Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Isra Verse 47

Mufti Taqi Usmani

We are fully aware of the reason for which they listen, when they listen to you, and when they are in secret consultation: when the transgressors say, “You are following none but a bewitched man.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

We know best how they listen to your recitation and what they say privately—when the wrongdoers say, “You would only be following a bewitched man.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

We are well aware of what they wish to hear when they listen to you, and what they say when they converse in private, when the wrongdoers say, “You are not following but a bewitched man.”

A. J. Arberry

We know very well how they listen when they listen to thee, and when they conspire, when the evildoers say, 'You are only following a man bewitched!'

Abdul Haleem

We know best the way they listen, when they listen to you and when they confer in secret, and these wrongdoers say, ‘You are only following a man who is bewitched.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

We are Best Knower of that wherewith they listen what time they listen to thee and what time they counsel together in secret, when the wrong-doers say: ye but follow a man enchanted.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We know best why it is they listen, when they listen to thee; and when they meet in private conference, behold, the wicked say, "Ye follow none other than a man bewitched!"

Abul Ala Maududi

We are well aware of what they wish to hear when they listen to you and what they say when they confer in whispers, when the wrong-doers say: "You are only following one who is bewitched."

Ahmed Ali

We know well with what (intent) they hear you, for when they confer privately the wicked say: "You follow but a man deluded."

Ahmed Raza Khan

We know well why they listen when they lend ears to you, and when they discuss among themselves, when the unjust say, “You have not followed except a man who is under a magic spell.”

Ali Quli Qarai

We know best what they listen for, when they listen to you, and when they hold their secret talks, when the wrongdoers say, ‘[If you follow him] You will be following just a bewitched man.’

Ali Ünal

We know best what they wish to hear when they listen to you and that, when they are secluded among themselves, these wrongdoers say (to one another): "You are following but a man bewitched."

Amatul Rahman Omar

We know very well the purpose of their listening when they listen to you (and the purpose with which they confer) when they confer in private (and) when the unjust say, `You follow none but a man who is defrauded and deprived of reason.´

English Literal

We (are) more knowledgeable with what they hear/listen with it, when they hear/listen to you, and when they are confidentially talking/secretly conversing, when the unjust/oppressive say: "That (E) you follow except a bewitched/enchanted man."

Faridul Haque

We know well why they listen when they lend ears to you, and when they discuss among themselves, when the unjust say, "You have not followed except a man who is under a magic spell."

Hamid S. Aziz

We know best what they listen for when they give ear to you; and when they whisper apart (or meet in secret or private discussions or conferences) when the wrong-doers say, "You only follow a man bewitched."

Hilali & Khan

We know best of what they listen to, when they listen to you. And when they take secret counsel, behold, the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.) say: "You follow none but a bewitched man."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We put coverings on their hearts and a deafness in their ears lest they understand it; and when thou makest mention of thy Lord alone in the Qur’an, they turn their backs in aversion.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

We know best what they listen to when they listen to you, and when they take counsel secretly, when the unjust say: You follow only a man deprived of reason.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

We are Best Aware of what they wish to hear when they give ear to thee and when they take secret counsel, when the evil-doers say: Ye follow but a man bewitched.

Muhammad Sarwar

We know what they want to hear when they listen to you. They whisper to each other and say, "You are only following a bewitched person".

Qaribullah & Darwish

When they listen to you, We know very well how they listen. When they conspire, when the evildoers declare: 'You are only following a man who is bewitched'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

We know best of what they listen to, when they listen to you. And when they take secret counsel, then the wrongdoers say: "You follow none but a bewitched man."

Wahiduddin Khan

We are fully aware of what they wish to hear when they listen to you; and what they say when they converse in private; and when the wrongdoers say, "You are only following a man who is bewitched!"

Talal Itani

We know well what they listen to, when they listen to you, as they conspire, when the wrongdoers say, “You only follow a man bewitched.”

Tafsir jalalayn

We know best what they listen to, the reason for [which they listen to] it, in order to mock [it], when they listen to you, [to] your recital, and when they are in secret counsel, holding secret talks among themselves, in other words, when they talk, when (idh substitutes for the preceding idh, `when') the evildoers say, in their secret conversation; `You are only following a man bewitched, one duped, his mind overcome'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Secret Counsel of Quraysh after hearing the Qur'an

Allah says;

نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَسْتَمِعُونَ بِهِ إِذْ يَسْتَمِعُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِذْ هُمْ نَجْوَى إِذْ يَقُولُ الظَّالِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ رَجُلً مَّسْحُورًا



We know best of what they listen to, when they listen to you. And when they take secret counsel, then the wrongdoers say;"You follow none but a bewitched man."

Allah tells His Prophet about what the leaders of Quraysh discussed when they came and listened to him reciting Qur'an in secret, without their people knowing about it.

They said that he was Mashur which according to the better-known view means someone affected by magic (Sihr);

it may also mean a man who has a lung, i.e., a mere human being, as if they were saying that if you follow Muhammad, you will only be following a human being.

This second suggestion does not sound correct, because what they meant here was that he was under the influence of Sihr (magic) which made him see dreams in which he learned these words that he recited.

Some of them said he was a poet, or a soothsayer, or crazy, or a sorcerer.

Allah says;

انظُرْ كَيْفَ ضَرَبُواْ لَكَ الَامْثَالَ فَضَلُّواْ فَلَ يَسْتَطِيعْونَ سَبِيلً