Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

But how can they not be punished by God when they turn away from the inviolable place of worship, and are not its allies? Its allies are only those of prudent fear; but most of them know not.

وَمَا لَهُمْ اَلَّا يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللّٰهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُٓوا اَوْلِيَٓاءَهُۜ اِنْ اَوْلِيَٓاؤُ۬هُٓ اِلَّا الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلٰكِنَّ اَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Wama lahum alla yuAAaththibahumuAllahu wahum yasuddoona AAani almasjidi alharamiwama kanoo awliyaahu in awliyaohu illaalmuttaqoona walakinna aktharahum la yaAAlamoon
#wordmeaningroot
1wamāBut what
2lahum(is) for them
3allāthat not
4yuʿadhibahumu(should) punish themعذب
5l-lahuAllah
6wahumwhile they
7yaṣuddūnahinder (people)صدد
8ʿanifrom
9l-masjidiAl-Masjidسجد
10l-ḥarāmiAl-Haraamحرم
11wamāwhile not
12kānūthey areكون
13awliyāahuits guardiansولي
14inNot (can be)
15awliyāuhuits guardiansولي
16illāexcept
17l-mutaqūnathe ones who fear Allahوقي
18walākinnabut
19aktharahummost of themكثر
20(do) not
21yaʿlamūnaknowعلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    But why should Allah not punish them now when they bar access to the Masjid al-Haram? They are not its guardians. Only people who have taqwa can be its guardians. But most of them do not know that.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And why should God not punish them when they are turning others away from the Restricted Temple, and they were never its protectors! Its protectors are the righteous; but most of them do not know.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Now is a new situation. Have they not deserved Allah's Requital when they are hindering His servants from the Sacred Masjid of Makkah, even though they are not its guardians? Its guardians can only be those who are mindful of Allah's Laws. Most of them don't even know how awesome this responsibility is.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    But how can they not be punished by God when they turn away from the inviolable place of worship, and are not its allies? Its allies are only those of prudent fear; but most of them know not.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And why should God not punish them when they are turning others away from the Restricted Temple, and they were never its protectors! Its protectors are the righteous; but most of them do not know.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Why should God not punish them when they are turning others away from the Restricted Temple, and they were never its protectors! Its protectors are the righteous. But most of them do not know.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Have they not deserved GOD's retribution, by repelling others from the Sacred Masjid, even though they are not the custodians thereof? The true custodians thereof are the righteous, but most of them do not know.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    But what is there so special they have that God should not punish them when they obstruct people from the Holy Mosque, though they are not its (appointed) guardians? Its guardians could be only those who are pious and devout. But most of them do not know.

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

    But why should Allah not punish them while they obstruct from al-Masjid al- îaram and they were not its guardians? Its guardians are not but the righteous, but most of them do not know.

  • Muhammad Asad

    But what have they in their favour that God should not chastise them-seeing that they bar from the Inviolable House of Worship, although they are not its guardians? None but the God-conscious can be its guardians: but of this most of these are unaware;

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    What (plea) have they that Allah should not punish them, when they debar (His servants) from the Inviolable Place of Worship, though they are not its fitting guardians. Its fitting guardians are those only who keep their duty to Allah. But most of them know not.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    But what prevents Allah from chastising them now when they are hindering people from the Holy Mosque, even though they are not even its true guardians. For its true guardians are none but the God-fearing, though most of them do not know that.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    What excuse can they offer now to justify their wrongful deeds and bar prosecution! Therefore there is no reason why Allah should make them suffer for their offense. They have abused the act of grace and fallen from grace. They malevolently obstructed the way to the Sacrosanct House when they are not its guardians. Its guardians are those who entertain the profound reverence dutiful to Allah but most of these do not realize this fact.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    But now, there is no reason why God should not send them a punishment; they are preventing the believer from having free access to "Masjid-Al-Haram" (built by Abraham and Ishmael for the sole purpose of worshipping the Lord alone whereas they are not it lawful guardians. Most people do not realize that only God fearing people are entitled to the guardianship of such a holy place.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And why should not Allâh punish them while they hinder (men) from Al-Masjid-Al-Harâm, and they are not its guardians? None can be its guardians except Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2), but most of them know not.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    But what plea have they that Allah should not punish them, when they keep out (men) from the sacred Mosque - and they are not its guardians? No men can be its guardians except the righteous; but most of them do not understand.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    And why should Allah not punish them while they hinder pilgrims from the Sacred Mosque, claiming to be its rightful guardians? None has the right to guardianship except those mindful ˹of Allah˺, but most pagans do not know.

  • Taqi Usmani

    And what privilege do they have that Allah should not punish them, while they prevent (people) from Al-Masjid-ul-Harām (the Sacred Mosque), even though they are not (competent to be) its custodians? Its (competent) custodians are none but the God-fearing, but most of them do not know.

  • Abdul Haleem

    yet why should God not punish them when they debar people from the Sacred Mosque, although they are not its guardians? Only those mindful of God are its rightful guardians, but most of the disbelievers do not realize this.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    But what have they now, that God should not chastise them, when they are barring from the Holy Mosque, not being its protectors? Its only protectors are the godfearing; but most of them know not.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    But what ails them that God should not torment them while they turn folk away from the Holy Mosque, though they are not the guardians thereof - its guardians are only the pious?- but most of them know not.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    But what plea have they that Allah should not punish them when they turn folk away from the Sacred Mosque (The Kaaba), though they are not its fitting guardians? Its fitting guardians are only the righteous (those who keep their duty to Allah), but most of them know not.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And what (plea) have they, that Allah should not torment them, and they are barring from the Inviolable Mosque, and in no way have they been its patrons? Decidedly none (could be) its patrons except the pious ones; but most of them do not know.

  • George Sale

    And what excuse have they now that Allah should not punish them, when they hinder men from the Sacred Mosque, and they are not its true guardians? Its true guardians are only those who are righteous, but most of them know not.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    But what plea do they have that Allah should not punish them, when they keep out (men) from the Sacred Mosque— And they are not its guardians (or keepers)? No men can be its keepers except the righteous; But most of them do not understand.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    But what plea have they (now) that Allâh should not punish them when they keep (His worshippers) back from the Holy Mosque (at Makkah), whilst they are not (fit to be) its (true) trustees. Its (true) trustees are only those who have become secure against evil but most of these (disbelievers) know not (this fact).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    What have they that Allah should not punish them, when they bar from the Holy Mosque, and they are not its custodians? Its custodians are only the Godwary, but most of them do not know.