Quran 4:86 — An-Nisaa, verse 86
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
But [even in battle] when you [believers] are offered a greeting, respond with a better one, or at least return it: God keeps account of everything.
وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُمْ بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا
wa-idhā ḥuyyītum bitaḥiyyatin faḥayyū bi-aḥsana min'hā aw ruddūhā inna l-laha kāna ʿalā kulli shayin ḥasīban
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- And when you are greeted with a greeting greet with a fairer than it, or return it; surely God keeps a watchful count over everything.
- Muhammad Asad
- But when you are greeted with a greeting [of peace], answer with an even better greeting, or [at least] with the like thereof. Verily, God keeps count indeed of all things.
- Sahih International
- And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]. Indeed Allāh is ever, over all things, an Accountant.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَإِذَاwa-idhā | And when | — |
| 2 | حُيِّيتُمḥuyyītum | you are greeted | حيي |
| 3 | بِتَحِيَّةٍۢbitaḥiyyatin | with a greeting | حيي |
| 4 | فَحَيُّوا۟faḥayyū | then greet | حيي |
| 5 | بِأَحْسَنَbi-aḥsana | with better | حسن |
| 6 | مِنْهَآmin'hā | than it | — |
| 7 | أَوْaw | or | — |
| 8 | رُدُّوهَآ ۗruddūhā | return it | ردد |
| 9 | إِنَّinna | Indeed | — |
| 10 | ٱللَّهَl-laha | Allah | أله |
| 11 | كَانَkāna | is | كون |
| 12 | عَلَىٰʿalā | of | — |
| 13 | كُلِّkulli | every | كلل |
| 14 | شَىْءٍshayin | thing | شيأ |
| 15 | حَسِيبًاḥasīban | an Accountant | حسب |