Al-Qur'an Surah Ash-Shuraa Verse 42

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Blame, in fact, is upon those who wrong people and make mischief on earth unjustly. For such people there is a painful punishment.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Blame is only on those who wrong people and transgress in the land unjustly. It is they who will suffer a painful punishment.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Blame is only on those who wrong people and transgress in the land without right. For such there will be a painful punishment.

A. J. Arberry

The way is only open against those who do wrong to the people, and are insolent in the earth wrongfully; there awaits them a painful chastisement.

Abdul Haleem

but there is cause to act against those who oppress people and transgress in the land against all justice- they will have an agonizing torment-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

The way of blame is only against those who wrong mankind, and rebel in the earth without justice; these! for them is a torment afflictive.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The blame is only against those who oppress men and wrong-doing and insolently transgress beyond bounds through the land, defying right and justice; for such there will be a penalty grievous.

Abul Ala Maududi

Blame attaches only to those who subject people to wrong and commit excesses on earth. A painful chastisement awaits them.

Ahmed Ali

Blame lies on those who oppress, and terrorise the land unjustly. For them there is painful punishment.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Reproach is only against those who oppress people, and wrongfully spread rebellion in the land; for them is a painful punishment.

Ali Quli Qarai

The ground for action is only against those who oppress the people and commit tyranny in the land in violation of justice. For such there will be a painful punishment.

Ali Ünal

The route (of blame and retaliation) is only against those who wrong people and behave rebelliously on earth, offending against all right. For such there is a painful punishment.

Amatul Rahman Omar

The blame only lies on those who wrong people and commit aggression in the land without justification. It is they for whom there awaits a grievous punishment.

English Literal

But the way/path (blame is) on those who cause injustice/oppression (to) the people, and they oppress/transgress in the earth/Planet Earth without the right/truth , those for them (is) a painful torture.355

Faridul Haque

Reproach is only against those who oppress people, and wrongfully spread rebellion in the land; for them is a painful punishment.

Hamid S. Aziz

The blame is only against those who oppress men and revolt (insolently exceed all bounds) in the earth unjustly; these shall have a painful punishment.

Hilali & Khan

The way (of blame) is only against those who oppress men and wrongly rebel in the earth, for such there will be a painful torment.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And whoever defends himself after his being oppressed, these it is against whom there is no way (of blame).

Mohammad Habib Shakir

The way (to blame) is only against those who oppress men and revolt in the earth unjustly; these shall have a painful punishment.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

The way (of blame) is only against those who oppress mankind, and wrongfully rebel in the earth. For such there is a painful doom.

Muhammad Sarwar

Only those who do injustice to people and commit rebellion on earth for no reason will be questioned. They will suffer a painful torment.

Qaribullah & Darwish

The blame is only against those who wrong people, and are wrongfully insolent in the earth, for them there is a painful punishment.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

The way is only against those who oppress men and rebel in the earth without justification; for such there will be a painful torment.

Wahiduddin Khan

blame falls only on those who wrong men and transgress on this earth without justification, such will have a painful punishment,

Talal Itani

Blame lies on those who wrong people, and commit aggression in the land without right. These will have a painful punishment.

Tafsir jalalayn

A course [of action] is only [open] against those who wrong people and seek [to commit], [who] commit, in the earth what is not right, [what are] acts of disobedience. For such there will be a painful chastisement.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِنَّمَا السَّبِيلُ

The way,

means, the burden of sin,

عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَظْلِمُونَ النَّاسَ وَيَبْغُونَ فِي الاَْرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ

is only against those who oppress men and rebel in the earth without justification;

means, those who initiate wrongful actions against others, as it is said in the Sahih Hadith;

الْمُسْتَبَّانِ مَا قَالَا فَعَلَى الْبَادِىءِ مَا لَمْ يَعْتَدِ الْمَظْلُوم

When two persons indulge in abusing each other, the one who initiated the wrongful action is to blame, unless the one who was wronged oversteps the mark in retaliation.

أُوْلَيِكَ لَهُم عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ



for such there will be a painful torment.

means, intense and agonizing.

It was reported that Muhammad bin Wasi said, "I came to Makkah and there was a security out post over the trench whose guards took me to Marwan bin Al-Muhallab, who was the governor of Basrah. He said,

`What do you need?, O Abu Abdullah,'

I said, `If you can do it, I need you to be like the brother of Banu `Adiy.'

He said, `Who is the brother of Banu `Adiy?'

He said, Al-Ala' bin Ziyad; he once appointed a friend of his to a position of authority, and he wrote to him;If you can, only go to sleep after you make sure that there is nothing on your back (i.e., you do not owe anything to anyone), your stomach is empty and your hands are untainted by the blood or wealth of the Muslims. If you do that, then there will be no way (of blame) against you --

إِنَّمَا السَّبِيلُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَظْلِمُونَ النَّاسَ وَيَبْغُونَ فِي الاَْرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ

أُوْلَيِكَ لَهُم عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ


The way is only against those who oppress men and rebel in the earth without justification; for such there will be a painful torment.'

Marwan said, `He spoke the truth, by Allah, and gave sincere advice.' Then he said, `What do you need, O Abu `Abdullah?'

I said, `I need you to let me join my family.'

He said, `Yes (I will do that)."'

This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim.

When Allah condemned wrongdoing and the people who do it, and prescribed Al-Qisas, He encouraged forgiveness