Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
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Muhammad Asad | | O you who have attained to faith! Avoid most guesswork [about one another] for, behold, some of [such] guesswork is [in itself] a sin; and do not spy upon one another, and neither allow yourselves to speak ill of one another behind your backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would loathe it! And be conscious of God. Verily, God is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace! | ⇨ |
M. M. Pickthall | | O ye who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Ye abhor that (so abhor the other)! And keep your duty (to Allah). Lo! Allah is Relenting, Merciful. | ⇨ |
Shakir | | O you who believe! avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, surely Allah is Oft-returning (to mercy), Merciful. | ⇨ |
Yusuf Ali | | O ye who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: And spy not on each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, ye would abhor it...But fear Allah: For Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. | ⇨ |
[Al-Muntakhab] | | O you who believe with hearts reflecting the image of religious and spiritual virtues and their deeds wisdom and piety. Avoid suspicion in many instances and the conjecture of the existence of something evil or wrong without proof; suspicion in some instances is indeed a sin. Nor play the spy upon each other or peer inquisitively and impertinently into the nature of other peoples' actions, nor traduce or slander one another by speaking evil or falsehood or speaking maliciously behind his or her back. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother! Indeed you would shrink from it with horror. Therefore, keep Allah in mind and entertain the profound reverence dutiful to Him, Allah is indeed Tawabun (Relenting) and Rahimun (Merciful). Allah indicates to people that He weighs them not by their parentage, lineage, descent or rank in life, but by the image their hearts reflect. | ⇨ |
[Progressive Muslims] | | O you who believe, you shall avoid much suspicion, for some suspicion is sinful. And do not spy on one another, nor shall you backbite one another. Would one of you enjoy eating the flesh of his dead brother You certainly would hate this. You shall observe God. God is Redeemer, Merciful. | ⇨ |
Abdel Haleem | | Believers, avoid making too many assumptions- some assumptions are sinful- and do not spy on one another or speak ill of people behind their backs: would any of you like to eat the flesh of your dead brother? No, you would hate it. So be mindful of God: God is ever relenting, most merciful. | ⇨ |
Abdul Majid Daryabadi | | O ye who believe! avoid much suspicion; verily some suspicion is a sin. And espy not, nor backbite one another: would any of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Ye detest that. And fear Allah verily Allah is Relenting, Merciful. | ⇨ |
Ahmed Ali | | You, you those who believed, avoid/distance yourselves from much of the doubt/suspicion , that truly some/part (of) the doubt/suspicion (is a) sin/crime, and do not spy/seek information (about others) and some of youdo not backbite some (each other). Does any of you love/like that (E) he eats his dead/lifeless brother's flesh ? So you hated it, and fear and obey God, that truly God (is) forgiving, merciful. | ⇨ |
Aisha Bewley | | You who have iman! avoid most suspicion. Indeed some suspicion is a crime. And do not spy and do not backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat his brother’s dead flesh? No, you would hate it. And have taqwa of Allah. Allah is Ever-Returning, Most Merciful. | ⇨ |
Ali Ünal | | O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, for some suspicion is a grave sin (liable to God’s punishment); and do not spy (on one another), nor backbite (against one another). Would any of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would abhor it! Keep from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety. Surely God is One Who truly returns repentance with liberal forgiveness and additional reward, All-Compassionate (particularly towards His believing servants). | ⇨ |
Ali Quli Qara'i | | O you who have faith! Avoid much suspicion. Indeed some suspicions are sins. And do not spy on or backbite one another. Will any of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And be wary of Allah; indeed Allah is all-clement, all-merciful. | ⇨ |
Amatul Rahman Omar | | O you who believe! eschew much suspicion, for suspicion in some cases is a sin. And do not spy into the secrets of one another, nor backbite one another, would anyone of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Why, you would loath it. Take Allah as (your) shield. Surely, Allah is Oft-Returning (with compassion and is) Ever Merciful. | ⇨ |
Hamid S. Aziz | | O you who believe! Avoid most of suspicion, for surely suspicion in some cases is a sin, and do not spy nor let some of you backbite others. Does one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? But you abhor it; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah, surely Allah is Oft relenting, Merciful. | ⇨ |
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali | | O you who have believed, avoid much surmise; surely some surmise is a vice. And do not spy on each other, (Literally: some of you on some others) nor backbite one another; would any of you love to eat the flesh of his brother dead? So you would hate it! And be pious to Allah; surely Allah is Superbly Relenting, Ever-Merciful. | ⇨ |
Muhammad Sarwar | | Believers, stay away from conjecture; acting upon some conjecture may lead to sin. Do not spy on one another or back-bite. Would any of you like to eat the disgusting dead flesh of your brother? Have fear of God; God accepts repentance and is All-merciful. | ⇨ |
Muhammad Taqi Usmani | | O you who believe, abstain from many of the suspicions. Some suspicions are sins. And do not be curious (to find out faults of others), and do not backbite one another. Does one of you like that he eats the flesh of his dead brother? You would abhor it. And fear Allah. Surely Allah is Most-Relenting, Very-Merciful. | ⇨ |
Shabbir Ahmed | | O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! Avoid much suspicion and guesswork. For, behold, some of such suspicion and guesswork deplete your communal energy. And spy not upon one another, nor shall you backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would detest it! Be mindful of Allah. Verily, Allah is Relenting, Merciful. | ⇨ |
Syed Vickar Ahamed | | O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion (as much as possible): Indeed some (types of) suspicion are sins: And do not spy on each other, do not speak ill of each other, behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? No! You would hate it... But fear Allah: Verily, Allah is One Who accepts repentance (Tawwab), Most Merciful (Raheem). | ⇨ |
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International) | | O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. | ⇨ |
Farook Malik | | O you who have attained to faith! Avoid most guesswork [about one another] [I.e., guesswork that may lead to unfounded suspicion of another person's motives: see note on 24:19.] - for, behold, some of [such] guesswork is [in itself] a sin; and do not spy upon one another, and neither allow yourselves to speak ill of one another behind your backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would loathe it! And be conscious of God. Verily, God is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace! | ⇨ |