Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And towards the three who were left behind when the earth had become straitened for them, vast as it was, and their souls had become straitened for them, and they thought that there was no refuge from God save to Him; then turned He towards them, that they might turn. God, He is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.

وَعَلَى الثَّلٰثَةِ الَّذ۪ينَ خُلِّفُواۜ حَتّٰٓى اِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْاَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ اَنْفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّٓوا اَنْ لَا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللّٰهِ اِلَّٓا اِلَيْهِۜ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُواۜ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّح۪يمُ۟
WaAAala aththalathatiallatheena khullifoo hatta itha daqatAAalayhimu al-ardu bima rahubat wadaqatAAalayhim anfusuhum wathannoo an la maljaamina Allahi illa ilayhi thumma tabaAAalayhim liyatooboo inna Allaha huwa attawwabuarraheem
#wordmeaningroot
1waʿalāAnd on
2l-thalāthatithe threeثلث
3alladhīna(of) those who
4khullifūwere left behindخلف
5ḥattāuntil
6idhāwhen
7ḍāqat(was) straitenedضيق
8ʿalayhimufor them
9l-arḍuthe earthارض
10bimāthough
11raḥubatit was vastرحب
12waḍāqatAnd (was) straitenedضيق
13ʿalayhimfor them
14anfusuhumtheir own soulsنفس
15waẓannūand they were certainظنن
16anthat
17(there is) no
18malja-arefugeلجا
19minafrom
20l-lahiAllah
21illāexcept
22ilayhito Him
23thummaThen
24tābaHe turned (in mercy)توب
25ʿalayhimto them
26liyatūbūthat they may repentتوب
27innaIndeed
28l-lahaAllah
29huwaHe
30l-tawābu(is) the Acceptor of repentanceتوب
31l-raḥīmuthe Most Mercifulرحم
  • Aisha Bewley

    and also towards the three who were left behind, * so that when the earth became narrow for them, for all its great breadth, and their own selves became constricted for them and they realised that there was no refuge from Allah except in Him, He turned to them so that they might turn to Him. Allah is the Ever-Returning, the Most Merciful.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And upon the three who were left behind until the land, as vast as it is, became strained to them, and their very souls became strained, and they thought there is no shelter from God except to Him. Then He pardoned them that they might repent. God is the Redeemer, the Merciful.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Allah showed compassion to the three men who had stayed behind. They felt hopeless and the vast earth seemed shrunk to them, and their lives became narrow for them. They realized that there is no refuge but within the Divine Laws. Then He turned to them in Mercy that they too might turn in hopeful repentance (9:106). Allah is Acceptor of repentance, Merciful.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And towards the three who were left behind when the earth had become straitened for them, vast as it was, and their souls had become straitened for them, and they thought that there was no refuge from God save to Him; then turned He towards them, that they might turn. God, He is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And also the three who were left behind, until the land, as vast as it is, became strained to them, and their very souls became strained, and they thought there was no shelter from God except to Him. Then He pardoned them that they may repent. God is the Redeemer, the Merciful.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Also upon the three who were left behind until the land, as vast as it is, became strained to them, and their very selves became strained; they thought there is no shelter from God except to Him. Then He pardoned them that they might repent. God is the Redeemer, the Compassionate.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Also (redeemed were) the three who stayed behind. The spacious earth became so straitened for them, that they almost gave up all hope for themselves. Finally, they realized that there was no escape from GOD, except to Him. He then redeemed them that they may repent. GOD is the Redeemer, Most Merciful.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    He has relented towards the three also (who had refused to go to the battle of the Ditch) whose case was left undecided, and even the earth with all its expanse had become narrow for them, and their lives were confined, and they came to realise there was no refuge for them except in God. So He softened towards them that they may repent; for God surely accepts repentance and is merciful.

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

    And the three who were left behind to the point that the earth closed in on them in spite of its vastness and their souls confined them and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, Allah is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.

  • Muhammad Asad

    And towards the three who had fallen prey to corruption, until in the end-after the earth, despite all its vastness, had become narrow for them and their souls had become constricted they came to know with certainty that there is no refuge from God other than unto Him; and thereupon He turned again unto them in His mercy, so that they might repent: for, verily, God alone is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And to the three also (did He turn in mercy) who were left behind, when the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for them, and their own souls were straitened for them till they bethought them that there is no refuge from Allah save toward Him. Then turned He unto them in mercy that they (too) might turn (repentant unto Him). Lo! Allah! He is the Relenting, the Merciful.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And He also relented towards the three whose cases had been deferred. When the earth, for all its spaciousness, became constrained to them, and their own beings became a burden to them, and they realized that there was no refuge for them from Allah except in Him; He relented towards them that they may turn back to Him. Surely, it is Allah Who is Much Forgiving, Ever Merciful.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    As for the three affluent and able men, yet thoughtless, slack and wanting in strength of will who were boycotted and excluded from the life of the community to the end that, vast as it is, the earth seemed drawn together and constricted and their souls constrained. Poor in spirit, they realized through self- reproach that they would not and could not flee from Allah but could find solace in coming back to Him. He gave up resentment against them and pardoned their offense so that they would in lowliest plight repentant stand. Allah is AL-Tawab (Relenting) Who accepts repentance and the atonement made by the people; and He is AL-Rahim (Merciful).

  • Bijan Moeinian

    God also showed mercy to those three who stayed behind (Ka’ab Ibn Malik, Hilal Ibn Ummaya and Murarah Ibn Ruba’i) after having made the earth (with all its vastness) to seem too narrow for them and after they completely gave up (they were boycotted even with their wives while waiting for the Lord’s decision. ) Finally they learned (through this experience) that their only refuge is the Lord. The Lord then turned mercifully to them so that they may repent and then accepted their repentance as He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And (He did forgive also) the three (for Allâh’s Decision) till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their ownselves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allâh, and no refuge but with Him. Then, He forgave them (accepted their repentance), that they might beg for His pardon Verily, Allâh is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    (He turned in mercy also) to the three who were left behind; (they felt guilty) to such a degree that the earth seemed constrained to them, for all its spaciousness, and their (very) souls seemed straitened to them,- and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah (and no refuge) but to Himself. Then He turned to them, that they might repent: for Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    And ˹Allah has also turned in mercy to˺ the three who had remained behind, ˹whose guilt distressed them˺ until the earth, despite its vastness, seemed to close in on them, and their souls were torn in anguish. They knew there was no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them in mercy so that they might repent. Surely Allah ˹alone˺ is the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.

  • Taqi Usmani

    And (He relented) towards the three whose matter was deferred until when the earth was straitened for them despite all its vastness, and even their own souls were straitened for them, and they realized that there is no refuge from Allah, except in Him, then He turned towards them, so that they may repent. Surely, Allah is the Most-Relenting, the Very Merciful.

  • Abdul Haleem

    And to the three men who stayed behind: when the earth, for all its spaciousness, closed in around them, when their very souls closed in around them, when they realized that the only refuge from God was with Him, He turned to them in mercy in order for them to return . God is the Ever Relenting, the Most Merciful.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And to the three who were left behind, until, when the earth became strait for them, for all its breadth, and their souls became strait for them, and they thought that there was no shelter from God except in Him, then He turned towards them, that they might also turn; surely God turns, and is All-compassionate.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    unto the three who were left behind, so that the earth with all its ample space was too strait for them, and their souls were straitened for them, and they thought that there was no refuge for them from God save unto Him. Then He turned again towards them that they might also turn; verily, God, He is easily turned and merciful!

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And also unto the three who were left behind. When the earth, vast as it is, seemed too small for them, and their souls were constricted for them until they perceived that there was no refuge for them from Allah save towards Him (they felt imprisoned in their guilt and remorse). Then He turned again towards them that they might also repent. Verily, Allah, He is the Relenting, the Merciful.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And to the three who were left staying behind, until, when the earth, spacious as it is, became strait for them, and their selves became strait for them, and they expected that there was no shelter from Allah except in Him; thereafter He relented towards them that they might repent; surely Allah, He, Ever He, is The Superbly Relenting, The Ever-Merciful.

  • George Sale

    And He is also reconciled unto the three who were left behind, so that the earth became too strait for them, notwithstanding its spaciousness, and their souls became straitened within them, and they considered that there was no refuge from God, otherwise than by having recourse unto Him. Then was He turned unto them, that they might repent; for God is easy to be reconciled and merciful.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And (Allah also turned with forgiveness to) the three (Ka’b bin Malik, Hilal bin Umayyah and Murarah bin Ar-Rabi; All from the Ansar people) who stayed behind (from the Tabuk expedition); (They felt guilty) so much that the earth seemed small to them, in spite of all its space, and their (very) souls seemed narrow to them— And they felt that there was no running from Allah (and no home or shelter) except to Himself. Then He forgave them, that they might repent: Verily, Allah is He Who accepts repentance (Tawwab), Most Merciful (Raheem).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And (He also turned with mercy) to the three (Companions of the Prophet, Ka`b son of Mâlik, Hilâl son of 'Umayyah and Murârah son of Rabî`ah);whose case was deferred (for decree of Allâh), until the earth, for (all) its spaciousness became narrow for them, and their lives (also) became unbearable for them, and they were convinced that there was no refuge (to escape the punishment) from Allâh save in Him. Then He turned to them with mercy that they might also turn (with repentance to Him). Surely, it is Allâh Who is the Oft-Returning with compassion, the Ever Merciful.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    and to the three who were left behind. When the earth became narrow for them with its expanse, and their own souls weighed heavily on them, and they knew that there was no refuge from Allah except in Him, then He turned clemently toward them so that they might be penitent. Indeed Allah is the All-clement, the All-merciful.