Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nur Verse 37

Mufti Taqi Usmani

by the men whom no trade or sale makes neglectful of the remembrance of Allah, nor from establishing Salāh and paying Zakāh ; they are fearful of a day in which the hearts and the eyes will be over-turned.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

by men[[ See footnote for {7:46}.]] who are not distracted—either by buying or selling—from Allah’s remembrance, or performing prayer, or paying alms-tax. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will tremble,

Ruwwad Translation Center

by men who are not distracted by buying or selling from the remembrance of Allah, or from performing prayer or giving zakah. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be petrified.

A. J. Arberry

are men whom neither commerce nor trafficking diverts from the remembrance of God and to perform the prayer, and to pay the alms, fearing a day when hearts and eyes shall be turned about,

Abdul Haleem

men who are not distracted, either by commerce or profit, from remembering God, keeping up the prayer, and paying the prescribed alms, fearing a day when hearts and eyes will turn over.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Men whom neither trafficking nor bargaining diverteth from the remembrance of Allah and the establishment of the prayer and the giving of the poor-rate, fearing a Day whereon upset will be the hearts and sights.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

By men whom neither traffic nor merchandise can divert from the Remembrance of Allah, nor from regular Prayer, nor from the practice of regular Charity; Their (only) fear is for the Day when hearts and eyes will be transformed (in a world wholly new),-

Abul Ala Maududi

as are not diverted by trade and merchandise from remembering Him and from establishing Salat and paying Zakat, for they fear the Day when the hearts will be overturned and the eyes will become petrified.

Ahmed Ali

By men not distracted from the remembrance of God either by trade and commerce or buying and selling, who stand by their devotional obligations and pay the zakat, who fear the day when hearts and eyes would flutter with trepidation

Ahmed Raza Khan

(Are) Those men, whom neither any bargain nor any trade distracts from the Remembrance of Allah and from establishing the prayer and from paying the charity – they fear the day when the hearts and the eyes will be overturned.

Ali Quli Qarai

by men whom neither trade nor bargaining distracts from the remembrance of Allah and the maintenance of prayer and the giving of zakat. They are fearful of a day wherein the hearts and the sights will be transformed,

Ali Ünal

Men (of great distinction) whom neither commerce nor exchange (nor any other worldly preoccupations) can divert from the remembrance of God, and establishing the Prayer in conformity with all its conditions, and paying the Prescribed Purifying Alms; they are in fear of a Day on which all hearts and eyes will be overturned.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Men whom neither trade nor sale distracts from exalting (the name of) Allâh and from the observance of Prayer and from presenting Zakât (- purifying dues) regularly. They dread the day when the hearts and the eyes will be in a state of agitation and anguish;

English Literal

Men commercial trade and nor selling/trading does not distract/divert them from247mentioning/remembering God, and keeping up the prayers and giving/bringing the charity/purification , they fear a day/time the hearts/minds and the eye sight/knowledge turns around in it.

Faridul Haque

(Are) Those men, whom neither any bargain nor any trade distracts from the Remembrance of Allah and from establishing the prayer and from paying the charity – they fear the day when the hearts and the eyes will be overturned.

Hamid S. Aziz

(This lamp is found, or the light is lit) In the houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and that His name shall be remembered (or mentioned) therein. His praises are celebrated therein mornings and evenings.

Hilali & Khan

Men whom neither trade nor sale diverts them from the Remembrance of Allah (with heart and tongue), nor from performing As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), nor from giving the Zakat. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (from the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

(It is) in houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and His name to be remembered therein. Therein do glorify Him, in the mornings and the evenings,

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts from the remembrance of Allah and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of poor-rate; they fear a day in which the hearts and eyes shall turn about;

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Men whom neither merchandise nor sale beguileth from remembrance of Allah and constancy in prayer and paying to the poor their due; who fear a day when hearts and eyeballs will be overturned;

Muhammad Sarwar

by people, who can neither be diverted by merchandise nor bargaining from worshipping God, saying their prayers and paying religious tax. They do these things, for they are afraid of the day when all hearts and eyes will undergo terrible unrest and crisis.

Qaribullah & Darwish

are men who exalt Him there, whom neither trade nor sale can divert from the remembrance of Allah, and establish the prayers, and pay the obligatorycharity; fearing a Day when hearts and eyes shall be turned about,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Men whom neither trade nor business diverts from the remembrance of Allah nor from performing the Salah nor from giving the Zakah. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned.

Wahiduddin Khan

people who are not distracted by trade or commerce from the remembrance of God and the observance of prayer and the payment of the zakat -- fearing a Day when hearts and eyes will be convulsed,

Talal Itani

By men who neither trading nor commerce distracts them from God’s remembrance, and from performing the prayers, and from giving alms. They fear a Day when hearts and sights are overturned.

Tafsir jalalayn

men (rijlun, the subject of the verb yusabbihu, `make glorifications'; if [the passive is] read, yusabbahu, `glorifications are made', it [rijlun, `men'] substitutes for the [impersonal] subject of lahu, `to Him', so that rijlun, `men', is the subject of an implied verb in response to an implied question as if one had asked; who makes glorifications to Him?) whom neither trading, purchase, nor sale distracts from the remembrance of God and the observance of prayer (the [final] h' of iqmat, `the observance', has been omitted to facilitate [the reading]) and payment of the alms. They fear a day when hearts and eyes will be tossed about, in fear, the hearts [tossed about] between [the hope of] deliverance and [the fear of] destruction, and the eyes to the right and to the left [out of anxiety] -- this is the Day of Resurrection;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

رِجَالٌ لاَّ تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ

Men whom neither trade nor business diverts from the remembrance of Allah.

This is like the Ayat;

يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاأَ تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَلُكُمْ وَلاأَ أَوْلَـدُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ


O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. (63;9)

يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِذَا نُودِىَ لِلصَّلَوةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْاْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُواْ الْبَيْعَ

O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed for the Salah on Friday, hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allah and leave off business. (62;9)

Allah says that this world and its adornments, attractions and marketplaces should not distract them from remembering their Lord Who created them and sustains them, those who know that what is with Him is better for them than what they themselves possess, because what they have is transient but that which is with Allah is eternal.

Allah says;

رِجَالٌ لاَّ تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَةِ وَإِيتَاء الزَّكَاةِ

Men whom neither trade nor business diverts from the remembrance of Allah nor from performing the Salah nor from giving the Zakah.

meaning, they give priority to obeying Allah and doing what He wants and what pleases Him over doing what they want and what pleases them.

It was reported from Salim from Abdullah bin Umar that he was in the marketplace when the Iqamah for prayer was called, so they closed their stores and entered the Masjid. Ibn Umar said;

"Concerning them the Ayah was revealed;
رِجَالٌ لاَّ تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
(Men whom neither trade nor business diverts from the remembrance of Allah)."

This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir.

رِجَالٌ لاَّ تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
(Men whom neither trade nor business diverts from the remembrance of Allah). Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"This meant from the prescribed prayers."

This was also the view of Muqatil bin Hayyan and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas.

As-Suddi said;

"From prayer in congregation."

Muqatil bin Hayyan said,

"That does not distract them from attending the prayer and establishing it as Allah commanded them, and from doing the prayers at the prescribed times and doing all that Allah has enjoined upon them in the prayer."

يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالاَْبْصَارُ



They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned.

means, the Day of Resurrection when people's hearts and eyes will be overturned, because of the intensity of the fear and terror of that Day.

This is like the Ayah;

وَأَنذِرْهُمْ يَوْمَ الاٌّزِفَةِ

And warn them of the Day that is drawing near... (40;18)

إِنَّمَا يُوَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الَابْصَـرُ

but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror. (14;42)

وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعَامَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ مِسْكِيناً وَيَتِيماً وَأَسِيراً

إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمْ جَزَاءً وَلَا شُكُوراً

إِنَّا نَخَافُ مِن رَّبِّنَا يَوْماً عَبُوساً قَمْطَرِيراً

فَوَقَـهُمُ اللَّهُ شَرَّ ذَلِكَ الْيَومِ وَلَقَّـهُمْ نَضْرَةً وَسُرُوراً

وَجَزَاهُمْ بِمَا صَبَرُواْ جَنَّةً وَحَرِيراً

And they give food, in spite of their love for it, to the poor, the orphan, and the captive, (saying;) "We feed you seeking Allah's Face only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you. Verily, We fear from our Lord a Day, hard and distressful, that will make the faces look horrible."

So Allah saved them from the evil of that Day, and gave them a light of beauty and joy. And their recompense shall be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient. (76;8-12)

And Allah says here