Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And those who assist among their wives, then go back on what they have said: — the freeing of a slave before they touch one another. By that are you admonished; and God is aware of what you do.

وَالَّذ۪ينَ يُظَاهِرُونَ مِنْ نِسَٓائِهِمْ ثُمَّ يَعُودُونَ لِمَا قَالُوا فَـتَحْر۪يرُ رَقَـبَةٍ مِنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ يَتَمَٓاسَّاۜ ذٰلِكُمْ تُوعَظُونَ بِه۪ۜ وَاللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَب۪يرٌ
Wallatheena yuthahiroonamin nisa-ihim thumma yaAAoodoona lima qaloofatahreeru raqabatin min qabli an yatamassa thalikumtooAAathoona bihi wallahu bimataAAmaloona khabeer
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-alladhīnaAnd those who
2yuẓāhirūnapronounce ziharظهر
3min[from]
4nisāihim(to) their wivesنسو
5thummathen
6yaʿūdūnago backعود
7limāon what
8qālūthey saidقول
9fataḥrīruthen freeingحرر
10raqabatin(of) a slaveرقب
11minbefore
12qablibeforeقبل
13an[that]
14yatamāssāthey touch each otherمسس
15dhālikumThat
16tūʿaẓūnayou are admonishedوعظ
17bihito it
18wal-lahuAnd Allah
19bimāof what
20taʿmalūnayou doعمل
21khabīrun(is) All-Awareخبر
  • Aisha Bewley

    Those who divorce their wives by equating them with their mothers, and then wish to go back on what they said, must set free a slave before the two of them may touch one another. This is what you are enjoined to do. Allah is aware of what you do.

  • Progressive Muslims

    Those who had estranged their wives in this manner, then they do again repeat it, they shall free a slave before they have sexual contact between them. This is to enlighten you. God is well aware of everything you do.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Hence, those of you who have made senseless declarations about their wives, and then put them away into separation, and then wish to go back on their utterance - they should free a human being from bondage before the couple may 'touch' each other. This you are hereby admonished to perform. And Allah is Aware of all you do. (Freeing from bondage includes relieving someone from any kind of oppression and from a crushing burden of debt).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And those who assist among their wives, then go back on what they have said: — the freeing of a slave before they touch one another. By that are you admonished; and God is aware of what you do.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Those who had estranged their women, then they retracted what they had said, they shall free a slave before they have sexual contact between them. This is to enlighten you. God is well aware of everything you do.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Those who had estranged their wives in this manner, then they again repeat it, they shall free a slave before they have sexual contact between them. This is to enlighten you. God is well aware of everything you do.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Those who estrange their wives in this manner, then reconcile thereafter, shall atone by freeing a slave before resuming their sexual relations. This is to enlighten you. GOD is Cognizant of everything you do.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Those who call their wives their mothers then revoke what they had said, should free a slave before having physical contact (with them). This is to warn you, as God is aware of what you do.

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

    And those who pronounce thihar from their wives and then go back on what they said - then the freeing of a slave before they touch one another. That is what you are admonished thereby; and Allah is Acquainted with what you do.

  • Muhammad Asad

    hence, as for those who would separate themselves from their wives by saying, "Thou art as unlawful to me as my mother", and thereafter would go back on what they have said, shall be the freeing of a human being from bondage before the couple may touch one another again: this you are exhorted to do - for God is fully aware of all that you do.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Those who put away their wives (by saying they are as their mothers) and afterward would go back on that which they have said, (the penalty) in that case (is) the freeing of a slave before they touch one another. Unto this ye are exhorted; and Allah is Informed of what ye do.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Those who declare their wives to be their mothers and thereafter go back on what they have said shall free a slave before they may touch each other. That is what you are exhorted to do. Allah is fully aware of all your deeds.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And those of you who have used this diction of " mother's back " in dissolving their marriages and now wish to take back their statements and resume their marriage ties, incur the liability. of freeing a slave before touching' their wives. This is a reproach against you to warn you of such an act, and Allah is well acquainted with your conditions and with all that you do

  • Bijan Moeinian

    If a man recourse to the above mentioned tradition and then wants to return to his wife should free a slave for his action/intention.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And those who make unlawful to them their wives by Zihâr and wish to free themselves from what they uttered, (the penalty) in that case is the freeing of a slave before they touch each other. That is an admonition to you (so that you may not repeat such an ill thing). And Allâh is All-Aware of what you do.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    But those who divorce their wives by Zihar, then wish to go back on the words they uttered,- (It is ordained that such a one) should free a slave before they touch each other: Thus are ye admonished to perform: and Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Those who divorce their wives in this manner, then ˹wish to˺ retract what they said, must free a slave before they touch each other. This ˹penalty˺ is meant to deter you. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Those who declare Zihār against their wives, then retract what they said, obligated on them is to free the neck (of a slave) before the two (spouses) touch one another. This is what you are advised, and Allah is well aware of what you do.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Those of you who say such a thing to their wives, then go back on what they have said, must free a slave before the couple may touch one another again––this is what you are commanded to do, and God is fully aware of what you do––

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And those who say, regarding their wives, 'Be as my mother's back,' and then retract what they have said, they shall set free a slave, before the two of them touch one another. By that you are admonished; and God is aware of the things you do.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    But those who back out of their wives and then would recall their speech, - then the manumission of a captive before they touch each other; that is what ye are admonished, and God of what ye do is well aware!

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    But if those who divorce their wives by Zihar and then wish to recall what they said, they should free a captive (slave) before they touch each other; to this are you admonished to conform; and Allah is Aware of what you do.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And (the ones) who back away from their women and thereafter go back on what they have said, they shall then set free a neck (Literally: there should be a freeing of a neck, i. e., manumission of a slave) even before the two of them touch one another. By that you are admonished; and Allah is Ever-Cognizant of whatever you do.

  • George Sale

    Those who divorce their wives by declaring that they will for the future regard them as their mothers, and afterwards would repair what they have said, shall be obliged to free a captive, before they touch one another. This is what ye are warned to perform: And God is well apprized of that which ye do.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    But those who make unlawful their wives by Zihar, and wish to go back on the words they said— (It is necessary that such a man) should set a slave free before they (man and estranged wife) touch each other: This you are warned to do: And Allah is Well-Acquainted (Khabir) with (all) that you do.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Such of those who thus happen to call their wives their mothers and then retract what they have said, must free a slave before they two touch each other (for re-establishing conjugal relationship). This is what you are enjoined (to do in case you commit such a hateful thing). And Allâh is Well-Aware of what you do.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Those who repudiate their wives by ³ihār and then retract what they have said, shall set free a slave before they may touch each other. This you are advised , and Allah is well aware of what you do.