Sura -42 [ Ash-Shura, Mecca 53 ]


The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:


ذَلِكَ الَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ اللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ...

42:23. That is (the Bounty) whereof Allah gives Glad Tidings to His Servants who believe and do righteous deeds.

C4559. Heaven may be pictured to our minds in various forms. This is one of the highest, and Allah announces it freely to the righteous.

...قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَى...

Say:

"No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin."

C4560. The love of kindred may be extended to mean the love of our common humanity, for all mankind are brothers descended from Adam. Everyone can understand the ordinary love of kindred. (R).

وَمَن يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَّزِدْ لَهُ فِيهَا حُسْنًا...

And if anyone earns any good, We shall give Him an increase of good in respect thereof:

...إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ ﴿٢٣﴾

for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (service).

C4561. Cf. 35:29-30, and notes 3915 (for increase) and 3917 (for Allah's appreciation of service)



Asad’s Version:


(42:23) that [bounty] whereof God gives the glad tiding to such of His servants as attain to faith and do righteous deeds. Say [O Prophet]: "No reward do I ask of you for this [message] other than [that you should) love your fellow -men." 29



[[Asad’s note - 29 Lit., "love for those who are near (al-qurba)". Some commentators take this to mean "those who are near to me", i.e., Muhammad's kinsfolk: but quite apart from the objection that such a "personal" demand would conflict with the preceding assurance, "No reward do I ask of you", the deliberate omission of any possessive pronoun in respect of the term al-qurba indicates that it is not limited to any personal relationship but, rather, alludes to a relationship common to all human beings: namely, the fellowship of man - a concept which implies the fundamental ethical postulate to care for one another's material and spiritual welfare. ]]



Thalika allathee yubashshiru Allahu AAibadahu allatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalihati qul la as-alukum AAalayhi ajran illa almawaddata fee alqurba waman yaqtarif hasanatan nazid lahu feeha husnan inna Allaha ghafoorun shakoorun



Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning

Muhammad Asad


that [bounty] whereof God gives the glad tiding to such of His servants as attain to faith and do righteous deeds. Say [O Prophet]: “No reward do I ask of you for this [message] other than [that you should] love your fellow-men.” For, if anyone gains [the merit of] a good deed, We shall grant him through it an increase of good: and, verily, God is much-forgiving, ever responsive to gratitude.

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M. M. Pickthall


This it is which Allah announceth unto His bondmen who believe and do good works. Say (O Muhammad, unto mankind): I ask of you no fee therefor, save lovingkindness among kinsfolk. And whoso scoreth a good deed We add unto its good for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Responsive.

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Shakir


That is of which Allah gives the good news to His servants, (to) those who believe and do good deeds. Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein; surely Allah is Forgiving, Grateful.

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Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)


That is (the Bounty) whereof Allah gives Glad Tidings to His Servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say: "No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin." And if any one earns any good, We shall give him an increase of good in respect thereof: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (service).

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Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)


That is (the Bounty) whereof God gives Glad Tidings to His Servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say: "No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin." And if any one earns any good, We shall give him an increas e of good in respect thereof: for God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (service).

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Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar


That is what God gives as good tidings to His servants who believed and did as the ones in accord with morality. Say: I ask you not for compensation, but for the affection for any kin. And whoever gains benevolence, We will increase for him goodness in it. Truly, God is Forgiving, Most Ready to Appreciate.

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Wahiduddin Khan


These are the glad tidings which God gives to His servants who believe and do righteous deeds. Say, I do not ask of you any reward for it, except [that I am inviting you to God because of] love of kinship. Whoever earns a good deed, We shall increase its good for him; God is most forgiving, most appreciative.

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T.B.Irving


That is what God proclaims to those servants of His who believe and perform honorable deeds. SAY: "I do not ask you any payment for it except affection towards your relatives." We shall add to its fineness for anyone who acquires a fine deed. God is Forgiving, Appreciative.

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[Al-Muntakhab]


This is the happy announcement Allah proclaims to His worshippers whose hearts have been impressed with the image of religious and spiritual virtues and their deeds with wisdom and piety. Say to them O Muhammad: "I do not ask you for anything in return except the affection and good disposition toward Allah and His Messenger as well as toward your kin so that you get nearer to Him and win His grace and mercy. And who so crowns a deed with equity Allah shall reward him with what runs higher than what corresponds to his equitable deed. Allah is indeed Gafurun (Forgiving); and Shakurun (He acknowledges what is esteemed a worthy deed".

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[Progressive Muslims]


Such is the good news from God to His servants who believe and do good works. Say: "I do not ask you for any wage, except that you show compassion to your relatives." And whosoever earns a good deed, We shall increase it for him in goodness. Surely, God is Forgiving, Appreciative.

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Abdel Haleem


it is of this that God gives good news to His servants who believe and do good deeds. Say [Prophet], ‘I ask no reward from you for this, only the affection due to kin.’ If anyone does good, We shall increase it for him; God is most forgiving and most appreciative.

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Abdul Majid Daryabadi


That is that whereof Allah giveth the glad tidings Unto His bondmen who believe and work righteous works, Say thou: I ask of you no hire therefor save affection in respect of kinship. And whoso ever earneth a good deed We shall increase Unto him good in respect thereof; verily Allah is Forgiving, Appreciative.

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Ahmed Ali


This is the good news that God gives to His creatures who believe and do good. Say: "I ask no recompense of you for it other than obligations of relationship." We shall give more excellence to him who acquires excellence. Surely God forgives and accepts (gratitude).

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Aisha Bewley


That is the good news which Allah gives to His slaves who have iman and do right actions. Say: ´I do not ask you for any wage for this — except for you to love your near of kin. If anyone does a good action, We will increase the good of it for him. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Thankful.´

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Ali Ünal


That it is of which God gives the glad tidings to His servants who believe and do good, righteous deeds. Say: "I ask of you no wage for it (for conveying God’s Religion to you which will bring you this favor), but (I ask of you for) love for my near relatives (on account of my mission)." Whoever scores a good deed, We increase him in good in respect of it. Surely God is All-Forgiving, All-Responsive (to gratitude).

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Ali Quli Qara'i


That is the good news Allah gives to His servants who have faith and do righteous deeds! Say, ‘I do not ask you any reward for it except love of [my] relatives.’ Whoever performs a good deed, We shall enhance for him its goodness. Indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-appreciative.

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Hamid S. Aziz


That is of which Allah gives the good news to His servants, those who believe and do good deeds. Say (O Muhammad), "I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives"; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein;

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Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali


That (is) what Allah gives as good tidings to His bondmen who have believed and done deeds of righteousness. Say, "I do not ask of you a reward for it, except amity for kinship." And whoever scores (Literally: commits) a fair deed, We will give him increase of fairness (i.e., goodness) therein. Surely Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Thankful.

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Muhammad Sarwar


This is the glad news which God gives to His servants, the righteously striving believers. (Muhammad), say, "I do not ask you for any payment for my preaching to you except (your) love of(my near) relatives." Whoever achieves virtue will have its merit increased. God is All-forgiving and Appreciating.

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Muhammad Taqi Usmani


That is the good news that Allah gives to His servants who believed and did righteous deeds. Say, .I do not ask you any fee for it, except the love of kinship. And whoever performs a good act, We will increase for him goodness therein. Surely Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Appreciative.

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Shabbir Ahmed


This is the good news from Allah to His servants who believe and lead a righteous life. Say, "No reward do I ask you for this other than that you show loving kindness to the ones near (in the human bond, and thus seek the Way to your Lord (25:57))." For, anyone who benefits people, We shall grant him additional good. And, verily, Allah is ever Absolver of imperfections, Responsive to gratitude.



(25:57)

say: "For this, no reward do I ask of you [- no reward] other than that he who so wills may unto his Sustainer find a way!"