Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 86

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Do not sit in every path threatening and preventing from the way of Allah the people who believe in Him, and seeking a twist in it. Remember the time when you were few, then He increased you in number. Consider the fate of those who used to make mischief.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And do not lie in ambush on every road—threatening and hindering those who believe in Allah from His Path and striving to make it ˹appear˺ crooked. Remember when you were few, then He increased you in number. And consider the fate of the corruptors!

Ruwwad Translation Center

Do not lie in wait on every path, threatening and preventing from Allah’s path those who believe in Him, and seeking to make it crooked. Remember when you were few, then He increased you in number. See how was the end of those who spread corruption.

A. J. Arberry

And do not sit in every path, threatening and barring from God's way those who believe in Him, desiring to make it crooked. And remember when you were few, and He multiplied you; and behold, how was the end of the workers of corruption.

Abdul Haleem

Do not sit in every pathway, threatening and barring those who believe in God from His way, trying to make it crooked. Remember how you used to be few and He made you multiply. Think about the fate of those who used to spread corruption.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And beset not every highway menacing and turning aside from the path of Allah those who believe in Him, and seeking to make it crooked. And remember when ye were small, and He thereafter multiplied you; and behold what like was the end of the corrupters.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"And squat not on every road, breathing threats, hindering from the path of Allah those who believe in Him, and seeking in it something crooked; But remember how ye were little, and He gave you increase. And hold in your mind's eye what was the end of those who did mischief.

Abul Ala Maududi

And do not lie in ambush by every path [of life] seeking to overawe or to hinder from the path of Allah those who believe, nor seek to make the path crooked. Remember, how you were once few, and then He multiplied you, and keep in mind what was the end of mischiefmakers.

Ahmed Ali

Do not lie in ambush to intimidate and divert from the path of God those who believe in Him, nor seek obliquity in it. Remember the day when you were few and He increased your numbers. So consider the fate of those who were evil.

Ahmed Raza Khan

“And do not be seated on every road in order to scare the travellers, and to prevent from Allah’s path the people who believe in Him, wishing to distort it; and remember when you were few and He increased your numbers; and see what sort of fate befell the mischievous!”

Ali Quli Qarai

And do not lie in wait on every road to threaten and bar those who have faith in Him from the way of Allah, seeking to make it crooked. Remember when you were few, and He multiplied you, and observe how was the fate of the agents of corruption.

Ali Ünal

"And do not lurk in ambush by every pathway, seeking to overawe and bar from God’s way one who believes in Him, and seeking to make it appear crooked. And remember how you were once few (and weak), and then He increased you in number (and strength). And look, how was the outcome for those who cause disorder and corruption (on the earth).

Amatul Rahman Omar

`And do not sit in every path holding out threats (to the wayfarers), and turning those who believe in Him, away from the path of Allâh and seeking to make it (appear as) crooked. And remember (His favours) when you were but a few then He multiplied you. Behold! what was the end of the spreader of corruption.

English Literal

And do not sit/remain with every road/way, you promise and you object/prevent/obstruct who believed with it from God`s way/road and you wish/desire it (be) bent/crookedness/indirectness, and remember when/where you where little/few , so He increased you, and see/wonder about how was the corruptings`/disorderings` end/turn (result).

Faridul Haque

"And do not be seated on every road in order to scare the travellers, and to prevent from Allah’s path the people who believe in Him, wishing to distort it; and remember when you were few and He increased your numbers; and see what sort of fate befell the mischievous!"

Hamid S. Aziz

"And lurk not in every path, threatening (and corrupting) and hindering from the path of Allah those who believe in Him, craving to make it crooked. Remember when you were few (small or weak) and He multiplied (increased, strengthened) you; and see what was the end of the corrupters!

Hilali & Khan

"And sit not on every road, threatening, and hindering from the Path of Allah those who believe in Him. and seeking to make it crooked. And remember when you were but few, and He multiplied you. And see what was the end of the Mufsidun (mischief-makers, corrupts, liars).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And to Midian (We sent) their brother Shuaib. He said: O my people, serve Allah, you have no god other than Him. Clear proof indeed has come to you from your Lord, so give full measure and weight and diminish not to men their things and make not mischief in the land after its reform. This is better for you, if you are believers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And do not lie in wait in every path, threatening and turning away from Allah's way him who believes in Him and seeking to make it crooked; and remember when you were few then He multiplied you, and consider what was the end of the mischief-makers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lurk not on every road to threaten (wayfarers), and to turn away from Allah's path him who believeth in Him, and to seek to make it crooked. And remember, when ye were but few, how He did multiply you. And see the nature of the consequence for the corrupters!

Muhammad Sarwar

Do not ambush the believers or hinder them from every path that leads them to God just because you wish to make such ways seem crooked. Recall the time when you were just a few in number and God multiplied you. Consider how terrible the end of the evil-doers was!

Qaribullah & Darwish

'Do not sit in every road, threatening and barring from the Path of Allah those who believed it, nor seek to make it crooked. Remember how He multiplied you when you were few in number. Consider the end of the corrupters.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

"And sit not on every road, threatening, and hindering from the path of Allah those who believe in Him, and seeking to make it crooked. And remember when you were but few, and He multiplied you. And see what was the end of the mischief-makers.

Wahiduddin Khan

Do not lie in ambush on every pathway, threatening people, barring those who believe from the Way of God, seeking to make it appear crooked. Remember when you were few in number and He multiplied you. Consider the fate of those who used to spread corruption.

Talal Itani

“And do not lurk on every path, making threats and turning away from the path of God those who believe in Him, seeking to distort it. And remember how you were few, and how He made you numerous. So note the consequences for the corrupters.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And do not sit in every path, [every] route, threatening, terrifying people by seizing their garments, or by charging them excise [tax], and barring, driving away, from God's way, [from] His religion, those who believe in Him -- when you threaten to kill them -- and desiring that it, seeking that the path, be crooked. And remember when you were but few, and then He multiplied you. And behold what was the end of the agents of corruption, before you, for denying their messengers, that is, [behold] how destruction was the conclusion of their affair.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Prophet Shu`ayb forbade his people from setting up blockades on the roads, saying,

وَلَا تَقْعُدُواْ بِكُلِّ صِرَاطٍ تُوعِدُونَ



"And sit not on every road, threatening,"

According to As-Suddi,

threatening people with death if they do not give up their money, as they were bandits,

Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and several others commented;

the believers who come to Shu`ayb to follow him."

The first meaning is better, because Prophet Shu`ayb first said to them,
بِكُلِّ صِرَاطٍ
("on every road..."). He then mentioned the second meaning,

وَتَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ مَنْ امَنَ بِهِ وَتَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا

"and hindering from the path of Allah those who believe in Him, and seeking to make it crooked."

meaning, you seek to make the path of Allah crooked and deviated.

وَاذْكُرُواْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ قَلِيلً فَكَثَّرَكُمْ

"And remember when you were but few, and He multiplied you."

meaning, you were weak because you were few. But you later on became mighty because of your large numbers. Therefore, remember Allah's favor.

وَانظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ



"And see what was the end of the mischief-makers."

from the previous nations and earlier generations. See the torment and punishment they suffered, because they disobeyed Allah and rejected His Messengers.

Shu`ayb continued