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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
[Say: "Our life takes its] hue from God! And who could give a better hue [to life] than God, if we but truly worship Him?"
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
This is the ˹natural˺ Way of Allah. And who is better than Allah in ordaining a way? And we worship ˹none but˺ Him.
Safi Kaskas   
This is God's identifying color, and who is better than God at giving us a color of identity? And it is He whom we worship.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
صِبۡغَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ صِبۡغَةࣰۖ وَنَحۡنُ لَهُۥ عَـٰبِدُونَ ۝١٣٨
Transliteration (2021)   
ṣib'ghata l-lahi waman aḥsanu mina l-lahi ṣib'ghatan wanaḥnu lahu ʿābidūn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
(The) color (religion) (of) Allah! And who (is) better than Allah at coloring? And we to Him (are) worshippers.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
[Say: "Our life takes its] hue from God! And who could give a better hue [to life] than God, if we but truly worship Him?"
M. M. Pickthall   
(We take our) colour from Allah, and who is better than Allah at colouring. We are His worshippers
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
(Our religion is) the Baptism of Allah: And who can baptize better than Allah? And it is He Whom we worship
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
This is the ˹natural˺ Way of Allah. And who is better than Allah in ordaining a way? And we worship ˹none but˺ Him.
Safi Kaskas   
This is God's identifying color, and who is better than God at giving us a color of identity? And it is He whom we worship.
Wahiduddin Khan   
We take on God's own dye. Who has a better dye than God's? We worship Him alone
Shakir   
(Receive) the baptism of Allah, and who is better than Allah in baptising? and Him do we serve
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Life’s color is from God. And who is fairer at coloring than God? And we are ones who worship Him.
T.B.Irving   
[Such is] God´s design! Who is better than God for a design? We are serving Him.
Abdul Hye   
(Our religion is) the religion of Allah, and which religion can be better than Allah’s? And we are His worshippers.
The Study Quran   
“The baptism of God, and who is better than God in baptism? And we are worshippers of Him.
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
God’s coloring—what color could be superior to God’s? “We are worshipers of Him.”
Talal Itani (2012)   
God's coloring. And who gives better coloring than God? 'And we are devoted to Him.'
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Colour (System or Religion) of Allah! And who is better than Allah in respect of Colour (System or Religion)? And we are obedient to Him alone
M. Farook Malik   
Baptism is from Allah; and who is better than Allah in baptizing? Him do we worship
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
(Our dye is) the dye (i.e. Religion) of Allah; and who has a fairer dye than that of Allah? And to Him we are worshipers
Muhammad Sarwar   
Say, "Belief in God and following the guidance of Islam are God's means of purification for us. Islam is the baptism of God. No one is a better baptizer than He and we Muslims worship Him."
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
(We dye ourselves with) the colouring of Allah! For who is better in colouring than Allah? We are to worship none but Him
Shabbir Ahmed   
The Hue of Allah! (Say that our life takes it color from Allah). And who can give a better hue to life than Allah? (We do our best to adopt the Divine Attributes in our human capacity such as: mercy, forgiveness, creativity, peace, care, truthfulness, justice, clemency, appreciation, trustworthiness, responsibility, kindness, compassion, independence, guidance, patience, giving, unity, strength, affection, courage, patience etc). "And He it is Whom we serve."
Dr. Munir Munshey   
(Imbue) the hue (and the halo) of Allah! What better shade of color to acquire than that of Allah? We are His sincere devotees
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
(Our religion is) the purification from Allah: And who can purify better than Allah? And it is He Whom we worship
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
[And say, "Ours is] the religion of Allah . And who is better than Allah in [ordaining] religion? And we are worshippers of Him."
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Such is God's coloring, and who better than God in coloring. And to Him we are in service
Abdel Haleem   
‘[Our life] takes its colour from God, and who gives a better colour than God? It is Him we worship.’
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Ours is the dye of Allah! and who is better at dyeing than Allah! And we are His worshippers
Ahmed Ali   
"We have taken the colouring of God; and whose shade is better than God's? Him alone we worship."
Aisha Bewley   
The colouring of Allah — and what colouring could be better than Allah´s? It is Him we worship.
Ali Ünal   
(O Muslims, say: "We take) the "color" of God (the "color" that He has put on the whole universe, not the color some party put upon themselves through some rites in the name of religion )." Who is better than God in coloring, (and whose color is better than God’s)? And We are those who worship Him (as He is to be worshipped,) exclusively."
Ali Quli Qara'i   
The baptism of Allah, and who baptizes better than Allah? And Him do we worship.’
Hamid S. Aziz   
(We take our) dye of Allah (Our Religion is the Baptism of Allah)! And who is better than Allah at dyeing? And we are worshippers of Him
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
(The best religion is) God's religion, and who is better than God in (prescribing a) religion? And we are His servants.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
The baptism of God, who can baptize better than God? And it is He Whom we worship
Musharraf Hussain   
The dye of Allah is the best, whose dye is better than Allah’s at colouring our whole being? We worship Him alone.
Maududi   
Say, "Take Allah´s colour, and who can give a better colour than Allah? Therefore, we worship and submit to Him alone. "
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Such is the coloring of God, and who is better than God in coloring? And to Him we are in service.
Mohammad Shafi   
Allah has done the painting!And who could be better than Allah in painting? And worship Him, we do

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
We took the dye of Allah and whose dye is better than Allah and We worship Him alone.
Rashad Khalifa   
Such is GOD's system, and whose system is better than GOD's? "Him alone we worship."
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
The (indelible) marking of Allah. And who marks better than Allah! And for Him we are worshipers
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
(We take) Allah's colour, and who is better than Allah at colouring, and we are His worshippers
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
God's faith/immersion , and who (is) better than God's faith/immersion , and we are to Him worshipping
Bijan Moeinian   
Say: “Baptize yourself by emerging in the way of God. After all, what baptism can be better than baptism of God. As to us, we worship only God and submit to Him alone.”
Faridul Haque   
"We have taken the colour (religion) of Allah; and whose colour (religion) is better than that of Allah? And only Him do we worship."
Sher Ali   
Say, `We have adopted the religion of ALLAH; and who is better than ALLAH in teaching religion, and him alone do we worship.
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
(Say that we have taken on the colour from) Allah’s own colour, and whose colour is better than Allah’s? And we worship Him alone
Amatul Rahman Omar   
(Assume) the attributes of Allah! and who is fairer than Allah in attributes? We are His worshippers ever
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
(Our Sibghah (religion) is) the Sibghah (Religion) of Allah (Islam) and which Sibghah (religion) can be better than Allahs? And we are His worshippers. (Tafsir Ibn Katheer.

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
the baptism of God; and who is there that baptizes fairer than God? Him we are serving
George Sale   
The baptism of God have we received, and who it better than God to baptize? Him do we worship
Edward Henry Palmer   
The dye of God! and who is better than God at dyeing? and we are worshippers of Him
John Medows Rodwell   
Islam is the Baptism of God, and who is better to baptise than God? And Him do we serve
N J Dawood (2014)   
We take on God‘s own dye. And who has a better dye than God‘s? Him will we worship

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
Allah’s anointment and who is more excellent in anointing than Allah and we are truly devoted to Him.
Munir Mezyed   
(Say: ‘Our faith) is an innate gift from Allâh. And who is better at giving gifts than Allâh?. And it is He Whom we worship (in the way He wants us to worship Him).
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
The character-imprint of Allah, and who imprints a better character than Allah, and we serve Him.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Our dye is of Allah, and who can dye better than Allah? We worship Him.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
(It is) Allah’s hue. And who gives a better hue than Allah? “And of Him we are worshipers.”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
[Such is] Allah (God)'s design! Who is better than Allah (God) for a design? We are serving Him.
Samy Mahdy   
Allah's Natural pigment. And who is a better Natural pigment than Allah? “And we are worshippers of Him.
Ahmed Hulusi   
The hue of Allah! And what can be better than being colored with the hue of Allah? We are of those who are in servitude to Him!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Say (to the Jews and Christians) : ' Would you dispute with us concerning Allah Who is our Lord and your Lord? For us are our deeds and for you are your deeds: and we are sincere to Him '
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Say to them: "If your baptism symbolises purification and initiation, then who can confer a better spiritual baptism than Allah .He is the heart of our purpose and to His blessed will we submit ours"
Mir Aneesuddin   
Colour of Allah, and who is better than Allah in colouring And we are His servants (worshippers).
The Ascendant Qur‘an, Muhammad H. al-‘Asi   
[Say, “Our life takes its] hue from Allah! And who could give a better hue [to life] than Allah, if we but truly conform to Him?

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
(Our religion is) the Baptism of God: And who can baptize better than God? And it is He Whom we worship
OLD Literal Word for Word   
(The) color (religion) (of) Allah! And who (is) better than Allah at coloring? And we to Him (are) worshippers
OLD Transliteration   
Sibghata Allahi waman ahsanu mina Allahi sibghatan wanahnu lahu AAabidoona