Quran 4:66 — An-Nisaa, verse 66
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
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,
وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ مَا فَعَلُوهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا
walaw annā katabnā ʿalayhim ani uq'tulū anfusakum awi ukh'rujū min diyārikum mā faʿalūhu illā qalīlun min'hum walaw annahum faʿalū mā yūʿaẓūna bihi lakāna khayran lahum wa-ashadda tathbītan
Other translations
- A. J. 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,
- 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 [in faith],
- Sahih International
- 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 [for them in faith].
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَلَوْwalaw | And if | — |
| 2 | أَنَّاannā | [that] We | — |
| 3 | كَتَبْنَاkatabnā | (had) decreed | كتب |
| 4 | عَلَيْهِمْʿalayhim | on them | — |
| 5 | أَنِani | that | — |
| 6 | ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟uq'tulū | Kill | قتل |
| 7 | أَنفُسَكُمْanfusakum | yourselves | نفس |
| 8 | أَوِawi | or | — |
| 9 | ٱخْرُجُوا۟ukh'rujū | Go forth | خرج |
| 10 | مِنmin | from | — |
| 11 | دِيَـٰرِكُمdiyārikum | your homes | دور |
| 12 | مَّاmā | not | — |
| 13 | فَعَلُوهُfaʿalūhu | they would have done it | فعل |
| 14 | إِلَّاillā | except | — |
| 15 | قَلِيلٌۭqalīlun | a few | قلل |
| 16 | مِّنْهُمْ ۖmin'hum | of them | — |
| 17 | وَلَوْwalaw | But if | — |
| 18 | أَنَّهُمْannahum | [that] they | — |
| 19 | فَعَلُوا۟faʿalū | had done | فعل |
| 20 | مَاmā | what | — |
| 21 | يُوعَظُونَyūʿaẓūna | they were advised | وعظ |
| 22 | بِهِۦbihi | with [it] | — |
| 23 | لَكَانَlakāna | surely (it) would have been | كون |
| 24 | خَيْرًۭاkhayran | better | خير |
| 25 | لَّهُمْlahum | for them | — |
| 26 | وَأَشَدَّwa-ashadda | and stronger | شدد |
| 27 | تَثْبِيتًۭاtathbītan | strengthen(ing) | ثبت |