Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Precede Him not in word, but they act by His command.

لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُمْ بِاَمْرِه۪ يَعْمَلُونَ
La yasbiqoonahu bilqawliwahum bi-amrihi yaAAmaloon
#wordmeaningroot
1Not
2yasbiqūnahuthey (can) precede Himسبق
3bil-qawliin wordقول
4wahumand they
5bi-amrihiby His commandامر
6yaʿmalūnaactعمل
  • Aisha Bewley

    They do not precede Him in speech and they act on His command.

  • Progressive Muslims

    They do not speak ahead of Him, and on His command they act.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    They exceed not what He has spoken to them, and they act by His Command.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Precede Him not in word, but they act by His command.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    They do not speak ahead of Him, and on His command they act.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    They do not speak ahead of Him, and on His command they act.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    They never speak on their own, and they strictly follow His commands.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    They did not precede Him in their speech, and acted on His command.

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

    They cannot precede Him in word, and they act by His command.

  • Muhammad Asad

    they speak not until He has spoken unto them, and they act at His behest.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    They speak not until He hath spoken, and they act by His command.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    They do not outstrip Him in speech and only act as He commands.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Never do they speak before Him unless permitted or commanded to do so; similarly conditioned are their acts.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    His Prophets do not speak on their own, and follow what they are ordered.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    They speak not until He has spoken, and they act on His Command.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    They speak not before He speaks, and they act (in all things) by His Command.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    who do not speak until He has spoken, ˹only˺ acting at His command.

  • Taqi Usmani

    They do not precede Him in speech, and only under His command they act.

  • Abdul Haleem

    they do not speak before He speaks and they act by His command.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    that outstrip Him not in speech, and perform as He commands.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    they do not speak until He speaks; but at His bidding do they act.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And they say, "The Beneficent has taken a son; glorified be He! Nay, but they are honoured servants;

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    They do not outstrip Him in speech, and they do according to His Command.

  • George Sale

    They prevent Him not in any thing which they say; and they execute his command.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    They do not speak before He (Allah) speaks (to them), and they act (only) by His command.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    They do not precede Him in speech and they only carry out His biddings.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    They do not venture to speak ahead of Him, and they act by His command.