Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Lest you say: “The Writ was but sent down upon two groups before us, and we were of their study unaware,”

اَنْ تَقُولُٓوا اِنَّـمَٓا اُنْزِلَ الْكِتَابُ عَلٰى طَٓائِفَتَيْنِ مِنْ قَبْلِنَاۖ وَاِنْ كُنَّا عَنْ دِرَاسَتِهِمْ لَغَافِل۪ينَۙ
An taqooloo innama onzila alkitabuAAala ta-ifatayni min qablina wa-in kunnaAAan dirasatihim laghafileen
#wordmeaningroot
1anLest
2taqūlūyou sayقول
3innamāOnly
4unzilawas revealedنزل
5l-kitābuthe Bookكتب
6ʿalāon
7ṭāifataynithe two groupsطوف
8minfrom
9qablinābefore usقبل
10wa-inand indeed
11kunnāwe wereكون
12ʿanabout
13dirāsatihimtheir studyدرس
14laghāfilīnacertainly unawareغفل
  • Aisha Bewley

    So you cannot say: ‘The Book was only sent down to the two groups before us and we were ignorant of their studies. ’

  • Progressive Muslims

    Lest you Say: "The Scripture was only sent down to two groups before us, and we were unaware of their study!"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    (It has been given to you) lest you say, "The Scripture was sent down to two groups (Jews and Christians) before our time, and we are unaware what they originally read. "

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Lest you say: “The Writ was but sent down upon two groups before us, and we were of their study unaware,”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Lest you say: "The Book was only sent down to two groups before us, and we were unaware of their study!"

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Lest you say, "The book was only sent down to two groups before us, and we were unaware of their study!"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Now you can no longer say, "The scripture was sent down to two groups before us, and we were unaware of their teachings."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Lest you say: "The Book that was sent before was meant only for two groups; we were not aware of their teachings;"

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

    lest you say, "The Scripture was only sent down to two groups before us, but we were of their study unaware,"

  • Muhammad Asad

    It has been given to you lest you say, "Only unto two groups of people, before our time, has a divine writ been bestowed from on high and we were indeed unaware of their teachings";

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Lest ye should say: The Scripture was revealed only to two sects before us, and we in sooth were unaware of what they read;

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    (You may no longer) say now that the Book was revealed only to two groups of people before Us and that we had indeed been unaware of what they read.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    We have sent it down as the spirit of truth guiding into all truth lest you people render such a reason as to say: "The Book sent down to the people of Mussa and to those of Isa aforetime was expressed in their own tongues, in languages, we were not taught nor did we understand"; an excuse which it shall no longer be possible to justify.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Now you can no longer say, "The Lord's Book was sent only to the two nations before us (Jews and Christians) and that we were not aware of its teachings. "

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Lest you (pagan Arabs) should say: "The Book was sent down only to two sects before us (the Jews and the Christians), and for our part, we were in fact unaware of what they studied."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Lest ye should say: "The Book was sent down to two Peoples before us, and for our part, we remained unacquainted with all that they learned by assiduous study:"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    You ˹pagans˺ can no longer say, "Scriptures were only revealed to two groups before us and we were unaware of their teachings."

  • Taqi Usmani

    (Had We not sent this book,) you would (have an excuse to) say, "The Book was sent down only upon two groups before us, (i.e. the Jews and the Christians) and we were unaware of what they read."

  • Abdul Haleem

    lest you say, ‘Scriptures were only sent down to two communities before us: we were not aware of what they studied,’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    lest you should say, 'The Book was sent down only upon two parties before us, and we have indeed been heedless of their study';

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Lest ye say, 'The Book was only sent down to two sects before us; verily, we, for what they read, care naught. '

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Lest you say, "The Book (Scripture) was only sent down to two sects before us; verily, we care naught for (or are unaware of) what they read. "

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    So that you may not say, "Surely the Book was sent down only upon two sections even before us, and decidedly we have indeed been heedless of their study. "

  • George Sale

    Lest ye should say, the scriptures were only sent down unto two people before us; and we neglected to peruse them with attention:

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    In case that you should say: "The Book was sent down to two sects before us, and for our part, we remained unaware with all that they learned by serious study;"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    (We have revealed this blessed Book) lest you should say, `The Book has only been revealed to two communities (- the Jews and the Christians) before us, and (as for us) we remained unaware of what those (Books) read. '

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Lest you should say, ‘The Book was sent down only to two communities before us, and we were indeed unaware of their studies,’