Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Hajj Verse 13

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He, rather, prays to someone whose harm is more likely than his benefit. Wretched is such a patron and wretched is such a companion.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They invoke those whose worship leads to harm, not benefit. What an evil patron and what an evil associate!

Ruwwad Translation Center

They invoke those whose harm is more likely than their benefit. What a terrible protector and what a terrible associate!

A. J. Arberry

He calls upon him who is likelier to hurt him, rather than to profit him -- an evil protector indeed, he, an evil friend!

Abdul Haleem

or invoke one whose harm is closer than his help: an evil master and an evil companion.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

He calleth upon him whose hurt is nearer than his profit: surely ill the patron! ill the comrade!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

(Perhaps) they call on one whose hurt is nearer than his profit; evil, indeed, is the patron, and evil the companion (or help)!

Abul Ala Maududi

He invokes those that are more likely to cause him harm than benefit. Such is surely an evil patron, and an evil associate.

Ahmed Ali

They pray to him whose bane is more imminent than his boon: How bad the protector and how bad the associate!

Ahmed Raza Khan

They worship one from whom harm is expected more than the benefit; indeed what an evil master and indeed what an evil friend!

Ali Quli Qarai

He invokes someone whose harm is surely likelier than his benefit. An evil ally indeed, and an evil companion!

Ali Ünal

He even invokes the being that is far more likely to cause harm than benefit: what evil a patron, and what evil an associate!

Amatul Rahman Omar

He calls upon him whose harm is much more likely than his good. How evil is this false god to be his patron and how evil is (he to be) his associate!

English Literal

He calls who (E) his harm (is) nearer/closer than his benefit, how bad (E) (is) the ally, and how bad (E) (is) the associate/companion ?

Faridul Haque

They worship one from whom harm is expected more than the benefit; indeed what an evil master and indeed what an evil friend!

Hamid S. Aziz

He calls, besides Allah, on what can neither harm him nor profit him - that is a wide error.

Hilali & Khan

He calls unto him whose harm is nearer than his profit; certainly, and evil Maula (patron) and certainly an evil friend!

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He calls besides Allah on that which harms him not, nor benefits him; that is straying far.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He calls upon him whose harm is nearer than his profit; evil certainly is the guardian and evil certainly is the associate.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

He calleth unto him whose harm is nearer than his benefit; verily an evil patron and verily an evil friend!

Muhammad Sarwar

Their worship of such things, in which there is no hope for any benefit, can only harm them. How terrible is such a guardian and companion!

Qaribullah & Darwish

He calls upon him whose harm is nearer than his benefit, an evil guide and an evil friend.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

He calls unto him whose harm is nearer than his profit; certainly an evil Mawla and certainly an evil `Ashir!

Wahiduddin Khan

he calls on that which would sooner harm than help. Such a patron is indeed evil and such a companion is indeed evil.

Talal Itani

He invokes one whose harm is closer than his benefit. What a miserable master. What a miserable companion.

Tafsir jalalayn

He calls on him (the lm [of la-man] is extra) whose harm, when worshipped, is likelier than his benefit, even if he were to have any benefit, as he imagines [him to have]. Truly an evil patron, is he, that is, [an evil] helper, and an evil friend, [an evil] companion is he. After the mention of `the doubter' and [his being in manifest] `loss' [above, verse 11] there follows [the mention of] the believers and [their] reward, as follows;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

يَدْعُو لَمَن ضَرُّهُ أَقْرَبُ مِن نَّفْعِهِ

He calls unto him whose harm is nearer than his profit;

means, he is more likely to harm him than benefit him in this world, and in the Hereafter he will most certainly cause him harm.

لَبِيْسَ الْمَوْلَى وَلَبِيْسَ الْعَشِيرُ



certainly an evil Mawla and certainly an evil `Ashir!

Mujahid said,

"This means the idols."

The meaning is;

"How evil a friend is this one upon whom he calls instead of Allah as a helper and supporter."

وَلَبِيْسَ الْعَشِيرُ


and certainly an evil `Ashir!

means the one with whom one mixes and spends one's time