Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Say thou: “Obey God and obey the Messenger.” Then if you turn away, then upon him is what he has been given to bear, and upon you is what you have been given to bear. And if you obey him, you will be guided. And upon the Messenger is only the clear notification,

قُلْ اَط۪يعُوا اللّٰهَ وَاَط۪يعُوا الرَّسُولَۚ فَاِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَاِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْتُمْۜ وَاِنْ تُط۪يعُوهُ تَهْتَدُواۜ وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ اِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُب۪ينُ
Qul ateeAAoo Allaha waateeAAooarrasoola fa-in tawallaw fa-innama AAalayhi mahummila waAAalaykum ma hummiltum wa-in tuteeAAoohutahtadoo wama AAala arrasooli illaalbalaghu almubeen
#wordmeaningroot
1qulSayقول
2aṭīʿūObeyطوع
3l-lahaAllah
4wa-aṭīʿūand obeyطوع
5l-rasūlathe Messengerرسل
6fa-inbut if
7tawallawyou turn awayولي
8fa-innamāthen only
9ʿalayhiupon him
10(is) what
11ḥummila(is) placed on himحمل
12waʿalaykumand on you
13(is) what
14ḥummil'tum(is) placed on youحمل
15wa-inAnd if
16tuṭīʿūhuyou obey himطوع
17tahtadūyou will be guidedهدي
18wamāAnd not
19ʿalā(is) on
20l-rasūlithe Messengerرسل
21illāexcept
22l-balāghuthe conveyanceبلغ
23l-mubīnu[the] clearبين
  • Aisha Bewley

    Say: ‘Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. Then if they turn away he is only responsible for what he is charged with and you are responsible for what you are charged with. If you obey him, you will be guided.’ The Messenger is only responsible for clear transmission.

  • Progressive Muslims

    Say: "Obey God, and obey the messenger. " But if they turn away, then he is only responsible for his obligation, and you are responsible for your obligations. And if you obey him, you will be guided. The messenger is only required to deliver clearly.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Say, "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger - the Central Authority. But if you turn away, remember that he is only responsible for the duty placed on him, and you for the duty placed on you. If you obey him, you will go aright. The Messenger's duty is only to convey the Message clearly."

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Say thou: “Obey God and obey the Messenger.” Then if you turn away, then upon him is what he has been given to bear, and upon you is what you have been given to bear. And if you obey him, you will be guided. And upon the Messenger is only the clear notification,

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Say: "Obey God, and obey the messenger." But if they turn away, then he is only responsible for his obligation, and you are responsible for your obligations. And if you obey him, you will be guided. The messenger is only required to deliver clearly.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Say: "Obey God, and obey the messenger." But if they turn away, then he is only responsible for his obligation, and you are responsible for your obligations. If you obey him, you will be guided. The messenger is only required to deliver clearly.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Say, "Obey GOD, and obey the messenger." If they refuse, then he is responsible for his obligations, and you are responsible for your obligations. If you obey him, you will be guided. The sole duty of the messenger is to deliver (the message).

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Say: "Obey God and obey the Apostle. If you turn away, then for him is his duty to fulfil, and for you the burden that you carry; yet if you obey him you will be rightly guided. The duty of the Messenger is to convey the message clearly.

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

    Say, "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away - then upon him is only that with which he has been charged, and upon you is that with which you have been charged. And if you obey him, you will be guided. And there is not upon the Messenger except the clear notification."

  • Muhammad Asad

    Say: "Pay heed unto God, and pay heed unto the Apostle. " And if you turn away he will have to answer only for whatever he has been charged with, and you, for what you have been charged with; but if you pay heed unto him, you will be on the right way. Withal, the Apostle is not bound to do more than clearly deliver the message .

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Say: Obey Allah and obey the messenger. But if ye turn away, then (it is) for him (to do) only that wherewith he hath been charged, and for you (to do) only that wherewith ye have been charged. If ye obey him, ye will go aright. But the messenger hath no other charge than to convey (the message) plainly.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Say: "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. But if you turn away, then (know well) that the Messenger is responsible for what he has been charged with and you are responsible for what you have been charged with. But if you obey him, you will be guided to the Right Way. The Messenger has no other responsibility but to clearly convey (the command)."

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Say to them O Muhammad: "Obey Allah and obey His Messenger and comply with their commands. " And should you people turn your backs and close your heart's ears then you must realize that the Messenger's responsibility is simply the fulfillment of his duties and you –people- are responsible for the burden of wrongs you bear. Therefore, if you obey him, he is the spirit of truth that shall guide you into all truth, and he is only responsible for relating the divine message and the elucidation of its text

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Say: "Obey God and His Messenger. " If they turn their back, they will be held responsible for their choice and you will be held responsible for the accomplishment of your mission. Those who obey, they are guided. The responsibility of the Messenger is only to properly convey the Message.”

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Say: "Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, he (Messenger Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) is only responsible for the duty placed on him (i.e. to convey Allâh’s Message) and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance. The Messenger’s duty is only to convey (the message) in a clear way (i.e. to preach in a plain way)."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Say: "Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger: but if ye turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and ye for that placed on you. If ye obey him, ye shall be on right guidance. The Messenger's duty is only to preach the clear (Message).

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Say, "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. But if you turn away, then he is only responsible for his duty and you are responsible for yours. And if you obey him, you will be ˹rightly˺ guided. The Messenger’s duty is only to deliver ˹the message˺ clearly."

  • Taqi Usmani

    Say, "Obey Allah and obey the messenger. But if you turn away, then on him (the messenger) lies (the responsibility of) what he is burdened with, and on you lies (the responsibility of) what you are burdened with. And if you obey him, you will get the right path. The duty of the Messenger is no more than to convey the message clearly."

  • Abdul Haleem

    Say, ‘Obey God; obey the Messenger. If you turn away, he is responsible for the duty placed upon him, and you are responsible for the duty placed upon you. If you obey him, you will be rightly guided, but the Messenger’s duty is only to deliver the message clearly.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Say: 'Obey God, and obey the Messenger; then, if you turn away, only upon him rests what is laid on him, and upon you rests what is laid on you. If you obey him, you will be guided. It is only for the Messenger to deliver the manifest Message.'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Say, 'Obey God and obey the Apostle; but if ye turn your backs he has only his burden to bear, and ye have only your burden to bear. But if ye obey him, ye are guided; but the Apostle has only his plain message to deliver.'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    They swear by Allah with their most solemn oath that had you ordered them they would surely go forth. Say, "Swear not; obedience is more reasonable; verily, Allah is Informed of what you do."

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Say, "Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. Yet if you turn away, then surely upon him (rests) only what he is burdened with. And upon you (rests) only what you are burdened with. And in case you obey him, you will (find) guidance. And in no way is the Messenger (burdened) except with the evident Proclamation."

  • George Sale

    Say, obey God, and obey the apostle: But if ye turn back, verily it is expected of him that he perform his duty, and of you that ye perform your duty; and if ye obey him, ye shall be directed: But the duty of our apostle is only public preaching.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Say: "Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad): But if you turn away, he (Prophet, the Messenger) is only responsible for the duty given to him, and you for that (the duty) given to you. If you obey him, you will be on right guidance. The Messenger’s (Muhammad’s) duty is only to teach the clear (Message)."

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Say, `Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger. ' But if you turn your back (remember that) he (- the Messenger) is responsible for what he is charged with (- the responsibility of conveying the Message) and you are responsible for what you are charged with (- the responsibility of following him). Indeed if you obey him you will be following the right path. (But if you do not, bear in mind,) the Messenger is not responsible but for the delivery (of the message to all) in clear terms.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Say, ‘Obey Allah, and obey the Apostle. ’ But if you turn your backs, he is only responsible for his burden and you are responsible for your burden, and if you obey him, you shall be guided, and the Apostle’s duty is only to communicate in clear terms.