Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nisa Verse 69

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Those who obey Allah and the Messenger are with those whom Allah has blessed, namely, the prophets, the Siddiqīn, the Shuhadā’ and the righteous. And excellent are they as companions.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger will be in the company of those blessed by Allah: the prophets, the people of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous—what honourable company!

Ruwwad Translation Center

Those who obey Allah and the Messenger will be with those whom Allah has blessed: the prophets, the people of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous. What excellent companions they are!

A. J. Arberry

Whosoever obeys God, and the Messenger -- they are with those whom God has blessed, Prophets, just men, martyrs, the righteous; good companions they!

Abdul Haleem

Whoever obeys God and the Messenger will be among those He has blessed: the messengers, the truthful, those who bear witness to the truth, and the righteous- what excellent companions these are!

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And whosoever obeyeth Allah and the apostle, then those shall be with them whom Allah hath blessed --from among the prophets, the saints, the martyrs, and the righteous. Excellent are these as a company!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

All who obey Allah and the messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah,- of the prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of Truth), the witnesses (who testify), and the Righteous (who do good); Ah! what a beautiful fellowship!

Abul Ala Maududi

And he who obeys Allah and the Messenger -they shall be with those whom Allah has favoured -the Prophets, those steadfast in truthfulness, the martyrs, and the righteous." How excellent will they be for companions!

Ahmed Ali

Those who obey God and the Prophet are with those who are blessed by God, the prophets, the sincere and the trustful, the martyrs and the upright; and how excellent a company are they!

Ahmed Raza Khan

And whoever obeys Allah and His Noble Messenger, will be with those upon whom Allah has bestowed grace – that is, the Prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the virtuous; and what excellent companions they are!

Ali Quli Qarai

Whoever obeys Allah and the Apostle—they are with those whom Allah has blessed, including the prophets and the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous, and excellent companions are they!

Ali Ünal

Whoever obeys God and the Messenger (as they must be obeyed), then those are (and in the Hereafter will be, in Paradise) in the company of those whom God has favored (with the perfect guidance) – the Prophets, and the truthful ones (loyal to God’s cause and truthful in whatever they do and say), and the witnesses (those who see the hidden Divine truths and testify thereto with their lives), and the righteous ones (in all their deeds and sayings and dedicated to setting everything right). How excellent they are for companions!

Amatul Rahman Omar

And those who obey Allâh and this perfect Messenger, it is these who are with those upon whom Allâh has bestowed His blessings (in this life and the Hereafter) - the Prophets, the Truthful (in their belief, words and deeds), and the Bearers of Testimony (to the truth of the religion of Allâh by their words and deeds), as well as the Martyrs, and the Righteous (who stick to the right course under all circumstances), and how excellent companions they are!

English Literal

And who obeys God and the messenger, so these (are) with those who God blessed on them from the prophets and the always very truthful, and the witnessing/those killed in God`s sake , and the correct/righteous, and those are a good helper/supporter/companion/friend.

Faridul Haque

And whoever obeys Allah and His Noble Messenger, will be with those upon whom Allah has bestowed grace - that is, the Prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the virtuous; and what excellent companions they are!

Hamid S. Aziz

O you who believe! Take your precautions and go forth in groups or all together.

Hilali & Khan

And whoso obeys Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddiqun (those followers of the Prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr As-Siddiq), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We would certainly have guided them in the right path.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And whoever obeys Allah and the Apostle, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from among the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the good, and a goodly company are they!

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Whoso obeyeth Allah and the messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah hath shown favour, of the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are they!

Muhammad Sarwar

One who obeys God and the Messenger is the friend of the Prophets, saints, martyrs, and the righteous ones to whom God has granted His favors. They are the best friends that one can have.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Whosoever obeys Allah, and the Messenger, they are with those whom Allah has favored, the Prophets, the sincere, the martyrs and the righteous, and these are the best company.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His grace, of the Prophets, the Siddiqin, the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!

Wahiduddin Khan

Whoever obeys God and the Messenger will be among those He has blessed: the messengers, the truthful, the witnesses, and the righteous. What excellent companions these are!

Talal Itani

Whoever obeys God and the Messenger—these are with those whom God has blessed—among the prophets, and the sincere, and the martyrs, and the upright. Excellent are those as companions.

Tafsir jalalayn

Whoever obeys God and the Messenger, in what he commands, they are with those whom God has blessed of the prophets and the truthful, that is, the most excellent of the Prophet's Companions, because of the fullness of their truthfulness and their affirmation of the truth; and the martyrs, those slain in the path of God; and the righteous, [all those] other than the ones mentioned. What fine companions they are!, in Paradise, since in it one will enjoy seeing them, visiting them and being in their presence, even though they will be in the highest stations in relation to others.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His grace, of the Prophets, the Siddiqin, the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!

Consequently, whosoever implements what Allah and His Messenger have commanded him and avoids what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited, then Allah will grant him a dwelling in the Residence of Honor.

There, Allah will place him in the company of the Prophets, and those who are lesser in grade, the true believers, then the martyrs and then the righteous, who are righteous inwardly and outwardly.

Allah then praised this company,
وَحَسُنَ أُولَـيِكَ رَفِيقًا
(And how excellent these companions are!).

Al-Bukhari recorded that Aishah said,

"I heard the Messenger of Allah saying,

مَا مِنْ نَبِيَ يَمْرَضُ إِلاَّ خُيِّرَ بَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا وَالاْاخِرَة

Every Prophet who falls ill is given the choice between this life and the Hereafter.

During the illness that preceded his death, his voice became weak and I heard him saying,
مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء وَالصَّالِحِينَ
(in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His grace, the Prophets, the true believers (Siddiqin), the martyrs and the righteous).

I knew then that he was being given the choice."

Muslim recorded this Hadith.

This Hadith explains the meaning of another Hadith;

the Prophet said before his death;

اللَّهُمَّ فِي الرَّفِيقِ الاَْعْلَى

O Allah! In the Most High Company,

three times, and he then died, may Allah's best blessings be upon him.
The Reason Behind Revealing this Honorable Ayah

Ibn Jarir recorded that Sa`id bin Jubayr said,

"An Ansari man came to the Messenger of Allah while feeling sad. The Prophet said to him, `Why do I see you sad?'

He said, `O Allah's Prophet! I was contemplating about something.'

The Prophet said, `What is it?'

The Ansari said, `We come to you day and night, looking at your face and sitting by you. Tomorrow, you will be raised with the Prophets, and we will not be able to see you.'

The Prophet did not say anything, but later Jibril came down to him with this Ayah,
وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَـيِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ
(And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His grace, of the Prophets), and the Prophet sent the good news to the Ansari man."

This Hadith was narrated in Mursal form from Masruq, Ikrimah, Amir Ash-Sha`bi, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi bin Anas.

This is the version with the best chain of narrators.

Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah recorded it with a different chain from Aishah, who said;

"A man came to the Prophet and said to him, `O Messenger of Allah! You are more beloved to me than myself, my family and children. Sometimes, when I am at home, I remember you, and I cannot wait until I come and look at you. When I contemplate about my death and your death, I know that you will be with the Prophets when you enter Paradise. I fear that I might not see you when I enter Paradise.'

The Prophet did not answer him until the Ayah,

وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَـيِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَـيِكَ رَفِيقًا

And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His grace, of the Prophets, the true believers, the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!

was revealed to him."

This was collected by Al-Hafiz Abu Abdullah Al-Maqdisi in his book, Sifat Al-Jannah, he then commented,

"I do not see problems with this chain."

And Allah knows best.

Muslim recorded that Rabi`ah bin Ka`b Al-Aslami said,

"I used to sleep at the Prophet's house and bring him his water for ablution and his needs. He once said to me, `Ask me.'

I said, `O Messenger of Allah! I ask that I be your companion in Paradise.'

He said, `Anything except that?'

I said, `Only that.'

He said,

فَأَعِنِّي عَلى نَفْسِكَ بِكَثْرَةِ السُّجُود

Then help me (fulfill this wish) for you by performing many prostrations."

Imam Ahmad recorded that `Amr bin Murrah Al-Juhani said,

"A man came to the Prophet and said, `O Allah's Messenger! I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah, pray the five (daily prayers), give the Zakah due on my wealth and fast the month of Ramadan.'

The Messenger of Allah said,

مَـــنْ مَـــاتَ عَلى هَـــذَا كَانَ مَـــعَ النَّبِيِّيــنَ وَالصِّــدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّــهَدَاءِ يَـــــــــوْمَ الْقِيَـــــامَةِ هَكَذا وَنَصَبَ أُصْبُعَيْهِ مَا لَمْ يَعُقَّ وَالِدَيْه

Whoever dies in this state will be with the Prophets, the truthful and martyrs on the Day of Resurrection, as long as - and he raised his finger - he is not disobedient to his parents."

Only Ahmad recorded this Hadith.

Greater news than this is in the authentic Hadith collected in the Sahih and Musnad compilations, in Mutawatir form, narrated by several Companions that the Messenger of Allah was asked about the person who loves a people, but his status is not close to theirs.

The Messenger said,

الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَب

One is with those whom he loves.

Anas commented,

"Muslims were never happier than with this Hadith."

In another narration, Anas said,

"I love the Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr and Umar, and I hope that Allah will resurrect me with them, even though I did not perform actions similar to theirs."

Allah said