Quran 47 : 21

(Is) obedience and a word kind. And when (is) determined the matter, then if they had been true (to) Allah, surely, it would have been better for them.
طَاعَةٌ
Ṭāʿahun
وَقَوْلٌ
Waqawlun
مَّعْرُوفٌ
Mmaʿrūfun
فَإِذَا
Faiidhā
عَزَمَ
ʿAzama
ٱلْأَمْرُ
Alaamru
فَلَوْ
Falaw
صَدَقُوا۟
Ṣadaqūa
ٱللَّهَ
Allaha
لَكَانَ
Lakāna
خَيْرًا
Khayrana
لَّهُمْ
Llahum

John Medows Rodwell

And if, when the command for war is issued, they are true to God, it will be assuredly best for them

Talal Itani (2012)

Obedience and upright speech. Then, when the matter is settled, being true to God would have been better for them

Bilal Muhammad 2018

Would be to follow and say what is just, and when a matter is settled, it was best for them if they were true to God

Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

Obedience and a civil word. Then, when the matter is determined, if they are loyal to Allah it will be well for them

[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)

Obedience and to speak righteousness until the matter is decided, then if they trust God it would be better for them.

Bakhtiari Nejad

obedience and nice word. And when the matter (of war) is decided, if they are true to God, it would be better for them.

Aisha Bewley

would be obedience and honourable words. Once the matter is resolved upon, being true to Allah would be better for them.

Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)

Were it to obey and say what is just, and when a matter is resolved on, it were best for them if they were true to Allah

Arthur John Arberry

obedience, and words honourable. Then, when the matter is resolved, if they were true to God, it would be better for them

Shabbir Ahmed

Obedience and a righteous word. For, once a matter has been determined, it would be best for them if they were true to Allah

Bijan Moeinian

Obedient and righteous by word! If they knew how beneficial it would have been for them to fight when God asked them to do so

Maulana Muhammad Ali

Obedience and a gentle word (was proper). Then when the affair is settled, it is better for them if they remain true to Allah

Mustaqim

Obedience and appropriate words, then, once the matter has been decided, if they were true to Allah it would be better for them.

Talal Itani & AI (2024)

Obedience and truthful speech. Once the matter has been finalized—if they were sincere to God, it would’ve been better for them.

Abdel Haleem

would be obedience and fitting words; it would also be better for them to be true to God when the decision to fight has been made

Mustafa Khattab 2018

to obey and speak rightly. Then when fighting was ordained, it surely would have been better for them if they were true to Allah.

Safi Kaskas

To show Obedience and good words. Then, when the decision to fight has been made, being true to God would have been better for them.

Faridul Haque

To obey and speak good; so when the manifest command came - it would have been better for them if they had remained faithful to Allah

The Study Quran

would be obedience to God and honorable speech. Then, when the matter is resolved, were they true to God, it would be better for them

The Wise Quran

Obedience and a reasonable speech. And when the matter is determined, then if they were true to God, surely it would be better for them.

Dr. Munir Munshey

Only obedience and welcome remarks are accepted, once the order is revealed. Had they stayed loyal to Allah, they would have fared better

Ahmed Ali

Obedience and modest speech (would have been more becoming). And when the matter has been determined it is best for them to be true to God

Fode Drame

Obedience and a word of kindness and when the matter becomes resolved if only they are truthful to Allah, it would have been best for them.

Samy Mahdy

Obedience and well known say. So, when the matter was determined, so if they had been truthed Allah, it would have been goodness, for them.

Musharraf Hussain

to obey and to say a good thing when the commandment came to pass. If only they were sincere about Allah, that would be far better for them.

N J Dawood 2014

Yet obedience and courteous speech would become them better. Indeed, should fighting be ordained, it would be better for them to be true to God

Ali Quli Qara'i

Obedience and upright speech . . . . So when the matter has been resolved upon, if they remain true to Allah that will surely be better for them

Edward Henry Palmer

Preferable for them were obedience and a reasonable speech! But when the matter is determined on, then if they believed God it were better for them

Linda "iLham" Barto

…to obey and speak properly. When a matter is resolved [because of a revelation], it would have been better for them to have been true to Allah.

Corpus.Quran

(Is) obedience and a word kind And when (is) determined the matter then if they had been true (to) Allah surely, it would have been better for them

Munir Mezyed

Obedience, and speaking words of kindness. Then when the issue (of fighting) is determined, if they were true to Allâh, it would be better for them.

Wahiduddin Khan

Obedience and saying what is just would become them more; when the decision is taken, it would be better for them if they acted sincerely towards God

Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah

Yet obedience and honorable words (would be better for them). Then, when the matter is decided, if they were true to Allah it would be better for them

Shakir

Obedience and a gentle word (was proper); but when the affair becomes settled, then if they remain true to Allah it would certainly be better for them

Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)

Obedience and good words. And when the matter [of fighting] was determined, if they had been true to Allah , it would have been better for them

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Their obedience and speech are known. Then when the affair is determined, if even then they gave credence Unto Allah, it would have been better for them

Irving/Hegab

to [offer their] obedience and use decent speech; when some matter is resolved, it would be better for them if they acted sincerely towards Allah (God).

T.B.Irving

to [offer their] obedience and use decent speech; when some matter is resolved, it would be better for them if they acted sincerely towards God.

Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)

That they would have obeyed and spoken good words. Then when the order has been finalized, if they were true to Allah, it would have been better for them.

Ahmed Hulusi

(Their duty here is) obedience and a good word! And when the matter is settled, if they had been loyal to Allah, surely it would have been better for them.

MunirMezyed2023

Would be obedience and honourable words of kindness. Then when the issue (of fighting) is determined- if they were true to Allâh, it would be better for them.

Mir Aneesuddin

(What is required is) obedience and a recognised (good) word. Then when the affair is determined, then if they be truthful to Allah, that would be better for them.

Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali

Obedience and beneficent saying. Then, when the Command is resolved, then if they were sincere to Allah, indeed it would be more charitable (i.e., better) for them

Rashad Khalifa

Obedience and righteous utterances are expected of them. If only they showed confidence in GOD, when mobilization was called for, it would have been better for them.

Sher Ali

Their attitude should have been one of obedience and of calling people to good. And when the matter was determined upon, it was good for them if they were true to ALLAH

Muhammad Ahmed - Samira

Obedience and a generous word/opinion and belief , so if the matter/affair (was) determined/decided , so if they were truthful (to) God (it) would have been better for them

Hamid S. Aziz

Obedience and just (or civil, appropriate) words would be proper; but when the affair becomes settled, then if they remain true to Allah it would certainly be better for them

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

But better for them would be obedience and an honorable saying! And when the affair was resolved, then, if they were sincere to God, it would have been better for them.

Syed Vickar Ahamed

Were they to obey (Allah) and say good word what are just, when a matter (of holy war) is resolved (by Allah’s Will), it would be best for them, if they were true to Allah

Maududi

(They keep affirming their) obedience and saying good words. But when a course of action was clearly determined, it would have been better for them if they had proved true to Allah

Abdul Hye

Obedience (to Allah) and good words (are better for them). When the matter (preparation for fight) is resolved, then if they had been true to Allah, it would have been better for them.

George Sale

But obedience would be more eligible for them, and to speak that which is convenient. And when the command is firmly established, if they give credit unto God, it will be better for them

Hilali - Khan

Obedience (to Allah) and good words (were better for them). And when the matter (preparation for Jihad) is resolved on, then if they had been true to Allah, it would have been better for them

Muhammad Sarwar

Since they have (pledged) Us obedience and to speak reasonably, it would be more proper for them, when it is decided (that everyone must take part in the battle), to remain true (in their pledge to God)

Mohammad Shafi

[Far better for them woud be] obedience and a word of gratitude! Now that the matter is settled — [by the revelation concerning war] — it would certainly be for their good to remain true to Alah

Dr. Kamal Omar

obedience and a straight forward statement. And when the decision (for Qital) became firm, then if they had remained truthful to Allah (in their commitment), surely it would have been better for them

Muhammad Asad

obedience [to God’s call] and a word that could win [His] approval: for, since the matter has been resolved [by His revelation], it would be but for their own good to remain true to God

Muhammad Taqi Usmani

The (reality of their) obedience and (truthfulness of their) speech is fully known (as being mere deception). So, had they been truthful to Allah when the matter had become serious, it would have been much better for them

Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri

(Best for them would be) obedience and good words. So when the command of fighting (for self-protection and self-defence) was definite (and firm), then if they had been true to Allah (in obedience and dedication), that would have been better for them

Amatul Rahman Omar

(More fitting and proper for them was) to obey and to say what is just and good. And when the matter (of fighting) is (once) resolved upon (and war breaks out) it is better for them if they remain true to Allah (and fulfill the covenant they made with Him)

Ali Ünal

(Whereas, what true believers are expected to do in response to any Divine order is) obedience and a proper word. So, if they were true to God when the command has been resolved upon (and it calls them to do what their pledge to God requires them), it would certainly be good for them