Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

O you who heed warning: ask not about things which, if made clear to you, would distress you; but if you ask about them while the Qur’an is being sent down, they will be made clear to you. God has pardoned that; and God is forgiving and clement.

يَٓا اَيُّهَا الَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُوا لَا تَسْـَٔلُوا عَنْ اَشْيَٓاءَ اِنْ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْۚ وَاِنْ تَسْـَٔلُوا عَنْهَا ح۪ينَ يُنَزَّلُ الْقُرْاٰنُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْۜ عَفَا اللّٰهُ عَنْهَاۜ وَاللّٰهُ غَفُورٌ حَل۪يمٌ
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoola tas-aloo AAan ashyaa in tubda lakum tasu/kumwa-in tas-aloo AAanha heena yunazzalu alqur-anutubda lakum AAafa Allahu AAanha wallahughafoorun haleem
#wordmeaningroot
1yāayyuhāO you
2alladhīnawho
3āmanūbelieveامن
4(Do) not
5tasalūaskسال
6ʿanabout
7ashyāathingsشيا
8inif
9tub'damade clearبدو
10lakumto you
11tasu'kumit may distress youسوا
12wa-inand if
13tasalūyou askسال
14ʿanhāabout it
15ḥīnawhenحين
16yunazzaluis being revealedنزل
17l-qur'ānuthe Quranقرا
18tub'dait would be made clearبدو
19lakumto you
20ʿafāhas (been) pardonedعفو
21l-lahu(by) Allah
22ʿanhā[about] it
23wal-lahuand Allah
24ghafūrun(is) Oft-Forgivingغفر
25ḥalīmunAll-Forbearingحلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    You who have iman! do not ask about matters which, if they were made known to you, would make things difficult for you. If you do ask about them when the Qur’an is being sent down, they will be made known to you. Allah has ignored them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, All-Forbearing.

  • Progressive Muslims

    O you who believe, do not ask about things which, if revealed to you, would harm you; and if you ask about them after the Quran has been sent down, then they will become clear to you. God pardons for them, and God is Forgiving, Compassionate.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Ask not unnecessary details of the things as the Israelites did to Moses about the cow. This attitude may bring unpleasant consequences for you. But if you ask them as the Qur'an is being revealed, the minor details of Ordinances might be given which will be hard for you to follow. The general rule has been given that all pure and good things are Permissible to you. Your questions are very clearly answered in the Qur'an (5:15), (15:1), (22:40). Allah has absolved you in this respect for Allah is Forgiving, Clement. (The Qur'an is for all times, and while the basic Laws and Principles remain immutable, minor details are intended to be flexible according to temporal and spatial requirements (11:1). "This day I have perfected your DEEN for you, completed My favor upon you, and chosen for you Islam as the System of Life" (5:3)).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    O you who heed warning: ask not about things which, if made clear to you, would distress you; but if you ask about them while the Qur’an is being sent down, they will be made clear to you. God has pardoned that; and God is forgiving and clement.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    O you who believe, do not ask about things which, if clarified, would harm you - and if you ask about them with the Qur'an being revealed, then they will become clear to you. God pardons for them, and God is Forgiving, Compassionate.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    O you who acknowledge, do not ask about things, which if revealed to you, would harm you. If you ask about them after the Quran has been sent down, then they will become clear to you. God pardons for them, and God is Forgiving, Compassionate.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    O you who believe, do not ask about matters which, if revealed to you prematurely, would hurt you. If you ask about them in light of the Quran, they will become obvious to you. GOD has deliberately overlooked them. GOD is Forgiver, Clement.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    O believers, do not ask about things which, if made known to you, may vex you. But if you ask about them when the Qur'an is being revealed they will be unfolded to you. God has overlooked (your failings) in this (respect), for God is forgiving and forbearing.

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

    O you who have believed, do not ask about things which, if they are shown to you, will distress you. But if you ask about them while the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be shown to you. Allah has pardoned that which is past; and Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing.

  • Muhammad Asad

    O YOU who have attained to faith! Do not ask about matters which, if they were to be made manifest to you , might cause you hardship; for, if you should ask about them while the Qur'an is being revealed, they might be made manifest to you . God has absolved in this respect: for God is much-forgiving, forbearing.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    O ye who believe! Ask not of things which, if they were made unto you, would trouble you; but if ye ask of them when the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be made known unto you. Allah pardoneth this, for Allah is Forgiving, Clement.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Believers! Do not ask of the things which, if made manifest to you, would vex you;* for, if you should ask about them while the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be made manifest to you. Allah has pardoned whatever happened in the past. He is All-Forgiving, All-Forbearing.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    O you who have conformed to Islam: Do not ask about matters not apprehensible, matters, which if made known would disturb you. If you call upon the Messenger for information after having been inspired with the relevant revelations, you will be offered the explanation. Allah has forgiven you for these questions incidental to these matters, and Allah is Ghafurun and Rahimun.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    O’ Believers, do not ask questions about matters, which, if explained in detail, would cause hardship upon you (such as whether or not one should go to the Pilgrimage of Mecca only once or once a year. ) If you ask them when Qur’an is being revealed the answers will be made known to you. God has forgiven you for what you have done up to this point as He is Forgiving and Understanding.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    O you who believe! Ask not about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. But if you ask about them while the Qur’ân is being revealed, they will be made plain to you. Allâh has forgiven that, and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    O ye who believe! Ask not questions about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. But if ye ask about things when the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be made plain to you, Allah will forgive those: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Forbearing.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    O believers! Do not ask about any matter which, if made clear to you, may disturb you. But if you inquire about what is being revealed in the Quran, it will be made clear to you. Allah has forgiven what was done ˹in the past˺. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.

  • Taqi Usmani

    O you who believe, do not ask about things which, if disclosed, would displease you. If you ask about them while the Qur’ān is being revealed, they will be disclosed to you. Allah has pardoned you for it. Allah is Most-Forgiving, Forbearing.

  • Abdul Haleem

    You who believe, do not ask about matters which, if made known to you, might make things difficult for you- if you ask about them while the Quran is being revealed, they will be made known to you- for God has kept silent about them: God is most forgiving and forbearing.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    O believers, question not concerning things which, if they were revealed to you, would vex you; yet if you question concerning them when the Koran is being sent down, they will be revealed to you. God has effaced those things; for God is All-forgiving, All-clement.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    O ye who believe! ask not about things which if they be shown to you will pain you; but if ye ask about them when the (whole) Qur'an is revealed, they shall be shown to you. God pardons that, for God is forgiving and clement.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    O you who believe! Ask not questions about things which if they are shown to you would trouble you; but if you ask about them when the Quran is being revealed, they shall be made plain to you. Allah pardons this, for Allah is Forgiving and Clement.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    O you who have believed, do not ask about things which, in case they were displayed to you, would vex you, and in case you ask about them while the Qur'an is being sent down, they will be displayed to you. Allah has been clement towards them, (i.e., those things) and Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Forbearing.

  • George Sale

    O ye who believe! ask not about things which, if revealed to you, would cause you trouble, though if you ask about them while the Qur'án is being sent down they will be revealed to you. Allah has left them out on purpose. And Allah is Most Forgiving and Forbearing.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    O you who believe! Do not ask questions about things which, if (they are) made clear to you, may bring about trouble to you. But if you ask about things when the Quran is being recited (and made clear to you), then they will be made plain to you, Allah will forgive those (questions): And Allah is Often Forgiving (Ghafoor), Most Forbearing (Haleem).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    O You who believe! do not inquire into (the details of Divine Laws on many) things which, if explained to you, would cause you trouble, though if you ask about them while the Qur'ân is being revealed, they will be explained to you; (yet) Allâh has passed over this (detailed mentioning on purpose), for Allâh is Great Protector, Ever Forbearing.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    O you who have faith! Do not ask about things which, if they are disclosed to you, will upset you. Yet if you ask about them while the Qur’ān is being sent down, they shall be disclosed to you. Allah has excused it, and Allah is all-forgiving, all-forbearing.