Alim - Islamic software for Quran and Hadith
Back arrow Back
Bookmark iconBookmarks
Bookmark iconTranslation settings
Bookmark iconArabic font settings
Bookmark iconEnglish font settings
Bookmark iconReset global font settings
Login
  • Al-Qur'anKids Qur'anAl Qur'an RecitersAl Qur'an VideosAl Qur'an TranslationsAl Qur'an Compare TranslationAl Qur'an TafsirAl-Quran Surah InformationAppendix
  • Hadith CollectionAl-Muwatta HadithFiqh-us-SunnahSahih Bukhari HadithSahih Muslim HadithNawawi HadithAl-TirmidhiHadith QudsiSunan of Abu Dawood HadithSunan an-Nasai HadithSunan Ibn Majah Hadith
  • Islamic HistoryAbout IslamKhalifa Abu BakrKhalifa Umar bin al-KhattabKhalifa Uthman ibn AffanKhalifa Ali bin Abu TalibProphet CompanionsStories of ProphetsHistory TimelineIslam PostersIslamic Terms DictionaryProphet's Last SermonPilgrimage
  • Duas CollectionQur'anic DuasMasnoon (Prophetic) DuasRamadan Days
  • Discussions
  • Search
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
What's new Donate Contact Us Alim Mobile App
mobile app svg

Surah 4. An-Nisaa'

Home ➜
Al-Qur'an ➜
Previous Next
Your browser does not support the audio element.

Qur'an

Translation

Home ➜
Al-Qur'an ➜
Alim - Islamic software for Quran and Hadith
Loding surahs.
Loding juz list.
Loding page list.

Your search did not yield any results.

Print
4:46
مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَٰعِنَا لَيًّۢا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ وَٱنظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَـٰكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا Mina alla th eena h a doo yu h arrifoona alkalima AAan maw ad iAAihi wayaqooloona samiAAn a waAAa s ayn a wa i smaAA ghayra musmaAAin war a AAin a layyan bialsinatihim wa t aAAnan fee a l ddeeni walaw annahum q a loo samiAAn a waa t aAAn a wa i smaAA wa o n th urn a lak a na khayran lahum waaqwama wal a kin laAAanahumu All a hu bikufrihim fal a yuminoona ill a qaleel a n
Among those of the Jewish faith there are some who distort the meaning of the [revealed] words, taking them out of their context and saying [as it were,] "We have heard, but we disobey," and "Hear without hearkening,"59 and, "Hearken thou unto us, [O Muhammad]" - thus making a play with their tongues, and implying that the [true] Faith is false.60 And had they but said, "We have heard, and we pay heed," and "Hear [us], and have patience with us," it would indeed have been for their own good, and more upright: but God has rejected them because of their refusal to acknowledge the truth - for it is in but few things that they believe.61
  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 2:93 . The figure of speech "hear without hearkening" addressed, as it were, by the Jews to themselves, describes their attitude towards both their own scriptures and the message of the Qur'an.

Lit., "making a thrust (ta'n) against the Faith" - i.e., attributing to it a fundamental defect. The saying "Hearken thou unto us" is meant to convey the conviction of the Jews that they had nothing to learn from the teaching propounded by the Prophet Muhammad, and that he should rather defer to their views on religious matters. See, in this connection, their assertion, "Our hearts are already full of knowledge", in 2:88 .

See surah {2}, note [74].

Among the Jews there are some who take the words out of their context and utter them with a twist of their tongues to slander the true Deen (faith) and say: "We hear and we disobey;" and "Hear, may you (O Muhammad) hear nothing!" And "Ra'ina" (an ambiguous word meaning: "listen, may you become deaf," or "our shepherd," or "in judeo-Arabic language conveying the sense of "our evil one"). If only they had said: "We hear and we obey;" and "Hear us;" and "Unzurna ("look upon us," or " pay attention to us"): it would have been better for them and more proper. Due to all this Allah has cursed them for their unbelief. In fact with the exception of a few, they have no faith.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Some Jews take words out of context and say, 'We listen and we disobey,' 'Hear! May you never hear,' and 'Ra'ina!'- playing with words and discrediting the faith. Had they said 'courteously', 'We hear and obey,' 'Listen to us,' and 'Unẓurna,' it would have been better for them and more proper. Allah has condemned them for their disbelief, so they do not believe except for a few.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Some of those who are Jews change words from their context and say: "We hear and disobey; hear thou as one who heareth not" and "Listen to us!" distorting with their tongues and slandering religion. If they had said: "We hear and we obey; hear thou, and look at us" it had been better for them, and more upright. But Allah hath cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, save a few.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places and say: "We hear and we disobey"; and "Hear what is not heard": and "Ra`ina"; with a twist of their tongues and a slander to faith. If only they had said: "We hear and we obey"; and "Do hear"; and "Do look at us": it would have been better for them and more proper; but Allah hath cursed them for their unbelief; and but few of them will believe. 565 566
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See ii. 93, n. 98. A trick of the Jews was to twist words and expressions, so as to ridicule the most solemn teachings of Faith. Where they should have said, "We hear and we obey," they said aloud, "We hear," and whispered, "We disobey." Where they should have said respectfully, "We hear," they added in a whisper, "May you not hear," by way of ridicule. Where they claimed the attention of the Prophet, they used an ambiguous word apparently harmless, but in their intention disrespectful.

See ii. 104, n. 106. "Raina" if used respectfully in the Arabic way, would have meant "Please attend to us." With a twist of their tongue, they suggested an insulting meaning, such as "O thou that takest us to pasture!" or in Hebrew, "Our bad one!"

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:47
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَا نَزَّلْنَا مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّطْمِسَ وُجُوهًا فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِهَآ أَوْ نَلْعَنَهُمْ كَمَا لَعَنَّآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلسَّبْتِ ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا Y a ayyuh a alla th eena ootoo alkit a ba a minoo bim a nazzaln a mu s addiqan lim a maAAakum min qabli an na t misa wujoohan fanaruddah a AAal a adb a rih a aw nalAAanahum kam a laAAann a a s ha ba a l ssabti wak a na amru All a hi mafAAool a n
O you who have been granted revelation [aforetime]! Believe in what We have [now] bestowed from on high in confirmation of whatever [of the truth] you already possess, lest We efface your hopes and bring them to an end62 - just as We rejected those people who broke the Sabbath: for God's will is always done.63
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "lest We obliterate the faces" - i.e., that towards which one turns, or that which one faces, with expectation ('Abduh in Manar V, 144 ff.) - "and bring them back to their ends". It is to be noted that the term dubur (of which adbar is the plural) does not always signify the "back" of a thing - as most of the translators assume - but often stands for its "last part" or "end" (cf. Lane III, 846).

This is an allusion to the story of the Sabbath-breakers (lit., "the people of the Sabbath") referred to in 2:65 and fully explained in {7:163-166}.

O people of the Book (Jews and Christians)! Believe in what We have now revealed (The Qur'an), confirming your own scriptures, before We obliterate your faces and turn them backward, or lay Our curse on you as We laid Our curse on the Sabbath-breakers: and remember that Allah's command is always executed.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
O you who were given the Book! Believe in what We have revealed- confirming your own Scriptures- before We wipe out 'your' faces, turning them backwards, or We condemn the defiant as We did to the Sabbath-breakers.1 And Allah's command is always executed!
  - Mustafa Khattab

 See 7:163-165.

O ye unto whom the Scripture hath been given! Believe in what We have revealed concerning that which ye possess, before We destroy countenances so as to confound them, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath breakers (of old time). The commandment of Allah is always executed.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
O ye people of the Book! believe in what We have (now) revealed confirming what was (already) with you before We change the face and fame of some (of you) beyond all recognition and turn them hindwards or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers: for the decision of Allah must be carried out. 567 568
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Literally, "before We obliterate some features (or faces) and turn them front to back (or back to front)": an Arabic idiom, which must be translated freely to yield its proper meaning in English. The face is the chief expression of a man's own real essence; it is also the index of his fame and estimation. The People of the Book had been specially favoured by Allah with revelations. If they proved themselves unworthy, they lost their "face". Their eminence would, owing to their own conduct, be turned into degradation. Others would take their place. The first shall be last and the last shall be first: Matt. xix. 30.

Cf. ii. 65 and n. 79.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:48
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفْتَرَىٰٓ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا Inna All a ha l a yaghfiru an yushraka bihi wayaghfiru m a doona tha lika liman yash a o waman yushrik bi A ll a hi faqadi iftar a ithman AAa th eem a n
VERILY, God does not forgive the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Him, although He forgives any lesser sin64 unto whomever He wills: for he who ascribes divinity to aught beside God has indeed contrived an awesome sin.65
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "anything below that".

The continuous stress, in the Qur'an, on God's transcendental oneness and uniqueness aims at freeing man from all sense of dependence on other influences and powers, and thus at elevating him spiritually and bringing about the "purification" alluded to in the next verse. Since this objective is vitiated by the sin of shirk ("the ascribing of divine qualities to aught beside God") the Qur'an describes it as "unforgivable" so long as it is persisted in, i.e., unless and until the sinner repents (cf. verses {17} and {18} of this surah).

Surely Allah does not forgive shirk (associating any partner with Him); and may forgive sins other than that if He so pleases. This is because one who commits shirk with Allah, does indeed invent a great sinful lie.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him 'in worship',1 but forgives anything else of whoever He wills. And whoever associates others with Allah has indeed committed a grave sin.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 A person will never be forgiven if they die as a disbeliever. But if they repent before their death and mend their ways, then their repentance will be accepted (see 25:68-70).

Lo! Allah forgiveth not that a partner should be ascribed unto Him. He forgiveth (all) save that to whom He will. Whoso ascribeth partners to Allah, he hath indeed invented a tremendous sin.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with him; but He forgiveth anything else to whom He pleaseth; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed. 569
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Just as in an earthly kingdom the worst crime is that of treason, as it cuts at the very existence of the State, so in the Divine Kingdom, the unforgivable sin is that of contumacious treason against Allah by putting up Allah's creatures in rivalry against Him. This is rebellion against the Creator. It is what Plato would call the "lie in the soul." But even here, if the rebellion is through ignorance, and is followed by sincere repentance and amendment, Allah's Mercy is always open (iv. 17).

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:49
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنفُسَهُم ۚ بَلِ ٱللَّهُ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا Alam tara il a alla th eena yuzakkoona anfusahum bali All a hu yuzakkee man yash a o wal a yu th lamoona fateel a n
Art thou not aware of those who consider themselves pure?66 Nay, but it is God who causes whomever He wills to grow in purity; and none shall be wronged by as much as a hair's breadth.67
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., the Jews, who consider themselves to be "God's chosen people" and, therefore, a priori destined for God's grace, and the Christians, who believe in Jesus' "vicarious atonement" for the sins of mankind. There is also an obvious connection between this observation and the reference to shirk in the preceding verse, inasmuch as the Jews and the Christians, while not actually believing in the existence of any deity apart from God, ascribe divine or semi-divine qualities, in varying degrees, to certain human beings: the Christians by their elevation of Jesus to the status of a manifestation of God in human form and their open worship of a hierarchy of saints, and the Jews by their attribution of law-giving powers to the great Talmudic scholars, whose legal verdicts are supposed to override, if need be, any ordinance of the scriptures (cf. in this respect 9:31 ). It goes without saying that this condemnation applies also to those Muslims who have fallen into the sin of worshipping saints and according them something of the reverence which is due to God alone. Consequently, the expression "those who consider themselves pure" comprises, in this context, all who think of themselves as believing in the One God (simply because they do not consciously worship a plurality of deities) but are, nevertheless, guilty of the sin of shirk in the deeper sense of this term.

According to most of the philological authorities (e.g., Qamus), a fatil is any "slender thread which one rolls between one's fingers" - a term which is also, but by no means exclusively, applied to the tiny fibre adhering to the cleft of the date-stone (cf. Lane Vl, 2334). Idiomatically, it is best rendered as "a hair's breadth". The above passage implies, firstly, that spiritual purity is not the privilege of any particular group or community, and, secondly, that one can become or remain pure only by God's grace, for "man has been created weak" (verse {28} above). See also note [27] on the second paragraph of 53:32 .

Have you not seen those who speak very highly of their own purity even though they are committing shirk. In fact, Allah purifies whom He wishes. If the mushrikin are not purified no injustice, even equal to the thread of a date-stone, is being done to them.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Have you 'O Prophet' not seen those who 'falsely' elevate themselves? It is Allah who elevates whoever He wills. And none will be wronged 'even by the width of' the thread of a date stone.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Hast thou not seen those who praise themselves for purity? Nay, Allah purifieth whom He will, and they will not be wronged even the hair upon a date stone.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who claim sanctity for themselves? Nay but Allah doth sanctify whom He pleaseth but never will they fail to receive justice in the least little thing. 570 571
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The sanctimonious or self-sanctified people are the farthest from sanctity or purity, which can only proceed from Allah. They cannot play with Allah's Truth and yet go on claiming to be guided and purified or justified by Allah. Their falsehood in itself condemns them: no further proof is needed of their selfishness and evil.

Literally, the small skin in the groove of a date stone, a thing of no value; fatil.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:50
ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ ۖ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِۦٓ إِثْمًا مُّبِينًا On th ur kayfa yaftaroona AAal a All a hi alka th iba wakaf a bihi ithman mubeen a n
Behold how they attribute their own lying inventions to God - than which there is no sin more obvious.68
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "and this is enough as an obvious sin". This passage refers to various theological statements of an arbitrary nature, such as the Jewish assertion that they are "the chosen people" and, thus, immune from God's condemnation; the Christian doctrine of "vicarious atonement", the definition of God as a "trinity" with Jesus as its "second person"; and so forth.

See how they invent a lie against Allah, and this in itself is enough to show their manifest sin.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
See how they fabricate lies against Allah- this alone is a blatant sin.
  - Mustafa Khattab
See, how they invent lies about Allah! That of itself is flagrant sin.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Behold! how they invent a lie against Allah! but that by itself is a manifest sin!
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:51
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ نَصِيبًا مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْجِبْتِ وَٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ أَهْدَىٰ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ سَبِيلًا Alam tara il a alla th eena ootoo na s eeban mina alkit a bi yuminoona bi a ljibti wa al tta ghooti wayaqooloona lilla th eena kafaroo h a ol a i ahd a mina alla th eena a manoo sabeel a n
Art thou not aware of those who, having been granted their share of the divine writ, [now] believe in baseless mysteries and in the powers of evil,69 and maintain that those who are bent on denying the truth are more surely guided than those who have attained to faith?
  - Mohammad Asad

The word al-jibt - rendered by me as "baseless mysteries" - is probably, as the Lisan al-'Arab points out, of non-Arabic origin. It denotes, according to some authorities, "something which is worthless in itself" or "something in which there is no good" (Qamus, Baydawi); according to others, it signifies "enchantment" ('Umar ibn al-Khattab, Mujahid and Sha'bi, as quoted by Tabari; also Qamus); others, again, interpret it as "anything that is worshipped instead of God" (Zamakhshari), and consequently apply it also to idols and idol-worship (Qamus, Lisan al-'Arab) and - according to a Tradition quoted by Abu Da'ud - to all manner of superstitious divination and soothsaying as well. Taking all these interpretations into account, al-jibt may be defined as "a combination of confusing ideas (dijl), fanciful surmises (awham) and fictitious stories (khurafat)" (Manar V, 157) - in other words, abstruse mysteries without any foundation in fact. - As regards the expression "the powers of evil" (at-taghut), it seems to refer here to superstitious beliefs and practices - like soothsaying, foretelling the future, relying on "good" and "bad" omens, and so forth - all of which are condemned by the Qur'an. See also surah {2}, note [250].

Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Book? They believe in superstition and Taghut (forces of Shaitan) and say about the unbelievers that they are better guided to the Right Way than the believers!
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Have you 'O Prophet' not seen those who were given a portion of the Scriptures yet believe in idols and false gods and reassure the disbelievers1 that they are better guided than the believers?
  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., the polytheists.

Hast thou not seen those unto whom a portion of the Scripture hath been given, how they believe in idols and false deities, and bow they say of those (idolaters) who disbelieve: "These are more rightly guided than those who believe?"
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who were given a portion of the Book? They believe in sorcery and evil and say to the unbelievers that they are better guided in the (right) way than the believers! 572 573
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. iii. 23 and n. 366. The phrase also occurs in iv. 44.

The word I have translated Sorcery is jibt, which may mean divination, sorcery, magic, or any false object of belief or worship, such as an idol. The word I have translated Evil (here and in ii. 256) is Taguit, which means the evil one, the one who exceeds all bounds, Satan: or it may refer to some idol worshipped by the Pagan Arabs, with whom the Jews of Madinah were intriguing against the Holy Prophet. The Jews had taken much to sorcery, magic, divination, and such superstitions.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:52
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَمَن يَلْعَنِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ نَصِيرًا Ol a ika alla th eena laAAanahumu All a hu waman yalAAani All a hu falan tajida lahu na s eer a n
It is they whom God has rejected: and he whom God rejects shall find none to succour him.
  - Mohammad Asad
Those are the ones whom Allah has cursed, and the one who is cursed by Allah can find no helper.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
It is they who have been condemned by Allah. And whoever is condemned by Allah will have no helper.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Those are they whom Allah hath cursed, and he whom Allah hath cursed, thou (O Muhammad) wilt find for him no helper.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They are (men) whom Allah hath cursed: and those whom Allah hath cursed thou wilt find have no one to help. 574
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Jews were then seeking the aid of the Makkan Pagans against Muhammad, but far from getting any help from them, they and the Pagans were both overthrown. That was the immediate occasion, but the words have a perfectly general-a universal-meaning.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:53
أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُلْكِ فَإِذًا لَّا يُؤْتُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ نَقِيرًا Am lahum na s eebun mina almulki fai th an l a yutoona a l nn a sa naqeer a n
Have they, perchance, a share in [God's] dominion?70 But [if they had], lo, they would not give to other people as much as [would fill] the groove of a date-stone!
  - Mohammad Asad

An allusion to the Jewish belief that they occupy a privileged position in the sight of God.

Do they have a share in the kingdom? If they had any share they would have not given other people equal to a speck on a date-stone.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Do they have control over shares of the kingdom? If so, they would not have given anyone so much as the speck on a date stone.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Or have they even a share in the Sovereignty? Then in that case, they would not give mankind even the speck on a date stone.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Have they a share in dominion or power? Behold they give not a farthing to their fellow-men! 575
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The word I have translated farthing is naqir, the groove in a date stone, a thing of no value whatever. Close-fistedness and envy are among the worst forms of selfishness, and appear specially incongruous in people of power, authority, or influence, from whom is expected generosity in giving and generosity in seeing other people's prosperity or happiness.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:54
أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَىٰ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۖ فَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ ءَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُم مُّلْكًا عَظِيمًا Am ya h sudoona a l nn a sa AAal a m a a t a humu All a hu min fa d lihi faqad a tayn a a la ibr a heema alkit a ba wa a l h ikmata wa a tayn a hum mulkan AAa th eem a n
Do they, perchance, envy other people for what God has granted them out of His bounty?71 But then, We did grant revelation and wisdom unto the House of Abraham, and We did bestow on them a mighty dominion:
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., revelation, which - according to the Jews - has been reserved to them alone.

Or do they envy other people because Allah has given them from His grace? If so, let them know that We did give the Book and Wisdom to the descendants of Ibrahim (Abraham), and blessed them with a great kingdom.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Or do they envy the people for Allah's bounties? Indeed, We have given the descendants of Abraham the Book and wisdom, along with great authority.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Or are they jealous of mankind because of that which Allah of His bounty hath bestowed upon them? For We bestowed upon the house of Abraham (of old) the Scripture and Wisdom, and We bestowed on them a mighty kingdom.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Or do they envy mankind for what Allah hath given them of His bounty? But We had already given the people of Abraham the Book and Wisdom and conferred upon them a great kingdom. 576
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Such as the kingdoms of David and Solomon, for they had international fame.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:55
فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ ءَامَنَ بِهِۦ وَمِنْهُم مَّن صَدَّ عَنْهُ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيرًا Faminhum man a mana bihi waminhum man s adda AAanhu wakaf a bijahannama saAAeer a n
and among them are such as [truly] believe in him,72 and among them are such as have turned away from him. And nothing could be as burning as [the fire of] hell:
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., in Abraham - implying that they are faithful to his message. It is to be borne in mind that the Prophet Muhammad, too, was a direct-line descendant of Abraham, whose message is confirmed and continued in the Qur'an.

But some of them believed in it and some turned away. Sufficient is hell to burn those who turned away.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Yet some believed in him while others turned away from him.1 Hell is sufficient as a torment!
  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., Abraham (ﷺ) or Muḥammad (ﷺ).

And of them were (some) who believed therein and of them were (some) who disbelieved therein. Hell is sufficient for (their) burning.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Some of them believed and some of them averted their faces from him: and enough is hell for a burning fire. 577
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. iv. 97, viii. 37, ix. 95, ixx. 68.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:56
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا سَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِمْ نَارًا كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُم بَدَّلْنَـٰهُمْ جُلُودًا غَيْرَهَا لِيَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا Inna alla th eena kafaroo bi a y a tin a sawfa nu s leehim n a ran kullam a na d ijat julooduhum baddaln a hum juloodan ghayrah a liya th ooqoo alAAa tha ba inna All a ha k a na AAazeezan h akeem a n
for, verily, those who are bent on denying the truth of Our messages We shall, in time, cause to endure fire: [and] every time their skins are burnt off We shall replace them with new skins, so that the may taste suffering [in full].73 Verily, God is almighty, wise.
  - Mohammad Asad

This awesome allegory of suffering in the life to come is obviously meant to bring out the long-lasting nature of that suffering (Razi).

Those who rejected Our revelations will soon be thrown into the Fire. No sooner will their skins be burnt out than We shall replace their skins, so that they may taste the real torment. Allah is Mighty, Wise.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Surely those who reject Our signs, We will cast them into the Fire. Whenever their skin is burnt completely, We will replace it so they will 'constantly' taste the punishment. Indeed, Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Lo! Those who disbelieve Our revelations, We shall expose them to the Fire. As often as their skins are consumed We shall exchange them for fresh skins that they may taste the torment. Lo! Allah is ever Mighty, Wise.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Those who reject Our Signs We shall soon cast into the fire: as often as their skins are roasted through We shall change them for fresh skins that they may taste the penalty: for Allah is Exalted in Power Wise.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:57
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۖ لَّهُمْ فِيهَآ أَزْوَٰجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ ۖ وَنُدْخِلُهُمْ ظِلًّا ظَلِيلًا Wa a lla th eena a manoo waAAamiloo a l ssa li ha ti sanudkhiluhum jann a tin tajree min ta h tih a alanh a ru kh a lideena feeh a abadan lahum feeh a azw a jun mu t ahharatun wanudkhiluhum th illan th aleel a n
But those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds We shall bring into gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide beyond the count of time; there shall they have spouses pure: and [thus] We shall bring them unto happiness abounding.74
  - Mohammad Asad

The primary meaning of zill is "shade", and so the expression zill zalil could be rendered as "most shading shade" - i.e., "dense shade". However, in ancient Arabic usage, the word zill denotes also "a covering" or "a shelter" and, figuratively, "protection" (Raghib); and, finally, "a state of ease, pleasure and plenty" (cf. Lane V, 1915 f.), or simply "happiness" - and in the combination of zill zalil, "abundant happiness" (Razi) - which seems to agree best with the allegorical implications of the term "paradise".

As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, We shall admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow wherein they will live for ever. Therein they will have chaste spouses, and We shall provide them with cool thick shade.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
As for those who believe and do good, We will admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow, to stay there for ever and ever. There they will have pure spouses,1 and We will place them under a vast shade.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 See footnote for 2:25.

And as for those who believe and do good works, We shall make them enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow to dwell therein for ever; there for them are pure companions and We shall make them enter plenteous shade.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness We shall soon admit to gardens with rivers flowing beneath their eternal home: therein shall they have companions pure and holy: We shall admit them to shades cool and ever deepening. 578 579
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. ii. 25 and n. 44.

The Garden is contrasted with the Fire: the shade is contrasted with the roasting, Evil grows with what it feeds on. So goodness and felicity grow with their practice.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:58
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُؤَدُّوا۟ ٱلْأَمَـٰنَـٰتِ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُم بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ أَن تَحْكُمُوا۟ بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُم بِهِۦٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًۢا بَصِيرًا Inna All a ha yamurukum an tuaddoo alam a n a ti il a ahlih a wai tha h akamtum bayna a l nn a si an ta h kumoo bi a lAAadli inna All a ha niAAimm a yaAAi th ukum bihi inna All a ha k a na sameeAAan ba s eer a n
BEHOLD, God bids you to deliver all that you have been entrusted with unto those who are entitled thereto, and whenever you judge between people, to judge with justice.75 Verily, most excellent is what God exhorts you to do: verily, God is all-hearing, all-seeing!
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., in the judicial sense, as well as in the sense of judging other people's motives, attitudes and behaviour. - The term amanah denotes anything one has been entrusted with, be it in the physical or moral sense (Razi). If one reads this ordinance in the context of the verses that precede and follow it, it becomes obvious that it relates to the message or - in view of the plural form amanat - to the truths which have been conveyed to the believers by means of the divine writ, and which they must regard as a sacred trust, to be passed on to "those who are entitled thereto" - i.e., to all mankind, for whom the message of the Qur'an has been intended. This, of course, does not preclude the ordinance from having a wider scope as well - that is, from its being applied to any material object or moral responsibility which may have been entrusted to a believer - and, in particular, to the exercise of worldly power and political sovereignty by the Muslim community or a Muslim state, to which the next verse refers.

Allah commands you to give back the trusts to their rightful owners, and when you judge between people, judge with fairness. Surely, excellent is the counsel which Allah gives you. Allah is He who hears and observes all.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed, Allah commands you to return trusts to their rightful owners;1 and when you judge between people, judge with fairness. What a noble commandment from Allah to you! Surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 This verse was revealed right after Mecca had peacefully surrendered to the Muslims. ’Ali ibn Abi Ṭâlib, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, took the Ka’bah’s key by force from Othmân ibn Ṭalḥa, the non-Muslim keeper of the Ka’bah. The verse was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) inside the Ka’bah with the order to give the key back to its rightful owner. He (ﷺ) ordered Ali to return the key to the keeper immediately along with an apology. Othmân was also promised that his family would keep the key forever. The keeper was so touched by the Quranic sense of justice that he decided to accept Islam.

Lo! Allah commandeth you that ye restore deposits to their owners, and, if ye judge between mankind, that ye judge justly. Lo! comely is this which Allah admonisheth you. Lo! Allah is ever Hearer, Seer.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Allah doth command you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due; and when ye judge between man and man that ye judge with justice: verily how excellent is the teaching which He giveth you! for Allah is He who heareth and seeth all things.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:59
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى شَىْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا Y a ayyuh a alla th eena a manoo a t eeAAoo All a ha waa t eeAAoo a l rrasoola waolee alamri minkum fain tan a zaAAtum fee shayin faruddoohu il a All a hi wa al rrasooli in kuntum tuminoona bi A ll a hi wa a lyawmi al a khiri tha lika khayrun waa h sanu taweel a n
O you who have attained to faith! Pay heed unto God, and pay heed unto the Apostle and unto those from among you76 who have been entrusted with authority; and if you are at variance over any matter, refer it unto God and the Apostle,77 if you [truly] believe in God and the Last Day. This is the best [for you], and best in the end.78
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., from among the believers.

I.e., to the Qur'an and to the sunnah (the sayings and the practice) of the Prophet. See also verse {65} of this surah.

Read in conjunction with 3:26 , which speaks of God as "the Lord of all dominion" - and therefore the ultimate source of all moral and political authority - the above passage lays down a fundamental rule of conduct for the individual believer as well as the conceptual basis for the conduct of the Islamic state. Political power is held in trust (amanah) from God; and His will, as manifested in the ordinances comprising the Law of Islam, is the real source of all sovereignty. The stress, in this context, on "those from among you who have been entrusted with authority" makes it clear that the holders of authority (ulu 'l-amr) in an Islamic state must be Muslims.

O believers! Obey Allah, obey the Rasool and those charged with authority among you. Should you have a dispute in anything, refer it to Allah and His Rasool, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. This course of action will be better and more suitable.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
O believers! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. Should you disagree on anything, then refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you 'truly' believe in Allah and the Last Day. This is the best and fairest resolution.
  - Mustafa Khattab
O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger and those of you who are in authority; and if ye have a dispute concerning any matter, refer it to Allah and the messenger if ye are (in truth) believers in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more seemly in the end.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
O ye who believe! obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves refer it to Allah and His Apostle if ye do believe in Allah and the Last Day: that is best and most suitable for final determination. 580
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Ulu-l-amr = those charged with authority or responsibility or decision, or the settlement of affairs. All ultimate authority rests in Allah. Prophets of Allah derive their authority from Him. As Islam makes no sharp division between sacred and secular affairs, it expects governments to be imbued with righteousness. Likewise Islam expects Muslims to respect the authority of such government for otherwise there can be no order or discipline.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Print
4:60
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوٓا۟ أَن يَكْفُرُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَيُرِيدُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلَـٰلًۢا بَعِيدًا Alam tara il a alla th eena yazAAumoona annahum a manoo bim a onzila ilayka wam a onzila min qablika yureedoona an yata ha kamoo il a a l tta ghooti waqad omiroo an yakfuroo bihi wayureedu a l shshay ta nu an yu d illahum d al a lan baAAeed a n
ART THOU NOT aware of those who claim that they believe in what has been bestowed from on high upon thee, [O Prophet,] as well as in what was bestowed from on high before thee, [and yet] are willing to defer to the rule of the powers of evil79 - although they were bidden to deny it, seeing that Satan but wants to lead them far astray?
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "who summon one another to the judgment [or "rule"] of the powers of evil (at-taghut): an allusion to people like those mentioned in verse {51} above, who, by their deference to what the Qur'an describes as at-taghut (see surah {2}, note [250]), nullify all the good that they could derive from guidance through revelation.

Have you not seen those who claim that they believe in what has been revealed to you and other prophets before you? Yet they desire that the judgment (in their disputes) be made by Taghut (forces of Shaitan) though they were commanded to reject them, and Shaitan's wish is to lead them far astray into deep error.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Have you 'O Prophet' not seen those who claim they believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you? They seek the judgment of false judges, which they were commanded to reject. And Satan 'only' desires to lead them farther away.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Hast thou not seen those who pretend that they believe in that which is revealed unto thee and that which was revealed before thee, how they would go for judgment (in their disputes) to false deities when they have been ordered to abjure them? Satan would mislead them far astray.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who declare that they believe in the revelations that have come to thee and to those before thee? Their (real) wish is to resort together for judgment (in their disputes) to the Evil One though they were ordered to reject him. But Satan's wish is to lead them astray far away (from the Right). 581
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The immediate reference was to the Hypocrites (Munafiqin) of Madinah but the words are general, and the evil of hypocrisy has to be dealt with in all ages. The type of these men is what is called Mr. Facing-both-ways in Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress." Such men declare that they are always with the Right, but calmly intrigue with Evil and Injustice, and even make Injustice their judge if their personal interests are served in that way.

No translation has been selected yet. Please click on the (Compare) link at the top and enable the translations of your choice.

Previous Next

Tafsir

An-Nisaa'

Loading tafsir.

Comments for Surah 4

Loading Comments.

Your Notes

Please wait...

Grammar

An-Nisaa'

Scroll to top arrow

Do you want to resume from last visited ayah?

Do you want to resume tafsir of surah

Alim logo

Related Islamic Resources

Loading...

Learn Quran and Hadith with Alim's Unique Platform
Alim.org © 2025. All Rights Reserved

Resources

Insights

  • Funeral Services
  • Arabic Playhouse
  • Collaborations
  • Alim Mobile App
  • Get Involved
  • Ad Plans
  • Blog Pricing
  • Blogs
  • Insight of the Day
  • Hadith of the Day
  • Infographics
  • References
  • FAQ
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us