Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'idah Verse 52

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Now, you see those who have disease in their hearts race towards them saying, “We apprehend that some misfortune may overtake us.”So, it is likely that Allah may bring victory or something else from His own side, whereupon they will become regretful over what they concealed in their hearts.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

You see those with sickness in their hearts racing for their guardianship, saying ˹in justification˺, “We fear a turn of fortune will strike us.” But perhaps Allah will bring about ˹your˺ victory or another favour by His command, and they will regret what they have hidden in their hearts.

Ruwwad Translation Center

You see those with sickness in their hearts rushing to them, saying, “We fear a misfortune may strike us.” Perhaps Allah will bring about victory or some other decision from Himself, then they will regret for what they kept hidden in their hearts.

A. J. Arberry

Yet thou seest those in whose hearts is sickness vying with one another to come to them, saying, 'We fear lest a turn of fortune should smite us.' But it may be that God will bring the victory, or some commandment from Him, and then they will find themselves, for that they kept secret within them, remorseful,

Abdul Haleem

yet you [Prophet] will see the perverse at heart rushing to them for protection, saying, ‘We are afraid fortune may turn against us.’ But God may well bring about a triumph or some other event of His own making: then they will rue the secrets they harboured in their hearts,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Wherefore thou seest those in whose hearts is a disease hasten toward them saying: we fear lest there may befall us a reverse. But belike Allah may bring a victory or some affair from Himself; then they shall find themselves, for which they hide in their souls, remorseful.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Those in whose hearts is a disease - thou seest how eagerly they run about amongst them, saying; "We do fear lest a change of fortune bring us disaster." Ah! perhaps Allah will give (thee) victory, or a decision according to His will. Then will they repent of the thoughts which they secretly harboured in their hearts.

Abul Ala Maududi

Indeed you see those afflicted with the disease of hypocrisy race towards them, saying: 'We fear lest some misfortune overtakes us. And it may happen that Allah will either bring you a decisive victory or bring about something else from Himself? and then they will feel remorseful at their hypocrisy which they have kept concealed in their breasts -

Ahmed Ali

You will notice that those whose hearts are afflicted with sickness (of doubt) only hasten to join them and say: "We fear lest misfortune should surround us." It may well be that God may soon send (you) success, or other command of His. Then will they be repentant of what they had concealed in their hearts.

Ahmed Raza Khan

You will now see those in whose hearts is a disease, that they rush towards the Jews and the Christians, saying, “We fear that a misfortune will possibly befall us”; so it is likely that Allah may soon bring victory, or a command from Himself, so they will remain regretting what they had hidden in their hearts.

Ali Quli Qarai

Yet you see those in whose hearts is a sickness rushing to them, saying, ‘We fear lest a turn of fortune should visit us.’ Maybe Allah will bring about a victory, or a command from Him, and then they will be regretful for what they kept secret in their hearts,

Ali Ünal

Yet you (O Messenger) see those, in whose hearts there is a sickness (that dries up the source of their spiritual life, extinguishes their power of understanding and corrupts their character), hastening towards them (to get their friendship and patronage) as if competing with one another, saying, "We fear lest a turn of fortune should befall us." But it may be that God will bring about (for the believers) victory or some other outcome of His own will (to punish those hypocrites or the wrongdoers whose friendship and patronage they seek). And then they will find themselves utterly regretful for the secrets they (as hypocrites) sought to keep hidden in their selves.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Now you shall see those in whose hearts is a disease (of hypocrisy) vying one with another towards them (- the Jews and Christians to take them for allies). They say, `We are afraid lest a misfortune should befall us.´ But it is well nigh that Allâh will bring about a victory or some other (more remarkable) event (in favour of Islam) from Himself; then they will become more remorseful (and ashamed) for what they secretly harboured in their minds.

English Literal

So you see those who in their hearts/minds (is) sickness/disease, they rush/speed in (to) them, they say: "We fear that disaster strikes/hits us, so maybe that God comes with the victory or an order/matter from at Him." So they become on what they kept secret in themselves regretful .

Faridul Haque

You will now see those in whose hearts is a disease, that they rush towards the Jews and the Christians, saying, “We fear that a misfortune will possibly befall us”; so it is likely that Allah may soon bring victory, or a command from Himself, so they will remain regretting what they had hidden in their hearts.

Hamid S. Aziz

Then those who believe say, "Are these they who swore by Allah with their strongest oath that they were surely with you?"- Their works have failed and they shall wake up ruined.

Hilali & Khan

And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease (of hypocrisy), they hurry to their friendship, saying: "We fear lest some misfortune of a disaster may befall us." Perhaps Allah may bring a victory or a decision according to His Will. Then they will become regretful for what they have been keeping as a secret in themselves.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

O you who believe, take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends of each other. And whoever amongst you takes them for friends he is indeed one of them. Surely Allah guides not the unjust people.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

But you will see those in whose hearts is a disease hastening towards them, saying: We fear lest a calamity should befall us; but it may be that Allah will bring the victory or a punishment from Himself, so that they shall be regretting on account of what they hid in their souls.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And thou seest those in whose heart is a disease race toward them, saying: We fear lest a change of fortune befall us. And it may happen that Allah will vouchsafe (unto thee) the victory, or a commandment from His presence. Then will they repent them of their secret thoughts.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), you have seen those whose hearts are sick, running around among the people (Jews) saying, "We are afraid of being struck by disaster." But if God were to grant you victory or some other favors, they would then regret for what they had been hiding in their souls.

Qaribullah & Darwish

You see those in whose hearts is sickness racing with one another to come to them. They say: 'We fear lest a change of fortune should befall us' May Allah bring victory or make known His ordinance, then, they shall regret what they had hidden in themselves.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease, they hurry to their friendship, saying: "We fear lest some misfortune of a disaster may befall us. " Perhaps Allah may bring a victory or a decision according to His will. Then they will become regretful for what they have been keeping as a secret in themselves.

Wahiduddin Khan

You will see those whose minds are diseased hastening towards them, saying, "We fear lest a misfortune befall us." But God may well bring about victory or make a decision which is favourable to you. Then they will repent of the thoughts, which they secretly harboured in their hearts.

Talal Itani

You will see those in whose hearts is sickness racing towards them. They say, “We fear the wheel of fate may turn against us.” But perhaps God will bring about victory, or some event of His making; thereupon they will regret what they concealed within themselves.

Tafsir jalalayn

And you see those in whose hearts is sickness, weakness of faith, the like of `Abd Allh b. Ubayy the hypocrite; vying with one another for them, to affiliate with them, saying, as an excuse for this; `We fear lest we suffer a turn of fortune', which time will bring round against us, such as drought or defeat, and that if Muhammad's affair should come to nothing, they will cease to supply us with provisions. God, exalted be He, says; But it may be that God will bring victory, by assisting His Prophet and making His religion prevail; or some commandment from Him, that will reveal the secrets of the hypocrites, disgracing them; and then they will end up, for what they kept secret within themselves, in the way of doubt and affiliating with disbelievers, remorseful.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ

And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease...,

A disease of doubt, hesitation and hypocrisy.

يُسَارِعُونَ فِيهِمْ

they hurry to their friendship,

meaning, they rush to offer them their friendship and allegiances in secret and in public.

يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَى أَن تُصِيبَنَا دَايِرَةٌ

saying;"We fear lest some misfortune of a disaster may befall us."

They thus offer this excuse for their friendship and allegiances to the disbelievers, saying that they fear that the disbelievers might defeat the Muslims, so they want to be in favor with the Jews and Christians, to use this favor for their benefit in that eventuality!

Allah replied,

فَعَسَى اللّهُ أَن يَأْتِيَ بِالْفَتْحِ

Perhaps Allah may bring a victory...,

According to As-Suddi,

referring to the conquering of Makkah.

أَوْ أَمْرٍ مِّنْ عِندِهِ

or a decision according to His will,

As-Suddi stated,

means, requiring the Jews and Christians to pay the Jizyah.

فَيُصْبِحُواْ

Then they will become,

meaning, the hypocrites who gave their friendship to the Jews and Christians, will become,

عَلَى مَا أَسَرُّواْ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ

for what they have been keeping as a secret in themselves,

of allegiances,

نَادِمِينَ



regretful.

for their friendship with the Jews and Christians which did not benefit them or protect them from any harm. Rather, it was nothing but harm, as Allah exposed their true reality to His faithful servants in this life, although they tried to conceal it.

When the signs that exposed their hypocrisy were compiled against them, their matter became clear to Allah's faithful servants. So the believers were amazed at these hypocrites who pretended to be believers, swearing to their faithfulness, yet their claims were all lies and deceit.

This is why Allah said,

وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ أَهَـوُلاء الَّذِينَ أَقْسَمُواْ بِاللّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ إِنَّهُمْ لَمَعَكُمْ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَأَصْبَحُواْ خَاسِرِينَ