Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

O you who heed warning: let not a people deride another people — it may be that they are better than they; neither women other women — it may be that they are better than they; neither speak ill of yourselves, nor insult one another with nicknames. Bad is the name of perfidy after faith. And whoso turns not in repentance, it is they who are the wrongdoers.

يَٓا اَيُّهَا الَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَوْمٌ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَسٰٓى اَنْ يَكُونُوا خَيْراً مِنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَٓاءٌ مِنْ نِسَٓاءٍ عَسٰٓى اَنْ يَكُنَّ خَيْراً مِنْهُنَّۚ وَلَا تَلْمِزُٓوا اَنْفُسَكُمْ وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْاَلْقَابِۜ بِئْسَ الِاسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْا۪يمَانِۚ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَتُبْ فَاُو۬لٰٓئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoola yaskhar qawmun min qawmin AAasa an yakoonookhayran minhum wala nisaon min nisa-in AAasaan yakunna khayran minhunna wala talmizoo anfusakum walatanabazoo bil-alqabi bi/sa al-ismualfusooqu baAAda al-eemani waman lam yatub faola-ikahumu aththalimoon
#wordmeaningroot
1yāayyuhāO you who believe
2alladhīnaO you who believe
3āmanūO you who believeامن
4(Let) not
5yaskharridiculeسخر
6qawmuna peopleقوم
7min[of]
8qawmin(another) peopleقوم
9ʿasāperhapsعسي
10anthat
11yakūnūthey may beكون
12khayranbetterخير
13min'humthan them
14walāand (let) not
15nisāonwomenنسو
16min[of]
17nisāin(other) womenنسو
18ʿasāperhapsعسي
19anthat
20yakunnathey may beكون
21khayranbetterخير
22min'hunnathan them
23walāAnd (do) not
24talmizūinsultلمز
25anfusakumyourselvesنفس
26walāand (do) not
27tanābazūcall each otherنبز
28bil-alqābiby nicknamesلقب
29bi'saWretched isباس
30l-s'muthe nameسمو
31l-fusūqu(of) disobedienceفسق
32baʿdaafterبعد
33l-īmānithe faithامن
34wamanAnd whoever
35lam(does) not
36yatubrepentتوب
37fa-ulāikathen those
38humuthey
39l-ẓālimūna(are) the wrongdoersظلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    You who have iman! people should not ridicule others who may be better than themselves; nor should any women ridicule other women who may be better than themselves. And do not find fault with one another or insult each other with derogatory nicknames. How evil it is to have a name for evil conduct after coming to iman! Those people who do not turn from it are wrongdoers.

  • Progressive Muslims

    O you who believe, let not a people ridicule other people, for they may be better than they. Nor shall any women ridicule other women, for they may be better than they. Nor shall you mock one another, or call each other names. Evil indeed is the reversion to wickedness after attaining faith. And anyone who does not repent, then these are the transgressors.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! No folk shall make mockery of other folk, for they may be better than they are. Nor shall any women ridicule other women, for they may be better than they are. And neither shall you defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the immoral name after attaining faith. And whoever turns not, such are the wrongdoers.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    O you who heed warning: let not a people deride another people — it may be that they are better than they; neither women other women — it may be that they are better than they; neither speak ill of yourselves, nor insult one another with nicknames. Bad is the name of perfidy after faith. And whoso turns not in repentance, it is they who are the wrongdoers.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    O you who believe, let not any people ridicule other people, for they may be better than they. Nor shall any women ridicule other women, for they may be better than they. Nor shall you mock one another, or call each other names; miserable indeed is the name of wickedness after attaining faith. And anyone who does not repent, then these are the transgressors.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    O you who acknowledge, let not a people ridicule other people, for they may be better than them. Nor shall any women ridicule other women, for they may be better than them. Nor shall you mock one another, or call each other names. Evil indeed is the reversion to wickedness after attaining acknowledgement. Anyone who does not repent, then these are the transgressors.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    O you who believe, no people shall ridicule other people, for they may be better than they. Nor shall any women ridicule other women, for they may be better than they. Nor shall you mock one another, or make fun of your names. Evil indeed is the reversion to wickedness after attaining faith. Anyone who does not repent after this, these are the transgressors.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    O you who believe, men should not laugh at other men, for it may be they are better than them; and women should not laugh at other women, for they may perhaps be better than them. Do not slander one another, nor give one another nick-names. After believing, it is bad to give (another) a bad name. Those who do not repent behave wickedly.

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

    O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

  • Muhammad Asad

    O YOU who have attained to faith! No men shall deride men: it may well be that those are better than themselves; and no women women: it may well be that those are better than them­selves. And neither shall you defame one another, nor insult one another by epithets: evil is all imputation of iniquity after faith; and they who do not repent - it is they, they who are evildoers!

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    O ye who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they (are), not let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. And whoso turneth not in repentance, such are evil-doers.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Believers, let not a group (of men) scoff at another group, it may well be that the latter (at whom they scoff) are better than they; nor let a group of women scoff at another group, it may well be that the latter are better than they. And do not taunt one another, nor revile one another by nicknames. It is an evil thing to gain notoriety for ungodliness after belief. Those who do not repent are indeed the wrong-doers.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    O you who believe with hearts reflecting the image of religious and spiritual virtues and with deeds of wisdom and piety: Men must not laugh at other men with the intention of producing a specified deriding, or ridiculing, or contemptuous effect upon one another. It may be that the laughees are better than the laughers in many aspects. Nor should women laugh at other women with the intention of producing a specified deriding or ridiculing, or contemptuous effect upon one another. It may be that the laughees are better than the laughers in many aspects. Moreover do not defame one another nor nickname each other by insulting or repulsive derogatory names. How bad it is to be called malicious or wicked after having professed the Faith with hearts impressed with the image of religious and spiritual virtues and deeds with wisdom and piety! And he who does not change his mind with regard to past conduct, then such persons are guilty of wrongful actions. "The man that dares traduce because he can, with safety to himself, is not a man " "Cowper" Suspicion in some instances is indeed a sin.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    It is forbidden for the believer men or women to make fun of each other as the ones that you are laughing at may be better than you in eyes of God. Do not mock at each other and do not call each other by funny names. It is an evil thing to call names after conversion to Islam. Those who continue doing so are indeed wrongdoers.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor let (some) women scoff at other women, it may be that the latter are better than the former. Nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it to insult one’s brother after having Faith . And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed Zâlimûn (wrong-doers, etc.).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former): Nor let some women laugh at others: It may be that the (latter are better than the (former): Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a name connoting wickedness, (to be used of one) after he has believed: And those who do not desist are (indeed) doing wrong.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    O believers! Do not let some ˹men˺ ridicule others, they may be better than them, nor let ˹some˺ women ridicule other women, they may be better than them. Do not defame one another, nor call each other by offensive nicknames. How evil it is to act rebelliously after having faith! And whoever does not repent, it is they who are the ˹true˺ wrongdoers.

  • Taqi Usmani

    O you who believe, no men should ever scoff at other men. May be, the latter are better than the former. Nor should women (ever scoff) at other women. May be, the latter women are better than the former ones. And do not find fault with one another, nor call one another with bad nicknames. Bad is the name of sinfulness after embracing Faith. If anyone does not repent, then such people are the wrongdoers.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Believers, no one group of men should jeer at another, who may after all be better than them; no one group of women should jeer at another, who may after all be better than them; do not speak ill of one another; do not use offensive nicknames for one another. How bad it is to be called a mischief-maker after accepting faith! Those who do not repent of this behaviour are evildoers.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    O believers, let not any people scoff at another people who may be better than they; neither let women scoff at women who may be better than themselves. And find not fault with one another, neither revile one another by nicknames. An evil name is ungodliness after belief. And whoso repents not, those -- they are the evildoers.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    O ye who believe! let not one class ridicule another who are perchance better than they; nor let women ridicule other women who are perchance better than they; and do not defame each other, nor call each other bad names - an ill name is iniquity after faith!

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    O you who believe! Let not one people deride (or ridicule) another people perchance they may be better than they, nor let women deride other women, perchance they may be better than they; and do not find fault with (or defame) your own people nor insult one another by (offensive) nicknames; evil is a bad name after faith, and whoever does not desist, these it is that are the unjust.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    O you who have believed, let not any people scoff at (another) people who may be more charitable than they; neither let women scoff (other) women who may be more charitable (i. e., better) than they. And do not defame one another, (Literally: do not defame yourselves) nor revile one another by nicknames. Miserable is the name, evident immorality, after belief! And whoever does not repent, then those are they who are the unjust.

  • George Sale

    O true believers, let not men laugh other men to scorn; who peradventure may be better than themselves: Neither let women laugh other women to scorn; who may possibly be better than themselves. Neither defame one another; nor call one another by opprobrious appellations. An ill name it is to be charged with wickedness, after having embraced the faith: And whoso repenteth not, they will be the unjust doers.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    O you who believe! Let not some men among you laugh (and scoff) at others: It may be that they (the latter) are better than the former: Let not some women laugh at other women: It may be that the latter are better than the former: Nor defame nor be nasty to each other, nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames: Ill-seeming is a nickname: That implies wickedness, (if it is used by anyone) after he has believed: And those who do not repent (this practice) are (indeed) doing wrong.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    O you who believe! let no people look down upon another people for the (latter) people may be better than they, nor let women (look down) upon other women, who (- the women who are treated lightly) may be better than the other ones. And find not fault in one another (in order to defame your own people), nor call one another by nick-names. Bad is the reputation of wickedness after the (profession of) belief. Highly unjust are the people who would not abstain from what they are forbidden.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    O you who have faith! Let not any people ridicule another people: it may be that they are better than they are; nor let women women: it may be that they are better than they are. And do not defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How evil are profane names subsequent to faith! And whoever is not penitent —such are the wrongdoers.