Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And dispute not with the doctors of the Law save with what is better — save those who do wrong among them — and say: “We believe in that which was sent down to us and sent down to you, and our God and your God is One, and to Him we are submitting.”

وَلَا تُجَادِلُٓوا اَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ اِلَّا بِالَّت۪ي هِيَ اَحْسَنُۗ اِلَّا الَّذ۪ينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ وَقُولُٓوا اٰمَنَّا بِالَّـذ۪ٓي اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْنَا وَاُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكُمْ وَاِلٰهُنَا وَاِلٰهُكُمْ وَاحِدٌ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ
Wala tujadiloo ahla alkitabiilla billatee hiya ahsanu illa allatheenathalamoo minhum waqooloo amanna billatheeonzila ilayna waonzila ilaykum wa-ilahunawa-ilahukum wahidun wanahnu lahu muslimoon
#wordmeaningroot
1walāAnd (do) not
2tujādilūargueجدل
3ahla(with the) People of the Bookاهل
4l-kitābi(with the) People of the Bookكتب
5illāexcept
6bi-allatīby which
7hiya[it]
8aḥsanu(is) bestحسن
9illāexcept
10alladhīnathose who
11ẓalamū(do) wrongظلم
12min'humamong them
13waqūlūand sayقول
14āmannāWe believeامن
15bi-alladhīin that (which)
16unzilahas been revealedنزل
17ilaynāto us
18wa-unzilaand was revealedنزل
19ilaykumto you
20wa-ilāhunāAnd our Godاله
21wa-ilāhukumand your Godاله
22wāḥidun(is) Oneوحد
23wanaḥnuand we
24lahuto Him
25mus'limūnasubmitسلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    Only argue with the People of the Book in the kindest way – except in the case of those of them who do wrong – saying, ‘We have iman in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and we submit to Him.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    And do not argue with the people of the Scripture except in the best manner; except for those who are wicked amongst them; and Say: "We believe in what was revealed to us and in what was revealed to you, and our god and your god is the same; to Him we surrender. "

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    (The Divine System will be the Living Truth in itself, so) argue not with the People of the Scripture except in a most kind manner. Tell those who adamantly relegate the Truth, "We believe in the Divine Origin of what has been bestowed upon us, as well as what has been bestowed upon you. For, our God and your God is One and the same and to Him we surrender." ((2:79). 'Zulm' = To relegate or displace something from its rightful place).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And dispute not with the doctors of the Law save with what is better — save those who do wrong among them — and say: “We believe in that which was sent down to us and sent down to you, and our God and your God is One, and to Him we are submitting.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And do not argue with the people of the Book except in that which is better; except for those who are wicked among them; and say: "We believe in what was revealed to us and in what was revealed to you, and our god and your god is the same; to Him we submit."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Do not argue with the people of the book except in the best manner; except for those who are wicked amongst them; and say, "We acknowledge what was revealed to us and in what was revealed to you, and our god and your god is the same; to Him we peacefully surrender."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Do not argue with the people of the scripture (Jews, Christians, and Muslims) except in the nicest possible manner - unless they transgress - and say, "We believe in what was revealed to us and in what was revealed to you, and our god and your god is one and the same; to Him we are submitters."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Do not argue with the people of the Book unless in a fair way, apart from those who act wrongly, and say to them: "We believe what has been sent down to us, and we believe what has been sent down to you. Our God and your God is one, and to Him we submit."

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

    And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one; and we are Muslims to Him."

  • Muhammad Asad

    And do not argue with the followers of earlier revelation otherwise than in a most kindly manner - unless it be such of them as are bent on evildoing and say: "We believe in that which has been be­stowed from on high upon us, as well as that which has been bestowed upon you: or our God and your God is one and the same, and it is unto Him that We surrender ourselves. "

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our Allah and your Allah is One, and unto Him we surrender.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Argue not* with the People of the Book except in the fairest manner,* unless it be those of them that are utterly unjust.* Say to them: "We believe in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to you. One is our God and your God; and we are those who submit* ourselves to Him."

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And do not argue -O Muslims- with Ahl AL-Kitab (the people of the Book) but in a better fashion employing the faculty of reason in forming conclusions and adducing facts in a logical, peaceable and gracious manner, but not with those of them who are wrongful of actions lacking eloquence and fashion in their argumentation. Declare your thoughts in words, thus: "We do acknowledge all that has been revealed to us and to you. Our Ilah and your Ilah is One and to Him We bow to the ground in Islam and adoration".

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Do not engage in a senseless dispute with the people of the hood except in the best manner. Do not dispute with the wicked among them and say: "We believe in God’s revelations which are sent to us and to you. Our God, which is the same as yours, is one and we are submitters to Him.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), unless it be in (a way) that is better (with good words and in good manner, inviting them to Islâmic Monotheism with His Verses), except with such of them as do wrong; and say (to them): "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you; our Ilâh (God) and your Ilâh (God) is One (i.e. Allâh), and to Him we have submitted (as Muslims)."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury): but say, "We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam)."

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Do not argue with the People of the Book unless gracefully, except with those of them who act wrongfully. And say, "We believe in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to you. Our God and your God is ˹only˺ One. And to Him we ˹fully˺ submit."

  • Taqi Usmani

    Do not debate with the people of the Book unless it is in the best manner, except with those of them who commit injustice. And say, "We believe in what is sent down to us and sent down to you, and our God and your God is One, and to Him we submit (ourselves)."

  • Abdul Haleem

    , argue only in the best way with the People of the Book, except with those of them who act unjustly. Say, ‘We believe in what was revealed to us and in what was revealed to you; our God and your God are one ; we are devoted to Him.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Dispute not with the People of the Book save in the fairer manner, except for those of them that do wrong; and say, 'We believe in what has been sent down to us, and what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is One, and to Him we have surrendered. '

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And do not wrangle with the people of the Book, except for what is better; save with those who have been unjust amongst them and who say, 'We believe in what is sent down to us, And what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is one, and we are unto Him resigned. '

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Recite what has been inspired in you of the Book; and establish worship. Verily, worship preserves from shameful deeds and iniquity, but surely the remembrance (or mention) of Allah is more important; and Allah knows what you do.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And do not dispute (This is addressed to the believers) with the population of the Book (Or: family of the Book; i. e., the Jews and Christians) except in the fairest (manner), except for the ones of them who have done injustice; and say, "We believe in that which has been sent down to us and has been sent down to you. And our God and your God is One, and to Him we are Muslims." (Literally: We surrender).

  • George Sale

    Dispute not against those who have received the scriptures, unless in the mildest manner; except against such of them as behave injuriously towards you: And say, we believe in the revelation which hath been sent down unto us, and also in that which hath been sent down unto you; our God and your God is one, and unto Him are we resigned.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And you do not argue (or dispute) with the People of the Book, except with better ways (reasons and facts); Unless it is with those of them who cause injustice (or injury): But say (to them), "We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our God (Allah) and your God is One; And it is to Him we bow (in Islam). "

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    (Believers!) observe all the propriety when you argue with the people of the Scripture; but those who are bent upon behaving unjustly among them do not agree to these principles (so deal with them accordingly). And say (to them), `We believe in all that is revealed to us and in that which has been revealed to you, and our God and your God is One, and to Him we stand resigned.'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Do not dispute with the People of the Book except in a manner which is best, barring such of them as are wrongdoers, and say, ‘We believe in that which has been sent down to us and has been sent down to you; our God and your God is one , and to Him do we submit. ’