Surah Al-Ahzab (الأحزاب) • The Combined Forces

Quran 33:20

33:20

يَحْسَبُونَ ٱلْأَحْزَابَ لَمْ يَذْهَبُوا۟ ۖ وَإِن يَأْتِ ٱلْأَحْزَابُ يَوَدُّوا۟ لَوْ أَنَّهُم بَادُونَ فِى ٱلْأَعْرَابِ يَسْـَٔلُونَ عَنْ أَنۢبَآئِكُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كَانُوا۟ فِيكُم مَّا قَـٰتَلُوٓا۟ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

yaḥsabūna l-aḥzāba lam yadhhabū wa-in yati l-aḥzābu yawaddū law annahum bādūna fī l-aʿrābi yasalūna ʿan anbāikum walaw kānū fīkum mā qātalū illā qalīlan

They think the companies have not [yet] withdrawn. And if the companies should come [again], they would wish they were in the desert among the bedouins, inquiring [from afar] about your news. And if they should be among you, they would not fight except for a little.

— Saheeh International

They think the joint forces have not gone, and if the joint forces did come again they would wish they were in the desert, wandering among the Bedouin and seeking news about you [from a safe distance]. Even if they were with you [believers], they would hardly fight at all.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

They think that Al-Ahzâb (the Confederates) have not yet withdrawn; and if Al-Ahzâb (the Confederates) should come (again), they would wish they were in the deserts (wandering) among the bedouins, seeking news about you (from a far place); and if they (happen) to be among you, they would not fight but little.

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

Juz 21Page 420medinan

Word by Word

يَحْسَبُونَyaḥsabūnaThey think
ٱلْأَحْزَابَl-aḥzābathe confederates
لَمْlam(have) not
يَذْهَبُوا۟ۖyadhhabūwithdrawn
وَإِنwa-inAnd if
يَأْتِyati(should) come
ٱلْأَحْزَابُl-aḥzābuthe confederates
يَوَدُّوا۟yawaddūthey would wish
لَوْlawif
أَنَّهُمannahumthat they (were)
بَادُونَbādūnaliving in (the) desert
فِىfīamong
ٱلْأَعْرَابِl-aʿrābithe Bedouins
يَسْـَٔلُونَyasalūnaasking
عَنْʿanabout
أَنۢبَآئِكُمْۖanbāikumyour news
وَلَوْwalawAnd if
كَانُوا۟kānūthey were
فِيكُمfīkumamong you
مَّاmānot
قَـٰتَلُوٓا۟qātalūthey would fight
إِلَّاillāexcept
قَلِيلًۭاqalīlana little