Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And when the inviolable months have passed, then kill the idolaters wheresoever you find them, and seize them, and restrain them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent, and uphold the duty, and render the purity, then let them go their way; God is forgiving and merciful.

فَاِذَا انْسَلَخَ الْاَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُوا الْمُشْرِك۪ينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدْتُمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ وَاقْعُدُوا لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍۚ فَاِنْ تَابُوا وَاَقَامُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتَوُا الزَّكٰوةَ فَخَلُّوا سَب۪يلَهُمْۜ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُورٌ رَح۪يمٌ
Fa-itha insalakha al-ashhuru alhurumufaqtuloo almushrikeena haythu wajadtumoohum wakhuthoohumwahsuroohum waqAAudoo lahum kulla marsadinfa-in taboo waaqamoo assalatawaatawoo azzakata fakhalloo sabeelahum innaAllaha ghafoorun raheem
#wordmeaningroot
1fa-idhāThen when
2insalakhahave passedسلخ
3l-ashhuruthe sacred monthsشهر
4l-ḥurumuthe sacred monthsحرم
5fa-uq'tulūthen killقتل
6l-mush'rikīnathe polytheistsشرك
7ḥaythuwhereverحيث
8wajadttumūhumyou find themوجد
9wakhudhūhumand seize themاخذ
10wa-uḥ'ṣurūhumand besiege themحصر
11wa-uq'ʿudūand sit (in wait)قعد
12lahumfor them
13kulla(at) everyكلل
14marṣadinplace of ambushرصد
15fa-inBut if
16tābūthey repentتوب
17wa-aqāmūand establishقوم
18l-ṣalatathe salatصلو
19waātawūand giveاتي
20l-zakatathe zakahزكو
21fakhallūthen leaveخلو
22sabīlahumtheir wayسبل
23innaIndeed
24l-lahaAllah
25ghafūrun(is) Oft-Forgivingغفر
26raḥīmunMost Mercifulرحم
  • Aisha Bewley

    Then, when the sacred months are over, kill the idolaters wherever you find them, and seize them and besiege them and lie in wait for them on every road. If they make tawba and establish salat and pay zakat, let them go on their way. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

  • Progressive Muslims

    So when the restricted months have passed, then you may kill those who have set up partners wherever you find them, and take them, and surround them, and stand against them at every point. If they repent, and hold the contact-method, and contribute towards betterment, then you shall leave them alone. God is Forgiving, Merciful.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    When the four Sacred Months are over and if the idolaters are still aggressing, neither becoming law-abiding citizens of the State, nor emigrating, subdue them wherever you find them, take them captive, and besiege them, and ambush them. But if they repent from aggression, and help in the consolidation of the Divine System and in setting up the Just Economic Order of Zakat, then leave them free. Verily, Allah is Forgiving Merciful.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And when the inviolable months have passed, then kill the idolaters wheresoever you find them, and seize them, and restrain them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent, and uphold the duty, and render the purity, then let them go their way; God is forgiving and merciful.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    So when the restricted months have passed, then you may kill the polytheists wherever you find them, and take them, and surround them, and stand against them at every point. If they repent, and they hold the contact prayer, and they contribute towards purification, then you shall leave them alone. God is Forgiving, Merciful.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    So when the restricted months have passed, then you may kill those who have set up partners wherever you find them, take them, surround them, and stand against them at every point. If they repent, hold the contact prayer, and contribute towards betterment, then you shall leave them alone. God is Forgiving, Compassionate.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Once the Sacred Months are past, (and they refuse to make peace) you may kill the idol worshipers when you encounter them, punish them, and resist every move they make. If they repent and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), you shall let them go. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    But when these months, prohibited (for fighting), are over, slay the idolaters wheresoever you find them, and take them captive or besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every likely place. But if they repent and fulfil their devotional obligations and pay the zakat, then let them go their way, for God is forgiving and kind.

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

    And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

  • Muhammad Asad

    And so, when the sacred months are over, slay those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God wherever you may come upon them, and take them captive, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every conceivable place! Yet if they repent, and take to prayer, and render the purifying dues, let them go their way: for, behold, God is much forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    But when the sacred months expire slay those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity wherever you find them; seize them, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them. But if they repent and establish the Prayer and pay Zakah, leave them alone. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    When the four Sacred Months of grace have expired, then kill the vicious idolaters wherever you find them, seize them besiege them and lie down for them in ambush everywhere. But should they repent, engage in the act of worship and give Zakat (alms), then leave them alone; Allah is Ghafurun (Forgiving) and Rahimun (Merciful).

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Once the sacred months are over, fight with disbelievers to the end and capture them. If they submit and start saying their daily prayers and engage in charitable actions, then they are forgiven; indeed God is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Then when the Sacred Months (the 1st, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islâmic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikûn (See V.2:105) wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât, then leave their way free. Verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    But once the Sacred Months have passed, kill the polytheists ˹who violated their treaties˺ wherever you find them, capture them, besiege them, and lie in wait for them on every way. But if they repent, perform prayers, and pay alms-tax, then set them free. Indeed, Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

  • Taqi Usmani

    So, when the sacred months expire, kill the Mushriks wherever you find them, and catch them and besiege them and sit in ambush for them everywhere. Then, if they repent and establish Salāh and pay Zakāh, leave their way. Surely, Allah is most Forgiving, Very-Merciful.

  • Abdul Haleem

    When the forbidden months are over, wherever you encounter the idolaters, kill them, seize them, besiege them, wait for them at every lookout post; but if they turn , maintain the prayer, and pay the prescribed alms, let them go on their way, for God is most forgiving and merciful.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Then, when the sacred months are drawn away, slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them, and confine them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent, and perform the prayer, and pay the alms, then let them go their way; God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    But when the sacred months are passed away, kill the idolaters wherever ye may find them; and take them, and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in every place of observation; but if they repent, and are steadfast in prayer, and give alms, then let them go their way; verily, God is forgiving and merciful.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    9:5 But when the sacred months are past, then fight and slay the idolaters (those who plot against you) wherever you may find them; and seize them, and besiege them, and ambush them in every manner; but if they repent, and are steadfast in prayer, and practice charity, then let them go their way; for verily, Allah is oft Forgiving and Merciful.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    So, when the prohibiting months are drawn away, (Literally: stripped away) then kill the associators wherever you find them, and take them, and detain them, and sit (in wait) for them at every place of observation (i. e., ambush). But, in case they repent, and keep up the prayer, and bring the Zakat, (i.e., pay the obligatory poor-dues) then let them go their way; (Literally: pass on their way) surely Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful..

  • George Sale

    And when the months wherein ye are not allowed to attack them shall be past, kill the idolaters wheresoever ye shall find them, and take them prisoners, and besiege them, and lay wait for them in every convenient place. But if they shall repent, and observe the appointed times of prayer, and pay the legal alms, dismiss them freely; for God is gracious and merciful.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    But when the forbidden (four) months are over then fight and kill the (distrusted) pagans wherever you find them, and catch them, attack them, and stay waiting for them in every stage (of war); But if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then make it easy for them: Verily, Allah is Often Forgiving (Ghafoor), Most Merciful (Raheem).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    But when the prohibited (four) months (when no attack on the breakers of the treaties was permissible) have expired, slay such polytheists (who broke their treaties) wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every place from which it is possible to perceive the enemy and watch their movements. But if they turn in repentance and keep up Prayer and go on presenting the Zakât, leave their path free. Indeed, Allâh is Great Protector, Ever Merciful.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Then, when the sacred months have passed, kill the polytheists wherever you find them, capture them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every ambush. But if they repent, and maintain the prayer and give the zakāt, then let them alone. Indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.