M. H. Shakir

Translated to English

The translation attributed to M. H. Shakir was first published in 1968. Authorship has been debated by scholars, with some considering it heavily indebted to the earlier Shia translation by Maulana Muhammad Ali. The translation is widely circulated in the United States and is in the public domain in many jurisdictions.

24:31
وَقُل لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ یَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ أَبۡصَـٰرِهِنَّ وَیَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا یُبۡدِینَ زِینَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَاۖ وَلۡیَضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُیُوبِهِنَّۖ وَلَا یُبۡدِینَ زِینَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَاۤىِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ ءَابَاۤءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَاۤىِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ أَبۡنَاۤءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوۡ إِخۡوَ ٰنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِیۤ إِخۡوَ ٰنِهِنَّ أَوۡ بَنِیۤ أَخَوَ ٰتِهِنَّ أَوۡ نِسَاۤىِٕهِنَّ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَیۡمَـٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّـٰبِعِینَ غَیۡرِ أُو۟لِی ٱلۡإِرۡبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفۡلِ ٱلَّذِینَ لَمۡ یَظۡهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَوۡرَ ٰتِ ٱلنِّسَاۤءِۖ وَلَا یَضۡرِبۡنَ بِأَرۡجُلِهِنَّ لِیُعۡلَمَ مَا یُخۡفِینَ مِن زِینَتِهِنَّۚ وَتُوبُوۤا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِیعًا أَیُّهَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ ۝٣١
Shakir
And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or the male servants not having need (of women), or the children who have not attained knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be known; and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! so that you may be successful
waqul lil'mu'mināti yaghḍuḍ'na min abṣārihinna wayaḥfaẓna furūjahunna walā yub'dīna zīnatahunna illā mā ẓahara min'hā walyaḍrib'na bikhumurihinna ʿalā juyūbihinna walā yub'dīna zīnatahunna illā libuʿūlatihinna aw ābāihinna aw ābāi buʿūlatihinna aw abnāihinna aw abnāi buʿūlatihinna aw ikh'wānihinna aw banī ikh'wānihinna aw banī akhawātihinna aw nisāihinna aw mā malakat aymānuhunna awi l-tābiʿīna ghayri ulī l-ir'bati mina l-rijāli awi l-ṭif'li alladhīna lam yaẓharū ʿalā ʿawrāti l-nisāi walā yaḍrib'na bi-arjulihinna liyuʿ'lama mā yukh'fīna min zīnatihinna watūbū ilā l-lahi jamīʿan ayyuha l-mu'minūna laʿallakum tuf'liḥūn
24:33
وَلۡیَسۡتَعۡفِفِ ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یَجِدُونَ نِكَاحًا حَتَّىٰ یُغۡنِیَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۗ وَٱلَّذِینَ یَبۡتَغُونَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ مِمَّا مَلَكَتۡ أَیۡمَـٰنُكُمۡ فَكَاتِبُوهُمۡ إِنۡ عَلِمۡتُمۡ فِیهِمۡ خَیۡرࣰاۖ وَءَاتُوهُم مِّن مَّالِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِیۤ ءَاتَىٰكُمۡۚ وَلَا تُكۡرِهُوا۟ فَتَیَـٰتِكُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡبِغَاۤءِ إِنۡ أَرَدۡنَ تَحَصُّنࣰا لِّتَبۡتَغُوا۟ عَرَضَ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۚ وَمَن یُكۡرِههُّنَّ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ إِكۡرَ ٰهِهِنَّ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِیمࣱ ۝٣٣
Shakir
And let those who do not find the means to marry keep chaste until Allah makes them free from want out of His grace. And (as for) those who ask for a writing from among those whom your right hands possess, give them the writing if you know any good in them, and give them of the wealth of Allah which He has given you; and do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, when they desire to keep chaste, in order to seek the frail good of this world's life; and whoever compels them, then surely after their compulsion Allah is Forgiving, Merciful
walyastaʿfifi alladhīna lā yajidūna nikāḥan ḥattā yugh'niyahumu l-lahu min faḍlihi wa-alladhīna yabtaghūna l-kitāba mimmā malakat aymānukum fakātibūhum in ʿalim'tum fīhim khayran waātūhum min māli l-lahi alladhī ātākum walā tuk'rihū fatayātikum ʿalā l-bighāi in aradna taḥaṣṣunan litabtaghū ʿaraḍa l-ḥayati l-dun'yā waman yuk'rihhunna fa-inna l-laha min baʿdi ik'rāhihinna ghafūrun raḥīmu
24:35
۞ ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشۡكَوٰةࣲ فِیهَا مِصۡبَاحٌۖ ٱلۡمِصۡبَاحُ فِی زُجَاجَةٍۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوۡكَبࣱ دُرِّیࣱّ یُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةࣲ مُّبَـٰرَكَةࣲ زَیۡتُونَةࣲ لَّا شَرۡقِیَّةࣲ وَلَا غَرۡبِیَّةࣲ یَكَادُ زَیۡتُهَا یُضِیۤءُ وَلَوۡ لَمۡ تَمۡسَسۡهُ نَارࣱۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورࣲۚ یَهۡدِی ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن یَشَاۤءُۚ وَیَضۡرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡأَمۡثَـٰلَ لِلنَّاسِۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَیۡءٍ عَلِیمࣱ ۝٣٥
Shakir
Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, (and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not-- light upon light-- Allah guides to His light whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant of all things
al-lahu nūru l-samāwāti wal-arḍi mathalu nūrihi kamish'katin fīhā miṣ'bāḥun l-miṣ'bāḥu fī zujājatin l-zujājatu ka-annahā kawkabun durriyyun yūqadu min shajaratin mubārakatin zaytūnatin lā sharqiyyatin walā gharbiyyatin yakādu zaytuhā yuḍīu walaw lam tamsashu nārun nūrun ʿalā nūrin yahdī l-lahu linūrihi man yashāu wayaḍribu l-lahu l-amthāla lilnnāsi wal-lahu bikulli shayin ʿalīmu
24:55
وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمۡ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَیَسۡتَخۡلِفَنَّهُمۡ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كَمَا ٱسۡتَخۡلَفَ ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ وَلَیُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمۡ دِینَهُمُ ٱلَّذِی ٱرۡتَضَىٰ لَهُمۡ وَلَیُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ خَوۡفِهِمۡ أَمۡنࣰاۚ یَعۡبُدُونَنِی لَا یُشۡرِكُونَ بِی شَیۡءࣰاۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعۡدَ ذَ ٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقُونَ ۝٥٥
Shakir
Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the earth as He made rulers those before them, and that He will most certainly establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them, and that He will most certainly, after their fear, give them security in exchange; they shall serve Me, not associating aught with Me; and whoever is ungrateful after this, these it is who are the. transgressors
waʿada l-lahu alladhīna āmanū minkum waʿamilū l-ṣāliḥāti layastakhlifannahum fī l-arḍi kamā is'takhlafa alladhīna min qablihim walayumakkinanna lahum dīnahumu alladhī ir'taḍā lahum walayubaddilannahum min baʿdi khawfihim amnan yaʿbudūnanī lā yush'rikūna bī shayan waman kafara baʿda dhālika fa-ulāika humu l-fāsiqūn
24:58
یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِیَسۡتَءۡذِنكُمُ ٱلَّذِینَ مَلَكَتۡ أَیۡمَـٰنُكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِینَ لَمۡ یَبۡلُغُوا۟ ٱلۡحُلُمَ مِنكُمۡ ثَلَـٰثَ مَرَّ ٰتࣲۚ مِّن قَبۡلِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ وَحِینَ تَضَعُونَ ثِیَابَكُم مِّنَ ٱلظَّهِیرَةِ وَمِنۢ بَعۡدِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلۡعِشَاۤءِۚ ثَلَـٰثُ عَوۡرَ ٰتࣲ لَّكُمۡۚ لَیۡسَ عَلَیۡكُمۡ وَلَا عَلَیۡهِمۡ جُنَاحُۢ بَعۡدَهُنَّۚ طَوَّ ٰفُونَ عَلَیۡكُم بَعۡضُكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲۚ كَذَ ٰلِكَ یُبَیِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡءَایَـٰتِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِیمٌ حَكِیمࣱ ۝٥٨
Shakir
O you who believe! let those whom your right hands possess and those of you who have not attained to puberty ask permission of you three times; before the morning prayer, and when you put off your clothes at midday in summer, and after the prayer of the nightfall; these are three times of privacy for you; neither is it a sin for you nor for them besides these, some of you must go round about (waiting) upon others; thus does Allah make clear to you the communications, and Allah is Knowing, Wise
yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū liyastadhinkumu alladhīna malakat aymānukum wa-alladhīna lam yablughū l-ḥuluma minkum thalātha marrātin min qabli ṣalati l-fajri waḥīna taḍaʿūna thiyābakum mina l-ẓahīrati wamin baʿdi ṣalati l-ʿishāi thalāthu ʿawrātin lakum laysa ʿalaykum walā ʿalayhim junāḥun baʿdahunna ṭawwāfūna ʿalaykum baʿḍukum ʿalā baʿḍin kadhālika yubayyinu l-lahu lakumu l-āyāti wal-lahu ʿalīmun ḥakīmu
24:61
لَّیۡسَ عَلَى ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ حَرَجࣱ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلۡأَعۡرَجِ حَرَجࣱ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلۡمَرِیضِ حَرَجࣱ وَلَا عَلَىٰۤ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَن تَأۡكُلُوا۟ مِنۢ بُیُوتِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ ءَابَاۤىِٕكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ إِخۡوَ ٰنِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ أَخَوَ ٰتِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ أَعۡمَـٰمِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ عَمَّـٰتِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ أَخۡوَ ٰلِكُمۡ أَوۡ بُیُوتِ خَـٰلَـٰتِكُمۡ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكۡتُم مَّفَاتِحَهُۥۤ أَوۡ صَدِیقِكُمۡۚ لَیۡسَ عَلَیۡكُمۡ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَأۡكُلُوا۟ جَمِیعًا أَوۡ أَشۡتَاتࣰاۚ فَإِذَا دَخَلۡتُم بُیُوتࣰا فَسَلِّمُوا۟ عَلَىٰۤ أَنفُسِكُمۡ تَحِیَّةࣰ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُبَـٰرَكَةࣰ طَیِّبَةࣰۚ كَذَ ٰلِكَ یُبَیِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡءَایَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ ۝٦١
Shakir
There is no blame on the blind man, nor is there blame on the lame, nor is there blame on the sick, nor on yourselves that you eat from your houses, or your fathers' houses or your mothers' houses, or your brothers' houses, or your sisters' houses, or your paternal uncles' houses, or your paternal aunts' houses, or your maternal uncles' houses, or your maternal aunts' houses, or what you possess the keys of, or your friends' (houses). It is no sin in you that you eat together or separately. So when you enter houses, greet your people with a salutation from Allah, blessed (and) goodly; thus does Allah make clear to you the communications that you may understand
laysa ʿalā l-aʿmā ḥarajun walā ʿalā l-aʿraji ḥarajun walā ʿalā l-marīḍi ḥarajun walā ʿalā anfusikum an takulū min buyūtikum aw buyūti ābāikum aw buyūti ummahātikum aw buyūti ikh'wānikum aw buyūti akhawātikum aw buyūti aʿmāmikum aw buyūti ʿammātikum aw buyūti akhwālikum aw buyūti khālātikum aw mā malaktum mafātiḥahu aw ṣadīqikum laysa ʿalaykum junāḥun an takulū jamīʿan aw ashtātan fa-idhā dakhaltum buyūtan fasallimū ʿalā anfusikum taḥiyyatan min ʿindi l-lahi mubārakatan ṭayyibatan kadhālika yubayyinu l-lahu lakumu l-āyāti laʿallakum taʿqilūn
24:62
إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَإِذَا كَانُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ عَلَىٰۤ أَمۡرࣲ جَامِعࣲ لَّمۡ یَذۡهَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یَسۡتَءۡذِنُوهُۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ یَسۡتَءۡذِنُونَكَ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ ٱلَّذِینَ یُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦۚ فَإِذَا ٱسۡتَءۡذَنُوكَ لِبَعۡضِ شَأۡنِهِمۡ فَأۡذَن لِّمَن شِئۡتَ مِنۡهُمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمُ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِیمࣱ ۝٦٢
Shakir
Only those are believers who believe in Allah and His Messenger, and when they are with him on a momentous affair they go not away until they have asked his permission; surely they who ask your permission are they who believe in Allah and His Messenger; so when they ask your permission for some affair of theirs, give permission to whom you please of them and ask forgiveness for them from Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful
innamā l-mu'minūna alladhīna āmanū bil-lahi warasūlihi wa-idhā kānū maʿahu ʿalā amrin jāmiʿin lam yadhhabū ḥattā yastadhinūhu inna alladhīna yastadhinūnaka ulāika alladhīna yu'minūna bil-lahi warasūlihi fa-idhā is'tadhanūka libaʿḍi shanihim fadhan liman shi'ta min'hum wa-is'taghfir lahumu l-laha inna l-laha ghafūrun raḥīmu