Al-Qur'an Surah Ar-Ra'd Verse 11

Mufti Taqi Usmani

For every one (from among you) there are angels replacing one another, in front of him and behind him, who guard him under the command of Allah. Surely, Allah does not change the condition of a people unless they change themselves. When Allah intends evil for a people, there is no way to turn it back, and for them there is no patron other than Him.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

For each one there are successive angels before and behind, protecting them by Allah’s command. Indeed, Allah would never change a people’s state ˹of favour˺ until they change their own state ˹of faith˺. And if it is Allah’s Will to torment a people, it can never be averted, nor can they find a protector other than Him.

Ruwwad Translation Center

For each person there are successive angels in front of him and behind him, guarding him by the command of Allah. Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own attitude and conduct. But if Allah intends punishment for a people, then it cannot be averted, nor will there be any protector for them besides Him.

A. J. Arberry

he has attendant angels, before him and behind him, watching over him by God's command. God changes not what is in a people, until they change what is in themselves. Whensover God desires evil for a people, there is no turning it back; apart from Him, they have no protector.

Abdul Haleem

each person has guardian angels before him and behind, watching over him by God’s command. God does not change the condition of a people [for the worse] unless they change what is in themselves, but if He wills harm on a people, no one can ward it off–– apart from Him, they have no protector.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

For him are angels in succession, before him and behind him; they guard him with Allah's command. Verily Allah altereth not that which is with a people until they alter that which is with themselves. And when Allah intendeth evil unto a people there is no turning it back; nor is for them, beside Him, any patron.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

For each (such person) there are (angels) in succession, before and behind him; They guard him by command of Allah. Allah does not change a people's lot unless they change what is in their hearts. But when (once) Allah willeth a people's punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him, any to protect.

Abul Ala Maududi

There are guardians over everyone, both before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's command. Verily Allah does not change a people's condition unless they change their inner selves. And when Allah decides to make a people suffer punishment, no one can avert it. Nor can any be of help to such a people against Allah.

Ahmed Ali

His angels keep watch over him in succession (night and day), in front and behind, by God's command. Verily God does not change the state of a people till they change themselves. When God intends misfortune for a people no one can avert it, and no saviour will they have apart from Him.

Ahmed Raza Khan

For man are angels of alternating duties, in front and behind him, who guard him by Allah’s command; indeed Allah does not change His favour upon any nation until they change their own condition; and when Allah wills misfortune for a nation, it cannot be repelled; and they do not have any supporter besides Him.

Ali Quli Qarai

He has guardian angels, to his front and his rear, who guard him by Allah’s command. Indeed Allah does not change a people’s lot, unless they change what is in their souls. And when Allah wishes to visit ill on a people, there is nothing that can avert it, and they have no protector besides Him.

Ali Ünal

(Every person advances through varying states before and after, and) by God’s command attendant angels succeeding one another accompany him before and after him to guard him (and record his deeds). God does not change the condition of a people unless they change what is in themselves. When God wills evil for a people (in consequence of their own evil deeds), it cannot be averted, and apart from Him, they have no protector.

Amatul Rahman Omar

He (- the Messenger) has companies (of angels) successively ranged before him and behind him. They guard him by the command of Allâh. Verily, Allâh does not change the condition of a people until they (first) change their ways and their minds. When Allâh decides upon punishing a people there is no averting it. (At that time) they have no helping friend apart from Him.

English Literal

For him (are) successive angels/glorifications from between his hands and from behind him they protect/guard him from God`s order/command (punishment upon his nation`s evil ones), that God does not change what (is) with a nation until they change what (is) with themselves, and if God willed/wanted bad/evil/harm with a nation, so (there is) no return (protection) to (from) it, and (there is) no (one) for them from other than Him from aguardian/victorior .

Faridul Haque

For man are angels of alternating duties, in front and behind him, who guard him by Allah’s command; indeed Allah does not change His favour upon any nation until they change their own condition; and when Allah wills misfortune for a nation, it cannot be repelled; and they do not have any supporter besides Him.

Hamid S. Aziz

Alike among you is he who keeps secret his speech and he who broadcasts it; and he who hides by night and he who stalks abroad by day.

Hilali & Khan

For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allah. Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allah). But when Allah wills a people's punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Alike (to Him) among you is he who conceals (the) word and he who speaks openly, and he who hides himself by night and (who) goes forth by day.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

For his sake there are angels following one another, before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's commandment; surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition; and when Allah intends evil to a people, there is no averting it, and besides Him they have no protector.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

For him are angels ranged before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's command. Lo! Allah changeth not the condition of a folk until they (first) change that which is in their hearts; and if Allah willeth misfortune for a folk there is none that can repel it, nor have they a defender beside Him.

Muhammad Sarwar

Everyone is guarded and protected on all sides by the order of God. God does not change the condition of a nation unless it changes what is in its heart. When God wants to punish a people, there is no way to escape from it and no one besides God will protect them from it.

Qaribullah & Darwish

he has attendant angels before him and behind him, who, by the Command of Allah watch over him. Allah does not change what is in a nation unless they change what is in themselves. Whenever Allah wants evil for a nation, none can ward it off. Other than Him, they have no guardian.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

For him (each person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the command of Allah. Verily, Allah will not change the (good) condition of a people as long as they do not change their state (of goodness) themselves. But when Allah wills a people's punishment, there can be no turning it back, and they will find besides Him no protector.

Wahiduddin Khan

Each has guardian angels before him and behind him, who watch him at God's command. God does not change the condition of a people's lot, unless they change what is in their hearts. But when God decrees punishment for a people, none can ward it off. Besides Him, they have no protector.

Talal Itani

He has a succession; before him and behind him, protecting him by God’s command. God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves. And if God wills any hardship for a people, there is no turning it back;, and apart from Him they have no protector.

Tafsir jalalayn

For him, for man, are attendants, angels who follow him, to his front and to his rear, guarding him through God's command, that is, by His command, from [the danger of] the jinn and others. Indeed God does not alter the state of a people -- He does not deprive them of His grace -- unless they have altered the state of their souls, from [their] comely nature, through an act of disobedience. And if God wills misfortune, chastisement, for a people there is none that can repel it, either from among the attendant angels or others; and they, for whom God wills misfortune, have no protector (min wlin; min is extra) to avert it from them, apart from Him, that is, other than God.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

لَهُ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ مِّن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللّهِ

For him (each person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the command of Allah.

Allah states that there are angels who take turns guarding each servant, some by night and some by day. These angels protect each person from harm and accidents.

There are also angels who take turns recording the good and evil deeds, some angels do this by day and some by night.

There are two angels, one to the right and one to the left of each person, recording the deeds. The angel to the right records the good deeds, while the angel to the left records the evil deeds.

There are also two angels that guard and protect each person, one from the back and one from in front. Therefore, there are four angels that surround each person by day and they are replaced by four others at night, two scribes and two guards.

An authentic Hadith states,

يَتَعَاقَبُونَ فِيكُمْ مَلَيِكَةٌ بِاللَّيْلِ وَمَلَيِكَةٌ بالنَّهَارِ وَيَجْتَمِعُونَ فِي صَلَةِ الصُّبْحِ وَصَلَةِ الْعَصْرِ


فَيَصْعَدُ إِلَيْهِ الَّذِينَ بَاتُوا فِيكُمْ فَيَسْأَلُهُمْ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ كَيْفَ تَرَكْتُمْ عِبَادِي


فَيَقُولُونَ أَتَيْنَاهُمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ وَتَرَكْنَاهُمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّون

Angels take turns around you, some at night and some by day, and all of them assemble together at the time of the Fajr and `Asr prayers.

Then those who have stayed with you throughout the night, ascend to Allah Who asks them, and He knows the answer better than they about you, "How have you left My servants?"

They reply, "As we have found them praying, we have left them praying."

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ وَقَدْ وُكِّلَ بِهِ قَرِينُهُ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَقَرِينُهُ مِنَ الْمَلَايِكَة

Verily, every one among you has his companion from the Jinn and his companion from the angels."

They said, "And you too, O Allah's Messenger!"

He said,

وَإِيَّايَ وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ أَعَانَنِي عَلَيْهِ فَلَإ يَأْمُرُنِي إِلاَّ بِخَيْر

And I too, except that Allah has helped me against him, so he only orders me to do good.

Muslim collected this Hadith.

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that Ibrahim said,

"Allah revealed to a Prophet from among the Children of Israel, `Say to your nation;every people of a village or a house who used to obey Allah but changed their behavior to disobeying Him, then He will take away from them what they like and exchange it for what they dislike."

Ibrahim next said that this statement has proof in Allah's Book,

إِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ

Verily, Allah will not change the (good) condition of a people as long as they do not change their state (of goodness) themselves.

وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلَ مَرَدَّ لَهُ

وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِ مِن وَالٍ



But when Allah wills a people's punishment, there can be no turning it back, and they will find besides Him no protector