Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 53

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Is it that they have a share in the kingdom? If so, they would give nothing to the people, not even to the measure of a tiny pit on the back of a date-stone?

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Do they have control over shares of the kingdom? If so, they would not have given anyone so much as the speck on a date stone.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Do they have a share in the dominion? Even if so, they would not give people even as much as the speck on a date stone.

A. J. Arberry

Or have they a share in the Kingdom? If that is so, they do not give the people a single date-spot.

Abdul Haleem

Do they have any share of what He possesses? If they did they would not give away so much as the groove of a date stone.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Is theirs a portion of the dominion? In that case, they would not give the people a speck.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Have they a share in dominion or power? Behold, they give not a farthing to their fellow-men?

Abul Ala Maududi

Have they any share in the dominion (of Allah)? Had that been so, they would never have granted people even as much as the speck on a date-stone.

Ahmed Ali

Have they a share in the kingdom? (If they had,) they would never have given an iota to the people.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Do they have some share in the kingship?- if it were, they would not give to mankind even a single sesame.

Ali Quli Qarai

Do they have a share in sovereignty? If so, they will not give those people [so much as] a speck on a date-stone!

Ali Ünal

Or do they have a share in the sovereignty (ownership and dominion of the heavens and the earth, so that they claim some privileged position in God’s sight and a right to guidance, Prophethood, and rule on the earth)? If that were so, they would not give people even as much as (would fill) the groove of a date-stone.

Amatul Rahman Omar

They have no share in the kingdom. If they had they would not give the people (even so much as) the little groove in a date-stone.

English Literal

Or for them (is) a share from the ownership/kingdom , so then they do not give the people (as little as) a peck in a seed/stone.55

Faridul Haque

Do they have some share in the kingship?- if it were, they would not give to mankind even a single sesame.

Hamid S. Aziz

And of them are some who believe therein, and of them are some who turn from it, but Hell is flaming enough for them.

Hilali & Khan

Or have they a share in the dominion? Then in that case they would not give mankind even a Naqira (speck on the back of a date-stone).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Those are they whom Allah has cursed. And whomever Allah curses, thou wilt not find a helper for him.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Or have they a share in the kingdom? But then they would not give to people even the speck in the date stone.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Or have they even a share in the Sovereignty? Then in that case, they would not give mankind even the speck on a date-stone.

Muhammad Sarwar

Even if they had a share in the Kingdom (Divine authority), they would not have given the smallest thing to anyone.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Or, will they have a share in the Kingdom? If so, they will not give the people the pit mark of a date stone.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Or have they a share in the dominion Then in that case they would not give mankind even a Naqir.

Wahiduddin Khan

Have they a share in God's kingdom? If they did, they would not give others so much as the groove of a date stone.

Talal Itani

Or do they own a share of the kingdom? Then they would not give people a speck.

Tafsir jalalayn

Or have they a share in the Kingdom?, that is to say, they have no share in it whatever, and even if they did, then they would not give the people a single date-spot, that is, [not even] something as worthless as the tiny spot on the back of a date-pit, because of the extent of their niggardliness.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Envy and Miserly Conduct of the Jews

Allah says;

أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُلْكِ

Or have they a share in the dominion!

Allah asked the Jews if they have a share in the dominion. That is merely a statement of rebuke, since they do not have any share in the dominion.

Allah then described them as misers,

فَإِذًا لاَّ يُوْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيرًا



Then in that case they would not give mankind even a Naqir.

Meaning, if they had a share in the sovereignty and dominion, they would not give anyone anything, especially Muhammad, even if it was the speck on the back of a date-stone, which is the meaning of Naqir according to Ibn Abbas and the majority of the scholars.

This Ayah is similar to another of Allah's statements,

قُل لَّوْ أَنتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَايِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّى إِذًا لامْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ الاِنفَاقِ

Say;"If you possessed the treasure of the mercy of my Lord, then you would surely withhold it out of fear of spending it. (17;100)

meaning, for fear that what you have might end, although there is no such possibility here. This only demonstrates their greedy and stingy nature. This is why Allah said,

وَكَانَ الانْسَـنُ قَتُورًا

And man is ever Qatur. (17;100)

meaning Bakhil (stingy).

Allah then said