Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
They have made their oaths a cover [for their falseness], and thus they turn others away from the Path of God. Evil indeed is all that they are wont to do
M. M. Pickthall
They make their faith a pretext so that they may turn (men) from the way of Allah. Verily evil is that which they are wont to do
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
They have made their oaths a screen (for their misdeeds): thus they obstruct (men) from the Path of Allah: truly evil are their deeds
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
They have made their ˹false˺ oaths as a shield, hindering ˹others˺ from the Way of Allah. Evil indeed is what they do!
Safi Kaskas
They have taken their oaths as a cover, to divert people from the way of God. Evil is what they do.
Wahiduddin Khan
they use their oaths as a cover and thus they bar others from God's way: what they have been doing is truly evi
Shakir
They make their oaths a shelter, and thus turn away from Allah's way; surely evil is that which they do
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
They took their oaths to themselves as a pretext. Then, they barred from the way of God. Truly, they, how evil is what they had been doing!
T.B.Irving
They use their faith as a disguise and obstruct God´s way; they are evil because of what they have been doing.
Abdul Hye
They have taken their oaths as a shield (for their hypocrisy). Thus they hinder people from the Way of Allah. Surely, evil is what they do.
The Study Quran
They took their oaths as a shield and thus turned from the way of God. Evil indeed is that which they used to do
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
They use their oaths as a shield, hindering others from God’s path. Their deeds are indeed deplorable.
Talal Itani (2012)
They treat their oaths as a cover, and so they repel others from God's path. Evil is what they do
Dr. Kamal Omar
They have picked up their oaths as a shield, so they have hindered (people) from the Path of Allah. Surely they: evil is what they used to practice
They use their faith as a disguise, and thus debar others from the Way of Allah. Evil is indeed what they do
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
They have taken to themselves their oaths as a pretext: so they have barred from the way of Allah. Surely odious is whatever they were doing
Muhammad Sarwar
They have chosen their oaths as a shield for them to obstruct others from the way of God. How terrible is what they do
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
They have made their oaths a shield, and thus they have prevented (others) from the way of Allah. Surely evil is what they have been doing
Shabbir Ahmed
They make their oaths and proclamation of Faith a cover so that they may bar others from the Path of Allah. Miserable indeed is what they do
Dr. Munir Munshey
They use their oaths as a pretext to dissuade (and deter others) from the path of Allah. What they do is indeed evil
Syed Vickar Ahamed
They have made their oaths a way (to hide what they really are and) like this they stop (men) from the Path of Allah: Truly, their deeds are evil
They have taken their oaths as a cover, so they averted [people] from the way of Allah . Indeed, it was evil that they were doing
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
They have chosen their oath as a deceit, thus they repel from the path of God. Miserable indeed is what they do
Abdel Haleem
they use their oaths as a cover and so bar others from God’s way: what they have been doing is truly evil––
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
They have taken their oaths for a shield; then they turn away men from the way of Allah. Verily vile is that which they have been working
Ahmed Ali
They have made their oaths a shield in order to obstruct others from the way of God. It is certainly evil what they do
Aisha Bewley
They have made their oaths into a cloak and barred the Way of Allah. What they have done is truly evil.
Ali Ünal
They make their oaths a shelter (to hide their inner unbelief and protect themselves in the Muslim community), and so divert themselves (and seek to bar others) from God’s way. Evil indeed is what they habitually do
Ali Quli Qara'i
They make a shield of their oaths, and bar from the way of Allah. Evil indeed is what they used to do
Hamid S. Aziz
They make their oaths a screen (for their misdeeds), and thus turn away from Allah´s way; surely evil is that which they do
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
They took their oath as a shield, then obstructed (people) from God's way. Indeed, what they were doing is bad.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
They have made their promises a screen, and they obstruct the people from the path of God. Truly harmful are their deeds
Musharraf Hussain
They take their oaths as a shield, then they stop others from coming to the path of Allah. What they are doing is evil.
Maududi
They shelter behind their oath, and thus hinder their own selves and others from the Path of Allah. Evil indeed is what they do
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
They have chosen their oath as a deceit, thus they repel from the path of God. Miserable indeed is what they do.
Mohammad Shafi
They take cover of their oaths to turn others away from Allah's Path. It is indeed evil what they do
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
They have taken their oaths as shield and they kept back from Allah's way, undoubtedly, they are doing most vile works.
Under the guise of their apparent faith, they repel the people from the path of GOD. Miserable indeed is what they do.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
They have taken their oaths as a cover and barred others from the Path of Allah. Evil is what they have done
Maulana Muhammad Ali
They take shelter under their oaths, thus turning (men) from Allah’s way. Surely evil is that which they do
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
They took their rights/oaths (as) a cover (shield) so they prevented/obstructed from God's way/path , that they truly are bad/evil/harmful what they were making/doing
Bijan Moeinian
They hide their evil intentions under the disguise of Islam. How evil of them to try to turn people away from the path of their Lord
Faridul Haque
They have taken their oaths as a shield, thereby prevented others from Allah’s way; indeed they commit extremely evil deeds
Sher Ali
They have made their oaths a cloak; thus they hinder men from the way of ALLAH. Surely, evil is that which they have been doing
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
They have made their oaths a shield. Then they hinder (the people) from the path of Allah. Surely, that is an extremely evil (work) which they are doing
Amatul Rahman Omar
They take shelter behind their oaths (to hide their evil designs). Thus they keep people back from the way of Allah. Surely, evil is the practice they follow
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
They have made their oaths a screen (for their hypocrisy). Thus they hinder (men) from the Path of Allah. Verily, evil is what they used to do
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
They have taken their oaths as a shield so they hinder from the way of Allah. Truly evil it is that which they used to do.
Munir Mezyed
They have taken their oaths as a cover, and barred (men) from (striving) in the way of Allâh. Evil indeed is that which they are wont to do.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
They adopt their faith by way of protection then divert from the way of Allah, bad is what they used to do.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
They have made their oaths a veil [for their true feelings]. In this way, they are obstructions to the path of Allah. Truly evil are their deeds.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
they have taken their oaths as a cover, and so they have barred (others) from the way of Allah; indeed, evil is what they have been doing.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
They use their faith as a disguise and obstruct Allah (God)'s way; they are evil because of what they have been doing.
Samy Mahdy
They took their oaths, a protection screen, so they hindered Allah's pathway. Surely it is bad what they were working on.
Ahmed Hulusi
They took their oaths as a cover and prevented from the way of Allah... Wretched is what they do!
Mir Aneesuddin
They make their oaths a shelter (and) thus turn away (people) from the way of Allah, evil is that which they do.
They use their oaths to hide, under the garb of truth, their extreme vanity Many among the believers were deceived, and the hypocrite's policy achieved its necessary ends. In consequence they have blocked the path of Allah, the path of righteousness, and persistently opposed the progress in purpose and in action. Evil indeed is the way they have conducted themselves in life
The Wise Quran
They took their oaths as a covering, then they hindered from the way of God. Indeed they, evil is what they used to do.