Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And when he turns away, he strives in the land working corruption therein and destroying tilth and progeny; and God loves not corruption.

وَاِذَا تَوَلّٰى سَعٰى فِي الْاَرْضِ لِيُفْسِدَ ف۪يهَا وَيُهْلِكَ الْحَرْثَ وَالنَّسْلَۜ وَاللّٰهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَسَادَ
Wa-itha tawalla saAAafee al-ardi liyufsida feeha wayuhlika alharthawannasla wallahu la yuhibbualfasad
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-idhāAnd when
2tawallāhe turns awayولي
3saʿāhe strivesسعي
4in
5l-arḍithe earthارض
6liyuf'sidato spread corruptionفسد
7fīhā[in it]
8wayuh'likaand destroysهلك
9l-ḥarthathe cropsحرث
10wal-naslaand progenyنسل
11wal-lahuAnd Allah
12(does) not
13yuḥibbuloveحبب
14l-fasāda[the] corruptionفسد
  • Aisha Bewley

    When he leaves you, he goes about the earth corrupting it, destroying crops and animals. Allah does not love corruption.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And if he gains power, he seeks to corrupt the Earth and destroy its crops, and people's lineage. God does not like corruption.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    If such people attain political power they create corruption in the earth. Their rule results in destruction of the produce of land and labor and the damage done by them affects generations. Allah loves not corruption and mischief.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And when he turns away, he strives in the land working corruption therein and destroying tilth and progeny; and God loves not corruption.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And if he gains power, he seeks to corrupt the earth and destroy its crops, and the lineage. God does not love corruption.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    If he gains power, he seeks to corrupt the earth and destroy its crops, and people's lineage. God does not like corruption.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    As soon as he leaves, he roams the earth corruptingly, destroying properties and lives. GOD does not love corruption.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    For when his back is turned he goes about spreading disorder in the land, destroying fields and flocks; but God does not love disorder.

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

    And when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and animals. And Allah does not like corruption.

  • Muhammad Asad

    But whenever he prevails, he goes about the earth spreading corruption and destroying tilth and progeny: and God does not love corruption.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And when he turneth away (from thee) his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle; and Allah loveth not mischief.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Whenever he attains authority,* he goes about the earth spreading mischief and laying to waste crops and human life, even though Allah (whose testimony he invokes) does not love mischief.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    When he turns his back and leaves or if he is in a position of influence over the conduct of others, he aims to exercise inherent mischief creating discord, and thus, reduces crops and cattle to ruins, contrary to Allah’s blessed word and ordinance Who detests physical and moral mischief.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    When such person finishes his speech, he goes back to his routine corrupting the world and even destroying properties and lives (like some leaders of powerful nations who do not mind to destroy the people of less powerful countries for silly reasons. ) God does not like such corrupt people.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And when he turns away (from you "O Muhammad "صلى الله عليه وسلم"), his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle, and Allâh likes not mischief.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    When he turns his back, His aim everywhere is to spread mischief through the earth and destroy crops and cattle. But Allah loveth not mischief.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    And when they leave ˹you˺, they strive throughout the land to spread mischief in it and destroy crops and cattle. Allah does not like mischief.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Once he turns back, he moves about in the land trying to spread disorder in it, and to destroy the tillage and the stock; and Allah does not like disorder.

  • Abdul Haleem

    When he leaves, he sets out to spread corruption in the land, destroying crops and live-stock- God does not like corruption.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    and when he turns his back, he hastens about the earth, to do corruption there and to destroy the tillage and the stock; and God loves not corruption;

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And when he turns away, he strives upon the earth to do evil therein, and to destroy the tilth and the stock; verily, God loves not evil doing.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And when he turns away, he strives upon the earth to do evil therein, and to destroy the tilth and the stock; verily, Allah loves not evil doing.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And when he turns away, he (diligently) endeavors about the earth to corrupt in it and cause the tillage and stock to perish; and Allah does not love corruption.

  • George Sale

    and when he turneth away from thee, he hasteth to act corruptly in the earth, and to destroy that which is sown, and springeth up: But God loveth not corrupt doing.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    When he turns his back, his aim is to spread mischief everywhere through the earth and destroy crops and cattle. But Allah does not love mischief.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And when he is in authority, he runs about in the land (striving) to create chaos and lawlessness in it, and to destroy the tillage and the stock, but Allâh does not love disorder (and lawlessness).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    And if he were to wield authority, he would try to cause corruption in the land, and to ruin the crop and the stock, and Allah does not like corruption.