Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
until he was but two bow-lengths away, or even nearer
M. M. Pickthall
Till he was (distant) two bows' length or even nearer
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
that he was only two arms-lengths away or even less.
Safi Kaskas
to within two bows’ length or closer.
Wahiduddin Khan
until he was two bow-lengths away or even close
Shakir
So he was the measure of two bows or closer still
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
until he had been at a distance of two bow lengths or closer.
T.B.Irving
and stood two bow-lengths off or even closer.
Abdul Hye
and was at a distance of 2 bow’s length or even closer,
The Study Quran
till he was within two bows’ length or nearer
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
And was at the distance of two bow lengths, or even nearer.
Talal Itani (2012)
He was within two bows' length, or closer
Dr. Kamal Omar
So he was at a distance of two bow-lengths, or (so to say, even) nearer
within the length of two bows or even closer
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
So he was at two bows (distance) or (even) closer (still)
Muhammad Sarwar
until he was as close to him as the distance of two bows, or even less
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
so as he was at a distance like that of two bows (joined together), rather even nearer
Shabbir Ahmed
Till he was but two bow-lengths away, or even closer. (The Divine Will and the will of the Messenger merged together, like the two of you join your bows as a bond of friendship (8:17))
Dr. Munir Munshey
He was two bow-lengths away, or (even) less
Syed Vickar Ahamed
And was at a distance of only two bow-lengths (of spiritual union) or even nearer
And was at a distance of two bow lengths or nearer
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
Until he became as near as two bow-lengths or nearer
Abdel Haleem
until he was two bow-lengths away or even closer––
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
Till he was two bows length off or yet nearer
Ahmed Ali
Until a space of two bow (arcs) or even less remained
Aisha Bewley
He was two bow-lengths away or even closer.
Ali Ünal
So he was (so near that there was left only the distance between) the strings of two bows (put adjacent to each other) or even nearer (than that)
Ali Quli Qara'i
until he was within two bows’ length or even nearer
Hamid S. Aziz
Until he was two bows distant or closer still
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
until he was at a distance of two bows or closer,
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
And was at a distance of only two bow-lengths or nearer
Musharraf Hussain
The distance between two bows held together.
Maududi
until he was two bows´ length away, or nearer
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
Until he became as near as two bow-lengths or nearer.
Mohammad Shafi
To be within a distance of two bow-lengths
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
So there was a distance of two hands between the Splendid sight and the beloved (Prophet) but rather less than that.
Until He became as close as possible.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
he was but two bows' length or even nearer
Maulana Muhammad Ali
So he was the measure of two bows or closer still
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
So he was (a) short measure of length (of) two arm's/bow's (lengths) or nearer
Bijan Moeinian
of the universe…
Faridul Haque
So the distance between the Spectacle and the beloved was only two arms’ length, or even less. (The Heavenly Journey of Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him – was with body and soul.
Sher Ali
So that HE became, as it were, one chord to two bows, or closer still
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
Then a distance measuring only two bow-lengths was left (between Allah Unveiled and His Esteemed Beloved), or even less than that (in extreme nearness)
Amatul Rahman Omar
So that he became (as it were) one chord to two bows or closer still
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
And was at a distance of two bows length or (even) nearer
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
Till he was at the angle of two bows or even nearer.
Munir Mezyed
He was as close to (Muhammad) as the distance of two bows or even less.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
And was at a distance of two bow lengths or less.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
…until he was closer than two bow-shots.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
so that he was within two bows’ length or closer.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
and stood two bow-lengths off or even closer.
Samy Mahdy
So he was within two bows’ length, or closer.
Ahmed Hulusi
And was (as close as) the distance between two bow lengths or nearer!
Mir Aneesuddin
and was at a distance of two bows, length or closer,
Until the intervening distance between him and Muhammad was no more than two bows length or even close
The Wise Quran
And he was two bows' length away, or nearer.