Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

O you who heed warning: what ails you that when it is said to you: “Go forth in the cause of God,” you cling to the earth? Are you content with the life of this world over the Hereafter? But the enjoyment of the life of this world in the Hereafter is only small.

يَٓا اَيُّهَا الَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُوا مَا لَكُمْ اِذَا ق۪يلَ لَكُمُ انْفِرُوا ف۪ي سَب۪يلِ اللّٰهِ اثَّاقَلْتُمْ اِلَى الْاَرْضِۜ اَرَض۪يتُمْ بِالْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْاٰخِرَةِۚ فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْاٰخِرَةِ اِلَّا قَل۪يلٌ
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanooma lakum itha qeela lakumu infiroo fee sabeeli Allahiiththaqaltum ila al-ardi aradeetum bilhayatiaddunya mina al-akhirati fama mataAAualhayati addunya fee al-akhiratiilla qaleel
#wordmeaningroot
1yāayyuhāO you who believe
2alladhīnaO you who believe
3āmanūO you who believeامن
4What
5lakum(is the matter) with you
6idhāwhen
7qīlait is saidقول
8lakumuto you
9infirūgo forthنفر
10in
11sabīli(the) wayسبل
12l-lahi(of) Allah
13ithāqaltumyou cling heavilyثقل
14ilāto
15l-arḍithe earthارض
16araḍītumAre you pleasedرضو
17bil-ḥayatiwith the lifeحيي
18l-dun'yā(of) the worldدنو
19mina(rather) than
20l-ākhiratithe Hereafterاخر
21famāBut what
22matāʿu(is the) enjoymentمتع
23l-ḥayati(of) the lifeحيي
24l-dun'yā(of) the worldدنو
25in (comparison to)
26l-ākhiratithe hereafterاخر
27illāexcept
28qalīluna littleقلل
  • Aisha Bewley

    You who have iman! what is the matter with you that when you are told, ‘Go out and fight in the way of Allah,’ you sink down heavily to the earth? Are you happier with this world than the Next World? Yet the enjoyment of this world is very small compared to that of the Next World.

  • Progressive Muslims

    O you who believe, what is wrong with you when you are told: "March forth in the cause of God," you become heavy on Earth. Have you become content with this worldly life over the Hereafter The enjoyment of this worldly life compared to the Hereafter is nothing.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! What is amiss with you that, when called upon, "Go forth in the Cause of Allah," you cling heavily to the ground? Do you choose pleasure in the life of this world rather than in the life to come? The enjoyment of this life is but a paltry thing compared to the Hereafter.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    O you who heed warning: what ails you that when it is said to you: “Go forth in the cause of God,” you cling to the earth? Are you content with the life of this world over the Hereafter? But the enjoyment of the life of this world in the Hereafter is only small.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    O you who believe, what is wrong with you when you are told: "Mobilize in the cause of God," you become heavy on the earth. Have you become content with this worldly life over the Hereafter? The enjoyment of this worldly life compared to the Hereafter is nothing.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    O you who acknowledge, what is wrong with you when you are told: "March forth in the cause of God," you become heavy on earth. Have you become content with this worldly life over the Hereafter? The enjoyment of this worldly life compared to the Hereafter is nothing.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    O you who believe, when you are told, "Mobilize in the cause of GOD," why do you become heavily attached to the ground? Have you chosen this worldly life in place of the Hereafter? The materials of this world, compared to the Hereafter, are nil.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    What has happened to you, O believers, that when you are asked to set out in the cause of God your feet begin to drag? Do you find the life of the world so pleasing that you forget the life to come? Yet the profit of the life of this world is but meagre as compared to the life to come.

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

    O you who have believed, what is with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah, you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a little.

  • Muhammad Asad

    O YOU who have attained to faith! What is amiss with you that, when you are called upon, "Go forth to war in God's cause," you cling heavily to the earth? Would you content yourselves with this worldly life in preference to the life to come? But the enjoyment of life in this world is but a paltry thing when compared with the life to come!

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    O ye who believe! What aileth you that when it is said unto you: Go forth in the way of Allah, ye are bowed down to the ground with heaviness. Take ye pleasure in the life of the world rather than in the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the Hereafter.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Believers! What is amiss with you that when it is said to you: "March forth in the cause of Allah," you cling heavily to the earth? Do you prefer the worldly life to the Hereafter? Know well that all the enjoyment of this world, in comparison with the Hereafter, is trivial.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    O you who have conformed to Islam: what ails you that you are indisposed to action! When you are told to strive in the cause of Allah you cling heavily to the ground! Have you come to be worldly - minded and content with life here afore that Hereafter! But how little are the material and the immaterial things that minister to enjoyment and content here as compared with Hereafter.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    O’ believers, what happened to you that, when you were asked to march forth for the cause of God, you became heavily attached to the earth? Does it mean that you prefer this earthly life to the life of the Hereafter? If this is the case, rest assured that all the pleasures of the world is nothing compared to that of Hereafter.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause of Allâh (i.e. Jihâd) you cling heavily to the earth? Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared to the Hereafter.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    O believers! What is the matter with you that when you are asked to march forth in the cause of Allah, you cling firmly to ˹your˺ land? Do you prefer the life of this world over the Hereafter? The enjoyment of this worldly life is insignificant compared to that of the Hereafter.

  • Taqi Usmani

    O you who believe, what is wrong with you that when it is said to you, "Come out in the way of Allah," you turn heavy (and cling) to the ground. Have you become happy with the worldly life instead of the Hereafter? So, (remember that) the enjoyment of the worldly life is but trivial in (comparison with) the Hereafter.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Believers, why, when it is said to you, ‘Go and fight in God’s way,’ do you feel weighed down to the ground? Do you prefer this world to the life to come? How small the enjoyment of this world is, compared with the life to come!

  • Arthur John Arberry

    O believers, what is amiss with you, that when it is said to you, 'Go forth in the way of God,' you sink down heavily to the ground? Are you so content with this present life, rather than the world to come? Yet the enjoyment of this present life, compared with the world to come, is a little thing.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    O ye who believe! what ailed you when ye were told to march forth in God's way, that ye sank down heavily upon the earth? were ye content with the life of this world instead of the next? but the provision of this world's life is but a little to the next.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    O you who believe! What ailed you when you were told to march forth in Allah's way, that you were bowed down to the ground with heaviness? Were you content with the life of this world instead of the Hereafter? But the comforts of the life of this world is but a little compared to the Hereafter.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    O you who have believed, how is it with you, (that) when it is said to you, "March out in the way of Allah, " you sink down heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the present life, (Literally: the lowly life, i. e., the life of this world) rather than with the Hereafter? Yet in no way is the enjoyment of the present life, in the Hereafter anything except a little thing..

  • George Sale

    O true believers, what ailed you, that, when it was said unto you, go forth to fight for the religion of God, ye inclined heavily towards the earth? Do ye prefer the present life to that which is to come? But the provision of this life, in respect of that which is to come, is but slender.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that, when you are asked to go out in the Cause of Allah, you stay on (tied) tightly to the earth? Do you prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But the comfort of this life is very small, compared with (the comfort of) the Hereafter.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    O you the (so called) believers! what (excuse) have you that when it is said to you to go forth for the cause of Allâh (to Tabûk) you incline heavily towards the earth. Would you be contented with the present life in preference to the Hereafter? (If it is so then remember that) the provision of this present life, as compared with the Hereafter, is but little.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    O you who have faith! What is the matter with you that when you are told: ‘Go forth in the way of Allah, ’ you sink heavily to the ground? Are you pleased with the life of this world instead of the Hereafter? But the wares of the life of this world compared with the Hereafter are but insignificant.