Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Jinn Verse 27

Mufti Taqi Usmani

except a messenger whom He chooses (to inform through revelation), and then He appoints (angels as) watching guards before him and behind him, (so that devils may not tamper with the divine revelation,)

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

except messengers of His choice. Then He appoints angel-guards before and behind them

Ruwwad Translation Center

except the messenger whom He chooses, then He appoints angel-guards before him and behind him

A. J. Arberry

save only to such a Messenger as He is well-pleased with; then He despatches before him and behind him watchers,

Abdul Haleem

He does not disclose it except to a messenger of His choosing. He sends watchers to go in front and behind

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Save Unto an apostle chosen. And then He causeth to go before him and behind him a guard.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Except a messenger whom He has chosen; and then He makes a band of watchers march before him and behind him,

Abul Ala Maududi

other than to a Messenger whom He chooses (for the bestowal of any part of the knowledge of the Unseen), whereafter He appoints guards who go before him and behind him,

Ahmed Ali

Other than an apostle He has chosen, when He makes a sentinel walk in front of him and a sentinel behind,

Ahmed Raza Khan

Except to His chosen Noble Messengers – so He appoints guards in front and behind him. (Allah gave the knowledge of the hidden to the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him.)

Ali Quli Qarai

except to an apostle He approves of. Then He dispatches a sentinel before and behind him

Ali Ünal

Except to a Messenger whom He has chosen (and is well-pleased with – He informs him of the Unseen as much as He wills –); and He dispatches a watchful guard before him (between him and his audience) and a watchful guard behind him (between him and the origin of the Revelation);

Amatul Rahman Omar

Except to him whom He chooses to be a Messenger (of His, to whom He frequently tells many news about the hidden future). (And when He does this) He orders an escort of (guarding angels) to go before him and behind him;

English Literal

Except whom He accepted from a messenger so that He truly, He enters/passes from between his hands (present) and from behind him (past), watching/observing observation.

Faridul Haque

Except to His chosen Noble Messengers – so He appoints guards in front and behind him. (Allah gave the knowledge of the hidden to the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him.)

Hamid S. Aziz

Except messengers whom He has chosen; and then He makes a guard to go before him and after him,

Hilali & Khan

Except to a Messenger (from mankind) whom He has chosen (He informs him of unseen as much as He likes), and then He makes a band of watching guards (angels) to march before him and behind him.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

O thou covering thyself up!

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Except to him whom He chooses as an apostle; for surely He makes a guard to march before him and after him,

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Save unto every messenger whom He hath chosen, and then He maketh a guard to go before him and a guard behind him

Muhammad Sarwar

He causes angelic guards to march before and after him.

Qaribullah & Darwish

except only to a Messenger that He has chosen, and He sends guardians before him and behind him,

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Except to a Messenger whom He has chosen, and then He makes a band of watching guards to march before him and behind him.

Wahiduddin Khan

except the messenger whom He has chosen. He sends down guardians who walk before them and behind them,

Talal Itani

Except to a Messenger of His choosing. He then dispatches guards before him and behind him.

Tafsir jalalayn

except to a messenger of whom He approves. Then, in addition to disclosing to him what He will [to disclose] of it, by way of [making it] a miracle for him, He despatches, He appoints and sends forth, before him, namely, the Messenger, and behind him watchers, angels to preserve him until He has conveyed [it] to him as part of the [entire] revelation,

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِلاَّ مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِن رَّسُولٍ

The All-Knower of the Unseen, and He reveals to none His Unseen. Except to a Messenger.

This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَأءَ

And they will never compass any thing of His knowledge except that which He wills. (2;255)

Similarly, Allah says here that He knows the unseen and the seen and that no one of His creation can attain any of His knowledge except that which Allah allows him to have. Thus, Allah says,

عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا


إِلاَّ مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِن رَّسُولٍ

The All-Knower of the Unseen, and He reveals to none His Unseen. Except to a Messenger whom He has chosen,

This includes the angelic Messenger and the human Messenger.

Then Allah says,

فَإِنَّهُ يَسْلُكُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ رَصَدًا




and then He makes a band of watching guards to march before him and behind him.

meaning, He particularly gives him additional guardian angels who protect him by the command of Allah and they accompany him with that which is with him of Allah's revelation.

Thus, Allah says,

لِيَعْلَمَ أَن قَدْ أَبْلَغُوا رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ وَأَحْصَى كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عَدَدًا