Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tawbah Verse 17

Mufti Taqi Usmani

It is not for the Mushriks to build up the mosques of Allah while they are witnesses of their own infidelity. Those are the ones whose deeds have gone to waste; and in the Fire they shall remain forever.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah while they openly profess disbelief. Their deeds are void, and they will be in the Fire forever.

Ruwwad Translation Center

It is not for the polytheists to maintain Allah’s mosques while openly displaying their disbelief. Their deeds have become worthless, and they will abide in the Fire forever.

A. J. Arberry

It is not for the idolaters to inhabit God's places of worship, witnessing against themselves unbelief; those -- their works have failed them, and in the Fire they shall dwell forever.

Abdul Haleem

It is not right for the idolaters to tend God’s places of worship while testifying to their own disbelief: the deeds of such people will come to nothing and they will abide in Hell.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

It is not for the associators that they shall tend Allah's mosques, while giving evidence of infidelity against themselves. Those! vain shall be their works, and in the Fire they shall be abiders.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

It is not for such as join gods with Allah, to visit or maintain the mosques of Allah while they witness against their own souls to infidelity. The works of such bear no fruit; In Fire shall they dwell.

Abul Ala Maududi

It does not become those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity to visit and tend Allah's mosques while they bear witness of unbelief against themselves. All their works have gone to waste. They shall abide in the Fire.

Ahmed Ali

The idolaters have no right to visit the mosques of God while bearing testimony to their disbelief. Meaningless will be their acts, and in Hell they will bide for ever,

Ahmed Raza Khan

It does not befit the polytheists to assemble in Allah’s mosques after themselves bearing witness of their disbelief; in fact all their deeds are wasted; and they will remain in the fire forever.

Ali Quli Qarai

The polytheists may not maintain Allah’s mosques while they are witness to their own unfaith. Their works have failed, and they shall remain in the Fire [forever].

Ali Ünal

It is not for those who associate partners with God to maintain God’s houses of worship while they are witnesses against themselves of unbelief (and do not worship God in those houses of worship). They are those whose works have been wasted, and they will abide in the Fire.

Amatul Rahman Omar

It is not for the polytheists to keep the mosques of Allâh in a good and flourishing state while they bear witness to their own disbelief. It is these whose deeds have all gone in vain and in the Fire they shall abide.

English Literal

(It) was not to the sharers/takers of partners (with God) that they inhabit/tend to/visit God`s mosques/places of worshipping God, (while) witnessing/testifying on themselves with the disbelief, those, their deeds (are) wasted, and in the fire they are immortally/eternally.

Faridul Haque

It does not befit the polytheists to assemble in Allah’s mosques after themselves bearing witness of their disbelief; in fact all their deeds are wasted; and they will remain in the fire forever.

Hamid S. Aziz

It is not for idolaters to tend the mosques of Allah, while bearing witness against the infidelity of their own souls; for such their works are vain, and in the Fire shall they dwell.

Hilali & Khan

It is not for the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah), to maintain the Mosques of Allah (i.e. to pray and worship Allah therein, to look after their cleanliness and their building, etc.), while they witness against their ownselves of disbelief. The works of such are in vain and in Fire shall they abide.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Do you think that you would be left alone while Allah has not yet known those of you who struggle hard and take not anyone as an intimate friend besides Allah and His Messenger and the believers? And Allah is Aware of what you do.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

The idolaters have no right to visit the mosques of Allah while bearing witness to unbelief against themselves, these it is whose doings are null, and in the fire shall they abide.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

It is not for the idolaters to tend Allah's sanctuaries, bearing witness against themselves of disbelief. As for such, their works are vain and in the Fire they will abide.

Muhammad Sarwar

The pagans do not have any right to establish (and patronize) the mosque of God while they testify against their souls to its disbelief. Their deeds are devoid of all virtue and they will live forever in hell fire.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Idolaters should not inhabit the mosques of Allah bearing witness against themselves with disbelief. Those, their deeds have been annulled, and in the Fire they shall live for ever.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

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

Wahiduddin Khan

It is not right that the polytheists should frequent God's places of worship while they are self-confessed unbelievers. It is they whose works shall come to nothing and they shall abide in Hell.

Talal Itani

It is not for the polytheists to attend God’s places of worship while professing their disbelief. These—their works are in vain, and in the Fire they will abide.

Tafsir jalalayn

It is not for the idolaters to attend God's places of worship (masjid, is also read in the singular, masjid), entering them or sitting in them, bearing witness, against themselves, to unbelief; those, their works have failed, [their works] are invalid, and in the Fire they shall abide.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

It is not for Idolators to maintain the Masjids of Allah

Allah says;

مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُواْ مَسَاجِدَ الله شَاهِدِينَ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ بِالْكُفْرِ

It is not for the Mushrikin, to maintain the Masjids of Allah, while they witness against themselves of disbelief.

Allah says that it is not fitting that those who associate others with Allah in worship should maintain the Masjids of Allah that were built in His Name alone without partners.

Those who read the Ayah, "Masjid Allah", said that;

it refers to Al-Masjid Al-Haram, the most honored Masjid on the earth, which was built, from the first day, for the purpose of worshipping Allah alone without partners. It was built by Khalil Ar-Rahman (the Prophet Ibrahim) peace be upon him.

The idolators do this while they themselves testify to their disbelief with their statements and actions.

As-Suddi said,

"If you ask a Christian, `What is your religion', He will tell you he is a Christian. If you ask a Jew about his religion, he will say he is a Jew, and the same for a Sabi' and a Mushrik!"'

أُوْلَيِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ

The works of such are in vain,

because of their Shirk,

وَفِي النَّارِ هُمْ خَالِدُونَ



and in Fire shall they abide.

Allah said in another Ayah,

وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلاَّ يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُواْ أَوْلِيَأءَهُ 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 with Taqwa, but most of them know not. (8;34)
Believers are the True Maintainers of the Masjids

Allah said