Surah Al-Ahzab (الأحزاب) • The Combined Forces

Quran 33:5

33:5

ٱدْعُوهُمْ لِـَٔابَآئِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن لَّمْ تَعْلَمُوٓا۟ ءَابَآءَهُمْ فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَمَوَٰلِيكُمْ ۚ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَآ أَخْطَأْتُم بِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِن مَّا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

id'ʿūhum liābāihim huwa aqsaṭu ʿinda l-lahi fa-in lam taʿlamū ābāahum fa-ikh'wānukum fī l-dīni wamawālīkum walaysa ʿalaykum junāḥun fīmā akhṭatum bihi walākin mā taʿammadat qulūbukum wakāna l-lahu ghafūran raḥīman

Call them by [the names of] their fathers; it is more just in the sight of Allāh. But if you do not know their fathers - then they are [still] your brothers in religion and those entrusted to you. And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.

— Saheeh International

Name your adopted sons after their real fathers: this is more equitable in God’s eyes––if you do not know who their fathers are [they are your] ‘brothers-in-religion’ and proteges. You will not be blamed if you make a mistake, only for what your hearts deliberately intend; God is most forgiving and merciful.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers: that is more just with Allâh. But if you know not their father’s (names, call them) your brothers in faith and Mawâlîkum (your freed slaves). And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend. And Allâh is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

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

Juz 21Page 418medinan

Word by Word

ٱدْعُوهُمْid'ʿūhumCall them
لِـَٔابَآئِهِمْliābāihimby their fathers
هُوَhuwait
أَقْسَطُaqsaṭu(is) more just
عِندَʿindanear
ٱللَّهِۚl-lahiAllah
فَإِنfa-inBut if
لَّمْlamnot
تَعْلَمُوٓا۟taʿlamūyou know
ءَابَآءَهُمْābāahumtheir fathers
فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْfa-ikh'wānukumthen (they are) your brothers
فِىfīin
ٱلدِّينِl-dīni[the] religion
وَمَوَٰلِيكُمْۚwamawālīkumand your friends
وَلَيْسَwalaysaBut not is
عَلَيْكُمْʿalaykumupon you
جُنَاحٌۭjunāḥunany blame
فِيمَآfīmāin what
أَخْطَأْتُمakhṭatumyou made a mistake
بِهِۦbihiin it
وَلَـٰكِنwalākinbut
مَّاmāwhat
تَعَمَّدَتْtaʿammadatintended
قُلُوبُكُمْۚqulūbukumyour hearts
وَكَانَwakānaAnd Allah
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAnd Allah
غَفُورًۭاghafūran(is) Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمًاraḥīmanMost Merciful