Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 140

Mufti Taqi Usmani

If you have received a wound, they have received a similar wound. Such days We rotate among the people, so that Allah may know those who believe and let some of you be martyrs - and Allah does not like the unjust

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

If you have suffered injuries ˹at Uḥud˺, they suffered similarly ˹at Badr˺. We alternate these days ˹of victory and defeat˺ among people so that Allah may reveal the ˹true˺ believers, choose martyrs from among you—and Allah does not like the wrongdoers—

Ruwwad Translation Center

If you have suffered a blow [at Uhud], they too have suffered a blow like it [at Badr]. We alternate among people these days, so that Allah may reveal the believers and may choose martyrs from among you. And Allah does not like the wrongdoers.

A. J. Arberry

If a wound touches you, a like wound already has touched the heathen; such days We deal out in turn among men, and that God may know who are the believers, and that He may take witnesses from among you; and God loves not the evildoers;

Abdul Haleem

if you have suffered a blow, they too have suffered one like it. We deal out such days among people in turn, for God to find out who truly believes, for Him to choose martyrs from among you- God does not love evildoers-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

If there hath befallen you a sore, a sore like thereunto hath already befallen that people. These are the haps that We change about among man kind, that Allah may know those who believe and may take martyrs from among you and Allah loveth not the wrong doers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If a wound hath touched you, be sure a similar wound hath touched the others. Such days (of varying fortunes) We give to men and men by turns; that Allah may know those that believe, and that He may take to Himself from your ranks Martyr-witnesses (to Truth). And Allah loveth not those that do wrong.

Abul Ala Maududi

If a wound has befallen you a similar wound has already befallen the people who are opposed to you. We make such movements to men in turn so that Allah might mark out those who are the true men of faith and select from among you those who do really bear witness (to the Truth): for Allah does not love the wrong-doers,

Ahmed Ali

If you have been wounded they too have suffered a wound. We cause this alternation of night and day in the affairs of men so that God may know those who believe, taking some as witness (of truth) from your ranks, for God does not like those who are unjust.

Ahmed Raza Khan

If you have been struck by some misfortune, so they (the disbelievers) too have been struck earlier with the same misfortune; these are the days in which We have allotted turns to people; and so that Allah may make known the believers and may bestow martyrdom to some of you; and Allah does not befriend the unjust.

Ali Quli Qarai

If wounds afflict you, like wounds have already afflicted those people; and We make such vicissitudes rotate among mankind, so that Allah may ascertain those who have faith, and that He may take martyrs from among you, and Allah does not like the wrongdoers.

Ali Ünal

If a wound has touched you (at Uhud), (you know that) a similar wound touched those (disbelieving) people (at Badr). Such (historic, eventful) days – We deal them out in turns among people so that God may mark out those who (truly) believe and select from among you such as bear witness to the truth (with their lives); – (it is a fact that) God does not love the wrongdoers (and in the end He punishes wrong and makes truth superior) –

Amatul Rahman Omar

If you have received an outer injury (in the Battle of Uhud), surely, the (disbelieving) people have already received a similar injury (in the same battle) - these days of vicissitudes are those which We cause to alternate among the people, (it is so that you may be admonished) and that (among other things), Allâh may distinguish those who (really) believe and so that He may raise martyrs from among you; and Allâh does not love the unjust.

English Literal

If a wound/ulcer (pain) touches you, so a wound/ulcer (pain) equal/alike to it had touched the nation, and those are the days/times, We rotate/alternate it between the people, and (for) God to know those who believed, and (to) take from you witnesses (martyrs), and God does not love/like the unjust/oppressors.

Faridul Haque

If you have been struck by some misfortune, so they (the disbelievers) too have been struck earlier with the same misfortune; these are the days in which We have allotted turns to people; and so that Allah may make known the believers and may bestow martyrdom to some of you; and Allah does not befriend the unjust.

Hamid S. Aziz

And that Allah may prove those who believe, and blot out the disbelievers.

Hilali & Khan

If a wound (and killing) has touched you, be sure a similar wound (and killing) has touched the others. And so are the days (good and not so good), We give to men by turns, that Allah may test those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And Allah likes not the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And be not weak-hearted, nor grieve, and you will have the upper hand if you are believers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

If a wound has afflicted you (at Ohud), a wound like it has also afflicted the (unbelieving) people; and We bring these days to men by turns, and that Allah may know those who believe and take witnesses from among you; and Allah does not love the unjust.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

If ye have received a blow, the (disbelieving) people have received a blow the like thereof. These are (only) the vicissitudes which We cause to follow one another for mankind, to the end that Allah may know those who believe and may choose witnesses from among you; and Allah loveth not wrong-doers.

Muhammad Sarwar

If you get hurt, certainly others have also experienced injuries. We have made people pass through the different turns of history so that God would know the true believers, have some of you bear witness to the people's deeds, {God does not love the unjust}

Qaribullah & Darwish

If a wound touches you, a similar wound already has touched the nation. Such days We alternate between the people so that Allah knows those who believe, and that He will take witnesses from among you, for Allah does not love the harmdoers,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

If a wound has touched you, be sure a similar wound has touched the others. And so are the days, that We give to men by turns, that Allah may know (test) those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And Allah likes not the wrongdoers.

Wahiduddin Khan

if you have suffered a wound, they too have suffered a similar wound. We bring these days to men by turns, so that God may know those who believe, and choose witnesses from among you; and God does not love the unjust,

Talal Itani

If a wound afflicts you, a similar wound has afflicted the others. Such days We alternate between the people, that God may know those who believe, and take martyrs from among you. God does not love the evildoers.

Tafsir jalalayn

If a wound touches you, befalls you at Uhud, a like wound (qarh or qurh, which is the exhaustion that results from a wound and the like), already, at Badr, has touched the other people, the disbelievers. Such days We deal out in turn, We dispense them, among mankind, one day for one group, the next day for another, that they might be admonished, and that God may know, through knowledge manifested outwardly, those who believe, who are sincere in their faith from others; and that He may take witnesses from among you, honouring them with martyrdom, and God loves not the evildoers, the disbelievers, that is, He will chastise them, and the blessings He bestows upon them are only a [means of] drawing out [their punishment].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِن يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهُ

If a wound has touched you, be sure a similar wound has touched the others,

Therefore, the Ayah says, if you suffered injuries and some of you were killed, then your enemies also suffered injuries and fatalities.

وَتِلْكَ الايَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ

And so are the days, that We give to men by turns,

and at times -- out of wisdom -- We allow the enemy to overcome you, although the final good end will be yours.

وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللّهُ الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ

and that Allah may know (test) those who believe,

According to Ibn Abbas,

meaning, "So that We find out who would be patient while fighting the enemies."

وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمْ شُهَدَاء

and that He may take martyrs from among you.

those who would be killed in Allah's cause and gladly offer their lives seeking His pleasure.

وَاللّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ