Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And when it is said to them: “Believe in what God has sent down,” they say: “We believe in what was sent down to us,” and they deny what is beyond it, when it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say thou: “Why then killed you the prophets of God before, if you be believers?”

وَاِذَا ق۪يلَ لَهُمْ اٰمِنُوا بِمَٓا اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ قَالُوا نُؤْمِنُ بِمَٓا اُنْزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَيَكْفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَٓاءَهُ وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ مُصَدِّقاً لِمَا مَعَهُمْۜ قُلْ فَلِمَ تَقْتُلُونَ اَنْبِيَٓاءَ اللّٰهِ مِنْ قَبْلُ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِن۪ينَ
Wa-itha qeela lahum aminoo bimaanzala Allahu qaloo nu/minu bima onzilaAAalayna wayakfuroona bima waraahu wahuwa alhaqqumusaddiqan lima maAAahum qul falima taqtuloonaanbiyaa Allahi min qablu in kuntum mu/mineen
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-idhāAnd when
2qīlait is saidقول
3lahumto them
4āminūBelieveامن
5bimāin what
6anzalahas revealedنزل
7l-lahuAllah
8qālūthey sayقول
9nu'minuWe believeامن
10bimāin what
11unzilawas revealedنزل
12ʿalaynāto us
13wayakfurūnaAnd they disbelieveكفر
14bimāin what
15warāahu(is) besides itوري
16wahuwawhile it
17l-ḥaqu(is) the truthحقق
18muṣaddiqanconfirmingصدق
19limāwhat
20maʿahum(is) with them
21qulSayقول
22falimaThen why
23taqtulūna(did) you killقتل
24anbiyāa(the) Prophetsنبا
25l-lahi(of) Allah
26minfrom
27qablubeforeقبل
28inif
29kuntumyou wereكون
30mu'minīnabelieversامن
  • Aisha Bewley

    When they are told, ‘Have iman in what Allah has sent down,’ they say, ‘Our iman is in what was sent down to us,’ and they reject anything beyond that, even though it is the truth, confirming what they have. Say, ‘Why then, if you are muminun, did you previously kill the Prophets of Allah?’

  • Progressive Muslims

    And if it is said to them: "Believe in what God has sent down;" they Say: "We believe only in what was sent down to us, " and they reject what came after it, while it is the truth authenticating what is with them. Say: "Why then did you kill God's prophets if you were believers"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And when it is said to them, "Be graced with belief in what Allah has revealed," they say, "We only accept that which has been handed over to us. " And they deny that which comes after it, though it is the Truth confirming the authentic that is with them. Say, "Why then did you oppose and slay the Prophets of Allah, if you were indeed believers (in the earlier Revelations)?"

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And when it is said to them: “Believe in what God has sent down,” they say: “We believe in what was sent down to us,” and they deny what is beyond it, when it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say thou: “Why then killed you the prophets of God before, if you be believers?”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And if it is said to them: "Believe in what God has sent down;" they say: "We believe only in what was sent down to us," and they reject what came after it, while it is the truth authenticating what is with them. Say: "Why then did you kill the prophets of God if you were believers?"

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    If it is said to them, "Acknowledge what God has sent down," they say, "We acknowledge only what was sent down to us," and they do not appreciate what came after it, while it is the truth authenticating what is with them. Say, "Why then did you fight/kill God's prophets if you were those who acknowledge?"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    When they are told, "You shall believe in these revelations of GOD," they say, "We believe only in what was sent down to us." Thus, they disbelieve in subsequent revelations, even if it is the truth from their Lord, and even though it confirms what they have! Say, "Why then did you kill GOD's prophets, if you were believers?"

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    They bartered their lives ill denying the revelation of God out of spite that God should bestow His grace among His votaries on whomsoever He will, and thus earned wrath upon wrath. The punishment for disbelievers is ignominious.

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

    And when it is said to them, "Believe in what Allah has revealed," they say, "We believe in what was revealed to us. " And they disbelieve in what came after it, while it is the truth confirming that which is with them. Say, "Then why did you kill the prophets of Allah before, if you are believers?"

  • Muhammad Asad

    For when they are told, "Believe in what God has bestowed from on high," they reply, "We believe in what has been bestowed on us"-and they deny the truth of everything else, although it be a truth confirming the one already in their possession. Say "Why, then, did you slay God's prophets aforetime, if you were (truly believers?"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And when it is said unto them: Believe in that which Allah hath revealed, they say: We believe in that which was revealed unto us. And they disbelieve in that which cometh after it, though it is the truth confirming that which they possess. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Why then slew ye the prophets of Allah aforetime, if ye are (indeed) believers?

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    When they are told: "Believe in what Allah has revealed," they say: “We believe only in what was revealed to us (Israel).” They deny everything else even though it be the Truth which confirms what they possess. Say (to them): “If indeed you are believers, why is it that in the past you killed the Prophets of Allah (who were from Israel)?”

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And when they are told to acknowledge the statutes Allah has imparted to the Prophet Muhammad, the last of Allah’s Messengers carrying the enacted law entrusted by Allah, they say: "We only acknowledge what has been imparted to us," and they deny and renounce all else when they know the truth validating AL- Tawrah. Say to them, O Muhammad: "Why then did you slay Allah’s Prophets in the past if your hearts are truly faithful?"

  • Bijan Moeinian

    When they are told: "Believe in what God has sent to you, " they reply: “We believe only in what is revealed to us (the prophets of our own race) and deny any revelations. ” This in spite of the fact that it is the truth; confirming what is with them. If it is so, ask them: “Then how come you killed the prophets of God who were chosen from among yourselves, if you consider yourselves as believers?”

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And when it is said to them (the Jews), "Believe in what Allâh has sent down," they say, "We believe in what was sent down to us." And they disbelieve in that which came after it, while it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to them): "Why then have you killed the Prophets of Allâh aforetime, if you indeed have been believers?"

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    When it is said to them, "Believe in what Allah Hath sent down, "they say, "We believe in what was sent down to us:" yet they reject all besides, even if it be Truth confirming what is with them. Say: "Why then have ye slain the prophets of Allah in times gone by, if ye did indeed believe?"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    When it is said to them: "Believe in what Allah has revealed," they reply, “We only believe in what was sent down to us,” and they deny what came afterwards, though it is the truth confirming their own Scriptures! Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “Why then did you kill Allah’s prophets before, if you are ˹truly˺ believers?”

  • Taqi Usmani

    When it is said to them, "Believe in what Allah has revealed," they say, “We believe in what has been revealed to us” - and they deny what is beyond it, whereas that is the truth which confirms what is with them. Say, “Why then have you been slaying the prophets of Allah earlier, if you were believers?”

  • Abdul Haleem

    When it is said to them, ‘Believe in God’s revelations,’ they reply, ‘We believe in what was revealed to us,’ but they do not believe in what came afterwards, though it is the truth confirming what they already have. Say , ‘Why did you kill God’s prophets in the past if you were true believers?

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And when they were told, 'Believe in that God has sent down,' they said, 'We believe in what was sent down on us'; and they disbelieve in what is beyond that, yet it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say: 'Why then were you slaying the Prophets of God in former time, if you were believers?'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And when they are told to believe in what God has revealed, they say, 'We believe in what has been revealed to us;' but they disbelieve in all beside, although it is the truth confirming what they have. Say, 'Wherefore did ye kill God's prophets of yore if ye were true believers?'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And when they are told to believe in what Allah has revealed, they say, "We believe in what has been revealed to us only;" but they disbelieve in all beside, although it is the truth confirming what they have. Say, "Why did you kill Allah's prophets in past times if you were true believers?"

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And when it was said to them, "Believe in what Allah has sent down, " they said, "We believe in what was sent down on us, " and they disbelieve in what is beyond it, and it is the Truth sincerely (verifying) what is with them. Say, "Why then did you kill the Prophesiers (i.e. Prophets) of Allah earlier in case you are believers?"

  • George Sale

    When one saith unto them, believe in that which God hath sent down; they answer, we believe in that which hath been sent down unto us: And they reject what hath been revealed since, although it be the truth, confirming that which is with them. Say, why therefore have ye slain the prophets of God in times past, if ye be true believers?

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And when it is said to them, "Believe in what Allah has sent down," they say, "We believe in what was sent down to us:" Yet they reject everything that which came after it, while it be Truth confirming what is with them. Say, (O Prophet): "Why then have you killed the prophets of Allah in earlier times, if you did truly believe."

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    When it is said to them, `Believe in that (- the Qur'ân) which Allâh has sent down. ' They say, `We believe only in that (- the Torah) which has been sent down to us.' And they deny every thing other than that (and which has since been revealed); though it (- the Qur'ân) is the lasting truth and corroborates that which is already with them (in their own Scriptures). Say, `Why, then, did you seek to kill the Prophets of Allâh in former times if you were (real) believers (in the former Scriptures)?'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    And when they are told, ‘Believe in what Allah has sent down,’ they say, ‘We believe in what was sent down to us,’ and they disbelieve what is besides it, though it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say, ‘Then why would you kill the prophets of Allah formerly, should you be faithful?’