Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Save those who join a people between whom and you is an agreement, or they come to you, their hearts restraining them from fighting you or fighting their people. And had God willed, He would have given them power over you; then would they have fought you. And if they withdraw from you and fight you not and extend to you peace, then has God made no path for you against them.

اِلَّا الَّذ۪ينَ يَصِلُونَ اِلٰى قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ م۪يثَاقٌ اَوْ جَٓاؤُ۫كُمْ حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ اَنْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ اَوْ يُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمَهُمْۜ وَلَوْ شَٓاءَ اللّٰهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْۚ فَاِنِ اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَاَلْقَوْا اِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَۙ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللّٰهُ لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ سَب۪يلاً
Illa allatheena yasiloonaila qawmin baynakum wabaynahum meethaqun aw jaookumhasirat sudooruhum an yuqatilookum awyuqatiloo qawmahum walaw shaa Allahu lasallatahumAAalaykum falaqatalookum fa-ini iAAtazalookum falam yuqatilookumwaalqaw ilaykumu assalama fama jaAAala Allahulakum AAalayhim sabeela
#wordmeaningroot
1illāExcept
2alladhīnathose who
3yaṣilūnajoinوصل
4ilā[to]
5qawmina groupقوم
6baynakumbetween youبين
7wabaynahumand between themبين
8mīthāqun(is) a treatyوثق
9awor
10jāūkumthose who come to youجيا
11ḥaṣiratrestrainingحصر
12ṣudūruhumtheir heartsصدر
13anthat
14yuqātilūkumthey fight youقتل
15awor
16yuqātilūthey fightقتل
17qawmahumtheir peopleقوم
18walawAnd if
19shāa(had) willedشيا
20l-lahuAllah
21lasallaṭahumsurely He (would have) given them powerسلط
22ʿalaykumover you
23falaqātalūkumand surely they (would have) fought youقتل
24fa-iniSo if
25iʿ'tazalūkumthey withdraw from youعزل
26falamand (do) not
27yuqātilūkumfight against youقتل
28wa-alqawand offerلقي
29ilaykumuto you
30l-salama[the] peaceسلم
31famāthen not
32jaʿala(has) madeجعل
33l-lahuAllah
34lakumfor you
35ʿalayhimagainst them
36sabīlana wayسبل
  • Aisha Bewley

    except for those who seek shelter with people with whom you have a treaty, or who come to you greatly perturbed at the prospect of fighting either you or their own people. If Allah had willed, He could have given them the upper hand over you and then they would have fought you. If they keep away from you and do not fight you and submit to you, Allah has not given you any way against such people.

  • Progressive Muslims

    Except for those who reach a people between whom you have a covenant, or if they come to you with a reluctance in their chests to fight you or to fight their own people. Had God willed He would have given them strength and they would have fought you. But if they retire from you, and did not fight you, and they offer you peace; then God does not make for you a way against them.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Fight not the hypocrites who join a people with whom you have signed a peace treaty. And fight not those who come to you wishing not to fight you or their believing relatives. Had Allah willed they could have fought against you. Therefore, if they leave you alone, and offer you peace, Allah has opened no way for you but the way of peace. Your prime duty remains the establishment and defense of the Divine Order in which there is no room for revenge (24:22).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Save those who join a people between whom and you is an agreement, or they come to you, their hearts restraining them from fighting you or fighting their people. And had God willed, He would have given them power over you; then would they have fought you. And if they withdraw from you and fight you not and extend to you peace, then has God made no path for you against them.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Except for those who reach a people with whom you have a covenant, or if they come to you with a reluctance in their chests to fight you or to fight their own people. Had God willed He would have given them strength and they would have fought you. But if they retire from you, and do not fight you, and they offer you peace; then God does not make for you a path against them.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Except for those who join a people between whom you have a covenant, or those who come to you with reluctance in their chests to fight you or to fight their own people. Had God willed He would have given them strength and they would have fought you. But if they retire from you, and did not fight you, and they offer you peace; then God does not make for you a way against them.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Exempted are those who join people with whom you have signed a peace treaty, and those who come to you wishing not to fight you, nor fight their relatives. Had GOD willed, He could have permitted them to fight against you. Therefore, if they leave you alone, refrain from fighting you, and offer you peace, then GOD gives you no excuse to fight them.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Except those who take refuge with a people allied to you, or those who, weary of fighting you or their people, come over to you. If God had so willed He would surely have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. If they keep aloof and do not fight, and offer peace, God has left you no reason to fight them.

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

    Except for those who take refuge with a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty or those who come to you, their hearts strained at fighting you or fighting their own people. And if Allah had willed, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. So if they remove themselves from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not made for you a cause against them.

  • Muhammad Asad

    unless it be such as have ties with people to whom you yourselves are bound by a covenant, or such as come unto you because their hearts shrink from making war either on you or on their own folk - although, if God had willed to make them stronger than you, they would certainly have made war on you. Thus, if they let you be, and do not make war on you, and offer you peace, God does not allow you to harm them.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Except those who seek refuge with a people between whom and you there is a covenant, or (those who) come unto you because their hearts forbid them to make war on you or make war on their own folk. Had Allah willed He could have given them power over you so that assuredly they would have fought you. So, if they hold aloof from you and wage not war against you and offer you peace, Allah alloweth you no way against them.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    unless it be such of them who seek refuge with a people who are joined with you by a covenant, or those who come to you because their hearts shrink from fighting either against you or against their own people. Had Allah so willed, He would certainly have given them power over you and they would have fought against you. If they leave you alone and do not fight against you and offer you peace,, then Allah does not permit you to harm them.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    But exempt from aforesaid prescriptive right are those of them -the hypocrites- who take refuge with or are related to a people with whom you are bound by a covenant relating to peace, truce, alliance or the like or -those of them- who are perplexed by reason of their kinship to your opponents; they do not have the heart to fight on your side against their people nor to side with their people-against you. Had Allah willed, He, would have instigated them against you, and then they would have waged war against you. Therefore, if they are disposed to let you alone, proceed no further and offer you peace, then leave them alone; Allah does not commit you to any line of action against them.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Exempted are those who join the people with whom you have already signed a peace treaty as well as those who pledge not to fight with you nor their own people. If God had willed, He would have given them an upper hand against you. therefore, if they leave you alone, do not engage in animosity with you and extend their hands in peace to you, then God does not give you the permission to fight with them.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Except those who join a group, between you and whom there is a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with their breasts restraining from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. Had Allâh willed, indeed He would have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. So if they withdraw from you, and fight not against you, and offer you peace, then Allâh has opened no way for you against them.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. If Allah had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you: Therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (Guarantees of) peace, then Allah Hath opened no way for you (to war against them).

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    except those who are allies of a people you are bound with in a treaty or those wholeheartedly opposed to fighting either you or their own people. If Allah had willed, He would have empowered them to fight you. So if they refrain from fighting you and offer you peace, then Allah does not permit you to harm them.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty, or who come to you with their hearts feeling discomfort in fighting either against you or against their own people. If Allah had so willed, He would have given them power over you, then they would have fought you - so, if they stay away from you, and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not given you any authority against them.

  • Abdul Haleem

    But as for those who seek refuge with people with whom you have a treaty, or who come over to you because their hearts shrink from fighting against you or against their own people, God could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you. So if they withdraw and do not fight you, and offer you peace, then God gives you no way against them.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    except those that betake themselves to a people who are joined with you by a compact, or come to you with breasts constricted from fighting with you or fighting their people. Had God willed, He would have given them authority over you, and then certainly they would have fought you. If they withdraw from you, and do not fight you, and offer you peace, then God assigns not any way to you against them.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    save those who reach a people betwixt whom and you is an alliance - or who come to you while their bosoms prevent them from fighting you or fighting their own people. But had God pleased He would have given you dominion over them, and they would surely have fought you. But if they retire from you and do not fight you, and offer you peace,- then God hath given you no way against them.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Save those who join (or take refuge among) a people betwixt whom and you is an alliance, or those who come to you because their heart forbid them from fighting you or fighting their own people. But had Allah pleased He could have given them power over you, and they would surely have fought you. So if they withdraw from you and do not fight you, and offer you peace, then Allah allows you no way against them.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Except the ones who are related to a people between whom and you is a compact, or come to you with their breasts beleaguered from fighting you or fighting their people. And if Allah had (so) decided, He would indeed have given them authority over you; then they would indeed have fought you. So, in case they keep apart from you; (and) so did not fight you, and offer (Literally: cast forth) you submissiveness, then in no way does Allah allow (Literally: in no way makes any way for you) you a way against them.

  • George Sale

    except those who go unto a people who are in alliance with you, or those who come unto you, their hearts forbidding them either to fight against you, or to fight against their own people. And if God pleased He would have permitted them to have prevailed against you, and they would have fought against you. But if they depart from you, and fight not against you, and offer you peace, God doth not allow you to take or kill of them.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Except those who join a group that has an understanding (of peace) with you, or those who approach you with their hearts not willing to fight you and also not willing to fight their own people. If Allah had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you therefore if they withdraw from you, but fight you not, and (they also) send you (assurances of) peace, then Allah has opened no way for you (to war against them).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Different, however, is the case of those who join a people with whom you have a pact, or of those who come over to you whilst their hearts are constricted from fighting against you or fighting against their (own) people. If Allâh had so willed He would have given them power over you, then they certainly would have fought against you. Hence if they leave you alone and do not fight against you but make you an offer of peace then Allâh allows you no way (of fighting) against them.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    excepting those who join a people between whom and you there is a treaty, or such as come to you with hearts reluctant to fight you or to fight their own people. Had Allah wished, He would have imposed them upon you, and then they would have surely fought you. So if they keep out of your way and do not fight you, and offer you peace, then Allah does not allow you any course against them.