Surah Al-Baqarah (البقرة) • The Cow

Quran 2:221

2:221

وَلَا تَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنَّ ۚ وَلَأَمَةٌ مُّؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن مُّشْرِكَةٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ ۗ وَلَا تُنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ ۚ وَلَعَبْدٌ مُّؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن مُّشْرِكٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلْجَنَّةِ وَٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖ وَيُبَيِّنُ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

walā tankiḥū l-mush'rikāti ḥattā yu'minna wala-amatun mu'minatun khayrun min mush'rikatin walaw aʿjabatkum walā tunkiḥū l-mush'rikīna ḥattā yu'minū walaʿabdun mu'minun khayrun min mush'rikin walaw aʿjabakum ulāika yadʿūna ilā l-nāri wal-lahu yadʿū ilā l-janati wal-maghfirati bi-idh'nihi wayubayyinu āyātihi lilnnāsi laʿallahum yatadhakkarūna

And do not marry polytheistic women until they believe. And a believing slave woman is better than a polytheist, even though she might please you. And do not marry polytheistic men [to your women] until they believe. And a believing slave is better than a polytheist, even though he might please you. Those invite [you] to the Fire, but Allāh invites to Paradise and to forgiveness, by His permission. And He makes clear His verses [i.e., ordinances] to the people that perhaps they may remember.

— Saheeh International

Do not marry idolatresses until they believe: a believing slave woman is certainly better than an idolatress, even though she may please you. And do not give your women in marriage to idolaters until they believe: a believing slave is certainly better than an idolater, even though he may please you. Such people call [you] to the Fire, while God calls [you] to the Garden and forgiveness by His leave. He makes His messages clear to people, so that they may bear them in mind.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

And do not marry Al-Mushrikât (idolatresses, etc.) till they believe (worship Allâh Alone). And indeed a slave woman who believes is better than a (free) Mushrikah (idolatress), even though she pleases you. And give not (your daughters) in marriage to Al-Mushrikûn till they believe (in Allâh Alone) and verily, a believing slave is better than a (free) Mushrik (idolater), even though he pleases you. Those (Al-Mushrikûn) invite you to the Fire, but Allâh invites (you) to Paradise and Forgiveness by His Leave, and makes His Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to mankind that they may remember.

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Juz 2Page 35medinan

Word by Word

وَلَاwalāAnd (do) not
تَنكِحُوا۟tankiḥū[you] marry
ٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِl-mush'rikāti[the] polytheistic women
حَتَّىٰḥattāuntil
يُؤْمِنَّۚyu'minnathey believe
وَلَأَمَةٌۭwala-amatunAnd a bondwoman
مُّؤْمِنَةٌmu'minatun(who is) believing
خَيْرٌۭkhayrun(is) better
مِّنminthan
مُّشْرِكَةٍۢmush'rikatina polytheistic woman
وَلَوْwalaw[and] even if
أَعْجَبَتْكُمْۗaʿjabatkumshe pleases you
وَلَاwalāAnd (do) not
تُنكِحُوا۟tunkiḥūgive in marriage (your women)
ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَl-mush'rikīna(to) [the] polytheistic men
حَتَّىٰḥattāuntil
يُؤْمِنُوا۟ۚyu'minūthey believe
وَلَعَبْدٌۭwalaʿabdunand a bondman
مُّؤْمِنٌmu'minun(who is) believing
خَيْرٌۭkhayrun(is) better
مِّنminthan
مُّشْرِكٍۢmush'rikina polytheistic man
وَلَوْwalaw[and] even if
أَعْجَبَكُمْۗaʿjabakumhe pleases you
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَulāika[Those]
يَدْعُونَyadʿūnathey invite
إِلَىilāto
ٱلنَّارِۖl-nārithe Fire
وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuand Allah
يَدْعُوٓا۟yadʿūinvites
إِلَىilāto
ٱلْجَنَّةِl-janatiParadise
وَٱلْمَغْفِرَةِwal-maghfiratiand [the] forgiveness
بِإِذْنِهِۦۖbi-idh'nihiby His permission
وَيُبَيِّنُwayubayyinuAnd He makes clear
ءَايَـٰتِهِۦāyātihiHis Verses
لِلنَّاسِlilnnāsifor the people
لَعَلَّهُمْlaʿallahumso that they may
يَتَذَكَّرُونَyatadhakkarūnatake heed