4. Sura an-Nisa

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللّهِ يُكَفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا...   

4: 140. Already has He sent you word in the Book, that when ye hear the signs of Allah held in defiance and ridicule,

C649. Cf. 6:68, an earlier and Makkan verse. Where we see or hear Truth held in light esteem, we ought to make our protest and withdraw from such company, not out of arrogance, as if we thought ourselves superior to other people, but out of real humility, lest our own nature be corrupted in such society.

But it is possible that our protest or our sincere remonstrance may change the theme of discourse. In that case we have done good to those who were inclined to hold Truth in light esteem, for we have saved them for ridiculing Truth.

... فَلاَ تَقْعُدُواْ مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُواْ فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِّثْلُهُمْ ...

ye are not to sit with them unless they turn to a different theme:

if ye did, ye would be like them.

... إِنَّ اللّهَ جَامِعُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْكَافِرِينَ فِي جَهَنَّمَ جَمِيعًا ﴿١٤٠﴾  

For Allah will collect the Hypocrites and those who defy faith, all in hell.

Others Version:

4: 140

Asad And, indeed, He has enjoined upon you in this divine writ that whenever you hear people deny the truth of God’s messages and mock at them, you shall avoid their company until they begin to talk of other things [note 155] – or else, verily, you will become like them……

Yusuf Ali Already has He sent you word in the Book that when ye hear the signs of Allah held in defiance and ridicule ye are not to sit with them unless they turn to a different theme: if ye did ye would be like them. For Allah will collect the Hypocrites and those who defy faith all in hell.

Pickthall He hath already revealed unto you in the Scripture that, when ye hear the revelations of Allah rejected and derided, (ye) sit not with them (who disbelieve and mock) until they engage in some other conversation. Lo! in that case (if ye stayed) ye would be like unto them. Lo! Allah will gather hypocrites and disbelievers, all together, into hell;

Wa qad nazzala 'alaikum fil kita_bi an iza_ sami'tum a_ya_tilla_hi yukfaru biha_ wa yustahza'u biha_ fala_ taq'udu_ ma'ahum hatta_ yakhu_du_ fi hadisin gairih(i), innakum izam misluhum, innalla_ha ja_mi'ul muna_fiqina wal ka_firina fi jahannama jami'a_(n).

[[ Asad’s note 155 - ….The injunction referred to is found in 6:68, which was revealed at a much earlier period.]]

[[ Ruby’s note – This is a command to the believers not to expose themselves to people and ideas who/which are mocking the truth that the believers believe and honor. These kind of association is not going to bring about any good outcome: either helping the mockers see the light. When people become that obnoxious and arrogant and disrespectful of others they have passed a threshold of tolerance, the believers should avoid these kinds of people and these kinds of talk that are disrespectful and wrong.

Leaving these kinds of discourse also would be a way of protest by the believers. I think the Quran is also alluding to that if one subject oneself to the company of mindless arrogant people or evil people and evil ideas there is a possibility that they would become like them or accept some of their wrong ideas. For many it is a distinct possibility specially who are not very knowledgeable and not serious minded and easily can be swayed. ]]