Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

But when it is said to them: “Be in prudent fear of what is before you, and what is behind you, that you might obtain mercy.”

وَاِذَا ق۪يلَ لَهُمُ اتَّقُوا مَا بَيْنَ اَيْد۪يكُمْ وَمَا خَلْفَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
Wa-itha qeela lahumu ittaqoo mabayna aydeekum wama khalfakum laAAallakum turhamoon
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-idhāAnd when
2qīlait is saidقول
3lahumuto them
4ittaqūFearوقي
5what
6bayna(is) before youبين
7aydīkum(is) before youيدي
8wamāand what
9khalfakum(is) behind youخلف
10laʿallakumso that you may
11tur'ḥamūnareceive mercyرحم
  • Aisha Bewley

    They are told, ‘Have taqwa of what is before you and behind you so that hopefully you will have mercy shown to you. ’

  • Progressive Muslims

    And when they are told: "Be aware of your present and your past, that you may attain mercy. "

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And yet, when it is said to them, "Walk aright learning from every yesterday, so that you may build a future worthy of Grace,"

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    But when it is said to them: “Be in prudent fear of what is before you, and what is behind you, that you might obtain mercy.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And when they are told: "Be aware of your present and your past, that you may attain mercy."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    When they are told: "Be aware of your present and your past, that you may attain mercy."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Yet, when they are told, "Learn from your past, to work righteousness for your future, that you may attain mercy,"

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    When it is said to them: "Beware of what is before you and what is past, that you may be treated with kindness;"

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

    But when it is said to them, "Beware of what is before you and what is behind you; perhaps you will receive mercy... "

  • Muhammad Asad

    And when they are told, "Beware of all that lies open before you and all that is hidden from you, so that you might be graced with His mercy,"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    When it is said unto them: Beware of that which is before you and that which is behind you, that haply ye may find mercy (they are heedless).

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    When it is said to such people: "Guard yourselves against what is ahead of you and what has preceded you* that mercy be shown to you" (they pay scant heed to it).

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And when they are told: "Fear for your irreverence to Allah and regard with fear the retributive punishment which you might encounter here. Fear also what awaits you Hereafter which is indeed grievous and really severe so that you might hopefully be recipients of Allah’s mercy".

  • Bijan Moeinian

    When the disbelievers are told: "Be mindful of what is awaiting you and what deeds you have left behind"

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And when it is said to them: "Fear of that which is before you (worldly torments), and that which is behind you (torments in the Hereafter), in order that you may receive Mercy (i.e. if you believe in Allâh’s religion - Islâmic Monotheism, and avoid polytheism, and obey Allâh with righteous deeds)."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    When they are told, "Fear ye that which is before you and that which will be after you, in order that ye may receive Mercy," (they turn back).

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    ˹Still they turn away˺ when it is said to them, "Beware of what is ahead of you ˹in the Hereafter˺ and what is behind you ˹of destroyed nations˺ so you may be shown mercy."

  • Taqi Usmani

    And (they pay no heed) when it is said to them, "Save yourselves from that (punishment) which is before you (in this world) and that which will come after you (die), so that you may receive mercy".

  • Abdul Haleem

    Yet when they are told, ‘Beware of what lies before and behind you, so that you may be given mercy,’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And when it is said to them, 'Fear what is before you and what is behind you; haply you will find mercy' --

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And when it is said to them, 'Fear what is before you and what is behind you, haply ye may obtain mercy;'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And when it is said to them, "Guard against what is before you and what is behind you, that per chance (or possibly) you may find mercy.... (they are heedless)

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And when it is said to them, "Be pious as regards what is before you (Literally: between your hands) and what is behind you, that possibly you would be granted mercy. "

  • George Sale

    When it is said unto them, fear that which is before you, and that which is behind you, that ye may obtain mercy; they withdraw from thee:

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And when it is said to them: "You fear that which has happened before you, and that which will come after you, so that you may (also) receive (Allah's) Mercy," (then they do not listen and go away).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And when it is said to them, `Guard yourself against that (punishment) which is (impending) before you and that which is behind you (and may befall you as a consequence of your evil past) so that you may be shown mercy (they turn away). '

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    And when they are told, ‘Beware of that which is before you and that which is behind you, so that you may receive mercy. ’