Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

It is not for the people of the city and those around them of the desert Arabs to remain behind the messenger of God, and prefer their lives to his life. Is it not that there befalls them neither thirst, nor fatigue, nor hunger, in the cause of God, neither take they any step that enrages the atheists, nor achieve they against the enemy an attainment save that it is recorded for them as a righteous deed! God causes not to be lost the reward of the doers of good.

مَا كَانَ لِاَهْلِ الْمَد۪ينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُمْ مِنَ الْاَعْرَابِ اَنْ يَتَخَلَّفُوا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ وَلَا يَرْغَبُوا بِاَنْفُسِهِمْ عَنْ نَفْسِه۪ۜ ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّهُمْ لَا يُص۪يبُهُمْ ظَمَاٌ وَلَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌ ف۪ي سَب۪يلِ اللّٰهِ وَلَا يَطَؤُ۫نَ مَوْطِئاً يَغ۪يظُ الْكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ نَيْلاً اِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُمْ بِه۪ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌۜ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُض۪يعُ اَجْرَ الْمُحْسِن۪ينَۙ
Ma kana li-ahli almadeenatiwaman hawlahum mina al-aAArabi an yatakhallafooAAan rasooli Allahi wala yarghaboo bi-anfusihimAAan nafsihi thalika bi-annahum la yuseebuhumthamaon wala nasabun walamakhmasatun fee sabeeli Allahi wala yataoonamawti-an yagheethu alkuffara walayanaloona min AAaduwwin naylan illa kutiba lahumbihi AAamalun salihun inna Allaha layudeeAAu ajra almuhsineen
#wordmeaningroot
1Not
2kānait wasكون
3li-ahli(for) the peopleاهل
4l-madīnatiof the Madinahمدن
5wamanand who
6ḥawlahumwere around themحول
7minaof
8l-aʿrābithe bedouinsعرب
9anthat
10yatakhallafūthey remain behindخلف
11ʿanafter
12rasūlithe Messengerرسل
13l-lahiof Allah
14walāand not
15yarghabūthey preferرغب
16bi-anfusihimtheir livesنفس
17ʿanto
18nafsihihis lifeنفس
19dhālikaThat is
20bi-annahumbecause [they]
21(does) not
22yuṣībuhumafflict themصوب
23ẓama-onthirstظما
24walāand not
25naṣabunfatigueنصب
26walāand not
27makhmaṣatunhungerخمص
28in
29sabīli(the) wayسبل
30l-lahi(of) Allah
31walāand not
32yaṭaūnathey stepوطا
33mawṭi-anany stepوطا
34yaghīẓuthat angersغيظ
35l-kufārathe disbelieversكفر
36walāand not
37yanālūnathey inflictنيل
38minon
39ʿaduwwinan enemyعدو
40naylanan inflictionنيل
41illāexcept
42kutibais recordedكتب
43lahumfor them
44bihiin it
45ʿamalun(as) a deedعمل
46ṣāliḥunrighteousصلح
47innaIndeed
48l-lahaAllah
49(does) not
50yuḍīʿuallow to be lostضيع
51ajrathe rewardاجر
52l-muḥ'sinīna(of) the good-doersحسن
  • Aisha Bewley

    It was not for people of Madina, and the desert arabs around them, to remain behind the Messenger of Allah nor to prefer themselves to him. That is because no thirst or weariness or hunger will afflict them in the Way of Allah, nor will they take a single step to infuriate the kafirun, nor secure any gain from the enemy, without a right action being written down for them because of it. Allah does not let the wage of the good-doers go to waste.

  • Progressive Muslims

    It is not advisable for the city dwellers and those around them of the Nomads that they should lag behind after God's messenger, nor should they yearn for themselves above him. That is because any thirst that will come to them, or fatigue, or hunger in the cause of God, or any step that they take which will annoy the rejecters, or any gain they have over any enemy; it will be recorded as a good deed for them. God does not waste the reward of the good doers.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    People of Madinah, and the Bedouins around, should not stay behind the Messenger. Nor shall they prefer their lives to his life. For, any thirst, effort or hunger that afflicts them in the Cause of Allah, or a single step that they take that angers the rejecters, and whatever gain they gain from the enemy, becomes a credit, a good deed recorded for them. Allah never loses the wages of the doers of good.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    It is not for the people of the city and those around them of the desert Arabs to remain behind the messenger of God, and prefer their lives to his life. Is it not that there befalls them neither thirst, nor fatigue, nor hunger, in the cause of God, neither take they any step that enrages the atheists, nor achieve they against the enemy an attainment save that it is recorded for them as a righteous deed! God causes not to be lost the reward of the doers of good.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    It is not advisable for the dwellers of the city and those around them of the Nomads that they should lag behind after the messenger of God, nor should they yearn for themselves above him. That is because any thirst that will come to them, or fatigue, or hunger in the cause of God, or any step that they take which will annoy the rejecters, or any gain they have over any enemy; it will be recorded as a good deed for them. God does not waste the reward of the good doers.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    It is not advisable for the city dwellers and those around them of the Arabs that they should lag behind after God's messenger, nor should they yearn for themselves above him. That is because any thirst, fatigue, or hunger that afflicts them in the cause of God, or any step that they take which will annoy the ingrates, or any gain they have over any enemy; it will be recorded as a good deed for them. God does not waste the reward of the good doers.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Neither the dwellers of the city, nor the Arabs around them, shall seek to stay behind the messenger of GOD (when he mobilizes for war). Nor shall they give priority to their own affairs over supporting him. This is because they do not suffer any thirst, or any effort, or hunger in the cause of GOD, or take a single step that enrages the disbelievers, or inflict any hardship upon the enemy, without having it written down for them as a credit. GOD never fails to recompense those who work righteousness.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    It was not worthy of the people of Madina, and the Arabs of the desert around them, to abandon the Prophet of God, and to care more for themselves than for him; for there is no hardship or thirst or hunger that they know in the service of God, and no place they walk on where walking provokes the unbelievers, and no harm they receive from the enemy, but is put down as a good deed in their favour. Surely God does not let the recompense of those who do good to go waste.

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

    It was not for the people of Madinah and those surrounding them of the bedouins that they remain behind after the Messenger of Allah or that they prefer themselves over his self. That is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allah, nor do they tread on any ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good.

  • Muhammad Asad

    It does not behove the people of the City and the bedouin around them to hold back from following God's Apostle, or to care for their own selves more than for him -for, whenever they suffer from thirst or weariness or hunger in God's cause, and whenever they take any step which confounds those who deny the truth, and whenever there comes to them from the enemy whatever may be destined for them - a good deed is recorded in their favour. Verily, God does not fail to requite the doers of good!

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    It is not for the townsfolk of Al-Madinah and for those around them of the wandering Arabs so stay behind the messenger of Allah and prefer their lives to his life. That is because neither thirst nor toil nor hunger afflicteth them in the way of Allah, nor step they any step that angereth the disbelievers, nor gain they from the enemy a gain, but a good deed is recorded for them therefor. Lo! Allah loseth not the wages of the good.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    It did not behove the people of Madinah and the bedouin Arabs around them that they should refrain from accompanying the Messenger of Allah and stay behind and prefer their own security to his. For whenever they suffer from thirst or weariness or hunger in the Way of Allah, and whenever they tread a place which enrages the unbelievers (whenever anything of this comes to pass), a good deed is recorded in their favour. Allah does not cause the work of the doers of good to go to waste.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    It was not right nor was it excusable that the Muslim residents of Madina and those of the desert Arabs round about them desert the Messenger in his expedition and remain behind, nor was there any cause inducing them to prefer their own lives to his. The conclusion of all this is that no thirst, hardship or hunger they suffer in Allah's cause or a scheme they design to outwit and anger the infidels and obtain an advantage over them or whether they gain victory or suffer loss but it is credited to them as a righteous deed; Allah does not annul, withhold or withdraw the fruit which people are entitled to reap from deeds of wisdom and piety.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    It was beneath the dignity of the people of Al-Medina and its suburban Arabs to abandon the Lord’s Messenger and (instead of supporting him) stay at home in order to take care of their worldly interests. They should know that any hardship such as hunger, thirst, physical pain (earned in the cause of God), as well as every step that they take toward enraging the disbelievers and every acts of theirs aimed to inflict a hardship upon the enemy will be credited to their account with God. Rest assured that God does not let go not rewarded the worthy deeds of the righteous people.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    It was not becoming of the people of Al-Madinah and the bedouins of the neighbourhood to remain behind Allâh’s Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم when fighting in Allâh’s Cause) and (it was not becoming of them) to prefer their own lives to his life. That is because they suffer neither thirst nor fatigue, nor hunger in the Cause of Allâh, nor they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers nor inflict any injury upon an enemy but is written to their credit as a deed of righteousness. Surely, Allâh wastes not the reward of the Muhsinûn

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    It was not fitting for the people of Medina and the Bedouin Arabs of the neighbourhood, to refuse to follow Allah's Messenger, nor to prefer their own lives to his: because nothing could they suffer or do, but was reckoned to their credit as a deed of righteousness,- whether they suffered thirst, or fatigue, or hunger, in the cause of Allah, or trod paths to raise the ire of the Unbelievers, or received any injury whatever from an enemy: for Allah suffereth not the reward to be lost of those who do good;-

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    It was not ˹proper˺ for the people of Medina and the nomadic Arabs around them to avoid marching with the Messenger of Allah or to prefer their own lives above his. That is because whenever they suffer from thirst, fatigue, or hunger in the cause of Allah; or tread on a territory, unnerving the disbelievers; or inflict any loss on an enemy—it is written to their credit as a good deed. Surely Allah never discounts the reward of the good-doers.

  • Taqi Usmani

    It was not (permissible) for the people of Madīnah and for those around them of the Bedouins to stay behind abandoning the Messenger of Allah, nor to prefer their own lives to his life. That is because whatever thirst or fatigue or hunger strikes them in the way of Allah, and whenever they step into a place which infuriates the infidels, and whenever they make a gain from an enemy, a virtuous deed is credited to their account. Surely, Allah does not nullify the reward of the virtuous.

  • Abdul Haleem

    The people of Medina and their neighbouring desert Arabs should not have held back from following God’s Messenger, nor should they have cared about themselves more than him: if ever they suffer any thirst, weariness, or hunger in God’s cause, take any step that angers the disbelievers, or cause any harm to an enemy, a good deed is recorded in their favour on account of it- God never wastes the reward of those who do good-

  • Arthur John Arberry

    It is not for the people of the City and for the Bedouins who dwell around them to stay behind God's Messenger, and to prefer their lives to his; that is because they are smitten neither by thirst, nor fatigue, nor emptiness in the way of God, neither tread they any tread enraging the unbelievers, nor gain any gain from any enemy, but a righteous deed is thereby written to their account; God leaves not to waste the wage of the good-doers.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    It was not for the people of Medinah, and those around about them of the Arabs of the desert, to stay behind the Apostle of God and not to prefer their souls to his: that is because neither thirst, nor toil, nor heat, nor hunger befell them on God's way. Nor do they stop to anger the misbelievers, nor do they get any (harm) from the enemy without a good work being written down to them; verily, God wastes not the hire of those who do well.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    It was not fitting for the people of Medina and for those around them of the wandering Arabs of the desert, to stay behind the Messenger of Allah and prefer their lives to his. That is because neither thirst, nor toil, nor heat, nor hunger befell them on Allah's way, nor do their acts anger the disbelievers, or they receive injury from the enemy, but a good deed is recorded for them. Verily, Allah wastes not the wages of those who do good.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    In no way should the population of Al-Madînah and the Arabs (of the desert) around them stay behind the Messenger of Allah or desirously care more for themselves than for him (Literally: care more for their selves than for his self; i. e., prefer their lives to his life). That is for that they are afflicted neither by thirst, nor toil, nor scantiness in the way of Allah, nor do they tread any tread enraging the steadfast disbelievers nor attain from an enemy any attainment, except that a righteous deed is thereby written for them (i.e., written to their account) Surely Allah does not waste the reward of the fair-doers

  • George Sale

    There was no reason why the inhabitants of Medina, and the Arabs of the desert who dwell around them, should stay behind the apostle of God, or should prefer themselves before him. This is unreasonable: Because they are not distressed either by thirst, or labour, or hunger, for the defence of God's true religion; neither do they stir a step, which may irritate the unbelievers; neither do they receive from the enemy any damage, but a good work is written down unto them for the same; for God suffereth not the reward of the righteous to perish.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    It was not befitting for the people of Medinah and the Bedouin Arabs from around (Medinah) to refuse to follow Allah’s Messenger (Muhammad), nor to prefer their own lives to his life: Because nothing could they suffer or do, except that it would be (added) to their credit as an act of righteousness— Whether they felt thirst, or (felt) tired, or hunger, in Allah’s Cause, or taken to the road to cause anger to the disbelievers, or taken any (tiny) injury from an enemy: Surely, Allah does not let the reward to be lost by those who do good—

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    It was not proper for the people of Madînah and (for) the Arabs of the desert (who live) around them to have stayed behind the Messenger of Allâh (at the time of expedition to Tabûk) nor (was it proper for them) to have preferred their own lives to his. That is because they suffer no thirst, nor fatigue, nor hunger in Allâh's way nor do they make a journey which enrages the disbelievers, nor do they gain an advantage over an enemy, but a righteous deed is credited to their account (in the record of their deeds) because of it. Verily, Allâh suffers not the reward of the doers of good to be lost.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    It is not fitting for the people of Madinah and the Bedouins around them to hang back behind the Apostle of Allah and prefer their own lives to his life. That is because they neither experience any thirst, nor fatigue, nor hunger, in the way of Allah, nor do they tread any ground enraging the faithless, nor do they gain any ground against an enemy but a righteous deed is written for them on its account. Indeed Allah does not waste the reward of the virtuous.