placed within every city the greatest of its criminals to conspire therein. But they conspire not except against themselves, and they perceive [it] not.
