If We had pleased to make a plaything We could have made it Ourself, if We had cared to do so.
If We willed to choose a pastime, We could have chosen it from Ourselves – if We wanted to.
had We desired to take to Us a diversion We would have taken it to Us from Ourselves, had We done aught.
[for,] had We willed to indulge in a pastime, We would indeed have produced it from within Ourselves - if such had been Our will at all!
Had We intended that We should choose a sport, surely We would choose it from before Us--if We were ever going to do that.
Had We intended to take a pastime (i.e. a wife or a son, etc.), We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that).
If We wanted amusement, We could have found it within Us, were We to do so.
Had it been Our will to find a pastime, We would have found one near at hand; if at all We were inclined to do so.
Had We intended to take a pastime, We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that).
If We had wished to find a pastime, We could have found it in Our presence - if We ever did.
Had We desired to take up some diversion We would have taken it up with Ourselves, were We to do [so].
Had We wished to take to Us an amusement We would have taken it to Us from Ours had We done so.
Had We intended to take a diversion, We could have taken it from [what is] with Us - if [indeed] We were to do so.
Had We wanted to play games, We could have certainly done so with things at hand.
Had We wished to make a diversion, We would have made it from before Ourselves: by no means would We do (it).
Law aradn<u>a</u> an nattakhi<u>th</u>a lahwan la<b>i</b>ttakha<u>th</u>n<u>a</u>hu min ladunn<u>a</u> in kunn<u>a</u> f<u>a</u>AAileen<b>a</b>
Had We wished to find a pastime, We would surely have found it in that which is with Us, if such had been Our will.
If it had been Our wish to take (just) a pastime, We should surely have taken it from the things nearest to Us, if We would do (such a thing)!
لَوْ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْوًا لَّٱتَّخَذْنَٰهُ مِن لَّدُنَّآ إِن كُنَّا فَٰعِلِينَ
If I wanted to take a wife or child, I would have done so on My own part. But I did not do this as I am pure of this.
If I wanted to take a wife or child, I would have done so on My own part. But I did not do this as I am pure of this.
<p>لَوْ أَرَ‌دْنَا أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْوًا لَّاتَّخَذْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا إِن كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ (Had We intended to have a pastime, We would have had it from Our own, if We were to do so. - 21:17) It means that if We were to create something for amusement, there was no need to create the earth and the sky, and We could have done so from the things around Us.</p><p>In Arabic language the word لَو is used for imaginary and non-existent things. Here also it is used in the same sense i.e. those foolish people who regard all the wonderful things of the earth and the sky objects of fun and frolic do not realize that creation on such a gigantic scale cannot be undertaken for amusement. The suggestion here is that even a person of ordinary common sense would not indulge in a project which has no serious purpose, to say nothing of Allah Ta` ala who is Supreme and Exalted.</p><p>The commonly accepted meaning of لَھو is a purposeless pastime, and this meaning has been adopted in translating this verse. According to some commentators this word لَھو is also used sometimes for wife or children in which case the meaning of the verse would be a denial of the belief of the Jews and Christians, who thought that Sayyidna ` Uzair and Sayyidna Masih (علیہما السلام) were God's sons. If Allah wished to have children why should they be from humans and not from other creatures around Him. (Allah knows best).</p>
لَوْ أَرَ‌دْنَا أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْوًا لَّاتَّخَذْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا إِن كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ (Had We intended to have a pastime, We would have had it from Our own, if We were to do so. - 21:17) It means that if We were to create something for amusement, there was no need to create the earth and the sky, and We could have done so from the things around Us.In Arabic language the word لَو is used for imaginary and non-existent things. Here also it is used in the same sense i.e. those foolish people who regard all the wonderful things of the earth and the sky objects of fun and frolic do not realize that creation on such a gigantic scale cannot be undertaken for amusement. The suggestion here is that even a person of ordinary common sense would not indulge in a project which has no serious purpose, to say nothing of Allah Ta` ala who is Supreme and Exalted.The commonly accepted meaning of لَھو is a purposeless pastime, and this meaning has been adopted in translating this verse. According to some commentators this word لَھو is also used sometimes for wife or children in which case the meaning of the verse would be a denial of the belief of the Jews and Christians, who thought that Sayyidna ` Uzair and Sayyidna Masih (علیہما السلام) were God's sons. If Allah wished to have children why should they be from humans and not from other creatures around Him. (Allah knows best).