Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Fath Verse 25

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They are those who disbelieved and prevented you from the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid-ul-Harām ), and (prevented) the sacrificial animals that were detained from reaching their due place. And (Allah would have allowed you to fight,) had there not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know that you might have trampled them, and thus a painful situation might have arisen for you because of them unknowingly; (This situation was avoided) so that Allah may admit to His mercy whom He wills.And if they (the believing men and women) had moved (from Makkah), We would surely have punished those of them who disbelieved with a painful punishment.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They are the ones who persisted in disbelief and hindered you from the Sacred Mosque, preventing the sacrificial animals from reaching their destination.[[ The animals that Muslims had brought along to be sacrificed after completing the rituals of the minor pilgrimage (’umrah). ]] ˹We would have let you march through Mecca,˺ had there not been believing men and women, unknown to you. You might have trampled them underfoot, incurring guilt for ˹what you did to˺ them unknowingly. That was so Allah may admit into His mercy whoever He wills.[[ By doing so, the Meccan Muslims who were unknown to their fellow believers were safe, along with the pagans who later accepted Islam. ]] Had those ˹unknown˺ believers stood apart, We would have certainly inflicted a painful punishment on the disbelievers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

It is they who disbelieved and prevented you from the Sacred Mosque, and detained the sacrificial animals from reaching their place of sacrifice. If it had not been for the believing men and women whom you could not identify, so you might have trampled them and thus incurring guilt unknowingly, [We would have let you march to Makkah]. [This was] so that Allah may admit to His mercy whom He wills. If they had been distinct [from the disbelievers], We would have surely inflicted on those who disbelieved among them a painful punishment.

A. J. Arberry

They are the ones who disbelieved, and barred you from the Holy Mosque and the offering, detained so as not to reach its place of sacrifice. If it had not been for certain men believers and certain women believers whom you knew not, lest you should trample them, and there befall you guilt unwittingly on their account (that God may admit into His mercy whom He will), had they been separated clearly, then We would have chastised the unbelievers among them with a painful chastisement.

Abdul Haleem

They were the ones who disbelieved, who barred you from the Sacred Mosque, and who prevented the offering from reaching its place of sacrifice. If there had not been among them, unknown to you, believing men and women whom you would have trampled underfoot, inadvertently incurring guilt on their account- God brings whoever He will into His mercy- if the [believers] had been clearly separated, We would have inflicted a painful punishment on the disbelievers.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

They were those who disbelieved and hindered you from the Sacred Mosque and hindered the detained offering that it should arrive at the goal thereof. And had it not been for believing men and believin women whom ye knew not, and that ye might have trampled on them and thus there might have befallen you crime on their account unwittingly. He had not restrained your hands from them. But this He did that He might bring into His mercy whomsoever He will. Had they been distinguished one from another, surely We had tormented those who disbelieved among them with a torment afflictive.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They are the ones who denied Revelation and hindered you from the Sacred Mosque and the sacrificial animals, detained from reaching their place of sacrifice. Had there not been believing men and believing women whom ye did not know that ye were trampling down and on whose account a crime would have accrued to you without (your) knowledge, (Allah would have allowed you to force your way, but He held back your hands) that He may admit to His Mercy whom He will. If they had been apart, We should certainly have punished the Unbelievers among them with a grievous Punishment.

Abul Ala Maududi

They are the ones who disbelieved and barred you from the Inviolable Mosque and prevented the animals you had designated for sacrifice from reaching the place of their offering. If it had not been for the believing men and believing women (who lived in Makkah and) whom you did not know, and had there not been the fear that you might trample on them and unwittingly incur blame on their account, (then fighting would not have been put to a stop. It was stopped so that) Allah may admit to His Mercy whomsoever He pleases. Had those believers been separated from the rest, We would certainly have inflicted a grievous chastise-ment on those of them [i.e. the Makkans) who disbelieved.

Ahmed Ali

It were those who disbelieved who hindered you from (going to) the Holy Mosque, preventing your offerings from arriving at the place of sacrifice. Had it not been for (the presence of) believers, men and women, (among the unbelievers) of whom you were unaware, and whom you might have trampled and thus incurred guilt unknowingly on account of them, (the matter would have been settled). (But this was not done) so that God may admit into His favour whom He willed. If these (believers) had been separated from them, He would have inflicted a grievous punishment on the unbelievers.

Ahmed Raza Khan

It was these who disbelieved and prevented you from the Sacred Mosque, and stopped the sacrificial animals from reaching their place; and were it not for some Muslim men and Muslim women, whom you do not know – lest you may crush them and unintentionally incur some violation due to them – Allah would have permitted you to slay them; this relief for them, is so that Allah may admit into His mercy whomever He wills; and had they been separated, We would have indeed punished the disbelievers among them with a painful punishment.

Ali Quli Qarai

They are the ones who disbelieved and barred you from the Sacred Mosque, and kept the offering from reaching its destination. And were it not for [certain] faithful men and faithful women, whom you did not know—lest you should trample them, and thus the blame for [killing] them should fall on you unawares; [He held you back] so that Allah may admit into His mercy whomever He wishes. Had they been separate, We would have surely punished the faithless among them with a painful punishment.

Ali Ünal

(God defeated them because) they are the ones who have disbelieved and who barred you from (visiting) the Sacred Mosque and (prevented) the offerings from reaching their destination. And had there not been (in Makkah) believing men and believing women whom you did not know and therefore might have trodden down, and thus something undesired might have afflicted you on their account (for what you did) unknowingly, (God would not have restrained your hands from fighting. But He restrained your hands) so that He might admit to His mercy whom He wills (by sparing the believers in Makkah and enabling many among the Makkans to embrace Islam in time). If they (the believers and unbelievers in Makkah) had been clearly separated, We would certainly have punished those among them who disbelieved with a painful punishment.

Amatul Rahman Omar

These (your Makkan enemies) were the people who disbelieved and prevented you from the Holy Mosque while even the sacrificial animals were stopped from reaching their destination (- the place of sacrifice). Had not there been (at Makkah) some believing men and believing women as were unknown to you, and had there been no danger that (in case of war) you might have trodden them down and thus you might have incurred some harm unknowingly on their account, (We would have allowed you to invade Makkah but We did not allow this) so that Allâh might show His mercy to him who wishes (to be shown mercy). Had these (believers living in Makkah) left from there (and had been separated from them), We would have surely punished these of them (-the Makkans) who disbelieved, with a woeful punishment.

English Literal

They are those who disbelieved and prevented/stopped you from the Mosque the Forbidden/Sacred , and the offering designated/dedicated , that (E) it reaches its place/destination, and where it not for believing men , and believing women you did not know them, that (E) you invade/set foot on them, so strikes you from them harm without knowledge, (it is for) God to enter in His mercy whom He wills/wants, if they separated/dispersed We would have tortured those who disbelieved from them a painful torture.377

Faridul Haque

It was these who disbelieved and prevented you from the Sacred Mosque, and stopped the sacrificial animals from reaching their place; and were it not for some Muslim men and Muslim women, whom you do not know - lest you may crush them and unintentionally incur some violation due to them - Allah would have permitted you to slay them; this relief for them, is so that Allah may admit into His mercy whomever He wills; and had they been separated, We would have indeed punished the disbelievers among them with a painful punishment.

Hamid S. Aziz

It is they who disbelieved and turned you away from the Sacred Mosque and prevented the offering from reaching its destined place. Were it not for the believing men and the believing women (in Mecca), whom you knew not that you were trampling, thereby incurring guilt for yourselves on their account unknowingly (He would have allowed the war). (But he held you back) so that Allah may bring into His mercy whom He will. Had they been clearly separated one from another, We would surely have punished those who disbelieved from among them with a painful doom.

Hilali & Khan

They are the ones who disbelieved (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism), and hindered you from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (the sacred mosque of Makkah) and the sacrificial animals, detained from reaching their place of sacrifice. Had there not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know, that you may kill them, and on whose account a sin would have been committed by you without (your) knowledge, that Allah might bring into His Mercy whom He will, if they (the believers and the disbelievers) should have been apart, We verily had punished those of them who disbelieved, with painful torment.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And He it is Who held back their hands from you and your hands from them in the valley of Makkah after He had given you victory over them. And Allah is ever Seer of what you do.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

It is they who disbelieved and turned you away from the Sacred Mosque and (turned off) the offering withheld from arriving at its destined place; and were it not for the believing men and the believing women, whom, not having known, you might have trodden down, and thus something hateful might have afflicted you on their account without knowledge-- so that Allah may cause to enter into His mercy whomsoever He pleases; had they been widely separated one from another, We would surely have punished those who disbelieved from among them with a painful punishment.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

These it was who disbelieved and debarred you from the Inviolable Place of Worship, and debarred the offering from reaching its goal. And if it had not been for believing men and believing women, whom ye know not - lest ye should tread them under foot and thus incur guilt for them unknowingly; that Allah might bring into His mercy whom He will - If (the believers and the disbelievers) had been clearly separated We verily had punished those of them who disbelieved with painful punishment.

Muhammad Sarwar

It was the disbelievers who kept you from the Sacred Mosque and prevented your sacrificial offering from reaching its proper place. God would not have kept you from fighting the disbelievers, had there not been believing men and women (among them) whom you did not know and whom you might have unknowingly harmed. God did this because He grants mercy to whomever He wants. Had they been distinguishable from the believers, We would certainly have punished them with a painful torment.

Qaribullah & Darwish

They are those who disbelieved and barred you from the Holy Mosque and the offering detained so as not to reach its place of sacrifice if it had not been for certain believing men and certain believing women whom you did not know, you might have trampled upon them, and so sin reached you because of (killing) them while you did not know. In order that Allah admits into His Mercy whom He will, had they (the believers) been easy to distinguish, We would have punished the unbelievers among them with a painful punishment.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

They are those who disbelieved and hindered you from Al-Masjid Al-Haram and detained the sacrificial animals, from reaching their place of sacrifice. Had there not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know, that you may kill and on whose account a sin would have been committed by you without (your) knowledge, that Allah might bring into His mercy whom He wills -- if they had been apart, We verily, would have punished with painful torment those of them who disbelieved.

Wahiduddin Khan

It was they who were bent on denying the truth, and who debarred you from the Sacred Mosque and who prevented your offering from reaching its place of sacrifice. And had it not been for the believing men and believing women [in Makkah] whom you might unwittingly have trampled underfoot, and on whose account you might have, unknowingly, become guilty, [God would have commanded you to fight it out with them; but He ordained it thus] so that He may bring whoever He will into His mercy. If they [the believers] had been clearly separated, We would have punished those who were bent on denying the truth with a painful punishment.

Talal Itani

It is they who disbelieved, and barred you from the Sacred Mosque, and prevented the offering from reaching its destination. Were it not for faithful men and faithful women, whom you did not know, you were about to hurt them, and became guilty of an unintentional crime. Thus God admits into His mercy whomever He wills. Had they dispersed, We would have punished those who disbelieved among them with a painful penalty.

Tafsir jalalayn

They are the ones who disbelieved and barred you from the Sacred Mosque, that is, [barred you] from reaching it, and [prevented] the offering (wa'l-hadya is a supplement to the [suffixed pronoun] �kum, `you' [of saddkum, `they barred you']), which was detained (ma`kfan is a circumstantial qualifier), from reaching its destination, that is, [from] the place at which it is customarily sacrificed, namely, the Sanctuary [itself] (an yablugha mahillahu, is an inclusive substitution). And were it not for [some of] the believing men and believing women, being present at Mecca alongside the disbelievers, whom you did not know, to be believers -- lest you should trample them, that is to say, [lest] you should slay them together with the disbelievers, had you been given permission to embark on the conquest (an tata'hum is an inclusive substitution for �hum, `them' [of lam ta`lamhum, `whom you did not know']), and thus incur sin on account of them without, your, knowing, it ... (the third person pronouns in both groups [of people] predominantly imply males; the response to lawl, `were it not', has been omitted [through ellipsis], being [something along the lines of] la-udhina lakum f'l-fathi, `you would have been permitted to embark on the conquest'), but permission for this was not given at the time, so that God may admit into His mercy whom He will, such as those believers mentioned. Had they been clearly separated, [had] they [the believers] been distinguishable from the disbelievers, We would have surely chastised the disbelievers among them, of the people of Mecca [immediately] thereat, by permitting you to go ahead with the conquest thereof, with a painful chastisement.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Some of the Benefits gained from the Treaty at Al-Hudaybiyyah

Allah the Exalted states that the Arab idolators from Quraysh and their allies who extended help to them against His Messenger,

هُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا

They are those who disbelieved,

i.e. they are indeed the disbelievers,

وَصَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ

and hindered you from Al-Masjid Al-Haram,

i.e. `even though you are its people and more worthy of being responsible for it,'

وَالْهَدْيَ مَعْكُوفًا أَن يَبْلُغَ مَحِلَّهُ

and detained the sacrificial animals, from reaching their place of sacrifice.

i.e. they prevented, because of transgression and stubbornness, the sacrificial animals from being reached to the place where they would be slaughtered. There were seventy sacrificial camels designated for sacrifice, as we will mention, Allah willing.

Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,

وَلَوْلَا رِجَالٌ مُّوْمِنُونَ وَنِسَاء مُّوْمِنَاتٌ

Had there not been believing men and believing women,

i.e. `living among the Makkans hiding their faith for fearing for their safety from the pagans. Otherwise, We would have given you authority over the Makkans and you would have killed them to the brink of extermination. However, there were some faithful believers, men and women, living among them, about whom you had no knowledge of being believers and you might try to kill them.'

Allah's statement,

لَّمْ تَعْلَمُوهُمْ أَن تَطَوُوهُمْ فَتُصِيبَكُم مِّنْهُم مَّعَرَّةٌ

whom you did not know, that you may kill them and on whose account a sin would have been committed by you, (an evil and erroneous act),

بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ لِيُدْخِلَ اللَّهُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ مَن يَشَاء

without (your) knowledge, that Allah might bring into His mercy whom He wills,

that Allah might delay the punishment of the pagans of Makkah to save the believers who lived among them, and so that many of the idolators might embrace Islam.

Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,

لَوْ تَزَيَّلُوا

if they had been apart,

i.e. if the disbelievers and the believers who were living among them had been apart,

لَعَذَّبْنَا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا



We verily, would have punished with painful torment those of them who disbelieved.

`We would have given you dominance over the disbelievers and you would have inflicted tremendous slaughter on them.'

Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said