Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Save such as steals a hearing; and a clear flame follows him.

اِلَّا مَنِ اسْتَرَقَ السَّمْعَ فَاَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ مُب۪ينٌ
Illa mani istaraqa assamAAafaatbaAAahu shihabun mubeen
#wordmeaningroot
1illāExcept
2mani(one) who
3is'taraqastealsسرق
4l-samʿathe hearingسمع
5fa-atbaʿahuthen follows himتبع
6shihābuna burning flameشهب
7mubīnunclearبين
  • Aisha Bewley

    except for the one who listens stealthily, and he is followed by an open flame.

  • Progressive Muslims

    Except he who manages to eavesdrop, he will be pursued clearly by a flaming meteor.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    (Allah is everywhere, not just in the skies. The Qur'an dispels all superstitions including the clairvoyants and fortunetellers spying onto His Court). The Shining Flame of Knowledge has now come to you to dispel the deceptive claims of every deceiver. (26:210-212), (37:8-9), (52:38), (67:5), (72:8-9).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Save such as steals a hearing; and a clear flame follows him.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Except he who manages to eavesdrop, he will be pursued by a visible flame.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Except he who manages to eavesdrop, he will be pursued clearly by a flaming meteor.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    If any of them sneaks around to listen, a mighty projectile will chase him back.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Except the ones who listen on the sly, yet they are chased away by a shooting flame.

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

    Except one who steals a hearing and is pursued by a clear burning flame.

  • Muhammad Asad

    so that anyone who seeks to learn by stealth is pursued by a flame clear to see.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Save him who stealeth the hearing, and them doth a clear flame pursue.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    save him who may eavesdrop, and then a bright flame pursues him.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    He who peers inquisitively into the realm to steal whatever comes to his hearing of the secrets or future events is pursued by a flame of fire which does not miss.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    If they sneaks around to listen (to the heart beat of the stars as captured by radio telescopes, ) a fiery flame will interrupt their trial.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Except him (devil) who steals the hearing then he is pursued by a clear flaming fire.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    But any that gains a hearing by stealth, is pursued by a flaming fire, bright (to see).

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    except the one eavesdropping, who is then pursued by a visible flare.

  • Taqi Usmani

    but the one who tries to eavesdrop is chased by a clearly visible flame.

  • Abdul Haleem

    any eavesdropper will be pursued by a clearly visible flame.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    excepting such as listens by stealth -- and he is pursued by a manifest flame.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    save from such as steal a hearing, and there follows him an obvious shooting-star.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    But any that steal a hearing, there follows him a bright flaming fire (or shooting star).

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Excepting him who (gains) hearing by stealth, (and) so an evidently flaming (meteor) follows him up.

  • George Sale

    except him who listeneth by stealth, at whom a visible flame is darted.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Except any that may gain a hearing by hiding away, is chased (out) by a flaming fire, bright (to see).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    As to one who wishes to steal a hearing (of the revelation to distort it) a bright fiery flame pursues him.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    except someone who may eavesdrop, whereat there pursues him a manifest flame.