←Prev   Ayah al-Ma`idah (The Table, The Table Spread) 5:81   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
For, if they [truly] believed in God and their Prophet and all that was bestowed upon him from on high, they would not take those [deniers of the truth] for their allies: but most of them are iniquitous
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Had they believed in Allah, the Prophet, and what has been revealed to him, they would have never taken those ˹pagans˺ as allies. But most of them are rebellious.
Safi Kaskas   
If they [truly] believed in God and their Prophet and all that was sent down to them, they would not take the unbelievers for their allies: but most of them are defiant.

Listen: 
Did you notice?

 You can SEARCH IslamAwakened: 

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَلَوۡ كَانُوا۟ یُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلنَّبِیِّ وَمَاۤ أُنزِلَ إِلَیۡهِ مَا ٱتَّخَذُوهُمۡ أَوۡلِیَاۤءَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ كَثِیرࣰا مِّنۡهُمۡ فَـٰسِقُونَ ۝٨١
Transliteration (2021)   
walaw kānū yu'minūna bil-lahi wal-nabiyi wamā unzila ilayhi mā ittakhadhūhum awliyāa walākinna kathīran min'hum fāsiqūn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And if they had believed in Allah and the Prophet and what has been revealed to him, not they (would have) taken them (as) allies; [and] but many of them (are) defiantly disobedient.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
For, if they [truly] believed in God and their Prophet and all that was bestowed upon him from on high, they would not take those [deniers of the truth] for their allies: but most of them are iniquitous
M. M. Pickthall   
If they believed in Allah and the Prophet and that which is revealed unto him, they would not choose them for their friends. But many of them are of evil conduct
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
If only they had believed in Allah, in the Prophet, and in what hath been revealed to him, never would they have taken them for friends and protectors, but most of them are rebellious wrong-doers
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Had they believed in Allah, the Prophet, and what has been revealed to him, they would have never taken those ˹pagans˺ as allies. But most of them are rebellious.
Safi Kaskas   
If they [truly] believed in God and their Prophet and all that was sent down to them, they would not take the unbelievers for their allies: but most of them are defiant.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Had they believed in God and the Prophet and what was revealed to him, they would not have taken those who deny the truth as their allies, but many of them are disobedient
Shakir   
And had they believed in Allah and the prophet and what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them for friends but! most of them are transgressors
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
If they had been believing in God and the Prophet and what was caused to descend to him, they would not have taken them to themselves protectors, but many of them are ones who disobey.
T.B.Irving   
If they had believed in God and the Prophet, and what was sent down to him, they would not have adopted them as patrons; but so many of them are perverse.
Abdul Hye   
If they believed in Allah and the prophet (Muhammad), and what has been revealed to him (the Qur’an), they would not have taken disbelievers as friends, but many of them are disobedient (to Allah).
The Study Quran   
And had they believed in God and the Prophet, and that which was sent down unto him, they would not have taken them as protectors, but many of them are iniquitous
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
If they had believed in God, the Prophet, and what was revealed to him, they wouldn’t have taken them as allies. But many of them are defiant and disobedient.
Talal Itani (2012)   
Had they believed in God and the Prophet, and in what was revealed to him, they would not have befriended them. But many of them are immoral
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And had they been Believing in Allah and in the Prophet and what has been sent to him, they would not have taken them as auliya. But a vast majority among them are the Fasiqun
M. Farook Malik   
Had they believed in Allah, in the Prophet, and in what was revealed to him, they would have never taken unbelievers as their protecting friends instead of believers, but most of them are rebellious transgressors
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And if they had believed in Allah and the Prophet and what has been sent down to him, in no way would they have taken them to themselves as patrons; but many of them are immoral
Muhammad Sarwar   
Had they had faith in God, the Prophet, and what was revealed to him, they would not have been the friends of the unbelievers. However, many of them are evil-doers
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
If they believed in Allah, in the prophet, and in what had been sent down to him, they would have not taken them (the pagans) for friends, but many of them are sinners
Shabbir Ahmed   
If they had believed in Allah and the Prophet, and that which is revealed to him, they (the People of the Scripture) would not ally themselves with the rejecters. But a great many of them are drifting away from the Truth
Dr. Munir Munshey   
If they had believed in Allah, the prophet, and the revelations sent to them, they would not have taken the unbelievers as their friends. But many of them are wicked
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
If they had only believed in Allah, in the Prophet, and in what has been sent down to him, they (the believers) would have never taken them (the disbelievers) for friends and protectors, but most of them are rebellious, wrongdoers
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And if they had believed in Allah and the Prophet and in what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them as allies; but many of them are defiantly disobedient
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And if they had only believed in God and the prophet, and what was sent down to him, then they would not have taken them as allies; but many of them are corrupt
Abdel Haleem   
If they had believed in God, in the Prophet, and in what was sent down to him, they would never have allied themselves with the disbelievers, but most of them are rebels
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And had they believed in Allah and the prophet and that which is sent down unto him, they would not have taken them for friends, but many of them are transgressors
Ahmed Ali   
If they had believed in God and the Prophet and what had been revealed to him, they would never have held them as allies; and many among them are transgressors
Aisha Bewley   
If they had had iman in Allah and the Prophet and what has been sent down to him, they would not have taken them as friends. But most of them are deviators.
Ali Ünal   
Had they truly believed in God and the (most illustrious) Prophet (Muhammad) and what has been sent down to him, they would not have taken them (the unbelievers) for allies and friends; but many of them are transgressors
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Had they believed in Allah and the Prophet and what has been sent down to him, they would not have taken them for allies. But most of them are transgressors
Hamid S. Aziz   
But had they believed in Allah and the Prophet, and what was revealed to him, they would not have taken these for friends. But many of them are evildoers
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And if they had believed in God and the prophet and what was sent down to him, they would not have taken them as protectors, but most of them are disobedient.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
If only they had believed in God, in the messenger, and in what is revealed to him, never would they have taken them for friends and protectors, but many of them are rebellious wrongdoers
Musharraf Hussain   
If they had believed in Allah, the Prophet and what was revealed to him, and hadn’t taken the disbelievers as allies! Alas most of them are shameless sinners
Maududi   
For had they truly believed in Allah and the Messenger and what was sent down to him, they would not have taken unbelievers (instead of believers) for their allies. But many of them have rebelled against Allah altogether
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And if they had believed in God and the prophet, and what was sent down to him, then they would not have taken them as allies; but many of them are wicked
Mohammad Shafi   
And had they believed in Allah, in the prophet and in what is sent down to him, they would not have taken them for close friends. But most of them are transgressors/profligates

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And if they had believed in Allah and this prophet and what has been sent down to him, then they would not have taken the infidels as friends but, many of them are disobedients.
Rashad Khalifa   
Had they believed in GOD, and the prophet, and in what was revealed to him herein, they would not have befriended them. But many of them are evil.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Had they believed in Allah and the Prophet (Muhammad) and that which is sent down to him, they would not have taken them as guides. But many of them are evildoers
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And if they believed in Allah and the Prophet and that which is revealed to him, they would not take them for friends, but most of them are transgressors
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
And if they were believing with God, and the prophet and what was descended to him, they would not (have) taken them (as) guardians/allies , and but many from them (are) debauchers
Bijan Moeinian   
Had they believed in God and the Prophet (Mohammad) and in what was revealed to him (Qur’an), they would have never allied themselves with the disbelievers [after all, what kind of believer in God allies himself with the disbelievers against the Muslims who believe in God?] The fact of the matter is, many of them have become corrupt
Faridul Haque   
Had they believed in Allah and this Prophet (Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) and what is sent down upon him, they would not befriend the disbelievers, but most of them are disobedient
Sher Ali   
And if they had believed in ALLAH and this Prophet, and that which has been revealed to him, they would not have taken them for their friends, but many of them are transgressors
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And had they believed in Allah and the (Last) Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) and the (Book) that has been revealed to him, they would not have made friends with those (enemies of Islam). But most of them are disobedient
Amatul Rahman Omar   
And if they had believed in Allah and this perfect Prophet and (in) what has been revealed to him, they would not have taken them for allies; but (they do so for) many of them are disobedient
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And had they believed in Allah, and in the Prophet (Muhammad SAW) and in what has been revealed to him, never would they have taken them (the disbelievers) as Auliya (protectors and helpers), but many of them are the Fasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient to Allah)

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Yet had they believed in God and the Prophet and what has been sent down to him, they would not have taken them as friends; but many of them are ungodly
George Sale   
But, if they had believed in God, and the prophet, and that which hath been revealed unto him, they had not taken them for their friends; but many of them are evil doers
Edward Henry Palmer   
But had they believed in God and the prophet, and what was revealed to him, they had not taken these for their patrons; but many of them are evildoers
John Medows Rodwell   
But, if they had believed in God, and the Prophet, and the Koran which hath been sent down to him, they had not taken them for their friends; but perverse are most of them
N J Dawood (2014)   
Had they believed in God and the Prophet and that which has been revealed to him, they would not have befriended them. But the greater part of them are ungodly

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And had they truly believed in Allah and in the prophet and in that which was sent down unto him, they would not have taken them as allies but many among them were renegades.
Munir Mezyed   
However, if they had believed in Allâh and the Prophet, as well as in what has been revealed to him, they would never have taken them for trusted allies. But most of them are indulging in personal disobedience extensively without repentance.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
And if they believed in Allah and the prophet and what has been revealed to him, they would not have taken them as protecting friends - but many amongst them are sinful.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
If they had really believed in Allah, the Prophet, and what has been revealed to him, they would not have taken (the unbelievers) as allies. Many of them are truly wicked.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
And had they believed in Allah and the Prophet and in what was sent down to him, they would not have taken them as allies. But many of them are defiantly disobedient.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
If they had believed in Allah (God) and the Prophet (Muhammad), and what was sent down to him (the Quran), they would not have adopted them (the disbelievers) as patrons; but so many of them are perverse.
Samy Mahdy   
And if they were believing in Allah and the prophet, and in what was sent down to him, they would not take them guardians. But many among them are debauchees.
Sayyid Qutb   
Had they truly believed in God and the Prophet and all that which was revealed to them, they would not have taken them for allies, but many of them are evildoers.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Had they believed in Allah, the creator of their being with His Names, the Nabi (Muhammad saw) and what has been revealed to him, they would not have befriended them (the deniers)... But most of them are corrupted in faith.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And if they had believed in Allah and the Prophet and what was sent down to him, they would not have taken them for friends, but most of them are evil-doers
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
If they were indeed faithful to Allah and to the Prophet Muhammad and gave credence to the Quran sent to him, they would not have sought the infidels’ tutelage, but many of them are indeed wicked
Mir Aneesuddin   
And had they believed in Allah and the prophet and that which is sent down to him, they would not have taken them as friends, but many among them are transgressors.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
If only they had believed in God, in the Apostle, and in what hath been revealed to him, never would they have taken them for friends and protectors, but most of them are rebellious wrong-doers
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And if they had believed in Allah and the Prophet and what has been revealed to him, not they (would have) taken them (as) allies; [and] but many of them (are) defiantly disobedient
OLD Transliteration   
Walaw kanoo yu/minoona biAllahi waalnnabiyyi wama onzila ilayhi ma ittakhathoohum awliyaa walakinna katheeran minhum fasiqoona