Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal Verse 34

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And what privilege do they have that Allah should not punish them, while they prevent (people) from Al-Masjid-ul-Harām (the Sacred Mosque), even though they are not (competent to be) its custodians? Its (competent) custodians are none but the God-fearing, but most of them do not know.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And why should Allah not punish them while they hinder pilgrims from the Sacred Mosque, claiming to be its rightful guardians? None has the right to guardianship except those mindful ˹of Allah˺, but most pagans do not know.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Why should Allah not punish them when they prevent [people] from the Sacred Mosque, although they are not its rightful guardians? Its rightful guardians are only those who fear Allah, but most of them do not know.

A. J. Arberry

But what have they now, that God should not chastise them, when they are barring from the Holy Mosque, not being its protectors? Its only protectors are the godfearing; but most of them know not.

Abdul Haleem

yet why should God not punish them when they debar people from the Sacred Mosque, although they are not its [rightful] guardians? Only those mindful of God are its rightful guardians, but most of the disbelievers do not realize this.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And what aileth them that Allah should not chastise them when they are hindering people from the Sacred Mosque, whereas they are not even the keepers thereof - its keepers are none but the God-fearing-- but most of them know not.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But what plea have they that Allah should not punish them, when they keep out (men) from the sacred Mosque - and they are not its guardians? No men can be its guardians except the righteous; but most of them do not understand.

Abul Ala Maududi

But what prevents Allah from chastising them now when they are hindering people from the Holy Mosque, even though they are not even its true guardians. For its true guardians are none but the God-fearing, though most of them do not know that.

Ahmed Ali

But what is there so special they have that God should not punish them when they obstruct people from the Holy Mosque, though they are not its (appointed) guardians? Its guardians could be only those who are pious and devout. But most of them do not know.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And what is with them that Allah should not punish them, whereas in fact they prevent from the Sacred Mosque and they are not worthy (of being the custodians) of it; only the pious are its befitting custodians, but most of them do not have knowledge.

Ali Quli Qarai

What [excuse] have they that Allah should not punish them, when they bar [the faithful] from the Holy Mosque, and they are not its custodians? Its custodians are only the Godwary, but most of them do not know.

Ali Ünal

What plea do they have that God should not punish them, seeing that they bar (the believers) from the Sacred Mosque, although they are not qualified to own and guard it? Its qualified, rightful guardians are only the pious who keep from disobedience to God in reverence for Him, but most of them (those unbelievers) do not know.

Amatul Rahman Omar

But what plea have they (now) that Allâh should not punish them when they keep (His worshippers) back from the Holy Mosque (at Makkah), whilst they are not (fit to be) its (true) trustees. Its (true) trustees are only those who have become secure against evil but most of these (disbelievers) know not (this fact).

English Literal

And why (is it) for them that God not torture them and they are objecting/preventing/obstructing from the Mosque the Forbidden/Sacred , and they were not its patrons/supporters , that its patrons/supporters , (are not) except the fearing and obeying, and but most of them do not know .

Faridul Haque

And what is with them that Allah should not punish them, whereas in fact they prevent from the Sacred Mosque and they are not worthy (of being the custodians) of it; only the pious are its befitting custodians, but most of them do not have knowledge.

Hamid S. Aziz

But what plea have they that Allah should not punish them when they turn folk away from the Sacred Mosque (The Kaaba), though they are not its fitting guardians? Its fitting guardians are only the righteous (those who keep their duty to Allah), but most of them know not.

Hilali & Khan

And why should not Allah punish them while they stop (men) from Al-Masjid-al-Haram, and they are not its guardians? None can be its guardian except Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2), but most of them know not.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And Allah would not chastise them while thou wast among them; nor would Allah chastise them while they seek forgiveness.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And what (excuse) have they that Allah should not chastise them while they hinder (men) from the Sacred Mosque and they are not (fit to be) guardians of it; its guardians are only those who guard (against evil), but most of them do not know.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

What (plea) have they that Allah should not punish them, when they debar (His servants) from the Inviolable Place of Worship, though they are not its fitting guardians. Its fitting guardians are those only who keep their duty to Allah. But most of them know not.

Muhammad Sarwar

Why should God not punish them when they hinder people from entering the sacred mosque? They are not its true patrons. Only the righteous ones are its patrons, but most of the pagans do not know.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And why should Allah not punish them, when they have barred others from the Sacred Mosque, although they were not its guardians? Its only guardians are the cautious, though most of them do not know.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And why should not Allah punish them while they hinder (men) from Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and they are not its guardians None can be its guardians except those who have Taqwa, but most of them know not.

Wahiduddin Khan

Yet why should God not punish them when they debar people from the Sacred Mosque, although they are not its guardians? Its rightful guardians are those who fear God, though most of them do not realize it.

Talal Itani

Yet why should God not punish them, when they are turning others away from the Sacred Mosque, although they are not its custodians? Its rightful custodians are the pious; but most of them do not know.

Tafsir jalalayn

But what [plea] have they now, that God should not chastise them, with the sword, after your departure and that of the oppressed [believers] -- if this [verse] is understood in accordance with the first opinion [that it refers to the idolaters asking forgiveness], then it abrogates the previous one, for God had chastised them at Badr and in other instances -- when they bar, prevent the Prophet (s) and the Muslims, from the Sacred Mosque, [from] performing circumambulations there, though they are not its guardians?, as they claim? Its only [rightful] guardians are the God-fearing, but most of them do not know, that they have no [rightful] custodianship over it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Idolators deserved Allah's Torment after Their Atrocities

Allah states that the idolators deserved the torment, but He did not torment them in honor of the Prophet residing among them. After Allah allowed the Prophet to migrate away from them, He sent His torment upon them on the day of Badr. During that battle, the chief pagans were killed, or captured. Allah also directed them to seek forgiveness for the sins, Shirk and wickedness they indulged in. If it was not for the fact that there were some weak Muslims living among the Makkan pagans, those Muslims who invoked Allah for His forgiveness, Allah would have sent down to them the torment that could never be averted. Allah did not do that on account of the weak, ill-treated, and oppressed believers living among them, as He reiterated about the day at Al-Hudaybiyyah,

هُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْهَدْىَ مَعْكُوفاً أَن يَبْلُغَ مَحِلَّهُ وَلَوْلَا رِجَالٌ مُّوْمِنُونَ وَنِسَأءٌ مُّوْمِنَـتٌ لَّمْ تَعْلَمُوهُمْ أَن تَطَيُوهُمْ فَتُصِيبَكمْ مِّنْهُمْ مَّعَرَّةٌ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ لِّيُدْخِلَ اللَّهُ فِى رَحْمَتِهِ مَن يَشَأءُ لَوْ تَزَيَّلُواْ لَعَذَّبْنَا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْهُمْ عَذَاباً أَلِيماً

They are the ones who disbelieved and hindered you from Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah) 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 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 wills if they (the believers and the disbelievers) had been apart, We verily, would have punished those of them who disbelieved with painful torment. (48;25)

Allah said here,

وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلاَّ يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُواْ أَوْلِيَاءهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَأوُهُ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ



And why should not Allah punish them while they hinder (men) from Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and they are not its guardians!

None can be its guardians except those who have Taqwa, but most of them know not.

Allah asks, `why would not He torment them while they are stopping Muslims from going to Al-Masjid Al-Haram, thus hindering the believers, its own people, from praying and performing Tawaf in it'

Allah said,

وَمَا كَانُواْ أَوْلِيَاءهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَأوُهُ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقُونَ

And they are not its guardians. None can be its guardians except those who have Taqwa,

meaning, the Prophet and his Companions are the true dwellers (or worthy maintainers) of Al-Masjid Al-Haram, not the pagans. Allah said in other Ayah,

مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُواْ مَسَاجِدَ الله شَـهِدِينَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِم بِالْكُفْرِ أُوْلَـيِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ وَفِى النَّارِ هُمْ خَـلِدُونَ

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَـجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاٌّخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَوةَ وَءاتَى الزَّكَوةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ فَعَسَى أُوْلَـيِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ

It is not for the polytheists, to maintain the Masjids of Allah, while they witness disbelief against themselves. The works of such are in vain and in the Fire shall they abide.

The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; perform the Salah, and give the Zakah and fear none but Allah. It is they who are on true guidance. (9;17-18)

and,

وَصَدٌّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَكُفْرٌ بِهِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِخْرَاجُ أَهْلِهِ مِنْهُ أَكْبَرُ عِندَ اللَّهِ

But a greater (transgression) with Allah is to prevent mankind from following the way of Allah, to disbelieve in Him, to prevent access to Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah), and to drive out its inhabitants, (2;217)

Urwah, As-Suddi and Muhammad bin Ishaq said that Allah's statement,
إِنْ أَوْلِيَأوُهُ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقُونَ
(None can be its guardians except those who have Taqwa),

refers to Muhammad and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.

Mujahid explained that;

this Ayah is about the Mujahidin (in Allah's cause), whomever and wherever they may be.

Allah then mentioned the practice of the pagans next to Al-Masjid Al-Haram and the respect they observed in its vicinity