Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

O those given the Writ: believe in what We sent down confirming what is with you before We erase faces and turn them towards their backs, or curse them as We cursed the companions of the Sabbath; and the command of God is carried out.

يَٓا اَيُّهَا الَّذ۪ينَ اُو۫تُوا الْكِتَابَ اٰمِنُوا بِمَا نَزَّلْنَا مُصَدِّقاً لِمَا مَعَكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ نَطْمِسَ وُجُوهاً فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلٰٓى اَدْبَارِهَٓا اَوْ نَلْعَنَهُمْ كَمَا لَعَنَّٓا اَصْحَابَ السَّبْتِۜ وَكَانَ اَمْرُ اللّٰهِ مَفْعُولاً
Ya ayyuha allatheenaootoo alkitaba aminoo bima nazzalnamusaddiqan lima maAAakum min qabli an natmisawujoohan fanaruddaha AAala adbarihaaw nalAAanahum kama laAAanna as-habaassabti wakana amru Allahi mafAAoola
#wordmeaningroot
1yāayyuhāO you
2alladhīnawho
3ūtū(have) been givenاتي
4l-kitābathe Bookكتب
5āminūbelieveامن
6bimāin what
7nazzalnāWe (have) revealedنزل
8muṣaddiqanconfirmingصدق
9limāwhat is
10maʿakumwith you
11minfrom
12qablibeforeقبل
13an[that]
14naṭmisaWe effaceطمس
15wujūhanfacesوجه
16fanaruddahāand turn themردد
17ʿalāon
18adbārihātheir backsدبر
19awor
20nalʿanahumWe curse themلعن
21kamāas
22laʿannāWe cursedلعن
23aṣḥābacompanionsصحب
24l-sabti(of) the Sabbathسبت
25wakānaAnd isكون
26amru(the) commandامر
27l-lahi(of) Allah
28mafʿūlan(always) executedفعل
  • Aisha Bewley

    You who have been given the Book! have iman in what We have sent down confirming what is with you, before We obliterate faces, turning them inside out, or We curse you as We cursed the Companions of the Sabbath. Allah’s command is always carried out.

  • Progressive Muslims

    O you who have received the Scripture, believe in what We have sent down authenticating what is with you, before We cast down faces and turn them on their backs or curse them as the people of the Sabbath were cursed. And God's will is always done.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    O You unto whom the Scripture was given! Reflect and believe in what We have revealed, that confirms the truth that you already possess, lest We efface your hopes and bring them to an end. Just as We rejected those people who broke the Sabbath. (You will lose your identity by getting scattered in the earth). Allah's Command is always done.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    O those given the Writ: believe in what We sent down confirming what is with you before We erase faces and turn them towards their backs, or curse them as We cursed the companions of the Sabbath; and the command of God is carried out.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    O you who have received the Book, believe in what We have sent down authenticating what is with you, before We cast down faces and turn them on their backs or curse them as the people of the Sabbath were cursed. And the will of God is always done.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    O you who have received the book, acknowledge what We have sent down authenticating what is with you, before We cast down faces and turn them on their backs or curse them as the people of the Sabbath were cursed. God's will is always done.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    O you who received the scripture, you shall believe in what we reveal herein, confirming what you have, before we banish certain faces to exile, or condemn them as we condemned those who desecrated the Sabbath. GOD's command is done.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    O people of the Book, believe in what We have revealed, which confirms what is already with you before We disfigure your visages and turn your faces about and curse you, as We did with those who had broken the Sabbath; and what God decrees comes to pass.

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

    O you who were given the Scripture, believe in what We have sent down , confirming that which is with you, before We obliterate faces and turn them toward their backs or curse them as We cursed the sabbath-breakers. And ever is the decree of Allah accomplished.

  • Muhammad Asad

    O you who have been granted revelation ! Believe in what We have bestowed from on high in confirmation of whatever you already possess, lest We efface your hopes and bring them to an end - just as We rejected those people who broke the Sabbath: for God's will is always done.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    O ye unto whom the Scripture hath been given! Believe in what We have revealed confirming that which ye possess, before We destroy countenances so as to confound them, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers (of old time). The commandment of Allah is always executed.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    O you who have been granted the Book! Do believe in what We have (now) revealed, which confirms the revelation which you already possess. Do this before We alter countenances, turning them backwards, or lay a curse upon them as We cursed the Sabbath-men. Bear in mind that Allah's command is done.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    O you to whom the Book had been given -Ahl al-Kitab-: Give credence to the Book -the Quran- We have revealed to Our Messenger Muhammad, corroborating and authoritatively validating the authentic Book AL-Tawrah you hold in possession, before We expunge faces, and wipe out their features beyond recognition and eclipse their splendour, or afflict you with such evils as indicate divine wrath and a malignant fate just as We had cursed those who broke the Sabbath Allah's. command has always come to pass.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    God, hereby, is calling upon the people of the Scriptures to believe in this Book, sent down now, which confirms Scriptures. They better do so, before God changes the faces and the fames of some of them beyond all recognition or lay a curse on them the same way that He dealt with those who did not obey His Law of the Sabbath. Know that the decision of God must be carried out.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    O you who have been given the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Believe in what We have revealed (to Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) confirming what is (already) with you, before We efface faces (by making them like the back of necks; without nose, mouth) and turn them hindwards, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers. And the Commandment of Allâh is always executed.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    O ye People of the Book! believe in what We have (now) revealed, confirming what was (already) with you, before We change the face and fame of some (of you) beyond all recognition, and turn them hindwards, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers, for the decision of Allah Must be carried out.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    O you who were given the Book! Believe in what We have revealed—confirming your own Scriptures—before We wipe out ˹your˺ faces, turning them backwards, or We condemn the defiant as We did to the Sabbath-breakers. And Allah’s command is always executed!

  • Taqi Usmani

    O you who have been given the Book, believe in what We have revealed confirming what is with you, before We rub off faces and turn them shaped like their backs, or lay a curse upon them, as We cursed the People of the Sabbath. Whatever Allah orders is destined to occur.

  • Abdul Haleem

    People of the Book, believe in what We have sent down to confirm what you already have before We wipe out direction, turning you back, or reject you, as We rejected those who broke the Sabbath: God’s will is always done.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    You who have been given the Book, believe in what We have sent down, confirming what is with you, before We obliterate faces, and turn them upon their backs, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-men, and God's command is done.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    O ye who have been given the Book! believe in what we have revealed, confirming what ye had before; ere we deface your faces and turn them into hinder parts, or curse you as we cursed the fellows of the Sabbath when God's command was done.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    O you who have been given the Book! Believe in what We have revealed, confirming what you had before; ere we deface your faces and turn them into hinder parts, or curse you as we cursed the Sabbath-breakers. The command of Allah's is always done.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    O you who were brought the Book, believe in what We have been sending down sincerely (verifying) what is with you, before We obliterate faces, (and) so turn them upon their backs, (Literally: hind parts) or curse them as We cursed the Sabbathmen; (i. e. the Sabbath-breakers) and the Command of Allah has (to be) performed.

  • George Sale

    O ye to whom the scriptures have been given, believe in the revelation which we have sent down, confirming that which is with you; before we deface your countenances, and render them as the back parts thereof; or curse them, as we cursed those who transgressed on the sabbath day; and the command of God was fulfilled.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    O you People of the Book! Believe in what We have (now) revealed, reassuring what was (already) with you, before We change the faces and fame of some (of you) beyond all recognition, and turn them backwards, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers, for the decision of Allah must be carried out.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    O you who have been given the Scripture! believe in (the Qur'ân) which We have now revealed fulfilling such (prophecies) as you have, before We make extinct and destroy some of your leaders and deprive them of their glory or We condemn them as We condemned the people of the Sabbath (breakers); and (remember) the decree of Allâh is bound to be executed.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    O you who were given the Book! Believe in what We have sent down confirming what is with you, before We blot out the faces and turn them backwards, or curse them as We cursed the People of the Sabbath, and Allah’s command is bound to be fulfilled.