Quran 13:11 — Ar-Ra'd, verse 11
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
each person has guardian angels before him and behind, watching over him by God’s command. God does not change the condition of a people [for the worse] unless they change what is in themselves, but if He wills harm on a people, no one can ward it off–– apart from Him, they have no protector.
لَهُ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ ۗ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُ ۚ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ مِنْ وَالٍ
lahu muʿaqqibātun min bayni yadayhi wamin khalfihi yaḥfaẓūnahu min amri l-lahi inna l-laha lā yughayyiru mā biqawmin ḥattā yughayyirū mā bi-anfusihim wa-idhā arāda l-lahu biqawmin sūan falā maradda lahu wamā lahum min dūnihi min wālin
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- he has attendant angels, before him and behind him, watching over him by God's command. God changes not what is in a people, until they change what is in themselves. Whensover God desires evil for a people, there is no turning it back; apart from Him, they have no protector.
- Muhammad Asad
- [thinking that] he has hosts of helpers-both such as can be perceived by him and such as are hidden from him -that could preserve him from whatever God may have willed. Verily, God does not change men's condition unless they change their inner selves; and when God wills people to suffer evil [in consequence of their own evil deeds], there is none who could avert it: for they have none who could protect them from Him.
- Sahih International
- For him [i.e., each one] are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allāh intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | لَهُۥlahu | For him | — |
| 2 | مُعَقِّبَـٰتٌۭmuʿaqqibātun | (are) successive (Angels) | عقب |
| 3 | مِّنۢmin | from | — |
| 4 | بَيْنِbayni | (before) | بين |
| 5 | يَدَيْهِyadayhi | (him) | يدي |
| 6 | وَمِنْwamin | and from | — |
| 7 | خَلْفِهِۦkhalfihi | and behind him | خلف |
| 8 | يَحْفَظُونَهُۥyaḥfaẓūnahu | who guard him | حفظ |
| 9 | مِنْmin | by | — |
| 10 | أَمْرِamri | (the) command | أمر |
| 11 | ٱللَّهِ ۗl-lahi | (of) Allah | أله |
| 12 | إِنَّinna | Indeed | — |
| 13 | ٱللَّهَl-laha | Allah | أله |
| 14 | لَاlā | (does) not | — |
| 15 | يُغَيِّرُyughayyiru | change | غير |
| 16 | مَاmā | (the condition) | — |
| 17 | بِقَوْمٍbiqawmin | of a people | قوم |
| 18 | حَتَّىٰḥattā | until | — |
| 19 | يُغَيِّرُوا۟yughayyirū | they change | غير |
| 20 | مَاmā | what | — |
| 21 | بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۗbi-anfusihim | (is) in themselves | نفس |
| 22 | وَإِذَآwa-idhā | And when | — |
| 23 | أَرَادَarāda | wills | رود |
| 24 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah | أله |
| 25 | بِقَوْمٍۢbiqawmin | for a people | قوم |
| 26 | سُوٓءًۭاsūan | misfortune | سوأ |
| 27 | فَلَاfalā | then (there is) no | — |
| 28 | مَرَدَّmaradda | turning away | ردد |
| 29 | لَهُۥ ۚlahu | of it | — |
| 30 | وَمَاwamā | and not | — |
| 31 | لَهُمlahum | for them | — |
| 32 | مِّنmin | from | — |
| 33 | دُونِهِۦdūnihi | besides Him | دون |
| 34 | مِنmin | any | — |
| 35 | وَالٍwālin | protector | ولي |