Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

It is not for a prophet to have captives until he has battled strenuously in the land. You desire the goods of the World, and God desires the Hereafter; and God is exalted in might and wise.

مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ اَنْ يَكُونَ لَـهُٓ اَسْرٰى حَتّٰى يُثْخِنَ فِي الْاَرْضِۜ تُر۪يدُونَ عَرَضَ الدُّنْيَاۗ وَاللّٰهُ يُر۪يدُ الْاٰخِرَةَۜ وَاللّٰهُ عَز۪يزٌ حَك۪يمٌ
Ma kana linabiyyin an yakoonalahu asra hatta yuthkhina fee al-arditureedoona AAarada addunya wallahuyureedu al-akhirata wallahu AAazeezun hakeem
#wordmeaningroot
1Not
2kānaisكون
3linabiyyinfor a Prophetنبا
4anthat
5yakūna(there) should beكون
6lahufor him
7asrāprisoners of warاسر
8ḥattāuntil
9yuth'khinahe has battled strenuouslyثخن
10in
11l-arḍithe landارض
12turīdūnaYou desireرود
13ʿaraḍa(the) commoditiesعرض
14l-dun'yā(of) the worldدنو
15wal-lahubut Allah
16yurīdudesiresرود
17l-ākhirata(for you) the Hereafterاخر
18wal-lahuAnd Allah
19ʿazīzun(is) All-Mightyعزز
20ḥakīmunAll-Wiseحكم
  • Aisha Bewley

    It is not fitting for a Prophet to take captives until he has let much blood in the land. You desire the goods of this world, whereas Allah desires the Next World. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And it was not for any prophet to take prisoners unless it was in battle. You desire the materials of this world, while God wants the Hereafter for you. God is Noble, Wise.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    It is beyond the dignity of a Prophet that he may hold any captives, except temporarily, during warfare. They must be freed at the conclusion of hostilities by way of kindness, for ransom, or by exchange of prisoners of war, and there is no other option to keep them (47:4). You may desire the fleeting gains of this world, but Allah desires for you the good of Eternal Achievement, the life to come. Allah is Mighty, Wise.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    It is not for a prophet to have captives until he has battled strenuously in the land. You desire the goods of the World, and God desires the Hereafter; and God is exalted in might and wise.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And it was not for any prophet to take prisoners until he is bound by a campaign. You desire the materials of this world, while God wants the Hereafter for you. God is Noble, Wise.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    It was not for any prophet to take prisoners unless it was in battle. You desire the materials of this world, while God wants the Hereafter for you. God is Noble, Wise.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    No prophet shall acquire captives, unless he participates in the fighting. You people are seeking the materials of this world, while GOD advocates the Hereafter. GOD is Almighty, Most Wise.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    No apostle should take captives until he has battled and subdued the country. You desire the vanities of this world, but God wills (for you the reward) of the world to come; and God is all-mighty and all-wise.

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

    It is not for a prophet to have captives until he inflicts a massacre in the land. Some Muslims desire the commodities of this world, but Allah desires the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

  • Muhammad Asad

    IT DOES NOT behove a prophet to keep captives unless he has battled strenuously on earth. You may desire the fleeting gains of this world-but God desires the life to come: and God is almighty, wise.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    It is not for any prophet to have captives until he hath made slaughter in the land. Ye desire the lure of this world and Allah desireth (for you) the Hereafter, and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    It behoves not a Prophet to take captives until he has sufficiently suppressed the enemies in the land. You merely seek the gains of the world whereas Allah desires (for you the good) of the Hereafter. Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    No Prophet is entitled to take prisoners of war under the circumstances when the infidels are doing their best to defy Allah's religion, until he has humbled the avowed enemies of faith and subdued the land at the peril of their lives. To take prisoners and ransom them at this stage means that you Muslims are concerned with the interests and pleasures of this life when Allah's concern is the Hereafter, and Allah is Azizun and Hakimun.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    It is beneath the dignity of a prophet to hold people captive, after the war is over For you the possessions of this world is important (and that is why you want to keep the captives, humiliate them and even kill them) while it is Hereafter that God recommends to you and, of course , God is the Most Knowledgeable, the Most High.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allâh desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    It is not fitting for a prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he hath thoroughly subdued the land. Ye look for the temporal goods of this world; but Allah looketh to the Hereafter: And Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    It is not fit for a prophet that he should take captives until he has thoroughly subdued the land. You ˹believers˺ settled with the fleeting gains of this world, while Allah’s aim ˹for you˺ is the Hereafter. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.

  • Taqi Usmani

    It is not befitting a prophet that he has captives with him unless he has subdued the enemy by shedding blood in the land. You intend to have the stuff of this world, while Allah intends the Hereafter (for you). And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

  • Abdul Haleem

    It is not right for a prophet to take captives before he has conquered the battlefield. You desire the transient goods of this world, but God desires the Hereafter - God is mighty and wise-

  • Arthur John Arberry

    It is not for any Prophet to have prisoners until he make wide slaughter in the land. You desire the chance goods of the present world, and God desires the world to come; and God is All-mighty, All-wise.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    It has not been for any prophet to take captives until he hath slaughtered in the land! Ye wish to have the goods of this world, but God wishes for the next, for God is mighty, wise!

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    It has not been for any Prophet to take captives until he hath subdued the land! You desire the lure of this world, but Allah desires the Hereafter, for Allah is Mighty, Wise!

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    In no way can any Prophet have captives until he has subjugated (the enemy) in the earth; you (i. e., the believers) are willing to have the (chance) advantages of the present (life), (Literally: the lowly "life", i.e., the life of this world) and Allah wills the Hereafter; and Allah is Ever-Mighty, Ever-Wise.

  • George Sale

    It hath not been granted unto any prophet, that he should possess captives, until he had made a great slaughter of the infidels in the earth. Ye seek the accidental goods of this world, but God regardeth the life to come; and God is mighty and wise.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    It is not appropriate for a prophet that he should take prisoners of war (for ransom monies) until he has fought and completely won over the land. You may wish for the material gains of this world; But Allah desires the Hereafter (for you): And Allah is Supreme in Strength (Aziz), All Wise (Hakeem).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    It does not behove a Prophet to keep captives unless He has triumphed after a regular bloody fighting in the land. (If you take captives without warfare, ) you desire the temporary and frail goods of this world, while Allâh desires (for you the good of) the Hereafter. And Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    A prophet may not take captives until he has thoroughly decimated in the land. You desire the transitory gains of this world, while Allah desires the Hereafter, and Allah is all-mighty, all-wise.