Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And when a number of them said: “O people of Yathrib: there is no position for you, so go back,” and a faction among them sought leave of the Prophet, saying: “Our houses are exposed,” when they were not exposed; they sought only to flee.

وَاِذْ قَالَتْ طَٓائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ يَٓا اَهْلَ يَثْرِبَ لَا مُقَامَ لَكُمْ فَارْجِعُواۚ وَيَسْتَأْذِنُ فَر۪يقٌ مِنْهُمُ النَّبِيَّ يَقُولُونَ اِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ وَمَا هِيَ بِعَوْرَةٍۜ اِنْ يُر۪يدُونَ اِلَّا فِرَاراً
Wa-ith qalat ta-ifatunminhum ya ahla yathriba la muqama lakum farjiAAoowayasta/thinu fareequn minhumu annabiyyayaqooloona inna buyootana AAawratun wama hiyabiAAawratin in yureedoona illa firara
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-idhAnd when
2qālatsaidقول
3ṭāifatuna partyطوف
4min'humof them
5yāahlaO Peopleاهل
6yathriba(of) Yathrib
7No
8muqāmastandقوم
9lakumfor you
10fa-ir'jiʿūso returnرجع
11wayastadhinuAnd asked permissionاذن
12farīquna groupفرق
13min'humuof them
14l-nabiya(from) the Prophetنبا
15yaqūlūnasayingقول
16innaIndeed
17buyūtanāour housesبيت
18ʿawratun(are) exposedعور
19wamāand not
20hiyathey
21biʿawratin(were) exposedعور
22inNot
23yurīdūnathey wishedرود
24illābut
25firāranto fleeفرر
  • Aisha Bewley

    and a group of them said, ‘People of Yathrib, Your position is untenable so return!’ some of them asked the Prophet to excuse them, saying, ‘Our houses are exposed,’ when they were not exposed; it was merely that they wanted to run away.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And a group of them said: "O people of Yathrib, you cannot make a stand; therefore, retreat. " And a small party of them sought permission from the prophet, saying: "Our homes are exposed," while they were not exposed. They just wanted to flee.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    A group among them said, "O You people of Yathrib! There is no stand possible for you, so, go back. " And some of them even sought permission of the Prophet, saying, "Behold, our homes are exposed (to the enemy)." (With the believers firmly entrenched around the town) their homes were not really exposed. They wanted nothing but to flee. (Yathrib = Madinah).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And when a number of them said: “O people of Yathrib: there is no position for you, so go back,” and a faction among them sought leave of the Prophet, saying: “Our houses are exposed,” when they were not exposed; they sought only to flee.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And a group of them said: "O people of Yathrib, there is no station for you, so come back." And a small party of them sought permission from the prophet, saying: "Our homes are exposed," while they were not exposed. They just wanted to flee.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    A group of them said, "O people of Yathrib, you cannot make a stand; therefore, retreat." A small party of them sought permission from the prophet, saying: "Our homes are exposed," while they were not exposed. They just wanted to flee.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    A group of them said, "O people of Yathrib, you cannot attain victory; go back." Others made up excuses to the prophet: "Our homes are vulnerable," when they were not vulnerable. They just wanted to flee.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    When a section of them said: "O people of Yathrib, there is no place for you here, turn back;" and a section of them asked leave of the Prophet, saying: "Our homes lie exposed," -- while they were not exposed. Their only intention was to run away.

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

    And when a faction of them said, "O people of Yathrib, there is no stability for you , so return . " And a party of them asked permission of the Prophet, saying, "Indeed, our houses are unprotected," while they were not exposed. They did not intend except to flee.

  • Muhammad Asad

    and when some of them said, "O you people of Yathrib! You cannot withstand here: hence, go back !" — Whereupon a party from among them asked leave of the Prophet, saying, “Behold, our houses are exposed !” — The while they were not exposed: they wanted nothing but to flee.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And when a party of them said: O folk of Yathrib! There is no stand (possible) for you, therefor turn back. And certain of them (even) sought permission of the Prophet, saying: Our homes lie open (to the enemy). And they lay not open. They but wished to flee.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And when a section of them said: "(O people of Yathrib), now there is no place for you to stay, so turn back."* (And call to mind) when a section of them was seeking permission from the Prophet to leave, saying: “Our houses are exposed (to attack),”* although they were not exposed (to attack); * they only wished to flee (from the battle-front).

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And some of them advised people of the city Yathrib to defect. They said to them: "O you people of Yathrib this is not the place for you, you just go back to your homes". Another party asked the Prophet's permission if they could be excused! They said to him: "Our homes are exposed and defenseless when in fact they were not and were guarded by other Muslims but in truth they wanted to fly away and take to their heels"

  • Bijan Moeinian

    A group of them went far enough to say: "You people of Medina, you have no chance in the battle; fly the front. " A group of them went to the Prophet and asked to leave the battle front saying: “Our homes are in danger.” They were just looking for an excuse to flee.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And when a party of them said: "O people of Yathrib (Al-Madinah)! There is no stand (possible) for you (against the enemy attack!) Therefore go back!" And a band of them ask for permission of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying: "Truly, our homes lie open (to the enemy)." And they lay not open. They but wished to flee.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Behold! A party among them said: "Ye men of Yathrib! ye cannot stand (the attack)! therefore go back!" And a band of them ask for leave of the Prophet, saying, "Truly our houses are bare and exposed," though they were not exposed they intended nothing but to run away.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    And ˹remember˺ when a group of them said, "O people of Yathrib! There is no point in you staying ˹here˺, so retreat!" Another group of them asked the Prophet’s permission ˹to leave˺, saying, “Our homes are vulnerable,” while ˹in fact˺ they were not vulnerable. They only wished to flee.

  • Taqi Usmani

    and when a group of them said, "O people of Yathrib (Madīnah), there is no place for you to stay; so go back."And a group of them was seeking permission (to leave) from the prophet, saying, “In fact our homes are vulnerable,” while they were not vulnerable; they wanted nothing but to escape.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Some of them said, ‘People of Yathrib, you will not be able to withstand , so go back!’ Some of them asked the Prophet’s permission to leave, saying, ‘Our houses are exposed,’ even though they were not- they just wanted to run away:

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And when a party of them said, 'O people of Yathrib, there is no abiding here for you, therefore return!' And a part of them Were asking leave of the Prophet, saying, 'Our houses are exposed'; yet they were not exposed; they desired only to flee.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And when a party of them said, 'O people of Yathreb; there is no place for you (here), return then (to the city). ' And a part of them asked leave of the prophet (to return), saying, 'Verily, our houses are defenceless;' but they were not defenceless, they only wished for flight.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And when the hypocrites and those in whose heart was a disease began to say, "Allah and His Apostle did not promise us nothing but delusion. "

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And as a section of them said, " O population of Yathrib, Al-Madînah) there is no stationing (here) for you, so return!" And a group of them were asking permission of the Prophet, saying, "Surely our houses are privacies. " (Or: weak spots; i.e., They begged permission to protect their own homes) And in no way were they privacies; decidedly they would like (to seek) nothing except flight.

  • George Sale

    And when a party of them said, O inhabitants of Yathreb, there is no place of security for you here; wherefore return home. And a part of them asked leave of the prophet to depart, saying, verily our houses are defenceless and exposed to the enemy: But they were not defenceless; and their intention was no other than to fly.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And when a party among them said: "You men of Yathrib (the Prophet’s old town)! You cannot withstand (the attack), so go back!" And a group of them asked the Prophet to be excused (to go away), saying: "Truly, our houses are bare and in danger," even though they were not in (any) danger: They wanted nothing but to run away (from fighting).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And (recall) when a party of them (also) said, `O people of Yathrib (- Madînah)! you can put up no stand (in the face of the enemy); you had better go back (to your homes or your old faith to save your lives). And a section of them asked the Prophet for leave saying, `Surely, our homes are lying exposed (to danger) whereas they were not actually lying exposed, but they only sought to flee (from the battlefield).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    And when a group of them said, ‘O people of Yathrib! not a place for you, so go back!’ And a group of them sought the Prophet’s permission, saying, ‘Our homes lie exposed ,’ although they were not exposed. They only sought to flee.