Surah Al-Anfal (الأنفال) • The Spoils of War

Quran 8:34

8:34

وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلَّا يُعَذِّبَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُوٓا۟ أَوْلِيَآءَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنْ أَوْلِيَآؤُهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

wamā lahum allā yuʿadhibahumu l-lahu wahum yaṣuddūna ʿani l-masjidi l-ḥarāmi wamā kānū awliyāahu in awliyāuhu illā l-mutaqūna walākinna aktharahum lā yaʿlamūna

But why should Allāh not punish them while they obstruct [people] from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām and they were not [fit to be] its guardians? Its [true] guardians are not but the righteous, but most of them do not know.

— Saheeh International

yet why should God not punish them when they debar people from the Sacred Mosque, although they are not its [rightful] guardians? Only those mindful of God are its rightful guardians, but most of the disbelievers do not realize this.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

And why should not Allâh punish them while they hinder (men) from Al-Masjid-Al-Harâm, and they are not its guardians? None can be its guardians except Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - See V.2:2), but most of them know not.

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

Juz 9Page 181medinan

Word by Word

وَمَاwamāBut what
لَهُمْlahum(is) for them
أَلَّاallāthat not
يُعَذِّبَهُمُyuʿadhibahumu(should) punish them
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah
وَهُمْwahumwhile they
يَصُدُّونَyaṣuddūnahinder (people)
عَنِʿanifrom
ٱلْمَسْجِدِl-masjidiAl-Masjid
ٱلْحَرَامِl-ḥarāmiAl-Haraam
وَمَاwamāwhile not
كَانُوٓا۟kānūthey are
أَوْلِيَآءَهُۥٓۚawliyāahuits guardians
إِنْinNot (can be)
أَوْلِيَآؤُهُۥٓawliyāuhuits guardians
إِلَّاillāexcept
ٱلْمُتَّقُونَl-mutaqūnathe ones who fear Allah
وَلَـٰكِنَّwalākinnabut
أَكْثَرَهُمْaktharahummost of them
لَاlā(do) not
يَعْلَمُونَyaʿlamūnaknow