←Prev   Ayah an-Nisa` (Women) 4:22   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
AND DO NOT marry women whom your fathers have previously married - although what is past is past: this, verily, is a shameful deed, and a hateful thing, and an evil way
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Do not marry former wives of your fathers—except what was done previously. It was indeed a shameful, despicable, and evil practice.
Safi Kaskas   
Do not marry women that your fathers married- with the exception of what previously took place: this is a shameful deed and a hateful thing and leads to evil.

Listen: 
Did you notice?

 You can SEARCH IslamAwakened: 

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَلَا تَنكِحُوا مَا نَكَحَ آبَاؤُكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَاحِشَةً وَمَقْتًا وَسَاءَ سَبِيلً
Transliteration (2021)   
walā tankiḥū mā nakaḥa ābāukum mina l-nisāi illā mā qad salafa innahu kāna fāḥishatan wamaqtan wasāa sabīla
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And (do) not marry whom married your fathers of the women except what has passed before, indeed it was an immorality and hateful, and (an) evil way.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
AND DO NOT marry women whom your fathers have previously married - although what is past is past: this, verily, is a shameful deed, and a hateful thing, and an evil way
M. M. Pickthall   
And marry not those women whom your fathers married, except what hath already happened (of that nature) in the past. Lo! it was ever lewdness and abomination, and an evil way
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
And marry not women whom your fathers married,- except what is past: It was shameful and odious,- an abominable custom indeed
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Do not marry former wives of your fathers—except what was done previously. It was indeed a shameful, despicable, and evil practice.
Safi Kaskas   
Do not marry women that your fathers married- with the exception of what previously took place: this is a shameful deed and a hateful thing and leads to evil.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Do not marry women whom your fathers married, except for what has already taken place in the past. This is indeed a shameful deed, a loathsome thing and an evil practice
Shakir   
And marry not woman whom your fathers married, except what has already passed; this surely is indecent and hateful, and it is an evil way
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And marry not women whom your fathers married unless it was in the past. Truly, it had been an indecency and repugnant and how evil a way!
T.B.Irving   
Do not marry any women whom your fathers have already married, unless this is a thing of the past; it is a shocking act and disgusting, and the worst possible way.
Abdul Hye   
And don’t marry woman whom your fathers married, except what has happened before. Indeed it was lewdness and admonition, and an evil way.
The Study Quran   
And marry not those women whom your fathers married, save for what is past. Truly it was indecent and loathsome, an evil way
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And take not in wedlock women whom your fathers took in (their) wedlock except (i.e., leaving as it is), what has already occurred; certainly it is shameful, and most hateful, and it became evil as a way
Farook Malik   
Do not marry those women whom your fathers had married, - except what happened prior to this commandment. - Surely it was shocking, disgusting, and an evil practice
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
Do not marry women whom your fathers married, except what is already past. That is improper, indecent, and a bad custom
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And do not marry women that your fathers married, except what has already gone by; surely that is an obscenity and detestation, and an odious way
Muhammad Sarwar   
Do not marry, from now on, the ex-wives of your fathers for that custom was sinful, loathsome, and abominable
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Do not marry those women whom your fathers had married except what has passed. It is indeed shameful and detestable, and it is an evil practice
Shabbir Ahmed   
Marry not women whom your fathers have ever married, except what has already happened in the Age of Ignorance. Doing such was a shameful and abominable custom indeed
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Do not wed the women, whom your father (or grandfather) had married. But whatever has already happened (in the past), has happened. That is indeed a lewd deed, an abominable act, a profane practice
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And marry not women whom your fathers married— Except what is past: It was shameful and offensive— A very unpleasant custom indeed
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And do not marry those [women] whom your fathers married, except what has already occurred. Indeed, it was an immorality and hateful [to Allah ] and was evil as a way
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And do not marry what your fathers had married from the women, except what has already been done. It is a lewdness, and an abhorrence, and a bad path
Abdel Haleem   
Do not marry women that your fathers married- with the exception of what is past- this is indeed a shameful thing to do, loathsome and leading to evil
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And wed not of women those whom your fathers had wedded, except that which hath already passed. Verily it hath been an indecency and an abomination and an evil way
Ahmed Ali   
And do not wed the women your fathers had wed. What happened in the past is now past: It was lewd and abhorrent, and only the way of evil
Aisha Bewley   
Do not marry any women your fathers married — except for what may have already taken place. That is an indecent act, a loathsome thing and an evil path.
Ali Ünal   
And do not marry the women whom your fathers married – except what has happened (of that sort) in the past (before your conversion: such occurrences are forgivable provided you rectify your conduct and terminate any such contract of marriage). This was indeed a shameful deed and hateful thing, and how evil a way
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Do not marry any of the women whom your fathers had married, excluding what is already past. That is indeed an indecency, an outrage and an evil course
Hamid S. Aziz   
And do not marry women your fathers married - except what has already happened - for it is an abominable and hateful practice, and an evil way
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
Do not marry what your fathers married among the women (their ex-wives) except what has passed, indeed it is indecent and disgusting and a bad way
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Do not marry women whom your fathers married, except what has undoubtedly passed. It was immoral and detestable, an abominable custom indeed
Musharraf Hussain   
Do not marry women who your fathers married, except if such a marriage has already taken place; from now on it would count as gross indecency, vile, and leading to evil consequences.
Maududi   
Do not marry the women whom your fathers married, although what is past is past. This indeed was a shameful deed, a hateful thing, and an evil way
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And do not marry who your fathers had married from the women, except what has already been done. It is a lewdness, and an abhorrence, and an evil path.
Mohammad Shafi   
And marry not those women whom your fathers married, past cases excepted. That practice was indeed an obscenity, abhorrence and an evil way of life

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And do not marry those women whom your fathers have married, except what has already passed. Undoubtedly, that is an act of indecency and wrath and an evil way.
Rashad Khalifa   
Do not marry the women who were previously married to your fathers - existing marriages are exempted and shall not be broken - for it is a gross offense, and an abominable act.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
And do not marry women your fathers married unless it is a thing of the past surely that was an indecency, hated, and a way of evil
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And marry not women whom your fathers married, except what has already passed. This surely is indecent and hateful; and it is an evil way
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
And do not marry what your fathers married from the women, except what had preceded/passed, that it was an enormous/atrocious deed , and abhorrence/hateful , and (it is an) evil way/path
Bijan Moeinian   
It is a sin to marry your father’s ex-wife (a shameful and disgusting tradition of the days of ignorance) unless it has happened before the revelation of this law
Faridul Haque   
And do not marry the women who were wedded to your fathers (and grand fathers), except what has already passed; that is indeed an act of shame and great wrong; and an evil way
Sher Ali   
And marry not those women whom your fathers married, except what has already passed. It is a thing foul and hateful and an evil way
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And do not marry women whom your fathers and forefathers married. But that which has passed (before this command is forgiven). It is indeed highly indecent, infuriating and an evil custom
Amatul Rahman Omar   
And marry not those women whom your fathers had married, except what had already passed (- you shall not be called to account for what you did in the past, only you have to divorce them now); for it is a thing highly indecent and repugnant and an evil practice
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And marry not women whom your fathers married, except what has already passed; indeed it was shameful and most hateful, and an evil way

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
And do not marry women that your fathers married, unless it be a thing of the past; surely that is indecent and hateful; an evil way
George Sale   
Marry not women, whom your fathers have had to wife; -- except what is already past: -- For this is uncleanness, and an abomination, and an evil way
Edward Henry Palmer   
And do not marry women your fathers married,- except bygones,- for it is abominable and hateful, and an evil way
John Medows Rodwell   
And marry not women whom your fathers have married: for this is a shame, and hateful, and an evil way: though what is past may be allowed
N J Dawood (2014)   
You shall not marry the women whom your fathers married: all previous such marriages excepted. That was an evil practice, indecent and abominable

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Do not marry women who were married to your fathers. An exception is made for whatever is in the past. Truly, it was a disgusting and hateful deed. It was a sinful practice.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Do not marry any women whom your fathers have already married, unless this is a thing of the past; it is a shocking act and disgusting, and the worst possible way.
Sayyid Qutb   
Do not marry women whom your fathers have previously married, unless it be a thing of the past. Surely, that is an indecent, abominable and evil practice.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Do not marry women who your fathers married. Except the past (except what has already occurred in the past). Undoubtedly this is immoral and hateful. Indeed, an awful custom!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And do not marry women whom your father married, except what has already passed; verily it is indecent and hateful and it is an evil way
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
And do not marry the women whom your fathers (deceased or divorced) have married before; Allah shall drop into oblivion what happened in the past. This incestuous union has been regarded by Allah as-an immoral act, a degrading vice and an evil line of conduct
Mir Aneesuddin   
And do not marry those women whom your fathers had married, (there is an) exception to what has already happened in the past, it was certainly indecent and hateful and an evil way.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
And marry not women whom your fathers married,- except what is past: It was shameful and odious,- an abominable custom indeed
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And (do) not marry whom married your fathers of the women except what has passed before, indeed it was an immorality and hateful, and (an) evil way