←Prev   Ayah al-Ma`idah (The Table, The Table Spread) 5:50   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
Do they, perchance, desire [to be ruled by] the law of pagan ignorance? But for people who have inner certainty, who could be a better law-giver than God
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Is it the judgment of ˹pre-Islamic˺ ignorance they seek? Who could be a better judge than Allah for people of sure faith?
Safi Kaskas   
Do they want judgment according to the age of ignorance? Is there any better judge than God for those who are firm in faith?

Listen: 
Did you notice?

 You can SEARCH IslamAwakened: 

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
أَفَحُكۡمَ ٱلۡجَـٰهِلِیَّةِ یَبۡغُونَۚ وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ حُكۡمࣰا لِّقَوۡمࣲ یُوقِنُونَ ۝٥٠
Transliteration (2021)   
afaḥuk'ma l-jāhiliyati yabghūna waman aḥsanu mina l-lahi ḥuk'man liqawmin yūqinūn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Is it then the judgment of [the] ignorance they seek? And who (is) better than Allah (in) judgment for a people (who) firmly believe.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
Do they, perchance, desire [to be ruled by] the law of pagan ignorance? But for people who have inner certainty, who could be a better law-giver than God
M. M. Pickthall   
Is it a judgment of the time of (pagan) ignorance that they are seeking? Who is better than Allah for judgment to a people who have certainty (in their belief)
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Do they then seek after a judgment of (the days of) ignorance? But who, for a people whose faith is assured, can give better judgment than Allah
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Is it the judgment of ˹pre-Islamic˺ ignorance they seek? Who could be a better judge than Allah for people of sure faith?
Safi Kaskas   
Do they want judgment according to the age of ignorance? Is there any better judge than God for those who are firm in faith?
Wahiduddin Khan   
Is it pagan laws that they wish to be judged by? Who is a better judge than God for men whose faith is firm
Shakir   
Is it then the judgment of (the times of) ignorance that they desire? And who is better than Allah to judge for a people who are sure
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Look they for a determination of Age of Ignorance? And who is fairer than God in determination for a folk who are certain?
T.B.Irving   
Do they crave judgment [from the time] of Ignorance? Yet who is finer in judgment than God for any folk who are convinced?
Abdul Hye   
Do they seek the judgment of ignorance? Who is better than Allah in judgment for a people who have firm faith?
The Study Quran   
Is it the judgment of the Age of Ignorance that they seek? And who is fairer in judgment than God, for a people who are certain
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Do they desire the ruling of the era of Ignorance? But who is better than God in judgment for a people who have certainty?
Talal Itani (2012)   
Is it the laws of the time of ignorance that they desire? Who is better than God in judgment for people who are certain
Dr. Kamal Omar   
What then, a judgement based on ignorance (of Al-Kitab) — they seek? And who is better than Allah in judgement for a people who have firm Faith
M. Farook Malik   
By rejecting the Divine Law do they wish to be judged by the laws of ignorance? Who is a better Judge than Allah for those who believe in Him
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
Is it then the judgment of (pagan) ignorance that they inequitably seek? And who is fairer in judgment than Allah, for a people having certitude
Muhammad Sarwar   
Do they want judgments that are issued out of ignorance? Who is a better judge for the people whose belief is based on certainty, than God
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Is it, then, the judgement of (the days of) Ignorance that they seek? Who is better in judgement than Allah, for a people who believe
Shabbir Ahmed   
Do they want to turn back to the Ways of Ignorance? Who can provide more equitable rules than Allah to a people who have attained Conviction in the Truth
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Do they, then, seek the rules (and rites) of the (pagan) ignorance (of earlier days)? For a nation with faith, who could be a better Judge (and Guide), if not Allah
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Do they then try to find a judgment based upon (the days of) Ignorance? For a people whose Faith is assured, who but Allah can give better judgment
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Then is it the judgement of [the time of] ignorance they desire? But who is better than Allah in judgement for a people who are certain [in faith]
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Is it the judgment of the days of ignorance that they seek Who is better than God as a judge for a people that comprehen
Abdel Haleem   
Do they want judgement according to the time of pagan ignorance? Is there any better judge than God for those of firm faith
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Seek they then the judgement of Paganism? And who is better than Allah in judgement unto a people who are convinced
Ahmed Ali   
Do they seek a judgement of the days of pagan ignorance? But who could be a better judge than God for those who are firm in their faith
Aisha Bewley   
Do they then seek the judgement of the Time of Ignorance? Who could be better at giving judgement than Allah for people with certainty?
Ali Ünal   
Or is it the law of the (pagan) Ignorance that they seek (to be judged and ruled by)? Who is better than God as law-giver and judge for a people seeking certainty (and authoritative knowledge)
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Do they seek the judgement of [pagan] ignorance? But who is better than Allah in judgement for a people who have certainty
Hamid S. Aziz   
Is it the judgment of the Time of Ignorance (i.e. before the Revelation) for which they crave? But who is better than Allah as judge for people who are certain
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
Are they looking for the judgment/law of (the times of) ignorance? Who has better judgment/law than God for people who are certain?
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Do they then seek a judgment of ignorance? But who, for a people whose faith is assured, can give better judgment than God
Musharraf Hussain   
Do they want the old law of the Age of Ignorance? There is no better rule than Allah’s, for firm believers
Maududi   
(If they turn away from the Law of Allah) do they desire judgement according to the Law of Ignorance? But for those who have certainty of belief whose judgement can be better than Allah´s
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Is it the judgment of the days of ignorance that they seek? Who is better than God as a judge for a people who comprehend
Mohammad Shafi   
Is it then that they desire the rule of the times of ignorance? And who is better to rule, for a people who are firm in Faith, than Allah

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Do they seek the judgement of the days of ignorance? And who is better in judgement than Allah for a people of firm faith?
Rashad Khalifa   
Is it the law of the days of ignorance that they seek to uphold? Whose law is better than GOD's for those who have attained certainty?
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Is it pagan laws that they wish to be judged by? Who is a better judge than Allah for a nation whose belief is firm
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Is it then the judgment of ignorance that they desire? And who is better than Allah to judge for a people who are sure
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
Is (it) the Pre-Islamic paganism's/ignorance's judgment/rule (that) they desire ? And who (is) better than God (in) judgment/ruling to a nation they be sure/certain
Bijan Moeinian   
Is it the laws of the ignorance (pre-Islamic) days that they want to return to? Never mind them as the Lord’s laws are the best for those who have chosen to believe
Faridul Haque   
So do they wish a judgement of ignorance? And whose judgement is better than that of Allah, for the people who are certain
Sher Ali   
Do they then seek the judgment of the days of Ignorance. And who is better than ALLAH as a judge for a people who have firm faith
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Do they seek the law of (the days of) ignorance? And who is better than Allah in (giving) judgment for a people who have firm faith
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Do they seek to enforce the law of (the days of) ignorance? And who is better than Allah in giving judgment for a people who are convinced (of their faith)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Do they then seek the judgement of (the Days of) Ignorance? And who is better in judgement than Allah for a people who have firm Faith

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Is it the judgment of pagandom then that they are seeking? Yet who is fairer in judgment than God, for a people having sure faith
George Sale   
Do they therefore desire the judgment of the time of ignorance? But who is better than God, to judge between people who reason aright
Edward Henry Palmer   
Is it the judgment of the Ignorance they crave? but who is better than God to judge for people who are sure
John Medows Rodwell   
Desire they, therefore, the judgments of the times of(pagan) ignorance? But what better judge can there be than God for those who believe firmly
N J Dawood (2014)   
Is it the pagan laws that they wish to be judged by? And who is a better judge than God for those whose faith is firm

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
Are they seeking the judgment of the era of ignorance? But who is better than Allah in judgment for a people who have certitude.
Munir Mezyed   
What! Do they endeavor to maintain the judgment of the time of ignorance? Who could be a better judge than Allâh for people who believe with absolute faith (in Him)?
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
Do they desire the judgement of (the days of) ignorance? And who is better in judgement than Allah for people who are sure?
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Is it the judgment of (the era of) pagan ignorance that they desire? And who is better than Allah in judgment for people of firm faith?
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Do they prefer to be judged according to [the laws of the time of] ignorance? Who is better than Allah to judge a people of assured faith?
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Do they crave judgment [from the time] of Ignorance? Yet who is finer in judgment than Allah (God) for any folk who are [truly] convinced?
Samy Mahdy   
So is it the judgment of the ignorance that they seek? And who is judgment better than Allah for a kinfolk who certain?
Sayyid Qutb   
Do they desire to be ruled by the law of pagan ignorance? But for those who are firm in their faith, who can be a better law- giver than God?
Thomas Cleary   
So do they seek the judgment of ignorance? And who is better than God at judgment for a people who are sure?
Ahmed Hulusi   
Or do they want pagan laws (from the days of ignorance)? Who is a better judge than Allah for people whose faith is firm?
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Is it then the judgement of (the times of ignorance) that they are seeking? And who is better than Allah judgement for a people of assured faith?
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Is it the folly reign of paganism that they wish to institute! But who is a better judge than Allah to pass an equitable judgement upon people who lift to Him their inward sight
Mir Aneesuddin   
Then, do they seek the judgment of ignorance? And for a people who have certainty, who is better than Allah in judgment?

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Do they then seek after a judgment of (the days of) ignorance? But who, for a people whose faith is assured, can give better judgment than God
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Is it then the judgment of [the] ignorance they seek? And who (is) better than Allah (in) judgment for a people (who) firmly believe
OLD Transliteration   
Afahukma aljahiliyyati yabghoona waman ahsanu mina Allahu hukman liqawmin yooqinoona