Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

They ask thee about wine and games of chance. Say thou: “In both is great sin, and benefits for men; but their sin is greater than their benefit.” And they ask thee what they should spend. Say thou: “The surplus.” Thus does God make plain to you the proofs, that you might reflect

يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِۜ قُلْ ف۪يهِمَٓا اِثْمٌ كَب۪يرٌ وَمَنَافِـعُ لِلنَّاسِۘ وَاِثْمُهُمَٓا اَكْبَرُ مِنْ نَفْعِهِمَاۜ وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنْفِقُونَۜ قُلِ الْعَفْوَۜ كَذٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللّٰهُ لَكُمُ الْاٰيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَۙ
Yas-aloonaka AAani alkhamri walmaysiriqul feehima ithmun kabeerun wamanafiAAu linnasiwa-ithmuhuma akbaru min nafAAihima wayas-aloonaka mathayunfiqoona quli alAAafwa kathalika yubayyinu Allahulakumu al-ayati laAAallakum tatafakkaroon
#wordmeaningroot
1yasalūnakaThey ask youسال
2ʿaniabout
3l-khamri[the] intoxicantsخمر
4wal-maysiriand [the] games of chanceيسر
5qulSayقول
6fīhimāIn both of them
7ith'mun(is) a sinاثم
8kabīrungreatكبر
9wamanāfiʿuand (some) benefitsنفع
10lilnnāsifor [the] peopleنوس
11wa-ith'muhumāBut sin of both of themاثم
12akbaru(is) greaterكبر
13minthan
14nafʿihimā(the) benefit of (the) twoنفع
15wayasalūnakaAnd they ask youسال
16mādhāwhat
17yunfiqūnathey (should) spendنفق
18quliSayقول
19l-ʿafwaThe surplusعفو
20kadhālikaThus
21yubayyinumakes clearبين
22l-lahuAllah
23lakumuto you
24l-āyāti[the] Versesايي
25laʿallakumso that you may
26tatafakkarūnaponderفكر
  • Aisha Bewley

    They will ask you about alcoholic drinks and gambling. Say, ‘There is great wrong in both of them and also certain benefits for mankind. But the wrong in them is greater than the benefit.’ They will ask you what they should give away. Say, ‘Whatever is surplus to your needs.’ In this way Allah makes the Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will reflect

  • Progressive Muslims

    They ask you about intoxicants and gambling. Say: "In them is great harm, and a benefit for mankind; but their harm is greater than their benefit." And they ask you how much are they to give, Say: "The excess." It is thus that God clarifies for you the revelations that you may think.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    They ask you (O Messenger), concerning alcohol, intoxicants, gambling, and easy money. Say, "There is great loss for men and women in these things and a little momentary gain. Their damage far outweighs their benefit. They drag down individual and collective potentials of people." And they ask you what they should spend on others. Tell them, "All that is beyond your needs." Thus Allah makes plain to you His Revelations, that you may reflect and understand the Wisdom behind each Command.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    They ask thee about wine and games of chance. Say thou: “In both is great sin, and benefits for men; but their sin is greater than their benefit.” And they ask thee what they should spend. Say thou: “The surplus.” Thus does God make plain to you the proofs, that you might reflect

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    They ask you about alcohol and gambling. Say: "In them is great harm, and a benefit for the people; but their harm is greater than their benefit." And they ask you how much they are to give, say: "The excess." It is thus that God clarifies for you the revelations that you may think.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    They ask you about intoxicants and gambling. Say, "In them is great harm, and a benefit for people; but their harm is greater than their benefit." They ask you how much are they to give, say, "The excess." Thus, God clarifies for you the signs that you may think.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    They ask you about intoxicants and gambling: say, "In them there is a gross sin, and some benefits for the people. But their sinfulness far outweighs their benefit." They also ask you what to give to charity: say, "The excess." GOD thus clarifies the revelations for you, that you may reflect,

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    They ask you of (intoxicants, ) wine and gambling. Tell them: "There is great enervation though profit in them for men; but their enervation is greater than benefit. And they ask you what they should give. Tell them: "The utmost you can spare." So does God reveal His signs: You may haply reflect

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

    They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, "In them is great sin and benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they should spend. Say, "The excess ." Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses that you might give thought.

  • Muhammad Asad

    THEY WILL ASK thee about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: "In both there is great evil as well as some benefit for man; but the evil which they cause is greater than the benefit which they bring." And they will ask thee as to what they should spend . Say: "Whatever you can spare." In this way God makes clear unto you His messages, so that you might reflect

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    They question thee about strong drink and games of chance. Say: In both is great sin, and (some) utility for men; but the sin of them is greater than their usefulness. And they ask thee what they ought to spend. Say: that which is superfluous. Thus Allah maketh plain to you (His) revelations, that haply ye may reflect.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    They ask you about wine and games of chance. Say: "In both these there is great evil, even though there is some benefit for people, but their evil is greater than their benefit."* They ask: “What should we spend in the Way of Allah?” Say: “Whatever you can spare.” In this way Allah clearly expounds His injunctions to you that you may reflect upon them,

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    They ask you, O Muhammad, about intoxicants and gambling. Say to them: "They both involve a major sin as well as some advantages, but their evil outweighs their advantages." And they ask you how to spend in benevolence! Say to them: "Spend in benevolence and benefaction of what you can spare in excess of your actual requirements." Thus, Allah elucidates to you people His revelations and ordinances that you may hopefully consider the consequences.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    People ask you about drinking and gambling. Say: "There are some benefits and harms in them. Their harms, however, outweighs the benefits." They also ask you how much they should contribute to the charity. Say: “Anything above your needs.” See how clearly God makes His points so that you may contemplate upon this life and Hereafter.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    They ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: "In them is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they ought to spend. Say: "That which is beyond your needs." Thus Allâh makes clear to you His Laws in order that you may give thought."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit." They ask thee how much they are to spend; Say: "What is beyond your needs." Thus doth Allah Make clear to you His Signs: In order that ye may consider-

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    They ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about intoxicants and gambling. Say, "There is great evil in both, as well as some benefit for people—but the evil outweighs the benefit." They ˹also˺ ask you ˹O Prophet˺ what they should donate. Say, “Whatever you can spare.” This is how Allah makes His revelations clear to you ˹believers˺, so perhaps you may reflect

  • Taqi Usmani

    They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, "In both there is great sin, and some benefits for people. And their sin is greater than their benefit." And they ask you as to what they should spend. Say, “The surplus”. This is how Allah makes His verses clear to you, so that you may ponder

  • Abdul Haleem

    They ask you about intoxicants and gambling: say, ‘There is great sin in both, and some benefit for people: the sin is greater than the benefit.’ They ask you what they should give: say, ‘Give what you can spare.’ In this way, God makes His messages clear to you, so that you may reflect

  • Arthur John Arberry

    They will question thee concerning wine, and arrow-shuffling. Say: 'In both is heinous sin; and uses for men, but the sin in them is more heinous than the usefulness.' They will question thee concerning what they should expend. Say: 'The abundance.' So God makes clear His signs to you; haply you will reflect;

  • E. Henry Palmer

    They will ask thee about wine and el maisar, say, 'In them both is sin and profit to men; but the sin of both is greater than the profit of the same. ' They will ask thee what they shall expend in alms: say, 'The surplus.' Thus does God manifest to you His signs; haply ye may reflect on this world and the next!

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    They will ask you about wine and el maisar (getting something too easily, i. e. gambling, usury etc.), say, "In them both is great sin and some profit to men; but the sin of both is greater than the profit of the same." They will ask you what they shall expend in alms: Say: "The surplus (what is beyond need)." Thus does Allah manifest to you His signs; per chance (or possibly) you may reflect

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    They ask you concerning wine and games of chance. Say, "In (both) is great vice, and profits for mankind; and the vice in them is greater than the profit." And they ask you (concerning) what (things) they should expend. Say, "Liberality." (Or: clemency) Thus, Allah makes evident the signs to you, that possibly you would meditate

  • George Sale

    They will ask thee concerning wine and lots: Answer, in both there is great sin, and also some things of use unto men; but their sinfulness is greater than their use. They will ask thee also what they shall bestow in alms: Answer, what ye have to spare. Thus God sheweth his signs unto you, that peradventure ye might seriously think

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    They ask you (O Prophet) concerning drinking and gambling: Say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; But the sin is greater than the profit. " (And) they ask how much they are to spend (in charity), Say: "What is beyond your needs." Thus Allah makes clear to you His Signs: In order that you may think—

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    They ask you concerning intoxicants and games of chance. Say, `In both of them is a great sin and both are harmful too, and they have some uses for people, but the sin inherent in them is even more serious than their usefulness.' They ask you how much they should spend. Say, `The surplus (- what you can spare after spending on your basic requirement).' Thus does Allâh make clear His commandments so that you may reflect -

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    They ask you concerning wine and gambling. Say, ‘There is a great sin in both of them, and some profits for the people, but their sinfulness outweighs their profit.’ And they ask you as to what they should spend. Say, ‘All that is surplus.’ Thus does Allah clarify His signs for you so that you may reflect