Quran 3:144 — Aal-i-Imraan, verse 144
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
Muhammad is only a messenger before whom many messengers have been and gone. If he died or was killed, would you revert to your old ways? If anyone did so, he would not harm God in the least. God will reward the grateful.
وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ ۚ أَفَإِنْ مَاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِكُمْ ۚ وَمَنْ يَنْقَلِبْ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَنْ يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئًا ۗ وَسَيَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ
wamā muḥammadun illā rasūlun qad khalat min qablihi l-rusulu afa-in māta aw qutila inqalabtum ʿalā aʿqābikum waman yanqalib ʿalā ʿaqibayhi falan yaḍurra l-laha shayan wasayajzī l-lahu l-shākirīna
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- Muhammad is naught but a Messenger; Messengers have passed away before him. Why, if he should die or is slain, will you turn about on your heels? If any man should turn about on his heels, he will not harm God in any way; and God will recompense the thankful.
- Muhammad Asad
- AND MUHAMMAD is only an apostle; all the [other] apostles have passed away before him: if, then, he dies or is slain, will you turn about on your heels? But he that turns about on his heels can in no wise harm God - whereas God will requite all who are grateful [to Him].
- Sahih International
- Muḥammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allāh at all; but Allāh will reward the grateful.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَمَاwamā | And not | — |
| 2 | مُحَمَّدٌmuḥammadun | (is) Muhammad | — |
| 3 | إِلَّاillā | except | — |
| 4 | رَسُولٌۭrasūlun | a Messenger | رسل |
| 5 | قَدْqad | certainly | — |
| 6 | خَلَتْkhalat | passed away | خلو |
| 7 | مِنmin | from | — |
| 8 | قَبْلِهِqablihi | before him | قبل |
| 9 | ٱلرُّسُلُ ۚl-rusulu | [the] (other) Messengers | رسل |
| 10 | أَفَإِي۟نafa-in | So if | — |
| 11 | مَّاتَmāta | he died | موت |
| 12 | أَوْaw | or | — |
| 13 | قُتِلَqutila | is slain | قتل |
| 14 | ٱنقَلَبْتُمْinqalabtum | will you turn back | قلب |
| 15 | عَلَىٰٓʿalā | on | — |
| 16 | أَعْقَـٰبِكُمْ ۚaʿqābikum | your heels | عقب |
| 17 | وَمَنwaman | And whoever | — |
| 18 | يَنقَلِبْyanqalib | turns back | قلب |
| 19 | عَلَىٰʿalā | on | — |
| 20 | عَقِبَيْهِʿaqibayhi | his heels | عقب |
| 21 | فَلَنfalan | then never | — |
| 22 | يَضُرَّyaḍurra | will he harm | ضرر |
| 23 | ٱللَّهَl-laha | Allah | أله |
| 24 | شَيْـًۭٔا ۗshayan | (in) anything | شيأ |
| 25 | وَسَيَجْزِىwasayajzī | And will reward | جزي |
| 26 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah | أله |
| 27 | ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَl-shākirīna | the grateful ones | شكر |