Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
They will ask thee about fighting in the sacred month. Say: "Fighting in it is an awesome thing (grave transgression); but turning men away from the path of God and denying Him, and [turning them away from] the Inviolable House of Worship and expelling its people there from - [all this] is yet more awesome (greater transgression) in the sight of God, since oppression is more awesome (greater transgression) than killing." [Your enemies] will not cease to fight against you till they have turned you away from your faith, if they can. But if any of you should turn away from his faith and die as a denier of the truth - these it is whose works will go for nought in this world and in the life to come; and these it is who are destined for the fire, therein to abide
Arthur John Arberry
They will question thee concerning the holy month, and fighting in it. Say: 'Fighting in it is a heinous thing, but to bar from God's way, and disbelief in Him, and the Holy Mosque, and to expel its people from it -- that is more heinous in God's sight; and persecution is more heinous than slaying.' They will not cease to fight with you, till they turn you from your religion, if they are able; and whosoever of you turns from his religion, and dies disbelieving -- their works have failed in this world and the next; those are the inhabitants of the Fire; therein they shall dwell forever
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
They ask thee concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month. Say: "Fighting therein is a grave (offence); but graver is it in the sight of Allah to prevent access to the path of Allah, to deny Him, to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and drive out its members." Tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter. Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can. And if any of you Turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter; they will be companions of the Fire and will abide therein
Arabic
یَسۡءَلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلشَّهۡرِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ قِتَالࣲ فِیهِۖ قُلۡ قِتَالࣱ فِیهِ كَبِیرࣱۚ وَصَدٌّ عَن سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ وَكُفۡرُۢ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ وَإِخۡرَاجُ أَهۡلِهِۦ مِنۡهُ أَكۡبَرُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِۚ وَٱلۡفِتۡنَةُ أَكۡبَرُ مِنَ ٱلۡقَتۡلِۗ وَلَا یَزَالُونَ یُقَـٰتِلُونَكُمۡ حَتَّىٰ یَرُدُّوكُمۡ عَن دِینِكُمۡ إِنِ ٱسۡتَطَـٰعُوا۟ۚ وَمَن یَرۡتَدِدۡ مِنكُمۡ عَن دِینِهِۦ فَیَمُتۡ وَهُوَ كَافِرࣱ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ حَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَـٰلُهُمۡ فِی ٱلدُّنۡیَا وَٱلۡءَاخِرَةِۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ أَصۡحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِۖ هُمۡ فِیهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ٢١٧
Transliteration (2021)
yasalūnaka ʿani l-shahri l-ḥarāmi qitālin fīhi qul qitālun fīhi kabīrun waṣaddun ʿan sabīli l-lahi wakuf'run bihi wal-masjidi l-ḥarāmi wa-ikh'rāju ahlihi min'hu akbaru ʿinda l-lahi wal-fit'natu akbaru mina l-qatli walā yazālūna yuqātilūnakum ḥattā yaruddūkum ʿan dīnikum ini is'taṭāʿū waman yartadid minkum ʿan dīnihi fayamut wahuwa kāfirun fa-ulāika ḥabiṭat aʿmāluhum fī l-dun'yā wal-ākhirati wa-ulāika aṣḥābu l-nāri hum fīhā khālidūn