Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

They think the parties have not left; and if the parties come, they will wish they were desert-dwellers among the desert Arabs asking for reports of you. And were they among you, they would fight only a little.

يَحْسَبُونَ الْاَحْزَابَ لَمْ يَذْهَبُواۚ وَاِنْ يَأْتِ الْاَحْزَابُ يَوَدُّوا لَوْ اَنَّهُمْ بَادُونَ فِي الْاَعْرَابِ يَسْـَٔلُونَ عَنْ اَنْبَٓائِكُمْۜ وَلَوْ كَانُوا ف۪يكُمْ مَا قَاتَلُٓوا اِلَّا قَل۪يلاً۟
Yahsaboona al-ahzabalam yathhaboo wa-in ya/ti al-ahzabu yawaddoolaw annahum badoona fee al-aAArabi yas-aloona AAananba-ikum walaw kanoo feekum ma qatalooilla qaleela
#wordmeaningroot
1yaḥsabūnaThey thinkحسب
2l-aḥzābathe confederatesحزب
3lam(have) not
4yadhhabūwithdrawnذهب
5wa-inAnd if
6yati(should) comeاتي
7l-aḥzābuthe confederatesحزب
8yawaddūthey would wishودد
9lawif
10annahumthat they (were)
11bādūnaliving in (the) desertبدو
12among
13l-aʿrābithe Bedouinsعرب
14yasalūnaaskingسال
15ʿanabout
16anbāikumyour newsنبا
17walawAnd if
18kānūthey wereكون
19fīkumamong you
20not
21qātalūthey would fightقتل
22illāexcept
23qalīlana littleقلل
  • Aisha Bewley

    They think that the Confederates have not departed and if the Confederates did appear then they would wish they were out in the desert with the Arabs, asking for news of you. If they were with you they would only fight a very little.

  • Progressive Muslims

    They thought that the opponents had not yet mobilized. And if the opponents do appear, they wish that they were out in the desert, seeking out news for you. Even if they were among you, they would not have fought except very little.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    They think that the enemy clans have not withdrawn. And if the confederate clans come back, these (hypocrites) would prefer to be in the desert with the Bedouins, asking for news about you, from far away. And if they were among you, they would only pretend to fight.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    They think the parties have not left; and if the parties come, they will wish they were desert-dwellers among the desert Arabs asking for reports of you. And were they among you, they would fight only a little.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    They thought that the Confederates had not yet mobilized. And if the Confederates do appear, they wish that they were out with the Nomads, seeking out news for you. Even if they were among you, they would not have fought except very little.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    They thought that the opponents had not yet mobilized. If the opponents do appear, they wish that they were out in the desert, seeking out news for you. Even if they were among you, they would not have fought except very little.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    They thought that the parties might come back. In that case, they would wish that they were lost in the desert, asking about your news from afar. Had the parties attacked you while they were with you, they would rarely support you.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    They think the allied tribes have not withdrawn; and if the allied tribes had advanced they would have wished that they were rather with the Arabs of the desert asking news of you; and had they been among you they would have fought but just a little.

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

    They think the companies have not withdrawn. And if the companies should come , they would wish they were in the desert among the bedouins, inquiring about your news. And if they should be among you, they would not fight except for a little.

  • Muhammad Asad

    They think that the Confederates have not withdrawn; and should the Confederates return, these would prefer to be in the desert, among the bedouin, asking for news about you, and even were they to find themselves in your midst, they would but make a pretence at fighting .

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    They hold that the clans have not retired (for good); and if the clans should advance (again), they would fain be in the desert with the wandering Arabs, asking for the news of you; and if they were among you, they would not give battle, save a little.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    They think that the invading confederates have not yet gone. But if the confederates were to mount another assault, they would wish to be in the desert among the bedouins and keep themselves informed about you from there. But even if they remained in your midst, hardly would they fight.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    They -these hypocrites- think that the confederates have not yet lifted the seige nor have they withdrawn. And should the confederates lay seige again (to Madina). they will wish they were wandering among the Bedouins in the desert and then they will learn of your news and events while at a safe distance. Had these people been among you in combat they would not have engaged in fighting but a little.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    They cannot believe their eyes that the enemy’s army has gone away. If it happened such that the enemy returns, they will prefer to be in a small village in the middle of the desert and hear about you from there! They would definitely take the least part in the battle, if the enemy had to return.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    They think that Al-Ahzâb (the Confederates) have not yet withdrawn; and if Al-Ahzâb (the Confederates) should come (again), they would wish they were in the deserts (wandering) among the bedouins, seeking news about you (from a far place); and if they (happen) to be among you, they would not fight but little.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    They think that the Confederates have not withdrawn; and if the Confederates should come (again), they would wish they were in the deserts (wandering) among the Bedouins, and seeking news about you (from a safe distance); and if they were in your midst, they would fight but little.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    They ˹still˺ think that the enemy alliance has not ˹yet˺ withdrawn. And if the allies were to come ˹again˺, the hypocrites would wish to be away in the desert among nomadic Arabs, ˹only˺ asking for news about you ˹believers˺. And if the hypocrites were in your midst, they would hardly take part in the fight.

  • Taqi Usmani

    They think that the coalition forces have not (yet) gone. And should the coalition forces come (again), they would like to be living in countryside among the Bedouins, asking (others) about your news. And even if they were to remain among you, they would not fight, but a little.

  • Abdul Haleem

    They think the joint forces have not gone, and if the joint forces did come again they would wish they were in the desert, wandering among the Bedouin and seeking news about you . Even if they were with you , they would hardly fight at all.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    They think the Confederates have not departed; and if the Confederates come, they will wish that they were desert-dwellers among the Bedoums asking for news of you. If they were among you, they would fight but little.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    They reckoned that the confederates would never go away; and if the confederates should come they would fain be in the desert with the Arabs, asking for news of you! and if they were amongst you they would fight but little.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Being niggardly in their help to you; but when fear comes, you will see them looking to you, their eyes rolling like one swooning unto death; but when the fear is gone they smite you with sharp tongues, being covetous of the goods (spoils of war). These have not believed. Therefore Allah has made their deeds ineffective (vain, fruitless); and this is easy for Allah.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    They reckon that the (allied) parties have not gone away. And in case the (allied) parties come up, they would prefer if they were frequenters among the Arabs (Or: desert dwellers) (of the desert) asking for information about you. And if they were among you, in no way would they fight except a little.

  • George Sale

    They imagined that the confederates would not depart and raise the siege: And if the confederates should come another time, they would wish to live in the deserts among the Arabs who dwell in tents, and there to inquire after news concerning you; and although they were with you this time, yet they fought not, except a little.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    They think that the groups (opposing Islam) have not (lost and) withdrawn; And if those groups should come (again), they wish they were in the deserts together with the (wandering) Bedouins, and trying to find news about you (from far); And if they were in among you, they will fight very little.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    They (still) think that the (invading) confederates have not yet withdrawn. Should the confederates come (again) they would wish to be (desert dwellers) among the bedouins in the desert asking for news about you (whether you were safe or destroyed). And had they been among you they would not have fought (along with you), save a few.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    They suppose the confederates have not left yet, and were the confederates to come , they would wish they were in the desert with the Bedouins asking about your news, and if they were with you they would fight but a little.