Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

It is not virtue that you turn your faces towards the East and the West. But virtue is: one who believes in God, and the Last Day, and the angels, and the Writ, and the prophets, and gives wealth in spite of love of it to relatives, and the fatherless, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and those who ask, and to manumit slaves; and who upholds the duty, and renders the purity; and those who keep their covenant when they make a covenant; and the patient in affliction and adversity, and during conflict: those are they who are sincere; and it is they who are those of prudent fear.

لَيْسَ الْبِرَّ اَنْ تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ اٰمَنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ وَالْمَلٰٓئِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيّ۪نَۚ وَاٰتَى الْمَالَ عَلٰى حُبِّه۪ ذَوِي الْقُرْبٰى وَالْيَتَامٰى وَالْمَسَاك۪ينَ وَابْنَ السَّب۪يلِ وَالسَّٓائِل۪ينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِۚ وَاَقَامَ الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتَى الزَّكٰوةَۚ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ اِذَا عَاهَدُواۚ وَالصَّابِر۪ينَ فِي الْبَأْسَٓاءِ وَالضَّرَّٓاءِ وَح۪ينَ الْبَأْسِۜ اُو۬لٰٓئِكَ الَّذ۪ينَ صَدَقُواۜ وَاُو۬لٰٓئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ
Laysa albirra an tuwalloo wujoohakum qibalaalmashriqi walmaghribi walakinna albirra man amanabillahi walyawmi al-akhiri walmala-ikatiwalkitabi wannabiyyeena waataalmala AAala hubbihi thawee alqurbawalyatama walmasakeena wabnaalssabeeli wassa-ileena wafee arriqabiwaaqama assalata waataazzakata walmoofoona biAAahdihim ithaAAahadoo wassabireena fee alba/sa-iwaddarra-i waheena alba/si ola-ikaallatheena sadaqoo waola-ika humualmuttaqoon
#wordmeaningroot
1laysaIt is notليس
2l-bira[the] righteousnessبرر
3anthat
4tuwallūyou turnولي
5wujūhakumyour facesوجه
6qibalatowardsقبل
7l-mashriqithe eastشرق
8wal-maghribiand the westغرب
9walākinna[and] but
10l-birathe righteous[ness]برر
11man(is he) who
12āmanabelievesامن
13bil-lahiin Allah
14wal-yawmiand the Dayيوم
15l-ākhiri[the] Lastاخر
16wal-malāikatiand the Angelsملك
17wal-kitābiand the Bookكتب
18wal-nabiyīnaand the Prophetsنبا
19waātāand givesاتي
20l-mālathe wealthمول
21ʿalāin
22ḥubbihispite of his love (for it)حبب
23dhawī(to) those
24l-qur'bā(of) the near relativesقرب
25wal-yatāmāand the orphansيتم
26wal-masākīnaand the needyسكن
27wa-ib'naand (of)بني
28l-sabīlithe wayfarerسبل
29wal-sāilīnaand those who askسال
30wafīand in
31l-riqābifreeing the necks (slaves)رقب
32wa-aqāmaand (who) establishقوم
33l-ṣalatathe salatصلو
34waātāand giveاتي
35l-zakatathe zakahزكو
36wal-mūfūnaand those who fulfillوفي
37biʿahdihimtheir covenantعهد
38idhāwhen
39ʿāhadūthey make itعهد
40wal-ṣābirīnaand those who are patientصبر
41in
42l-basāi[the] sufferingباس
43wal-ḍarāiand [the] hardshipضرر
44waḥīnaand (the) timeحين
45l-basi(of) [the] stressباس
46ulāikaThose
47alladhīna(are) the ones who
48ṣadaqūare trueصدق
49wa-ulāikaand those
50humu[they]
51l-mutaqūna(are) the righteousوقي
  • Aisha Bewley

    Goodness does not lie in turning your faces to the East or to the West. Rather, those with true devoutness are those who have iman in Allah and the Last Day, the Angels, the Book and the Prophets, and who, despite their love for it, give away their wealth to their relatives and to orphans and the very poor, and to travellers and beggars and to set slaves free, and who establish salat and pay zakat; those who honour their contracts when they make them, and are steadfast in poverty and illness and in battle. Those are the people who are true. They are the people who have taqwa.

  • Progressive Muslims

    Piety is not to turn your faces towards the east and the west, but piety is one who believes in God and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Scripture, and the prophets, and he gives money out of love to the near relatives, and the orphans, and the needy and the wayfarer, and those who ask, and to free the slaves, and he holds the contact-method, and he contributes towards betterment; and those who keep their pledges when they make a pledge, and those who are patient in the face of good and bad and when in despair. These are the ones who have been truthful, and they are the righteous.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    (One obvious result of sectarianism is their pre-occupation with rituals. This is because each sect leaves the Book aside and makes its own set of dogmas they call religion). No wonder, they forget that) Righteousness and exponential development of personality is not in that you turn your faces to the East and the West. But righteous is he who has conviction in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the Prophets. And he gives his wealth that he loves in reverence of Him, to: Family and relatives, Orphans, Widows, Those left helpless in the society, Those whose hard-earned income fails to meet their basic needs, Those whose running businesses have stalled, The ones who have lost their jobs, Whose life has stalled for any reason, The disabled, The needy wayfarer, son of the street, the homeless, the one who travels to you for assistance, Those who ask for help, and Those whose necks are burdened with any kind of bondage, oppression, crushing debts and extreme hardship of labor. They (the truly righteous) strive to establish the Divine System, and set up the Just Economic Order. They are true to their promises whenever they make a promise. They remain steadfast in physical or emotional distress and in times of peril. It is they that have proved to be practically true, and it is they, they that indeed journey through life in Blissful honor and security. ((2:4), (3:91)).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    It is not virtue that you turn your faces towards the East and the West. But virtue is: one who believes in God, and the Last Day, and the angels, and the Writ, and the prophets, and gives wealth in spite of love of it to relatives, and the fatherless, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and those who ask, and to manumit slaves; and who upholds the duty, and renders the purity; and those who keep their covenant when they make a covenant; and the patient in affliction and adversity, and during conflict: those are they who are sincere; and it is they who are those of prudent fear.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Piety is not to turn your faces towards the east and the west, but pious is one who believes in God and the Last Day, and the angels, and the Book, and the prophets, and who gives money out of love to the relatives, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and those who ask, and to free the slaves; and who upholds the contact prayer, and who contributes towards purification; and those who keep their pledges when they make a pledge, and those who are patient in the face of adversity and hardship and when in despair. These are the ones who have been truthful, and these are the righteous.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Piety is not to turn your faces towards the east and the west, but piety is one who acknowledges God and the Last day, and the controllers, and the book, and the prophets, and he gives money out of love to the near relatives, and the orphans, and the needy and the wayfarer, and those who ask, and to free the slaves, and he observes the Contact prayer, and contributes towards betterment; and those who keep their pledges when they make a pledge, and those who are patient in the face of good and bad and during persecution. These are the ones who have been truthful, and they are the righteous.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the east or the west. Righteous are those who believe in GOD, the Last Day, the angels, the scripture, and the prophets; and they give the money, cheerfully, to the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the traveling alien, the beggars, and to free the slaves; and they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat); and they keep their word whenever they make a promise; and they steadfastly persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and war. These are the truthful; these are the righteous.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Piety does not lie in turning your face to East or West: Piety lies in believing in God, the Last Day and the angels, the Scriptures and the prophets, and disbursing your wealth out of love for God among your kin and the orphans, the wayfarers and mendicants, freeing the slaves, observing your devotional obligations, and in paying the zakat and fulfilling a pledge you have given, and being patient in hardship, adversity, and times of peril. These are the men who affirm the truth, and they are those who follow the straight path.

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but righteousness is one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask , and for freeing slaves; establishes prayer and gives zakah; fulfill their promise when they promise; and are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.

  • Muhammad Asad

    True piety does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or the west - but truly pious is he who believes in God, and the Last Day; and the angels, and revelation, and the prophets; and spends his substance - however much he himself may cherish - it - upon his near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and the beggars, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage; and is constant in prayer, and renders the purifying dues; and they who keep their promises whenever they promise, and are patient in misfortune and hardship and in time of peril: it is they that have proved themselves true, and it is they, they who are conscious of God.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the prophets; and giveth wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor-due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the Allah-fearing.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Righteousness does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or towards the west;* true righteousness consists in believing in Allah and the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the Prophets, and in giving away one’s property in love of Him to one’s kinsmen, the orphans, the poor and the wayfarer, and to those who ask for help, and in freeing the necks of slaves, and in establishing Prayer and dispensing the Zakah. True righteousness is attained by those who are faithful to their promise once they have made it and by those who remain steadfast in adversity and affliction and at the time of battle (between Truth and falsehood). Such are the truthful ones; such are the God-fearing.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Conformity of life and conduct in divine law for righteous living does not simply mean turning your faces at prayer toward the east or the west, but it entails adherence to principles serving as the basis of Allah’s system of faith and worship. It entails that you believe in Allah and in the Day of Judgement with faithful hearts, that you entertain with profound reverence the belief on ground of Authority in Allah’s, spiritual beings, attendants and Messengers, that you solemnly consent to Allah’s Books revealed to His Prophets and to the Prophets themselves, that you spend of your wealth in benevolence and benefaction on the poor among your kindred, on the orphans, on those in need and on the wayfarer who has no means of transportation, on those who make a request for aid in times of difficulty or distress and on redeeming and setting free servants who are completely divested of freedom and personal rights, that you engage in the act of appropriate worship, that you give zakat for zakat is the vehicle of prayer, that you fulfil the promise when you make one and that you exercise patience when befallen with a misfortune and the distress of warfare against enemies. These are the ones who have characterized themselves with virtuous qualities and stand true in Allah’s honour and these are the ones who entertain the profound reverence dutiful to Him.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Turning your faces towards the east or the west is not a virtue The virtue is the belief in God, the last day, the existence of the angles, the Book and the prophets , sharing wealth with beloved ones, nearest ones, orphans, poor people, stranded travelers and the beggars , the act of freeing the slaves, worshipping the Lord on regular basis, paying the minimum charity , honoring your words and pledges and patience in hardship, affliction of a disaster and in despair. Such are the sincere ones and considered as pious by God.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    It is not Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, and each and every act of obedience to Allâh, etc.) that you turn your faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Al-Birr is (the quality of) the one who believes in Allâh, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al-Masâkîn (the poor), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set slaves free, performs As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât ), and gives the Zakât, and who fulfil their covenant when they make it, and who are patient in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during the battles). Such are the people of the truth and they are Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces Towards east or West; but it is righteousness- to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah-fearing.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Righteousness is not in turning your faces towards the east or the west. Rather, the righteous are those who believe in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Books, and the prophets; who give charity out of their cherished wealth to relatives, orphans, the poor, ˹needy˺ travellers, beggars, and for freeing captives; who establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and keep the pledges they make; and who are patient in times of suffering, adversity, and in ˹the heat of˺ battle. It is they who are true ˹in faith˺, and it is they who are mindful ˹of Allah˺.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Righteousness is not (merely) that you turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteousness is that one believes in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Book and the Prophets, and gives wealth, despite (his) love for it, to relatives, and to orphans, the helpless,the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and (spends) in (freeing) slaves and observes the Salāh (prayers) and pays Zakah-and (the act of) those who fulfill their covenant when they enter into a covenant, and, of course, those who are patient in hardship and suffering and when in battle! Those are the ones who are truthful, and those are the God - fearing.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Goodness does not consist in turning your face towards East or West. The truly good are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the Scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish it, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travellers and beggars, and to liberate those in bondage; those who keep up the prayer and pay the prescribed alms; who keep pledges whenever they make them; who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity, and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    It is not piety, that you turn your faces to the East and to the West. True piety is this: to believe in God, and the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the Prophets, to give of one's substance, however cherished, to kinsmen, and orphans, the needy, the traveller, beggars, and to ransom the slave, to perform the prayer, to pay the alms. And they who fulfil their covenant when they have engaged in a covenant, and endure with fortitude misfortune, hardship and peril, these are they who are true in their faith, these are the truly godfearing.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Righteousness is not that ye turn your faces towards the east or the west, but righteousness is, one who believes in God, and the last day, and the angels, and the Book, and the prophets, and who gives wealth for His love to kindred, and orphans, and the poor, and the son of the road, beggars, and those in captivity; and who is steadfast in prayer, and gives alms; and those who are sure of their covenant when they make a covenant; and the patient in poverty, and distress, and in time of violence; these are they who are true, and these are those who fear.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Righteousness is not that you turn your faces towards the East or the West, but it is righteousness to believe in Allah, and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers, and to spend of your wealth for love of Him, for your kindred, and orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, for those who ask, and to ransom those in captivity; and to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfil the covenant (contracts) which you have made; and to be firm in patience in times of pain (poverty and deprivation), and adversity, and in periods of panic (or violence); these are the people who are true, and these are those who are Allah-fearing.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    It is not benignancy that you turn your faces around in the direction of East and West; but benignancy is (in him) who believes in Allah, and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Prophets, and brings wealth in spite of his love for it (Or: offers out of love for Him) to near kinsmen, and the orphans, and the indigent, and the wayfarer, and the beggars, and (to ransom) necks, (i. e. captives "slaves") and keeps up the prayer, and bring the Zakat, (i.e. pay the poor-dues) and they who fulfil their covenant when they have covenanted, and the patient (ones) in misery and tribulation, and while in violence; (i.e. during fighting) those are (they) who act sincerely, and those are they who are the pious.

  • George Sale

    It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces in prayer towards the east and the west, but righteousness is of him who believeth in God and the last day, and the angels, and the scriptures, and the prophets; who giveth money for God's sake unto his kindred, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the stranger, and those who ask, and for redemption of captives; who is constant at prayer, and giveth alms; and of those who perform their covenant, when they have covenanted, and who behave themselves patiently in adversity, and hardships, and in time of violence: These are they who are true, and these are they who fear God.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    It is not rightful conduct that you turn your faces towards East or West; But it is righteousness— To believe in Allah, and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the messengers; To spend from your (own) wealth, in spite of your love for it, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; To fulfill the contracts which you have made; And to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering), and adversity, and throughout the periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, those who fear Allah.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    It is not the sole virtue that you turn your faces to the east or the west but true virtue is theirs, who believe in Allâh, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and in the Prophets, and who give away their wealth (and substance) out of love for Him, to the near of kin, the orphans, the needy, the wayfarer and to those who ask (in charity) and in ransoming the slaves; and who observe the Prayer, who go on presenting the Zakât (- the purifying alms) and those who always fulfill their pledges and agreements when they have made one, and those who are patiently persevering in adversity and distress and (steadfast) in times of war. It is these who have proved truthful (in their promises and in their faith) and it is these who are strictly guarded against evil.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Piety is not to turn your faces to the east or the west; rather, piety is those who have faith in Allah and the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets, and who give their wealth, for the love of Him, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveller and the beggar, and for the slaves, and maintain the prayer and give the zakāt, and those who fulfill their covenants, when they pledge themselves, and those who are patient in stress and distress, and in the heat of battle. They are the ones who are true , and it is they who are the Godwary.