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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
AND MUHAMMAD is only an apostle; all the [other] apostles have passed away before him: if, then, he dies or is slain, will you turn about on your heels? But he that turns about on his heels can in no wise harm God - whereas God will requite all who are grateful [to Him]
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Muḥammad is no more than a messenger; other messengers have gone before him. If he were to die or to be killed, would you regress into disbelief? Those who do so will not harm Allah whatsoever. And Allah will reward those who are grateful.
Safi Kaskas   
Muhammad is only a messenger. Other messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you turn back? Whoever turns back will not hurt God at all. God will reward those who give thanks.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولࣱ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُۚ أَفَإِی۟ن مَّاتَ أَوۡ قُتِلَ ٱنقَلَبۡتُمۡ عَلَىٰۤ أَعۡقَـٰبِكُمۡۚ وَمَن یَنقَلِبۡ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَیۡهِ فَلَن یَضُرَّ ٱللَّهَ شَیۡءࣰاۗ وَسَیَجۡزِی ٱللَّهُ ٱلشَّـٰكِرِینَ ۝١٤٤
Transliteration (2021)   
wamā muḥammadun illā rasūlun qad khalat min qablihi l-rusulu afa-in māta aw qutila inqalabtum ʿalā aʿqābikum waman yanqalib ʿalā ʿaqibayhi falan yaḍurra l-laha shayan wasayajzī l-lahu l-shākirīn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And not (is) Muhammad - except a Messenger, certainly passed away from before him [the] (other) Messengers. So if he died or is slain will you turn back on your heels? And whoever turns back on his heels then never will he harm Allah (in) anything. And will reward Allah the grateful ones.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
AND MUHAMMAD is only an apostle; all the [other] apostles have passed away before him: if, then, he dies or is slain, will you turn about on your heels? But he that turns about on his heels can in no wise harm God - whereas God will requite all who are grateful [to Him]
M. M. Pickthall   
Muhammad is but a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have passed away before him. Will it be that, when he dieth or is slain, ye will turn back on your heels? He who turneth back on his heels doth no hurt to Allah, and Allah will reward the thankful
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Muhammad is no more than a messenger: many Were the messenger that passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will ye then Turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; but Allah (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Muḥammad is no more than a messenger; other messengers have gone before him. If he were to die or to be killed, would you regress into disbelief? Those who do so will not harm Allah whatsoever. And Allah will reward those who are grateful.
Safi Kaskas   
Muhammad is only a messenger. Other messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you turn back? Whoever turns back will not hurt God at all. God will reward those who give thanks.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Muhammad is only a messenger. Messengers have passed away before him. If he should die, or be killed, will you turn back on your heels? Those who turn on their heels do not harm the Lord in the least. God will reward the grateful
Shakir   
And Muhammad is no more than a messenger; the messengers have already passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heels, he will by no means do harm to Allah in the least and Allah will reward the grateful
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And Muhammad is only a Messenger. Surely, Messengers passed away before him. Then, if he died or be slain, will you turn about on your heels? And he who turns about on his heels will not injure God at all. And God will give recompense to the ones who are thankful.
T.B.Irving   
Muhammad is only a messenger, Messengers have passed away before him. If he should die or be killed, will you (all) revert to your old ways? Anyone who turns on his heels will never injure God in any way, while God will reward the grateful.
Abdul Hye   
Muhammad is not but a Messenger; indeed Messengers have passed away before him. Then if he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels (become disbelievers)? Whoever turns back on his heels, will not harm Allah at all, and Allah will give reward to the grateful.
The Study Quran   
Muhammad is naught but a messenger; messengers have passed before him. So if he dies or is slain, will you turn back on your heels? Whosoever turns back on his heels will not harm God in the least, and God will reward the thankful
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Muhammad is only a messenger. Numerous messengers have preceded him. If he were to die or be killed, would you then turn back on your heels? Those who turn back won’t harm God in the least. God will reward the grateful.
Talal Itani (2012)   
Muhammad is no more than a messenger. Messengers have passed on before him. If he dies or gets killed, will you turn on your heels? He who turns on his heels will not harm God in any way. And God will reward the appreciative
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And Muhammad is not except a Messenger. Surely, have passed away Messengers before him. So, then, if he died or got killed — you turned back on your heels? And he who turns back on his two heels, then surely he does not harm Allah in any form. And soon Allah will reward the grateful
M. Farook Malik   
Muhammad is no more than a messenger: many were the a messengers that passed away before him. Is it that if he died or were slain, will ye then turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah. But Allah (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude.
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And in no way is Muhammad (anything) except a Messenger; the Messengers have already passed away before him. Then, will it be that, in case he dies or is killed, will you turn (Literally: turn (s) over on) on your heels? And whoever turns (Literally: turn (s) over on) on his heels, then he will never harm Allah in anything; and Allah will recompense the thankful
Muhammad Sarwar   
Muhammad is only a Messenger. There lived other Messengers before him. Should (Muhammad) die or be slain, would you then turn back to your pre-Islamic behavior? Whoever does so can cause no harm to God. God will reward those who give thanks
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
MuHammad is but a messenger, there have been messengers before him. So, if he dies or is killed, would you turn back on your heels? Whoever turns back on his heels can never harm Allah in the least. Allah shall soon reward the grateful
Shabbir Ahmed   
Muhammad is but a Messenger. All Messengers before him have passed on. If he died or were slain, would you turn back on your heels? The System he has established is here to stay and to become a Beacon of Light for all humanity. If anyone turns away, he would not harm Allah. Allah will soon reward the appreciative. They will reap the fruit of the Benevolent System and then in the Hereafter
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Muhammad, (SAW) is no more than a messenger. (Many other) messengers have gone by before him. If he dies, or is slain, will you retreat and turn around on your heels? Anyone who turns back on his heels, would never hurt Allah a bit. Soon, Allah will reward the grateful ones
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Muhammad is no more than a messenger: And many earlier messengers passed away before him. If he dies or (if he) is killed, then will you turn back on your heels? (And go back from Islam?) If any(one) did turn back on his heels, he will not do the least harm to Allah, but (on the other hand) Allah will swiftly reward those who (serve him) with gratitude
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And Mohammed is but a messenger, like many messengers that have passed before him. If he dies or is killed will you turn back on your heels And whoever turns back on his heels, he will not harm God in the least. And God will reward the thankful
Abdel Haleem   
Muhammad is only a messenger before whom many messengers have been and gone. If he died or was killed, would you revert to your old ways? If anyone did so, he would not harm God in the least. God will reward the grateful
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And Muhammad is naught but an apostle; apostles have surely passed away before him. Will ye then, if he dieth or be slain, turn round on your heels! And whosoever turnoth round on his heels, hurteth not Allah at all. And anon shall Allah recompense the grateful
Ahmed Ali   
Muhammad is only a messenger; and many a messenger has gone before him. So what if he dies or is killed! Will you turn back and go away in haste? But he who turns back and goes away in haste will do no harm to God. But God will reward those who give thanks (and are grateful)
Aisha Bewley   
Muhammad is only a Messenger and he has been preceded by other Messengers. If he were to die or be killed, would you turn on your heels? Those who turn on their heels do not harm Allah in any way. Allah will recompense the thankful.
Ali Ünal   
(Did you think that this cause of Islam subsisted not by God but while Muhammad was alive among you? If so, know that this cause depends on God and as for his part in it, know that) Muhammad is but a Messenger, and Messengers passed away before him. If, then, he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels? Whoever turns back on his heels can in no way harm God. But God will (abundantly) reward the thankful ones (those who are steadfast in God’s cause)
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Muḥammad is but an apostle; [other] apostles have passed before him. If he dies or is slain, will you turn back on your heels? Anyone who turns back on his heels will not harm Allah in the least, and soon Allah will reward the grateful
Hamid S. Aziz   
Mohammed is but a Messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have passed away before his time. What if he die or is killed, will you retreat upon your heels? He who retreats does no harm to Allah at all; but Allah will recompense the thankful
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And Muhammad is only a messenger, (and many) messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, would you turn back on your heels (to your old ways)? And whoever turns back on his heel (to his old ways) will never cause the least bit of harm to God. And God is going to reward the grateful ones.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Muhammad is no more than a messenger. Many were the messengers who passed away before him. If he died or is slain, would you then turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to God, but God will swiftly reward those who serve Him with gratitude
Musharraf Hussain   
Muhammad is a noble messenger, many Messengers came and went before him. If he should die or be martyred, would you turn on your heels and head back to the old ways? Whoever turns back will not harm Allah in the slightest. Allah rewards the thankful.
Maududi   
Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and Messengers have passed away before him. If, then, he were to die or be slain will you turn about on your heels? Whoever turns about on his heels can in no way harm Allah. As for the grateful ones, Allah will soon reward them
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And Mohammed is but a messenger, like many messengers who have passed before him. If he dies or is killed will you turn back on your heels? And whoever turns back on his heels, he will not harm God in the least. And God will recompense the thankful.
Mohammad Shafi   
And Muhammad is not but a Messenger. There were certainly Messengers before him who had passed away. If he were to die or be slain, will you then turn back? And none who turns back can do any harm to Allah. And Allah shall reward those who turn to Him in gratitude.

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And Muhammad is only a Messenger. There have been many other messengers before him. Will you then, if he departs or be slain, turn back on your heels? And he, who will turn back on his heels, shall not harm Allah at all. And very soon Allah will recompense the thankful.
Rashad Khalifa   
Muhammad was no more than a messenger like the messengers before him. Should he die or get killed, would you turn back on your heels? Anyone who turns back on his heels, does not hurt GOD in the least. GOD rewards those who are appreciative.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Muhammad is not except a Messenger; Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you turn about on your heels? And he who turns on his heels will not harm Allah a thing. Allah will recompense the thankful
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And Muhammad is but a messenger -- messengers have already passed away before him. If then he dies or is killed, will you turn back upon your heels? And he who turns back upon his heels will do no harm at all to Allah. And Allah will reward the grateful
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
And Mohammad is not except a messenger, had passed/expired from before him the messengers, so if he died, or (he was) killed, you turned/returned on your heels , and whom turns/returns, on his two heels, so he will never/not harm God, a thing, and God will reward the thankful/grateful
Bijan Moeinian   
Mohammad is only a [human being chosen to be a] Prophet [of God]: many prophets have already passed before him. Should he die or be killed [in the battlefield,] would you desert your ranks? Anyone who turns back does not hurt God in the least. God rewards only those who are thankful [that their Lord has guided them to the right path and show their gratefulness by action.]
Faridul Haque   
And Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) is purely * a Noble Messenger; there have been Noble Messengers before him; so if he departs or is martyred, will you turn back on your heels? So whoever turns back on his heels does not cause any harm to Allah; and Allah will soon reward the thankful. (* Neither God nor an angel, but a human being with the highest spiritual status.
Sher Ali   
And Muhammad is but a messenger. Verily all Messengers have passed away before him. If then he dies or is slain, will you turn back on your heels? And he who turns back on his heels shall not harm ALLAH at all. And ALLAH will certainly reward the grateful
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him) is but a Messenger (and not God). Many Messengers have passed away (from this world) before him as well. So, if he passes away or is martyred, will you then turn on your heels (back to your former religion i.e., will you consider his death or martyrdom— God forbid!—a proof that the Din [Religion] of Islam or his Messengership is false)? And whoever turns back on his heels shall not harm Allah the least. And Allah will soon reward those who give thanks (by remaining steadfast in hardship)
Amatul Rahman Omar   
And Muhammad is but a Messenger. Surely, all Messengers have passed away before him. Would you recant if he dies or be killed. And he who recants shall do no harm at all to Allah, and Allah will certainly reward the grateful
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Muhammad (SAW) is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah, and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Muhammad is naught but a Messenger; Messengers have passed away before him. Why, if he should die or is slain, will you turn about on your heels? If any man should turn about on his heels, he will not harm God in any way; and God will recompense the thankful
George Sale   
Mohammed is no more than an apostle; the other apostles have already deceased before him: If he die therefore, or be slain, will ye turn back on your heels? But he who turneth back on his heels, will not hurt God at all; and God will surely reward the thankful
Edward Henry Palmer   
Mohammed is but an apostle; apostles have passed away before his time; what if he die or is killed, will ye retreat upon your heels? He who retreats upon his heels does no harm to God at all; but God will recompense the thankful
John Medows Rodwell   
Muhammad is no more than an apostle; other apostles have already passed away before him: if he die, therefore, or be slain, will ye turn upon your heels? But he who turneth on his heels shall not injure God at all: And God will certainly reward the thankful
N J Dawood (2014)   
Muhammad is but an apostle: other apostles have passed away before him. If he should die or be slain, will you recant? He that recants will in no way harm God. And God will recompense the thankful

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And Muhammad is but a messenger; the messengers had indeed passed away before him. Should he die or get killed, will you then turn on your heels? And whoever turns back on his heels, then he will never hurt Allah in the least and Allah shall soon reward those who offer gratitude.
Munir Mezyed   
Muhammad is no more than a Messenger like the ones who have passed away before him. If he were to die or to be slain, would you then turn back upon your heels?. The one who turns back on his heels does no harm to Allâh. And Allâh will reward those who show gratitude.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
And Muhammad is only a messenger who was preceded by the messengers, so if he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels? And if someone turns back on his heels he will not harm Allah at all. And Allah will repay the grateful.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Muhammed is no more than a messenger. Certainly many messengers passed before him. If he died or was killed, would you turn back on your heels? Whoever turns back on his/her heels will not harm Allah at all, but Allah will reward the grateful people.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Thus Muhammad is no more than a messenger before whom messengers have passed on. Then will it be that if he dies or gets killed youpl will turn on your heels? For whoever turns on his heels—he will not harm Allah in any way. And Allah will repay the thankful ones.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Muhammad is only a messenger, Messengers have passed away before him. If he should die or be killed, will you (all) revert to your old ways? Anyone who turns on his heels will never injure Allah (God) in any way, while Allah (God) will reward the grateful.
Samy Mahdy   
And Muhammad was not except a messenger. Already have passed away before him the messengers. So, if he is dead or is killed, will you overturn upon your heels? And whoever overturns on his heels will not harm Allah in anything. And Allah will recompense the thankful ones.
Sayyid Qutb   
Muĥammad is only a messenger: all messengers have passed away before him. If, then, he dies or is slain, will you turn about on your heels? He that turns about on his heels will not harm God in any way. God will reward those who are grateful [to Him].
Ahmed Hulusi   
Muhammad is no other than the Rasul. Rasuls have come and gone before him too. If he dies or is killed now, will you turn back (from your faith and cause)? And whoever turns back will not harm Allah! Allah will subject the grateful ones to the outcome of their gratefulness (they will experience the results of their evaluation).
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And Muhammad is not but only a messenger before whom messengers have already passed away. Therefore, if he dies or be killed, will you turn back (in creed) upon your heels ? And whoever turns back upon his heels will by no means do harm to Allah in the least; and Allah will reward the grateful
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
"Muhammad is but a Messenger the like of whom have passed away before him. Do you mean if he dies or is slain in battle, you turn renegades and return to idolatry! Indeed he who turns back on his heels and reverses his position shall never hurt Allah’s interest in the least, and Allah shall reward the thankful."
Mir Aneesuddin   
And Muhammed is no more than a messenger, messengers have passed before him, then if he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels? And whoever turns back on his heels, he will not harm Allah in the least and Allah will reward those who are grateful.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Muhammad is no more than an apostle: many Were the apostle that passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will ye then Turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to God; but God (on the ot her hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And not (is) Muhammad - except a Messenger, certainly passed away before him [the] (other) Messengers. So if he died or is slain will you turn back on your heels? And whoever turns back on his heels then never will he harm Allah (in) anything. And Allah will reward the grateful ones
OLD Transliteration   
Wama muhammadun illa rasoolun qad khalat min qablihi alrrusulu afa-in mata aw qutila inqalabtum AAala aAAqabikum waman yanqalib AAala AAaqibayhi falan yadurra Allaha shay-an wasayajzee Allahu alshshakireena