أَفَحُكْمَ ٱلْجَٰهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ حُكْمًا لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ
Easy-read (simplified)afahukma l-jaahiliyyati yabghoona waman ahsanu mina llaahi hukman liqawmin yooqinoon
DIN 31635ʾafaḥukma l-ǧāhiliyyati yabġūna waman ʾaḥsanu mina llāhi ḥukman liqawmin yūqinūna
EditionTanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Marked words appear in this translation and in no other English translation of this verse. Common small words and older spellings are not marked. The marks show where the wording differs, not where the meaning does.
Is it the laws of the time of ignorance that they desire? Who is better than God in judgment for people who are certain?
Talal Itani, ClearQuran ·ClearQuran, "God" edition, EPUB·Talal Itani / ClearQuran.com ·Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International·retrieved 7 Sep 2026
Translation by Talal Itani, ClearQuran.com https://clearquran.com
Is it a judgment of the time of (pagan) ignorance that they are seeking? Who is better than Allah for judgment to a people who have certainty (in their belief)
Translation Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran·Public domain — copyright term expired
Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran ·1930 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Is it the judgment of the Ignorance they crave? but who is better than God to judge for people who are sure
Translation Edward Henry Palmer, English translation of the Qur'an·Public domain — copyright term expired
Edward Henry Palmer, English translation of the Qur'an ·1880 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Desire they, therefore, the judgments of the times of(pagan) ignorance? But what better judge can there be than God for those who believe firmly
Translation John Medows Rodwell, English translation of the Qur'an·Public domain — copyright term expired
John Medows Rodwell, English translation of the Qur'an ·1861 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Do they therefore desire the judgment of the time of ignorance? But who is better than God, to judge between people who reason aright
Translation George Sale, English translation of the Qur'an·Public domain — copyright term expired
George Sale, English translation of the Qur'an ·1734 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work ·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Mos vallë, gjykimin e (kohës së) paditurisë[4] e kërkojnë?! E kush gjykon më mirë se Allahu për njerëzit që besojnë me bindje?
তবে কি তারা জাহিলিয়্যাতের বিচার-ফায়সালা কামনা করে? আর দৃঢ় বিশ্বাসী সম্প্রদায়ের জন্য বিধান প্রদানে আল্লাহর চেয়ে আর কে শ্রেষ্ঠতর?
Zar oni da traže da im se kao u pagansko doba sudi!? A ko je od Allaha bolji sudija narodu koji čvrsto vjeruje?!
Zar oni da traže da im se kao u neznabožačko doba sudi!? A tko je od Allaha bolji sudac narodu koji čvrsto vjeruje?!
E ko ñaawoore majjuyanko'en ɓe ɗaɓɓata ? Ko hommbo ɓuri Alla ñaawoore wonan de yimɓe yananaaɓe ?
ნუთუ ისინი [იუდეველები] უმეცრების დროის სამართალს (კანონს) ისურვებენ? და ვინ არის ალლაჰზე უკეთესი სამართალში (კანონში) იმ ხალხისთვის, რომლებიც დარწმუნებულნი არიან?
Begehren sie etwa das Urteil aus der (Zeit der) Unwissenheit? Wer kann denn besser walten als Allah für Leute, die (in ihrem Glauben) überzeugt sind?
Επιζητούν, λοιπόν, την κρίση (των νόμων) της Αλ-Τζαχιλία (της άγνοιας και της αδικίας στην προ-Ισλαμική εποχή, αρνούμενοι τους νόμους του Αλλάχ που βασίζονται σε δικαιοσύνη, γνώση και καθοδήγηση); Και για έναν λαό που έχει βαθιά πίστη, ποιος είναι καλύτερος στην κρίση από τον Αλλάχ; [Κανείς, αφού πιστεύουν ότι η κρίση του Αλλάχ είναι η Αλήθεια, ενώ οι άνθρωποι της πλάνης επιζητούν άδικους νόμους που συμβαδίζουν με τους πόθους τους].
फिर क्या वे जाहिलिय्यत (पूर्व-इस्लामिक काल) का फ़ैसला चाहते हैं? और अल्लाह से बेहतर फ़ैसला करने वाला कौन है, उन लोगों के लिए जो विश्वास रखते हैं?
Desiderano forse il giudizio dei tempi dell’ignoranza? E quale legge è migliore della legge di Allāh per un popolo convinto?
50. Ar jie siekia teismo už Neišmanymo (dienas)? Ir kas yra geresnis teisime nei Allahas žmonėms, kurie turi tvirtą Tikėjimą?
Sila murtii 'jaahiliyyaa (wallaalummaa) barbaadanii? Ummata hubannoo qabaniif wanti Rabbi irra murtiin isaa miidhagaa hin jiru.[21]
Неужели они ищут решения времён невежества? Кто же лучше Аллаха в вынесении решений для людей, которые убеждены?
Зар они да траже да им се као у паганско доба суди!? А ко је од Аллаха бољи судија народу који чврсто верује?!
Je, wanataka hukumu za Kijahiliya? Na ni nani aliye mzuri zaidi katika kuhukumu kuliko Mwenyezi Mungu kwa watu wenye yakini?
Eller är det okunnighetens dom de söker? För de som är övertygade finns ingen bättre dom än Guds.
Onlar, cahiliye hükmünü mü arzuluyorlar? Yakinen bilen bir topluluk için Allah'tan daha iyi hüküm veren kimdir?
کیا یہ لوگ پھر سے جاہلیت کا فیصلہ چاہتے ہیں[1] یقین رکھنے والے لوگوں کے لئے اللہ تعالیٰ سے بہتر فیصلے اور حکم کرنے واﻻ کون ہوسکتا ہے؟[2]
5 cleared translations, newest first, by year of publication, so the modern English comes before the historical ones. That is an ordering by date, not a judgement. Each is shown complete — this platform never excerpts a translation — and each renders under its translator's name. No translation here is marked as the correct one.
Which translations appear here is set by copyright: they are the ones whose rights could be documented and cleared. The selection is not a judgement that these are the best.
Easy-read is a simplified pronunciation, not authoritative — a rule-by-rule romanisation, not a reading. Each verse ends in its pause form, as it is said when you stop there. Pauses inside a verse and other tajwid rules are not shown. It is derived from the Tanzil Simple edition, while the Arabic above is the Uthmani edition; both are cleared, but they are not the same edition and their orthography differs.
shown so it's never read alone
وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'anzalnaa ilayka l-kitaaba bil-haqqi musaddiqan limaa bayna yadayhi mina l-kitaabi wamuhayminan 'alayhi fahkum baynahum bimaa anzala llaahu walaa tattabi' ahwaa'ahum 'ammaa jaa'aka mina l-haqqi likullin ja'alnaa minkum shir'atan waminhaajan walaw shaa'a llaahu laja'alakum ummatan waahidatan walaakin liyabluwakum fee maa aataakum fastabiqoo l-khayraati ilaa llaahi marji'ukum jamee'an fayunabbi'ukum bimaa kuntum feehi takhtalifoon
DIN 31635waʾanzalnā ʾilayka l-kitāba bil-ḥaqqi muṣaddiqan limā bayna yadayhi mina l-kitābi wamuhayminan ʿalayhi faḥkum baynahum bimā ʾanzala llāhu walā tattabiʿ ʾahwāʾahum ʿammā ǧāʾaka mina l-ḥaqqi likullin ǧaʿalnā minkum širʿatan waminhāǧan walaw šāʾa llāhu laǧaʿalakum ʾummatan wāḥidatan walākin liyabluwakum fī mā ʾātākum fastabiqū l-ḫayrāti ʾilā llāhi marǧiʿukum ǧamīʿan fayunabbiʾukum bimā kuntum fīhi taḫtalifūna
And We revealed to you the Book, with truth, confirming the Scripture that preceded it, and superseding it. So judge between them according to what God revealed, and do not follow their desires if they differ from the truth that has come to you. For each of you We have assigned a law and a method. Had God willed, He could have made you a single nation, but He tests you through what He has given you. So compete in righteousness. To God is your return, all of you; then He will inform you of what you had disputed.
And unto thee have We revealed the Scripture with the truth, confirming whatever Scripture was before it, and a watcher over it. So judge between them by that which Allah hath revealed, and follow not their desires away from the truth which hath come unto thee. For each We have appointed a divine law and a traced-out way. Had Allah willed He could have made you one community. But that He may try you by that which He hath given you (He hath made you as ye are). So vie one with another in good works. Unto Allah ye will all return, and He will then inform you of that wherein ye differ
We have revealed to thee the Book in truth verifying what was before it, and preserving it; judge then between them by what God has revealed, and follow not their lusts, turning away from what is given to thee of the truth. For each one of you have we made a law and a pathway; and had God pleased He would have made you one nation, but He will surely try you concerning that which He has brought you. Be ye therefore emulous in good deeds; to God is your return altogether, and He will let you know concerning that wherein ye do dispute
And to thee we have sent down the Book of the Koran with truth, confirmatory of previous Scriptures, and their safeguard. Judge therefore between them by what God hath sent down, and follow not their desires by deserting the truth which hath come unto thee. To every one of you have we given a rule and a beaten track. And if God had pleased He had surely made you all one people; but He would test you by what He hath given to each. Be emulous, then, in good deeds. To God shall ye all return, and He will tell you concerning the subjects of your disputes
We have also sent down unto thee the book of the Koran with truth, confirming that scripture which was revealed before it; and preserving the same safe from corruption. Judge therefore between them according to that which God hath revealed; and follow not their desires, by swerving from the truth which hath come unto thee. Unto every of you have we given a law, and an open path; and if God had pleased, he had surely made you one people; but he hath thought fit to give you different laws, that he might try you in that which he hath given you respectively. Therefore strive to excel each other in good works: Unto God shall ye all return, and then will he declare unto you that concerning which ye have disagreed
وَأَنِ ٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ وَٱحْذَرْهُمْ أَن يَفْتِنُوكَ عَنۢ بَعْضِ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُصِيبَهُم بِبَعْضِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَفَٰسِقُونَ
Easy-read (simplified)wa'ani hkum baynahum bimaa anzala llaahu walaa tattabi' ahwaa'ahum wahdharhum an yaftinooka 'an ba'di maa anzala llaahu ilayka fa'in tawallaw fa'lam annamaa yureedu llaahu an yuseebahum biba'di dhunoobihim wa'inna katheeran mina n-naasi lafaasiqoon
DIN 31635waʾani ḥkum baynahum bimā ʾanzala llāhu walā tattabiʿ ʾahwāʾahum waḥḏarhum ʾan yaftinūka ʿan baʿḍi mā ʾanzala llāhu ʾilayka faʾin tawallaw faʿlam ʾannamā yurīdu llāhu ʾan yuṣībahum bibaʿḍi ḏunūbihim waʾinna kaṯīran mina n-nāsi lafāsiqūna
And judge between them according to what God revealed, and do not follow their desires. And beware of them, lest they lure you away from some of what God has revealed to you. But if they turn away, know that God intends to strike them with some of their sins. In fact, a great many people are corrupt.
So judge between them by that which Allah hath revealed, and follow not their desires, but beware of them lest they seduce thee from some part of that which Allah hath revealed unto thee. And if they turn away, then know that Allah's Will is to smite them for some sin of theirs. Lo! many of mankind are evil-livers
Wherefore judge thou between them by what God has revealed, and follow not their lusts; but beware lest they mislead thee from part of what God has revealed to thee; yet if they turn back, then know that God wishes to fall on them for some sins of theirs, - verily, many men are evildoers
Wherefore do thou judge between them, by what God hath sent down, and follow not their wishes! but be on thy guard against them lest they beguile thee from any of those precepts which God hath sent down to thee; and if they turn back, then know thou that for some of their crimes doth God choose to punish them: for truly most men are perverse
Wherefore do thou, O prophet, judge between them according to that which God hath revealed and follow not their desires; but beware of them, lest they cause thee to err from part of those precepts which God hath sent down unto thee; and if they turn back, know that God is pleased to punish them for some of their crimes; for a great number of men are transgressors
5:50 — the verse above
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلْيَهُودَ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
Easy-read (simplified)yaa ayyuhaa lladheena aamanoo laa tattakhidhoo l-yahooda wan-nasaaraa awliyaa'a ba'duhum awliyaa'u ba'din waman yatawallahum minkum fa'innahu minhum inna llaaha laa yahdee l-qawma z-zaalimeen
DIN 31635yā ʾayyuhā llaḏīna ʾāmanū lā tattaḫiḏū l-yahūda wan-naṣārā ʾawliyāʾa baʿḍuhum ʾawliyāʾu baʿḍin waman yatawallahum minkum faʾinnahu minhum ʾinna llāha lā yahdī l-qawma ẓ-ẓālimīna
O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies; some of them are allies of one another. Whoever of you allies himself with them is one of them. God does not guide the wrongdoing people.
O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is (one) of them. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk
O ye who believe! take not the Jews and Christians for your patrons : they are patrons of each other; but whoso amongst you takes them for patrons, verily, he is of them, and, verily, God guides not an unjust people
O Believers! take not the Jews or Christians as friends. They are but one another's friends. If any one of you taketh them for his friends, he surely is one of them! God will not guide the evil doers
O true believers, take not the Jews, or Christians for your friends; they are friends the one to the other; but whoso among you taketh them for his friends, he is surely one of them: Verily God directeth not unjust people
فَتَرَى ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يُسَٰرِعُونَ فِيهِمْ يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَىٰٓ أَن تُصِيبَنَا دَآئِرَةٌ فَعَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَأْتِىَ بِٱلْفَتْحِ أَوْ أَمْرٍ مِّنْ عِندِهِۦ فَيُصْبِحُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَسَرُّوا۟ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ نَٰدِمِينَ
Easy-read (simplified)fataraa lladheena fee quloobihim maradun yusaari'oona feehim yaqooloona nakhshaa an tuseebanaa daa'iratun fa'asaa llaahu an ya'tiya bil-fathi aw amrin min 'indihi fayusbihoo 'alaa maa asarroo fee anfusihim naadimeen
DIN 31635fatarā llaḏīna fī qulūbihim maraḍun yusāriʿūna fīhim yaqūlūna naḫšā ʾan tuṣībanā dāʾiratun faʿasā llāhu ʾan yaʾtiya bil-fatḥi ʾaw ʾamrin min ʿindihi fayuṣbiḥū ʿalā mā ʾasarrū fī ʾanfusihim nādimīna
The translators word this verse differently
You will see those in whose hearts is sickness racing towards them. They say, "We fear the wheel of fate may turn against us." But perhaps God will bring about victory, or some event of His making; thereupon they will regret what they concealed within themselves.
And thou seest those in whose heart is a disease race toward them, saying: We fear lest a change of fortune befall us. And it may happen that Allah will vouchsafe (unto thee) the victory, or a commandment from His presence. Then will they repent them of their secret thoughts
Thou wilt see those in whose hearts is a sickness vieing with them; they say, 'We fear lest there befall us a reverse.' It may be God will give the victory, or an order from Himself, and they may awake repenting of what they thought in secret to themselves
So shalt thou see the diseased at heart speed away to them, and say, "We fear lest a change of fortune befall us." But haply God will of himself bring about some victory or event of His own ordering: then soon will they repent them of their secret imaginings
Thou shalt see those in whose hearts there is an infirmity, to hasten unto them, saying, we fear lest some adversity befall us; but it is easy for God to give victory, or a command from Him, that they may repent of that which they concealed in their minds
EditionTanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) ·Uthmani, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حُكْمًا لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ
EditionTanzil Qur'an text (Simple) ·Simple, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
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SourceTanzil Qur'an text (Simple) ·Simple, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
SourceTanzil Qur'an text (Simple) ·Simple, Version 1.1·Tanzil Project ·Creative Commons Attribution 3.0·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
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CLEARED ON THE WORK. Term expired by every measure. The digital edition's upstream is not stated by the redistributor and the printing is unverified. No statement of purpose is recorded for Palmer because none was sourced from his own preface in this pass; nothing is asserted on his behalf.
CLEARED ON THE WORK. Term expired by every measure. TWO edition caveats. (1) The upstream is not stated by the redistributor. (2) Rodwell's own edition PRESENTS THE SURAHS IN HIS OWN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, not the mushaf order — he says so in his preface. This digital text is keyed to mushaf order, so it derives from a restored-order printing (such as the Everyman edition) rather than from Rodwell's own arrangement. Which printing is not stated and has not been established.
CLEARED ON THE WORK. Term expired by every measure. The digital edition's upstream is NOT STATED by the redistributor, so the printing it represents is unverified; Sale's text was reprinted and re-edited many times between 1734 and 1900. Recorded as unverified rather than assumed to be the first edition.
CLEARED. Parallel edition, held in ayah_text_variants. It sits alongside the Uthmani spine for search normalisation and is never used to correct it.
Qur'anic text from the Tanzil Project. Copyright (C) 2007-2026 Tanzil Project License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Source: tanzil.net · Updates: tanzil.net/updates/ https://tanzil.net/updates/