Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And had God known any good in them He would have made them hear; and had He made them hear, they would have turned away — and they are averse.

وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللّٰهُ ف۪يهِمْ خَيْراً لَاَسْمَعَهُمْۜ وَلَوْ اَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّوْا وَهُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ
Walaw AAalima Allahu feehim khayranlaasmaAAahum walaw asmaAAahum latawallaw wahum muAAridoon
#wordmeaningroot
1walawAnd if
2ʿalima(had) knownعلم
3l-lahuAllah
4fīhimin them
5khayranany goodخير
6la-asmaʿahumsurely, He (would) have made them hearسمع
7walawAnd if
8asmaʿahumHe had made them hearسمع
9latawallawsurely they would have turned awayولي
10wahumwhile they
11muʿ'riḍūna(were) averseعرض
  • Aisha Bewley

    If Allah knew of any good in them, He would have made them able to hear. But even if He had made them able to hear, they would still have turned away.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And if God had found any good in them, then He would have made them listen. But if He makes them listen, they would still turn away, averse.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    If Allah had seen any good in them, He would have made them hear. But, even if He made them hear, they would have turned away. (The perceptual and conceptual, both faculties must be used for understanding and attaining guidance (17:36)).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And had God known any good in them He would have made them hear; and had He made them hear, they would have turned away — and they are averse.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And if God had found any good in them, then He would have made them listen. And if He had made them listen, they would have turned away while they are in aversion.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    If God had found any good in them, then He would have made them listen. But if He makes them listen, they would still turn away, averse.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Had GOD known of any good in them, He would have made them hearers. Even if He made them hearers, they still would turn away in aversion.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    If God had seen any good in them He would surely have made them hear. Now even if He makes them hear they will turn away (in obduracy).

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

    Had Allah known any good in them, He would have made them hear. And if He had made them hear, they would have turned away, while they were refusing.

  • Muhammad Asad

    For, if God had seen any good in them, He would certainly have made them hear: but even if He had made them hear, they would surely have turned away in their obstinacy.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Had Allah known of any good in them He would have made them hear, but had He made them hear they would have turned away, averse.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And had Allah known in them any good He would surely, have made them hear; but (being as they, are) even if He made them hear, they would have surely turned away in aversion.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Had Allah found in them any good He would have opened their hearts' ears and their minds' eyes and made their prudence get the better of their pride. And if He did, they would have turned away and counselled deaf to the spirit of truth that guides into all truth.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    If there was just a little bit goodness in them, God would have done a favor to them, letting the words penetrate in their conscious. However , their absorbing the truth would have caused more trouble.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Had Allâh known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen; and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away with aversion (to the truth).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    If Allah had found in them any good. He would indeed have made them listen: (As it is), if He had made them listen, they would but have turned back and declined (Faith).

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Had Allah found any goodness in them, He would have certainly made them hear. ˹But˺ even if He had made them hear, they would have surely turned away heedlessly.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Had Allah seen in them some good, He would have made them listen (as due). But if He makes them listen (now), they will turn away paying no heed.

  • Abdul Haleem

    If God had known there was any good in them, He would have made them hear, but even if He had, they would still have turned away and taken no notice.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    If God had known of any good in them He would have made them hear; and if He had made them hear, they would have turned away, swerving aside.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Had God known any good in them, He would have made them hear; but had He made them hear, they would have turned back and have swerved aside.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Had Allah known any good in them, He would have made them hear; but had He made them hear, they would have turned away, averse.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And if Allah had known of any charity in them, indeed He would have made them hear; and if He had made them hear, they would have turned back (while) veering away from (His words).

  • George Sale

    And if Allah had known any good in them, He would certainly have made them hear. And if He now makes them hear, they will turn away in aversion.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    If Allah had found any good in them, he would truly have made them listen: And even if He made them listen, they would have only gone back and rejected (faith).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Had Allâh found any good in them, He would have certainly made them listen (to the Qur'ân). And if (in the present situation) He makes them listen, they will turn away and they are averse.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Had Allah known any good in them, surely He would have made them hear, and were He to make them hear, surely they would turn away, being disregardful.