Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Those who swear fealty to thee but swear fealty to God; the hand of God is over their hands. Then whoso reneges, he but reneges against his soul. And whoso fulfils what he has taken upon him as a covenant to God, He will give him a great reward.

اِنَّ الَّذ۪ينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ اِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ اللّٰهَۜ يَدُ اللّٰهِ فَوْقَ اَيْد۪يهِمْۚ فَمَنْ نَكَثَ فَاِنَّمَا يَنْكُثُ عَلٰى نَفْسِه۪ۚ وَمَنْ اَوْفٰى بِمَا عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهُ اللّٰهَ فَسَيُؤْت۪يهِ اَجْراً عَظ۪يماً۟
Inna allatheena yubayiAAoonakainnama yubayiAAoona Allaha yadu Allahifawqa aydeehim faman nakatha fa-innama yankuthu AAalanafsihi waman awfa bima AAahada AAalayhu Allahafasayu/teehi ajran AAatheema
#wordmeaningroot
1innaIndeed
2alladhīnathose who
3yubāyiʿūnakapledge allegiance to youبيع
4innamāonly
5yubāyiʿūnathey pledge allegianceبيع
6l-laha(to) Allah
7yadu(The) Handيدي
8l-lahi(of) Allah
9fawqa(is) overفوق
10aydīhimtheir handsيدي
11famanThen whoever
12nakathabreaks (his oath)نكث
13fa-innamāthen only
14yankuthuhe breaksنكث
15ʿalāagainst
16nafsihihimselfنفس
17wamanand whoever
18awfāfulfilsوفي
19bimāwhat
20ʿāhadahe has covenantedعهد
21ʿalayhu(with)
22l-lahaAllah
23fasayu'tīhisoon He will give himاتي
24ajrana rewardاجر
25ʿaẓīmangreatعظم
  • Aisha Bewley

    Those who pledge you their allegiance pledge allegiance to Allah. Allah’s hand is over their hands. He who breaks his pledge only breaks it against himself. But as for him who fulfils the contract he has made with Allah, We will pay him an immense reward.

  • Progressive Muslims

    Those who pledge allegiance to you, are in-fact pledging allegiance to God; God's hand is above their hands. Those of them who violate such a pledge, are violating it only upon themselves. And whosoever fulfills what he has pledged to God, then He will grant him a great reward.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Behold, all who pledge allegiance to you (O Prophet), in fact pledge allegiance to Allah. The Hand of Allah is above their hands. Hence, whoever shatters his pledge, shatters his own 'Self'. And whoever keeps his pledge with Allah, to him He will grant a Supreme Reward. (9:111).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Those who swear fealty to thee but swear fealty to God; the hand of God is over their hands. Then whoso reneges, he but reneges against his soul. And whoso fulfils what he has taken upon him as a covenant to God, He will give him a great reward.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Those who pledge allegiance to you, are in-fact pledging allegiance to God; the hand of God is above their hands. Those of them who violate such a pledge, are violating it only for themselves. And whoever fulfills what he has pledged to God, then He will grant him a great reward.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Those who pledge allegiance to you, are in-fact pledging allegiance to God; God's hand is above their hands. Those of them who violate such a pledge, are violating it only upon themselves. Whosoever fulfills what he has pledged to God, then He will grant him a great reward.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Surely, those who pledge allegiance to you, are pledging allegiance to GOD. GOD approves their pledge; He places His hand above their hands. Those who violate such a pledge, commit the violation to their own detriment. As for those who fulfill their pledge with GOD, He will grant them a great recompense.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Those who swear allegiance to you indeed swear allegiance to God; and God's protection is over them. Then whosoever breaks the promise breaks it to his own loss; but whosoever fulfills the promise made to God will receive a great reward from Him.

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

    Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, - they are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands. So he who breaks his word only breaks it to the detriment of himself. And he who fulfills that which he has promised Allah - He will give him a great reward.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Behold, all who pledge their allegiance to thee pledge their allegiance to God: the hand of God is over their hands. Hence, he who breaks his oath, breaks it only to his own hurt; whereas he who remains true to what he has pledged unto God, on him will He bestow a reward supreme.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Lo! those who swear allegiance unto thee (Muhammad), swear allegiance only unto Allah. The Hand of Allah is above their hands. So whosoever breaketh his oath, breaketh it only to his soul's hurt; while whosoever keepeth his covenant with Allah, on him will He bestow immense reward.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Those who swore fealty to you, (O Prophet),* in fact swore fealty to Allah. The Hand of Allah is above their hands.* So whoever breaks his covenant breaks it to his own hurt; and whoever fulfils the covenant that he made with Allah,* He will bestow on him a great reward.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Those who take the vow to you Muhammad to serve Allah with breasts filled with reverential awe and deeds imprinted with wisdom and piety, is in effect it is to Allah that they render their vows; the hand of Allah be at the top of their hands. And he who breaks his oath, he but breaks it to his own great detriment, and he who fulfills the promise he made to Allah, will be requited greatly.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Those who shook your hands , were indeed renewing their pledges with God; the "Hand" of God is over their hand! Whoever break his pledge, however, breaks it at his own peril. Whoever, keeps his pledge, God will soon grant him a great reward.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Verily, those who give Bai‘ah (pledge) to you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) they are giving Bai‘ah (pledge) to Allâh. The Hand of Allâh is over their hands. Then whosoever breaks his pledge, breaks it only to his own harm; and whosoever fulfils what he has covenanted with Allâh, He will bestow on him a great reward.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Verily those who plight their fealty to thee do no less than plight their fealty to Allah: the Hand of Allah is over their hands: then any one who violates his oath, does so to the harm of his own soul, and any one who fulfils what he has covenanted with Allah,- Allah will soon grant him a great Reward.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Surely those who pledge allegiance to you ˹O Prophet˺ are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. Allah’s Hand is over theirs. Whoever breaks their pledge, it will only be to their own loss. And whoever fulfils their pledge to Allah, He will grant them a great reward.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Those who pledge allegiance with you (by placing their hands in your hand)- they, in fact, pledge allegiance with Allah. Allah’s hand is over their hands. Then, whoever breaks his pledge breaks it to his own detriment, and whoever fulfils the covenant he has made with Allah, He will give him a great reward.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Those who pledge loyalty to you are actually pledging loyalty to God Himself- God’s hand is placed on theirs––and anyone who breaks his pledge does so to his own detriment: God will give a great reward to the one who fulfils his pledge to Him.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Those who swear fealty to thee swear fealty in truth to God; God's hand is over their hands. Then whosoever breaks his oath breaks it but to his own hurt; and whoso fulfils his covenant made with God, God will give him a mighty wage.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Verily, those who swear allegiance to thee do but swear allegiance to God;- God's hand is above their hands and whoso perjures himself does but perjure himself against himself; but he who fulfils what he has covenanted with God, God shall bring him mighty hire.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Surely those who swear allegiance unto you (O Muhammad) do but swear allegiance to Allah; the hand of Allah is above their hands. Therefore, whoever breaks his faith, he breaks it only to the injury of his own soul, and whoever fulfils what he has covenanted with Allah, He will grant him a mighty reward.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Surely the ones who swear allegiance to you, surely swear allegiance only to Allah; the Hand of Allah is above their hands. So, whoever breaches (his oath), then he breaches against himself; and whoever fulfils what he has covenanted with Allah, then He will soon bring him a magnificent reward.

  • George Sale

    Verily they who swear fealty unto thee, swear fealty unto God: The hand of God is over their hands. Whoever shall violate his oath, will violate the same to the hurt only of his own soul: But whoever shall perform that which he hath covenanted with God, He will surely give him a great reward.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Surely, for those who promise their pledge to you do no less than promise their pledge to Allah: The Hand of Allah is over their hands: Then anyone who breaks his pledge, does so to the harm of his own soul, and anyone who fulfills what he has promised to Allah— Allah will soon grant him a great reward.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    (Prophet!) Those who swear allegiance to you as a matter of fact swear allegiance to Allâh. Allâh's (helpful and benign) hand is above their hands. So he who breaks (his oath of allegiance) breaks (it) to his own loss. And as for the person who fulfills the great covenant he made with Allâh (- at Bai`t al-Ridzwân, by Hudaibiyah), He will surely give such a person a great reward.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Indeed those who swear allegiance to you, swear allegiance only to Allah: the hand of Allah is above their hands. So whosoever breaks his oath, breaks it only to his own detriment, and whoever fulfills the covenant he has made with Allah, He will give him a great reward.