Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And had We prescribed for them: “Kill yourselves,” or: “Go forth from your homes,” there would have done it only a few among them; and had they done what they were exhorted, it would have been better for them and a stronger confirmation,

وَلَوْ اَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ اَنِ اقْتُلُٓوا اَنْفُسَكُمْ اَوِ اخْرُجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ مَا فَعَلُوهُ اِلَّا قَل۪يلٌ مِنْهُمْۜ وَلَوْ اَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِه۪ لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَهُمْ وَاَشَدَّ تَثْب۪يتاًۙ
Walaw anna katabna AAalayhimani oqtuloo anfusakum awi okhrujoo min diyarikum mafaAAaloohu illa qaleelun minhum walaw annahum faAAaloo mayooAAathoona bihi lakana khayran lahumwaashadda tathbeeta
#wordmeaningroot
1walawAnd if
2annā[that] We
3katabnā(had) decreedكتب
4ʿalayhimon them
5anithat
6uq'tulūKillقتل
7anfusakumyourselvesنفس
8awior
9ukh'rujūGo forthخرج
10minfrom
11diyārikumyour homesدور
12not
13faʿalūhuthey would have done itفعل
14illāexcept
15qalīluna fewقلل
16min'humof them
17walawBut if
18annahum[that] they
19faʿalūhad doneفعل
20what
21yūʿaẓūnathey were advisedوعظ
22bihiwith [it]
23lakānasurely (it) would have beenكون
24khayranbetterخير
25lahumfor them
26wa-ashaddaand strongerشدد
27tathbītanstrengthen(ing)ثبت
  • Aisha Bewley

    If We had directed them to kill themselves or leave their homes, they would not have done so, except for a very few. But if they had done what they were urged to do, it would have been better for them and far more strengthening.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And had We decreed for them: "Kill yourselves, " or "Leave your land," they would not have done so except for a few of them. And if they had done what they were advised with, it would have been better for them and helped to strengthen them.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And if We had decreed for them, "Lay down your lives," or "Forsake your homelands," a few of them would do it. Although, if they did as was admonished, it would be for their own good, and a cause for strengthening themselves.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And had We prescribed for them: “Kill yourselves,” or: “Go forth from your homes,” there would have done it only a few among them; and had they done what they were exhorted, it would have been better for them and a stronger confirmation,

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And had We decreed for them: "Kill yourselves," or "Leave your land," they would not have done so except for a few of them. And if they had done what they were advised with, it would have been better for them and helped to strengthen them.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Had We decreed for them, "Face yourselves," or "Leave your land," they would not have done so except for a few of them. If they had done what they were advised with, it would have been better for them and helped to strengthen them.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Had we decreed for them: "You must offer your lives," or "Give up your homes," they would not have done it, except for a few of them. (Even if such a command was issued,) had they done what they were commanded to do, it would have been better for them, and would prove the strength of their faith.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    If We had commanded them to lay down their lives and to go forth from their homes, only a few would have obeyed; though had they followed what they had been commanded it would surely have been good for them and the strengthening of their faith.

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

    And if We had decreed upon them, "Kill yourselves" or "Leave your homes," they would not have done it, except for a few of them. But if they had done what they were instructed, it would have been better for them and a firmer position .

  • Muhammad Asad

    Yet if We were to ordain for them, "Lay down your lives," or, "Forsake your homelands," only a very few of them would do it - although, if they did what they are admonished to do, it would indeed be for their own good and apt to strengthen them greatly ,

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And if We had decreed for them: Lay down your lives or go forth from your dwellings, but few of them would have done it; though if they did what they are exhorted to do it would be better for them, and more strengthening;

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Had We enjoined upon them: 'Slay yourselves', or 'Leave your habitations', very few of them would have done it;* yet if they had done as they were admonished, it would have been better for them and would have strengthened them;*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And had Allah enjoined them to sacrifice their lives in His cause or to go out of their homes to fight against positive unbelief, they would not have obeyed the injunction with the exception of a few. Had they obeyed Allah's authoritative admonition, it would have been much better for them here and Hereafter. Such obedience would have confirmed their peace and position of authority and deep joy would have settled on their spirits.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    If I had asked them to put their lives in line for the cause of God or leave their homes to participate in a God pleasing mission, only a few would have obeyed in spite of the fact that obeying the Lord’s orders is the best for them as it will make them stronger people.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And if We had ordered them (saying), "Kill yourselves (i.e. the innocent ones kill the guilty ones) or leave your homes," very few of them would have done it; but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their (Faith);

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    If We had ordered them to sacrifice their lives or to leave their homes, very few of them would have done it: But if they had done what they were (actually) told, it would have been best for them, and would have gone farthest to strengthen their (faith);

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    If We had commanded them to sacrifice themselves or abandon their homes, none would have obeyed except for a few. Had they done what they were advised to do, it would have certainly been far better for them and more reassuring,

  • Taqi Usmani

    If We had prescribed for them that they should kill themselves or that they should migrate from their homeland, they would have not done it, except a few of them. If they had done what they were advised to do, it would have been better for them, and more effective in making (them) firm.

  • Abdul Haleem

    if We had ordered, ‘Lay down your lives’ or ‘Leave your homes,’ they would not have done so, except for a few- it would have been far better for them and stronger confirmation of their faith, if they had done as they were told,

  • Arthur John Arberry

    But had We prescribed for them, saying, 'Slay yourselves' or 'Leave your habitations,' they would not have done it, save a few of them; yet if they had done as they were admonished it would have been better for them, and stronger confirming them,

  • E. Henry Palmer

    But had we prescribed for them, 'Kill yourselves, or go ye forth out of your houses,' they would not have done it, save only a few of them; but had they done what they are admonished, then it would have been better for them, and a more firm assurance.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    But had we prescribed for them, "Sacrifice your lives, or leave your homes" they would not have done it, save only a few of them. But had they done what they were told, then it would have been better for them, and more strengthening.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And if We had prescribed for them (saying), "Kill yourselves, " or "Go out of your residences, " in no way would they have performed (it) except a few of them. And if they had performed what they were admonished, it would have been more charitable for them and more strict in confirming them.

  • George Sale

    And if we had commanded them, saying, slay your selves, or depart from your houses; they would not have done it, except a few of them. And if they had done what they were admonished, it would certainly have been better for them, and more efficacious for confirming their faith;

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And if We had ordered (them) to sacrifice their lives or to leave their homes, very few of them would have done it: But if they had done what they were (actually) told, it would have been the best for them, and would have gone farthest to strengthen their (Faith);

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    If We had made it binding on them, `Lay down your lives or go out of your homes,' they would not have done it, excepting a few of them. And if they had done what they are exhorted to do, it would surely have been better for them and conducive to a greater strength (in their faith);

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Had We prescribed for them, : ‘Slay your folks or leave your habitations,’ they would not have done it, except a few of them. And if they had done as they were advised it would have been better for them, and firmer in confirming .