Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 168

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Those who said about their brethren, while themselves sitting, “Had they obeyed us, they would have not been killed.” Say, “Then avert death from yourselves if you are true.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Those who sat at home, saying about their brothers, “Had they listened to us, they would not have been killed.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Try not to die[[ i.e., try not to die when your time comes.]] if what you say is true!”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Those who stayed behind said about their brothers, “If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed [at ’Uhud].” Say, “Then avert death from yourselves if you are truthful.”

A. J. Arberry

who said of their brothers (and they themselves held back), 'Had they obeyed us, they would not have been slain.' Say: 'Then avert death from yourselves, if you speak truly.'

Abdul Haleem

As for those who stayed behind, and said of their brothers, ‘If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed,’ tell them [Prophet], ‘Ward off death from yourselves, if what you say is true.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

They say of their brethren, while they themselves staid: had they obeyed us they had not been slain. Say thou: then repel death from yourselves if ye say sooth.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

(They are) the ones that say, (of their brethren slain), while they themselves sit (at ease); "If only they had listened to us they would not have been slain." Say; "Avert death from your own selves, if ye speak the truth."

Abul Ala Maududi

These are the ones who stayed away, saying about their brothers: 'Had they followed us, they would not have been slain.' Say: 'If you speak the truth then avert death when it comes to you.'

Ahmed Ali

To those who sit at home and say of their brothers: "They would never have been killed had they listened to us, say: "Drive away death from your midst if what you say is true."

Ahmed Raza Khan

Those who spoke regarding their brothers while they themselves stayed back at home, “Had they listened to us, they would not have been slain”; say (to them, O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “Then avert your own death, if you are truthful!”

Ali Quli Qarai

Those who said of their brethren, while they themselves sat back: ‘Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed.’ Say, ‘Then keep death off from yourselves, if you are truthful.’

Ali Ünal

They who, having themselves held back (from fighting), say of their (slain) brothers, "Had they but paid heed to us, they would not have been killed." Say (to them, O Messenger): "Avert, then, death from yourselves, if you are truthful (in your claim)."

Amatul Rahman Omar

It is these who said of their brethren whilst they (themselves) stayed behind (declining the field), `If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed.´ Say, `Then avert death from yourselves if you are right.´

English Literal

Those who said to their brothers and they sat/remained behind : "If they obeyed us, they would not (have) been killed." Say: "So push/drive away (prevent) from yourselves the death if you were truthful."

Faridul Haque

Those who spoke regarding their brothers while they themselves stayed back at home, “Had they listened to us, they would not have been slain”; say (to them, O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), “Then avert your own death, if you are truthful!”

Hamid S. Aziz

Think not those who are slain in the way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are living; with their Lord they have sustenance;

Hilali & Khan

(They are) the ones who said about their killed brethren while they themselves sat (at home): "If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed." Say: "Avert death from your ownselves, if you speak the truth."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And that He might know the hypocrites. And it was said to them: Come, fight in Allah’s way, or defend yourselves. They said: If we knew fighting, we would have followed you. They were on that day nearer to disbelief than to belief; they say with their mouths what is not in their hearts. And Allah best knows what they conceal.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Those who said of their brethren whilst they (themselves) held back: Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed. Say: Then avert death from yourselves if you speak the truth.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Those who, while they sat at home, said of their brethren (who were fighting for the cause of Allah): If they had been guided by us they would not have been slain. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Then avert death from yourselves if ye are truthful.

Muhammad Sarwar

There are those who themselves did not join the others in fighting for the cause of God and said about their brothers, "Had they listened to us and stayed at home, they would not have been killed." (Muhammad), tell them to save themselves from death if they are true in their claim.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Who said to their brothers and they themselves had stayed behind 'Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed' Say to them: 'Avert death from yourselves then, if what you say is true'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

(They are) the ones who said about their killed brethren while they themselves sat (at home): "If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed." Say: "Avert death from your own selves, if you speak the truth."

Wahiduddin Khan

Those who stayed behind, said of their brothers, "Had they listened to us, they would not have been killed." Say to them, "Ward off death from yourselves, then, if what you say be true!"

Talal Itani

Those who said of their brethren, as they stayed behind, “Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed.” Say, “Then avert death from yourselves, if you are truthful.”

Tafsir jalalayn

Those who (alladhna substitutes for the previous alladhna, or constitutes an adjectival qualification [of it]) said to their brothers, in religion, whilst they themselves, had, stayed put, [refraining] from [joining] the struggle, `Had they, the martyrs at Uhud or those who stayed put with us, obeyed us, they would not have been slain'. Say, to them; `Then avert, ward off, death from yourselves, if you speak the truth', in that staying put delivers one from it [sc. from death].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ لاِخْوَانِهِمْ وَقَعَدُواْ لَوْ أَطَاعُونَا مَا قُتِلُوا

(They are) the ones who said about their killed brethren while they themselves sat (at home);"If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed."

had they listened to our advice and not gone out, they would not have met their demise.

Allah said,

قُلْ فَادْرَوُوا عَنْ أَنفُسِكُمُ الْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ



Say;"Avert death from your own selves, if you speak the truth."

meaning, if staying at home saves one from being killed or from death, then you should not die. However death will come to you even if you were hiding in fortified castles. Therefore, fend death off of yourselves, if you are right.

Mujahid said that Jabir bin Abdullah said,

"This Ayah (3;168) was revealed about Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul (the chief hypocrite).