Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 26

Mufti Taqi Usmani

O children of ’Ādam, We have sent down to you the dress that covers your shame and provides adornment. As for the dress of Taqwā (piety), that is the best. That is one of the signs of Allah, so that they may learn a lesson.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

O children of Adam! We have provided for you clothing to cover your nakedness and as an adornment. However, the best clothing is righteousness. This is one of Allah’s bounties, so perhaps you will be mindful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

O children of Adam, We have given you garments that cover your private parts and as an adornment. However, the garment of piety is best. That is one of the signs of Allah, so that they may take heed.

A. J. Arberry

Children of Adam! We have sent down on you a garment to cover your shameful parts, and feathers; and the garment of godfearing -- that is better; that is one of God's signs; haply they will remember.

Abdul Haleem

Children of Adam, We have given you garments to cover your nakedness and as adornment for you; the garment of God-consciousness is the best of all garments- this is one of God’s signs, so that people may take heed.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

O Children of Adam! verily We have sent down unto you a garment covering your shame and as an adornment; and the garment of piety --that is the best. That is of the signss of Allah, that haply they may be admonished.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

O ye Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you. But the raiment of righteousness,- that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah, that they may receive admonition!

Abul Ala Maududi

O Children of Adam! Indeed We have sent down to you a garment which covers your shame and provides protection and adornment. But the finest of all is the garment of piety. That is one of the signs of Allah so that they may take heed.

Ahmed Ali

O sons of Adam, We have revealed to you a dress that would both hide your nakedness and be an adornment, but the raiment of piety is best. This is one of the tokens of God: You may haply reflect.

Ahmed Raza Khan

O Descendants of Adam! We have sent down to you a garment to conceal your shame, and another garment for your elegance; and the garment of piety – that is the best; this is among the signs of Allah, so that they may remember.

Ali Quli Qarai

‘O Children of Adam! We have certainly sent down to you garments to cover your nakedness, and for adornment. Yet the garment of Godwariness—that is the best.’ That is [one] of Allah’s signs, so that they may take admonition.

Ali Ünal

O children of Adam! Assuredly We have sent down on you a garment to cover your private parts, and garments for adornment. However, (remember that) the garment of piety and righteousness – it is the best of all. That is from God’s signs, that they may reflect and be mindful.

Amatul Rahman Omar

O Children of Adam! We have given you a raiment that covers your nakedness and is a source of (your) elegance and protection. Yet the raiment that guards against evils, that is the best (of robes). That is one of the commandments of Allâh so that they may attain eminence.

English Literal

You Adam`s sons and daughters, We had descended on you a cover/dress (that) hides/conceals your shameful genital private parts, and feathers/riches/possessions, and the fear and obedience (of God`s) cover/dress, that (is) better , and that (is) from God`s signs/verses/evidences, maybe/perhaps they remember/glorify .

Faridul Haque

O Descendants of Adam! We have sent down to you a garment to conceal your shame, and another garment for your elegance; and the garment of piety - that is the best; this is among the signs of Allah, so that they may remember.

Hamid S. Aziz

O children of Adam! We have revealed to you garments wherewith to cover your shame, and adornments (ornaments, embellishments, enhancements); but the garment of righteousness (restraint from evil), that is best. That is one of the Signs of Allah, per chance (or possibly) you may remember.

Hilali & Khan

O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment, and the raiment of righteousness, that is better. Such are among the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, that they may remember (i.e. leave falsehood and follow truth).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He said: Therein shall you live, and therein shall you die, and there-from shall you be raised.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

O children of Adam! We have indeed sent down to you clothing to cover your shame, and (clothing) for beauty and clothing that guards (against evil), that is the best. This is of the communications of Allah that they may be mindful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

O Children of Adam! We have revealed unto you raiment to conceal your shame, and splendid vesture, but the raiment of restraint from evil, that is best. This is of the revelations of Allah, that they may remember.

Muhammad Sarwar

Children of Adam, We have given you clothing to cover your private parts and for beauty, but the robe of piety is the best. Thus is the guidance of God so that you may take heed.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Children of Adam! We have sent down to you clothing that covers your nakedness, and feathers. But the clothing of piety that is better. That is one of the signs of Allah, in order that they remember.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

O Children of Adam! We have bestowed Libas (raiment) upon you to cover yourselves with, and as Rish (adornment); and the Libas (raiment) of Taqwa, that is better. Such are among the Ayat of Allah, that they may remember.

Wahiduddin Khan

O children of Adam! We have sent down to you clothes to cover your nakedness, and to be pleasing to the eye; but the raiment of righteousness is the best. That is one of the signs of God. So that people may take heed.

Talal Itani

O children of Adam! We have provided you with clothing to cover your bodies, and for luxury. But the clothing of piety—that is best. These are some of God’s revelations, so that they may take heed.

Tafsir jalalayn

O Children of Adam! We have sent down on you a garment, that is, We have created it for you, to conceal, to cover up, your shameful parts, and feathers, meaning all that one adorns oneself with of garments, and the garment of God-fearing, righteous deeds and virtuous traits (read as libsa'l-taqw, `the garment of God- fearing', as a supplement to the preceding libsan, `a garment'; or read as libsu'l-tawq as the subject, the predicate of which is the [following] sentence) that is best; that is one of God's signs, the proofs of His power; perhaps they will remember, and believe (the address shifts from the second [to the third] person).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Bestowing Raiment and Adornment on Mankind

Allah says;

يَا بَنِي ادَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْءَاتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَىَ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ ذَلِكَ مِنْ ايَاتِ اللّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ



O Children of Adam! We have bestowed Libas (raiment) upon you to cover yourselves with, and as Rish (adornment); and the Libas (raiment) of Taqwa, that is better. Such are among the Ayat of Allah, that they may remember.

Allah reminds His servants that He has given them Libas and Rish.
Libas refers to the clothes that are used to cover the private parts, while Rish refers to the outer adornments used for purposes of beautification. Therefore, the first type is essential while the second type is complimentary.

Ibn Jarir said that;
Rish includes furniture and outer clothes.

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam commented on the Ayah,
وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَىَ
(and the Libas (raiment) of Taqwa...),

"When one fears Allah, Allah covers his errors. Hence the `Libas of Taqwa' (that the Ayah mentions).