Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And if thou bring those given the Writ every proof they will not follow thy course; neither wilt thou follow their course; nor will they follow each other’s course. And if thou follow their vain desires after what has come to thee of knowledge, thou wilt then be of the wrongdoers.

وَلَئِنْ اَتَيْتَ الَّذ۪ينَ اُو۫تُوا الْكِتَابَ بِكُلِّ اٰيَةٍ مَا تَبِعُوا قِبْلَتَكَۚ وَمَٓا اَنْتَ بِتَابِـعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْۚ وَمَا بَعْضُهُمْ بِتَابِـعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍۜ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ اَهْوَٓاءَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَٓاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِۙ اِنَّكَ اِذاً لَمِنَ الظَّالِم۪ينَۢ
Wala-in atayta allatheena ootooalkitaba bikulli ayatin ma tabiAAooqiblataka wama anta bitabiAAin qiblatahum wamabaAAduhum bitabiAAin qiblata baAAdinwala-ini ittabaAAta ahwaahum min baAAdi ma jaakamina alAAilmi innaka ithan lamina aththalimeen
#wordmeaningroot
1wala-inAnd even if
2ataytayou comeاتي
3alladhīna(to) those who
4ūtūwere givenاتي
5l-kitābathe Bookكتب
6bikulliwith allكلل
7āyatin(the) signsايي
8not
9tabiʿūthey would followتبع
10qib'latakayour direction of prayerقبل
11wamāand not
12anta(will) you (be)
13bitābiʿina followerتبع
14qib'latahum(of) their direction of prayerقبل
15wamāAnd not
16baʿḍuhumsome of themبعض
17bitābiʿin(are) followersتبع
18qib'lata(of the) direction of prayerقبل
19baʿḍin(of each) otherبعض
20wala-iniAnd if
21ittabaʿtayou followedتبع
22ahwāahumtheir desiresهوي
23minfrom
24baʿdiafterبعد
25[what]
26jāakacame to youجيا
27minaof
28l-ʿil'mithe knowledgeعلم
29innakaindeed, you
30idhan(would) then
31lamina(be) surely among
32l-ẓālimīnathe wrongdoersظلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    If you were to bring every Sign to those given the Book, they still would not follow your direction. You do not follow their direction. They do not follow each other’s direction. If you followed their whims and desires, after the knowledge that has come to you, you would then be one of the wrongdoers.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And if you come to those who have been given the Scripture with every sign they will not follow your focal point, nor will you follow their focal point, nor will some of them even follow each others focal point. And if you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then you would be one of the wicked.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And even if you were to place all evidence before those who previously received the Scripture, they will not accept your Center of Devotion. Nor can you be a follower of their Center, and they do not follow the centers of others. Your job, in the meantime, is to remain sincerely committed to the Divine Plan and not be swayed by people's desires. If you heeded them after the right knowledge has come to you, you will be of those who deviate from justice.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And if thou bring those given the Writ every proof they will not follow thy course; neither wilt thou follow their course; nor will they follow each other’s course. And if thou follow their vain desires after what has come to thee of knowledge, thou wilt then be of the wrongdoers.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And if you come to those who have been given the Book with every sign they will not follow your focal point, nor will you follow their focal point, nor will some of them even follow each others focal point. And if you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then you would be one of the wicked.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Even if you come to those who have been given the book with every sign, they will not follow your focal point, nor will you follow their focal point, nor will some of them even follow each other's focal point. If you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then you would be one of the wicked.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Even if you show the followers of the scripture every kind of miracle, they will not follow your Qiblah. Nor shall you follow their Qiblah. They do not even follow each others' Qiblah. If you acquiesce to their wishes, after the knowledge that has come to you, you will belong with the transgressors.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    We have seen you turn your face to the heavens. We shall turn you to a Qiblah that will please you. So turn towards the Holy Mosque, and turn towards it wherever you be. And those who are recipients of the Book surely know that this is the truth from their Lord; and God is not negligent of all that you do.

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

    And if you brought to those who were given the Scripture every sign, they would not follow your qiblah. Nor will you be a follower of their qiblah. Nor would they be followers of one another's qiblah. So if you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, indeed, you would then be among the wrongdoers.

  • Muhammad Asad

    And yet, even if thou wert to place all evidence before those who have been vouchsafed earlier revelation, they would not follow thy direction of prayer; and neither mayest thou follow their direction of prayer, nor even do they follow one another's direction. And if thou shouldst follow their errant views after all the knowledge that has come unto thee thou wouldst surely be among the evildoers.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And even if thou broughtest unto those who have received the Scripture all kinds of portents, they would not follow thy qiblah, nor canst thou be a follower of their qiblah; nor are some of them followers of the qiblah of others. And if thou shouldst follow their desires after the knowledge which hath come unto thee, then surely wert thou of the evil-doers.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And yet no matter what proofs you bring before the People of the Book they will not follow your direction of Prayer; nor will you follow their direction of Prayer. None is prepared to follow the other’s direction of Prayer. Were you to follow their desires in disregard of the knowledge which has come to you, you will surely be reckoned among the wrong-doers.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    If you, Muhammad, were to present Ahl Al-Kitab with signs evincing your Prophethood and Allah’s Omnipotence and Authority, they shall never follow your Kiblah nor shall you follow theirs, nor shall they follow each other’s Qiblah, and should you be tempted to follow their vain wishes given the knowledge imparted to you, then you will miss the path of righteousness and indeed be wrong.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Even if you perform the most convincing miracle, Jews and Christians will not say their prayers facing Mecca. You, naturally, will not follow their direction either. As a matter of fact, they will not compromise even among themselves. Therefore, now that you have received the commandment, you are obliged to follow it. If you disobey this commandment, you have chosen to join the unjust people.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And even if you were to bring to the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) all the Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they would not follow your Qiblah (prayer direction), nor are you going to follow their Qiblah (prayer direction). And they will not follow each other’s Qiblah (prayer direction). Verily, if you follow their desires after that which you have received of knowledge (from Allâh), then indeed you will be one of the Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Even if thou wert to bring to the people of the Book all the Signs (together), they would not follow Thy Qibla; nor art thou going to follow their Qibla; nor indeed will they follow each other's Qibla. If thou after the knowledge hath reached thee, Wert to follow their (vain) desires,-then wert thou Indeed (clearly) in the wrong.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Even if you were to bring every proof to the People of the Book, they would not accept your direction ˹of prayer˺, nor would you accept theirs; nor would any of them accept the direction ˹of prayer˺ of another. And if you were to follow their desires after ˹all˺ the knowledge that has come to you, then you would certainly be one of the wrongdoers.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Even if you bring every sign to those who have been given the Book, they would not follow your Qiblah, and you are not to follow their Qiblah, nor are they to follow each other’s Qiblah. If you were to follow their desires despite the knowledge that has come to you, you will then certainly be among the unjust.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Yet even if you brought every proof to those who were given the Scripture, they would not follow your prayer direction, nor will you follow theirs, nor indeed will any of them follow one another’s direction. If you were to follow their desires, after the knowledge brought to you, you would be doing wrong.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Yet if thou shouldst bring to those that have been given the Book every sign, they will not follow thy direction; thou art not a follower of their direction, neither are they followers of one another's direction. If thou followest their caprices, after the knowledge that has come to thee, then thou wilt surely be among the evildoers

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And if thou shouldst bring to those who have been given the Book every sign, they would not follow your qiblah; and thou art not to follow their qiblah; nor do some of them follow the qiblah of the others: and if thou followest their lusts after the knowledge that has come to thee then art thou of the evildoers.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And even if you should bring to the People of the Book every sign, they would not follow your Qiblah (direction, focus, goal); and you are not to follow their Qiblah; nor do some of them follow the Qiblah of the others: and if you follow their lusts (vain desires, prejudices, fantasies) after the knowledge that has come to you, then are you of the wrongdoers.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And indeed in case you come up with every sign to the ones to whom the Book was brought, in no way will they follow your Qiblah; and in no way are you a follower of their Qiblah, and in no way are some of them followers of the Qiblah of the others. (Literally: some of them are in on way followers of the Qiblah of some "others") and indeed in case you ever follow their prejudices even after the knowledge that has come to you, lo, surely you are indeed of the unjust.

  • George Sale

    Verily although thou shouldest shew unto those to whom the scripture hath been given, all kinds of signs, yet they will not follow thy Keblah, neither shalt thou follow their Keblah; nor will one part of them follow the Keblah of the other. And if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, verily thou wilt become one of the ungodly.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And even if you were to bring to the people of the Book all the Signs of Allah (together), they would not follow your Qibla (the direction of prayer); Nor are you going to follow their Qibla; Nor indeed will they follow each others Qibla; And after the knowledge has reached you, if you were to follow their (vain) desires— Then you would be clearly among the wrongdoers.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And even if you should bring to those (who went astray and) who have been given the Scripture (before you) all kinds of signs together, they would not follow your Qiblah, nor would you be the follower of their Qiblah, nor would some of them be the follower of one another's Qiblah. And if you (O reader!) should follow their low desires after (all) this knowledge that has come to you, then indeed, you would be of the unjust.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Even if you bring those who were given the Book every sign, they will not follow your qiblah. Nor shall you follow their qiblah, nor will any of them follow the qiblah of the other. And if you follow their desires, after the knowledge that has come to you, you will indeed be one of the wrongdoers.