Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Those who said of their brothers when they stayed back: “Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed.” Say thou: “Then avert from yourselves death, if you be truthful.”

اَلَّذ۪ينَ قَالُوا لِاِخْوَانِهِمْ وَقَعَدُوا لَوْ اَطَاعُونَا مَا قُتِلُواۜ قُلْ فَادْرَؤُ۫ا عَنْ اَنْفُسِكُمُ الْمَوْتَ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِق۪ينَ
Allatheena qaloo li-ikhwanihimwaqaAAadoo law ataAAoona ma qutiloo qul fadraooAAan anfusikumu almawta in kuntum sadiqeen
#wordmeaningroot
1alladhīnaThose who
2qālūsaidقول
3li-ikh'wānihimabout their brothersاخو
4waqaʿadūwhile they satقعد
5lawIf
6aṭāʿūnāthey (had) obeyed usطوع
7not
8qutilūthey would have been killedقتل
9qulSayقول
10fa-id'raūThen avertدرا
11ʿanfrom
12anfusikumuyourselvesنفس
13l-mawta[the] deathموت
14inif
15kuntumyou areكون
16ṣādiqīnatruthfulصدق
  • Aisha Bewley

    They are those who said of their brothers, when they themselves had stayed behind, ‘If they had only obeyed us, they would not have been killed. ’ Say, ‘Then ward off death from yourselves if you are telling the truth.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    Those who remained and said to their brothers: "If they obeyed us they would not have been killed. " Say: "Then avert death away from yourselves if you are truthful!"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Those who sat back at home said that if their brothers who were fighting in the Cause of Allah, had listened to them they would not have been slain. Say (O Messenger), "Avert death from yourselves if you are truthful."

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Those who said of their brothers when they stayed back: “Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed.” Say thou: “Then avert from yourselves death, if you be truthful.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Those who remained and said to their brothers: "If they obeyed us they would not have been killed." Say: "Then avert death away from yourselves if you are truthful!"

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Those who remained and said to their brothers, "If they obeyed us they would not have been killed." Say, "Then avert death away from yourselves if you are truthful!"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    They said of their kinsmen, as they stayed behind, "Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed." Say, "Then prevent your own death, if you are truthful."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    To those who sit at home and say of their brothers: "They would never have been killed had they listened to us, say: "Drive away death from your midst if what you say is true. "

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

    Those who said about their brothers while sitting , "If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed. " Say, "Then prevent death from yourselves, if you should be truthful."

  • Muhammad Asad

    they who, having themselves held back said of their brethren, "Had they but paid heed to us, they would not have been slain. " Say: "Avert, then, death from yourselves, if what you say is true!"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Those who, while they sat at home, said of their brethren (who were fighting for the cause of Allah): If they had been guided by us they would not have been slain. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Then avert death from yourselves if ye are truthful.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    These are the ones who stayed away, saying about their brothers: 'Had they followed us, they would not have been slain.' Say: 'If you speak the truth then avert death when it comes to you.'

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    It was those who stayed at home who had something to say in defense and extenuation of their conduct. They made unfavourable comments on their fellow Muslims who were slain in battle; They said; "Had they obeyed us and remained here, they would not have been slain." Say to them O Muhammad. "If this be the case, then avert death and prevent it from befalling you if indeed you are declaring the truth".

  • Bijan Moeinian

    When they talk about their kinsmen, they say: "If they had listened to us and stayed behind, they would not have been killed. " Tell them (Mohammad): “If you are so smart then avoid your own death.”

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    (They are) the ones who said about their killed brethren while they themselves sat (at home): "If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed." Say: "Avert death from your ownselves, if you speak the truth."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    (They are) the ones that say, (of their brethren slain), while they themselves sit (at ease): "If only they had listened to us they would not have been slain." Say: "Avert death from your own selves, if ye speak the truth."

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Those who sat at home, saying about their brothers, "Had they listened to us, they would not have been killed." Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Try not to die if what you say is true!”

  • Taqi Usmani

    Those who said about their brethren, while themselves sitting, "Had they obeyed us, they would have not been killed." Say, “Then avert death from yourselves if you are true.”

  • Abdul Haleem

    As for those who stayed behind, and said of their brothers, ‘If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed,’ tell them , ‘Ward off death from yourselves, if what you say is true.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    who said of their brothers (and they themselves held back), 'Had they obeyed us, they would not have been slain. ' Say: 'Then avert death from yourselves, if you speak truly.'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Those who said of their brethren, whilst they themselves stayed at home, 'Had they obeyed us they would not have been killed. ' Say, 'Ward off from yourselves death, if ye do speak the truth.'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Those who said of their brethren, whilst they themselves stayed at home, "Had they been guided by us they would not have been killed. " Say (unto them), "Then repel from yourselves death, if you are truthful."

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Who said to their brethren, (i. e. after they returned from fighting) and they (i.e. the hypocrites) (themselves) sat back, "If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed." Say, "Then parry yourselves away from death in case you are (truly) sincere."

  • George Sale

    who said of their brethren, while themselves staid at home, if they had obeyed us, they had not been slain. Say, then keep back death from yourselves, if ye say truth.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    (They are) the ones who said, (about the killed men) while they themselves sat (at ease): "If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed. " Say: "Hold back death from your own selves, if you speak the truth."

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    It is these who said of their brethren whilst they (themselves) stayed behind (declining the field), `If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed. ' Say, `Then avert death from yourselves if you are right.'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Those who said of their brethren, while they themselves sat back: ‘Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed. ’ Say, ‘Then keep death off from yourselves, should you be truthful.’