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←Prev   Ayah al-Jinn (The Jinn) 72:27   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
unless it be to an apostle whom He has been pleased to elect [there for]: and then He sends forth [the forces of heaven] to watch over him in whatever lies open before him and in what is beyond his ken –
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
except messengers of His choice. Then He appoints angel-guards before and behind them
Safi Kaskas   
except to a Messenger of His choosing. He then dispatches guards before him and behind him.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
إِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضَىٰ مِن رَّسُولٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَسْلُكُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ رَصَدً
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more   
Except whom He has approved of a Messenger, and indeed, He makes to march from (from) between hands and from behind him a guard,

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
unless it be to an apostle whom He has been pleased to elect [there for]: and then He sends forth [the forces of heaven] to watch over him in whatever lies open before him and in what is beyond his ken –
M. M. Pickthall   
Save unto every messenger whom He hath chosen, and then He maketh a guard to go before him and a guard behind hi
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
"Except a messenger whom He has chosen: and then He makes a band of watchers march before him and behind him
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
except messengers of His choice. Then He appoints angel-guards before and behind them
Safi Kaskas   
except to a Messenger of His choosing. He then dispatches guards before him and behind him.
Wahiduddin Khan   
except the messenger whom He has chosen. He sends down guardians who walk before them and behind them
Shakir   
Except to him whom He chooses as a messenger; for surely He makes a guard to march before him and after him
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
but a Messenger with whom He was content. Then, truly, He dispatches in advance of him and from behind him, watchers
T.B.Irving   
except for some messenger whom He approves of. He leads him off with an escort both before him and behind him
Abdul Hye   
except to the Messenger whom He has chosen. Then He makes a band of watching guards (angels) to march before him and behind him,
The Study Quran   
save to the one whom He approves as a messenger. Then He dispatches before him and behind him a guard
Dr. Kamal Omar   
except whom He agreed out of a Messenger. Then surely He drives and moves in between his two hands (i.e., forward, in front of him) and on his back (invisible angel-escorts) as body- guards
Farook Malik   
except to the Messenger whom He may choose for that purpose, and then He appoints guards, who march before him and behind him
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
Except to a Messenger of His choosing. He then dispatches guards before him and behind him
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
Excepting to such a Messenger as He is Divinely Satisfied with. Then surely He dispatches (Literally: between his two hands) before (Literally: inserts) him and behind him observers
Muhammad Sarwar   
He causes angelic guards to march before and after him
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
except a messenger whom He chooses (to inform through revelation), and then He appoints (angels as) watching guards before him and behind him, (so that devils may not tamper with the divine revelation,
Shabbir Ahmed   
Except as He wills unto a Messenger whom He has elected. And then He ensures that the Revelation is guarded in his life and after him. (This Eternal guarding is promised for the final Revelation
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Except to whomever He chooses among His messengers. (When He reveals the unseen to a messenger), He appoints (angels as) observers in front of and behind him
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
"Except a messenger whom He has chosen, and then He makes a band of watchers (angels) march before him and behind him
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Except whom He has approved of messengers, and indeed, He sends before each messenger and behind him observer
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Except to whom He has accepted as a messenger, then He reveals from the past and the future
Abdel Haleem   
He does not disclose it except to a messenger of His choosing. He sends watchers to go in front and behin
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Save Unto an apostle chosen. And then He causeth to go before him and behind him a guard
Ahmed Ali   
Other than an apostle He has chosen, when He makes a sentinel walk in front of him and a sentinel behind
Aisha Bewley   
except a Messenger with whom He is well pleased, and then He posts sentinels before him and behind him,
Ali Ünal   
Except to a Messenger whom He has chosen (and is well-pleased with – He informs him of the Unseen as much as He wills –); and He dispatches a watchful guard before him (between him and his audience) and a watchful guard behind him (between him and the origin of the Revelation)
Ali Quli Qara'i   
except to an apostle He approves of. Then He dispatches a sentinel before and behind hi
Hamid S. Aziz   
Except messengers whom He has chosen; and then He makes a guard to go before him and after him
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
except any messenger whom He approves, then He sends observers in front of him and behind him
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
“Except a messenger whom He has chosen, and then He makes a group of watchers march before him and behind him
Musharraf Hussain   
except the messengers of His choosing. To protect the messengers, He sends guardians who walk in front and behind them,
Maududi   
other than to a Messenger whom He chooses (for the bestowal of any part of the knowledge of the Unseen), whereafter He appoints guards who go before him and behind him
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Except to whom He has accepted as a messenger, then He reveals from the past and the future.
Mohammad Shafi   
Except those of His Messengers to whom He pleases [to convey any knowledge of the Unseen]. And then He appoints a guard to go before him and a guard behind hi

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Except to His chosen Messengers, and appoints guard before them and behind them.
Rashad Khalifa   
Only to a messenger that He chooses, does He reveal from the past and the future, specific news.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
except only to a Messenger that He has chosen, and He sends guardians before him and behind him
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Except a messenger whom He chooses. For surely He makes a guard to go before him and after him
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
Except whom He accepted from a messenger so that He truly, He enters/passes from between his hands (present) and from behind him (past), watching/observing observation
Bijan Moeinian   
If God decides to reveal a part of His knowledge to mankind,.
Faridul Haque   
Except to His chosen Noble Messengers – so He appoints guards in front and behind him. (Allah gave the knowledge of the hidden to the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him.
Sher Ali   
Except to a Messenger of HIS whom HE chooses. And then HE causes an escort of guarding angels to go before him and behind him
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Except for His Messengers with whom He is well-pleased (and reveals to them alone the unseen because that is an exclusive trait of Prophethood and a Messenger’s miracle as well). So indeed He appoints protectors at both front and rear of him (the Messenger, for the security of the knowledge of the unseen)
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Except to him whom He chooses to be a Messenger (of His, to whom He frequently tells many news about the hidden future). (And when He does this) He orders an escort of (guarding angels) to go before him and behind him
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Except to a Messenger (from mankind) whom He has chosen (He informs him of unseen as much as He likes), and then He makes a band of watching guards (angels) to march before him and behind him

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
save only to such a Messenger as He is well-pleased with; then He despatches before him and behind him watchers
George Sale   
except an apostle in whom He is well pleased: And He causeth a guard of angels to march before Him, and behind Him
Edward Henry Palmer   
save such apostle as He is well pleased with: for, verily, He sends marching before him and behind him a guard!
John Medows Rodwell   
Except to that Apostle who pleaseth Him; and before him and behind him He maketh a guard to march
N J Dawood (2014)   
except to the apostles He has chosen

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
“The exception is a messenger whom He has chosen, and then He appoints a guard [ie, guardian angel] to march before him and behind him.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
except for some messenger whom He approves of. He leads him off with an escort both before him and behind him
Ahmed Hulusi   
Except for a chosen-purified Rasul! And indeed, He places guards in front and behind him (the Rasul)!
Mir Aneesuddin   
except to a messenger whom He chooses, but He makes one who is watchful, to move before him and behind him,
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
" Except to a Messenger whom He chooses and then He besets him on all sides with guardian angels to protect him and protect the Book with which He has put him in trust"

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
"Except an apostle whom He has chosen: and then He makes a band of watchers march before him and behind him
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Except whom He has approved of a Messenger, and indeed, He makes to march from before him and from behind him a guard