Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Thou guidest not whom thou likest; but God guides whom He wills. And He best knows the guided.

اِنَّكَ لَا تَهْد۪ي مَنْ اَحْبَبْتَ وَلٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَهْد۪ي مَنْ يَشَٓاءُۚ وَهُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَد۪ينَ
Innaka la tahdee man ahbabtawalakinna Allaha yahdee man yashao wahuwaaAAlamu bilmuhtadeen
#wordmeaningroot
1innakaIndeed, you
2(can) not
3tahdīguideهدي
4manwhom
5aḥbabtayou loveحبب
6walākinnabut
7l-lahaAllah
8yahdīguidesهدي
9manwhom
10yashāuHe willsشيا
11wahuwaAnd He
12aʿlamu(is) most knowingعلم
13bil-muh'tadīna(of) the guided onesهدي
  • Aisha Bewley

    You cannot guide those you would like to but Allah guides those He wills. He has best knowledge of the guided.

  • Progressive Muslims

    You cannot guide whom you love. But it is God who guides whom He wills; and He is fully aware of those who receive the guidance.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Verily, you cannot guide aright everyone you love, but it is Allah Who guides him who wishes to be guided. And He is best Aware of those who will be rightly guided. (2:272), (4:88), (10:99-100).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Thou guidest not whom thou likest; but God guides whom He wills. And He best knows the guided.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    You cannot guide whom you love. But it is God who guides whom He wills; and He is fully aware of those who receive the guidance.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    You cannot guide whom you love. But it is God who guides whom He wills; and He is fully aware of those who receive the guidance.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    You cannot guide the ones you love. GOD is the only One who guides in accordance with His will, and in accordance with His knowledge of those who deserve the guidance.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    You cannot guide any one you like: God guides whosoever He please. He knows best who will come to guidance.

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

    Indeed, , you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the guided.

  • Muhammad Asad

    VERILY, thou canst not guide aright everyone whom thou lovest: but it is God who guides him that wills ; and He is fully aware of all who would let themselves be guided.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Lo! thou (O Muhammad) guidest not whom thou lovest, but Allah guideth whom He will. And He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    (O Prophet), you cannot grant guidance to whom you please. It is Allah Who guides those whom He will.* He knows best who are amenable to guidance.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    You Muhammad shall not be able to guide to Allah's path whom you like or to whom you have special affection* but Allah guides to His path of righteousness whom He will and He knows best those who are willing to lift to Him their inward sight.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    O’ Mohammad, you cannot guide those whom you like to see guided. Only God can guide whoever He pleases. He knows who will accept guidance.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Verily you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) guide not whom you like, but Allâh guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    It is true thou wilt not be able to guide every one, whom thou lovest; but Allah guides those whom He will and He knows best those who receive guidance.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    You surely cannot guide whoever you like ˹O Prophet˺, but it is Allah Who guides whoever He wills, and He knows best who are ˹fit to be˺ guided.

  • Taqi Usmani

    You cannot give guidance to whomsoever you wish, but Allah gives guidance to whomsoever He wills, and He best knows the ones who are on the right path.

  • Abdul Haleem

    You cannot guide everyone you love to the truth; it is God who guides whoever He will: He knows best those who will follow guidance.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Thou guidest not whom thou likest, but God guides whom He wills, and knows very well those that are guided.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Verily, thou canst not guide whom thou dost like, but God guides whom He pleases; for He knows best who are to be guided.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And when they hear vain talk, they turn away from it and say, "We have our works, and you have your works. Peace be upon you! We do not seek the ignorant."

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Surely you do not guide whomever you love, but Allah guides whomever He decides, and He knows best the ones (who are) rightly-guided.

  • George Sale

    Verily thou canst not direct whom thou wilt: But God directeth whom He pleaseth, and He best knoweth those who will submit to be directed.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    It is true that you will not be able to guide everyone whom you love; But Allah guides those whom He will. And He knows best those who receive guidance.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    (Prophet!) it is not possible for you to guide whomsoever you wish, but Allâh guides whomsoever He will. He knows fully well those who would accept guidance.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    You cannot guide whomever you wish, but Allah guides whomever He wishes, and He knows best those who are guided.