Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 141

Mufti Taqi Usmani

- those who look for (a misfortune for) you, so, if there is a victory for you, they say, “Were we not with you?” But if there is a gain for the disbelievers, they say (to them), “Had we not overpowered you, still protected you from the believers?” So, Allah will decide between you on the Doomsday. Allah shall never give the disbelievers a way against the believers.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹The hypocrites are˺ those who wait to see what happens to you. So if Allah grants you victory, they say ˹to you˺, “Were we not on your side?” But if the disbelievers have a share ˹of victory˺, they say ˹to them˺, “Did we not have the advantage over you, yet we protected you from the believers?” Allah will judge between ˹all of˺ you on the Day of Judgment. And Allah will never grant the disbelievers a way over the believers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

[These hypocrites are] those who are waiting and watching to see what happens to you. If Allah grants you victory, they say, “Were we not with you?” But if the disbelievers have some partial [victory], they say, “Did we not take care of you and protect you from the believers?” But Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will never give the disbelievers a way over the believers.

A. J. Arberry

Those who wait upon you and, if a victory comes to you from God, say, 'Were we not with you?' but if the unbelievers get a share, they say, 'Did we not gain the mastery over you, and did we not defend you from the believers?' God will judge between you on the Resurrection Day, and God will not grant the unbelievers any way over the believers.

Abdul Haleem

The [hypocrites] wait to see what happens to you and, if God brings you success, they say, ‘Were we not on your side?’ but if the disbelievers have some success, they say to them, ‘Did we not have the upper hand over you, and [yet] protect you from the believers?’ God will judge between you all on the Day of Resurrection, and He will give the disbelievers no means of overcoming the believers.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Those who wait about you. If then there be victory for you from Allah, they say: were we not with you? And if there is a portion for the infidels, they say: gained we not mastery over you, and kept we not you back from the believers! Allah shall Judge betwixt you On the Day of Judgement, and Allah shall not make for the infidels against the believers a way.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

(These are) the ones who wait and watch about you; if ye do gain a victory from Allah, they say; "Were we not with you?"- but if the unbelievers gain a success, they say (to them); "Did we not gain an advantage over you, and did we not guard you from the believers?" but Allah will judge betwixt you on the Day of Judgment. And never will Allah grant to the unbelievers a way (to triumphs) over the believers.

Abul Ala Maududi

These hypocrites watch you closely: if victory is granted to you by Allah, they will say: 'Were we not with you?' And were the unbelievers to gain the upper hand, they will say: 'Did we not have mastery over you, and yet we protected you from the believers?' It is Allah Who will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection, and He will not allow the unbelievers, in any way, to gain advantage over the believers.

Ahmed Ali

Those who wait to see what befalls you, say in ease success comes to you from God: "Were we not with you?" But if fortune favours the infidels, they say: "Did we not overpower you, and yet protected you against the believers?" But God will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection; and God will never give the unbelievers a way over the faithful.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Those who keep watching your circumstances; so if a victory comes to you from Allah, they say, “Were we not with you?”; and if victory is for disbelievers, they say, “Did we not have control over you, and protect you from the Muslims?” Allah will judge between you all on the Day of Resurrection; and Allah will not provide the disbelievers any way over the Muslims.

Ali Quli Qarai

—those who lie in wait for you: if there is a victory for you from Allah, they say, ‘Were we not with you?’ But if the faithless get a share [of victory], they say, ‘Did we not prevail upon you and defend you against the faithful?’ Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will never provide the faithless any way [to prevail] over the faithful.

Ali Ünal

(The hypocrites are) those who wait to see what befalls you: thus if a victory comes to you from God, they say, "Were we not with you?" but if the unbelievers meet with a success, they say (to them:) "Did we not gain leverage over you (by not joining the believers and weakening them from within) and did we not defend you from the believers?" God will judge between you (and them) on the Day of Resurrection, and never will God allow the unbelievers to find a way (to triumph) over the (true) believers.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Those (- hypocrites) who await (news) about you, then if you win a victory by the grace of Allâh they say, `Is it not that we were with you (and on your side)? But should there be for the disbelievers a share of it they will say (to them), `Did we not goad you to wage war; and did we not save you from the harm of the faithful?´ Then Allâh will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection; and Allâh will never let the disbelievers have a way (to prevail) against the believers.

English Literal

Those who wait/remain with you, so if a victory/opening happened for you from God, they (the hypocrites) said: "Where we not with you?" And if to the disbelievers was a luck/fortune, they (the hypocrites) said: "Did we not dominate/drive fast/defeat on (with) you and protect you from the believers?" So God judges/rules between you (on) the Resurrection Day, and God will never/not make to the disbelievers on the believers a way/path.

Faridul Haque

Those who keep watching your circumstances; so if a victory comes to you from Allah, they say, "Were we not with you?"; and if victory is for disbelievers, they say, "Did we not have control over you, and protect you from the Muslims?" Allah will judge between you all on the Day of Resurrection; and Allah will not provide the disbelievers any way over the Muslims.

Hamid S. Aziz

Wavering (in distraction) between this and that, (belonging) neither to these nor yet to those! But whomsoever Allah causes to go astray you shall not find for him a Way.

Hilali & Khan

Those (hyprocrites) who wait and watch about you; if you gain a victory from Allah, they say: "Were we not with you," but if the disbelievers gain a success, they say (to them): "Did we not gain mastery over you and did we not protect you from the believers?" Allah will judge between you (all) on the Day of Resurrection. And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And indeed He has revealed to you in the Book that when you hear Allah’s messages disbelieved in and mocked at, sit not with them until they enter into some other discourse, for then indeed you would be like them. Surely Allah will gather together the hypocrites and the disbelievers all in hell --

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Those who wait for (some misfortune to befall) you then If you have a victory from Allah they say: Were we not with you? And if there is a chance for the unbelievers, they say: Did we not acquire the mastery over you and defend you from the believers? So Allah shall Judge between you on the day of resurrection, and Allah will by no means give the unbelievers a way against the believers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Those who wait upon occasion in regard to you and, if a victory cometh unto you from Allah, say: Are we not with you? and if the disbelievers meet with a success say: Had we not the mastery of you, and did we not protect you from the believers? - Allah will judge between you at the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will not give the disbelievers any way (of success) against the believers.

Muhammad Sarwar

(The hypocrites) wait and watch. If God grants you victory, they say, "Did we not help you?" If the unbelievers are victorious, they say, "Did we not encourage you not to surrender to the believers and did we not protect you from them?" God will judge among you on the Day of Judgment. He will never help the disbelievers against the believers.

Qaribullah & Darwish

(As for) those who lay in wait for you. If a victory comes to you from Allah they say: 'Were we not with you' But if the unbelievers get a portion, they say, 'Were we not mightier than you, and did we not defend you from the believers' Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection. Allah will not grant the unbelievers any way over the believers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Those who wait and watch about you; if you gain a victory from Allah, they say: "Were we not with you" But if the disbelievers gain a success, they say (to them): "Did we not gain mastery over you and did we not protect you from the believers" Allah will judge between you (all) on the Day of Resurrection. And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers.

Wahiduddin Khan

The hypocrites wait to see what happens to you and, if God grants you a victory, they say, "Were we not on your side?" And if those who deny the truth have a share of it [victory] they say to them, "Did we not help you win, and protect you from the believers?" God will judge between you [all] on Resurrection Day. And never will God allow those who deny the truth to harm the believers.

Talal Itani

Those who lie in wait for you: if you attain victory from God, they say, “Were we not with you?” But if the disbelievers get a turn, they say, “Did we not side with you, and defend you from the believers?” God will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection; and God will give the disbelievers no means of overcoming the believers.

Tafsir jalalayn

Those who (alladhna, substitutes for the previous alladhna [of verse 139]) wait in watch for you, [hoping] for misfortunes [to befall you], and, if a victory, such as a conquest or booty, comes to you from God, say, to you; `Were we not with you?', in religion and in the struggle? So give us from the booty; but if the disbelievers have some luck, by gaining a victory over you, they say, to them; `Did we not gain mastery, authority, over you, capable of capturing you and slaying you, but we spared you, and did we not defend you against the believers?', lest they be victorious over you, by forsaking them and apprising you of their plans, and thus have we not done you a favour? God, exalted be He, says; God will judge between you, and them, on the Day of Resurrection, admitting you into Paradise and them into the Fire; and God will never grant the disbelievers a way, a means [to success], over the believers, by annihilating them.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Hypocrites Wait and Watch what Happens to Muslims

Allah says;

الَّذِينَ يَتَرَبَّصُونَ بِكُمْ

Those who wait and watch about you;

Allah states that the hypocrites watch and await the harm that occurs to the believers, awaiting the time when the Muslim circumstances and religion are dissolved and the state of Kufr takes over.

فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ فَتْحٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ

if you gain a victory from Allah,

triumph, aid and booty,

قَالُواْ أَلَمْ نَكُن مَّعَكُمْ

they say, "Were we not with you'!'

trying to come closer to the believers with this statement.

However,

وَإِن كَانَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نَصِيبٌ

But if the disbelievers gain a success,

by gaining victory over the believers sometimes, just as occurred during Uhud, for surely, the Messengers are tested, but the final victory is theirs.

قَالُواْ أَلَمْ نَسْتَحْوِذْ عَلَيْكُمْ وَنَمْنَعْكُم مِّنَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ

they say (to them), "Did we not gain mastery over you and did we not protect you from the believers!"

meaning, did we not help you in secret and try our best to confuse the believers and weaken their resolve, until you gained victory over them!

This statement of the hypocrites is an attempt to strengthen relations with the disbelievers, because they pretend to be friends with both parties so that they will be safe from their harm, due to their weak faith and lack of certainty.

Allah said,

فَاللّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

Allah will judge between you (all) on the Day of Resurrection.

meaning, by what He knows about you, O hypocrites. Therefore, do not be deceived by being shaded under the protection of Islamic Law in this life, which is such only out of Allah's wisdom. Surely, on the Day of Resurrection, your pretending shall not benefit you, because on that Day, the secrets of the souls will be disclosed and the contents of the hearts will be collected.

Allah said,

وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُوْمِنِينَ سَبِيلً



And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers.

Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Yasi Al-Kindi said,

"A man came to Ali bin Abi Talib and said, `What about this Ayah,
وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُوْمِنِينَ سَبِيلً
(And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers),

Ali said, `Come closer, come closer. Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection, and He will not grant victory for the disbelievers over the believers."'

Ibn Jurayj recorded that Ata' Al-Khurasani said that Ibn Abbas said that,
وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُوْمِنِينَ سَبِيلً
(And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers),

"Will occur on the Day of Resurrection."

As-Suddi recorded that Abu Malik Al-Ashjai said that;

it occurs on the Day of Resurrection.

As-Suddi said that;

"way" means, proof.

It is possible that;

the meaning of, `and never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers', is in this life by being unable to exterminate the believers completely, although they sometimes gain victory over some Muslims. However, the Final Triumph will be for the believers in this life and the Hereafter.

Allah said,

إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا

Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe in the worldly life. (40;51)

This provides a rebuttal to the wishes of the hypocrites for the destruction of the believers, and their loyalty to the disbelievers, fearing for themselves if they are victorious.

In another Ayah, Allah said,

فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يُسَارِعُونَ فِيهِمْ


And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease (of hypocrisy), they hurry to their friendship, until,
نَادِمِينَ
(Regretful). (6;52)