Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
Yet [it does happen that] when people become aware of [an occasion for] worldly gain or a passing delight, they rush headlong towards it, and leave thee standing [and preaching]. Say: "That which is with God is far better than all passing delight and all gain! And God is the best of providers!"
M. M. Pickthall
But when they spy some merchandise or pastime they break away to it and leave thee standing. Say: That which Allah hath is better than pastime and than merchandise, and Allah is the Best of providers
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
But when they see some bargain or some amusement, they disperse headlong to it, and leave thee standing. Say: "The (blessing) from the Presence of Allah is better than any amusement or bargain! and Allah is the Best to provide (for all needs)."
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
When they saw the fanfare along with the caravan, they ˹almost all˺ flocked to it, leaving you ˹O Prophet˺ standing ˹on the pulpit˺. Say, “What is with Allah is far better than amusement and merchandise. And Allah is the Best Provider.”
Safi Kaskas
Yet whenever they come across some business, or some entertainment, they scramble towards it, and leave you standing there. Say, “That which is with God is better than entertainment and business; God is the Best of providers.”
Wahiduddin Khan
Yet when they see some merchandise or entertainment, they break away to go to it and leave you standing. Say, That which God has in store is far entertainment. God is the most better than any merchandise or munificent Giver
Shakir
And when they see merchandise or sport they break up for It, and leave you standing. Say: What is with Allah is better than sport and (better) than merchandise, and Allah is the best of Sustainers
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
And when they considered a transaction or a diversion, they broke away toward it, and left thee as one who is standing up. Say: What is with God is better than any diversion or than any transaction. And God is Best of the ones who provide.
T.B.Irving
Yet whenever they see some business or some sport they flock towards it and leave you standing there [alone]. SAY: "Whatever God has is better than any sport or business. God is the Best Provider!"
Abdul Hye
And when they (people with weak faith) see some merchandise or some amusement, they disperse headlong to it, and leave you (Muhammad) standing (while you are delivering Jumu’ah religious talk). Say: “That which Allah has is better than any amusement or merchandise! Allah is the Best of providers.”
The Study Quran
And when they see some commerce or diversion, they scatter toward it and leave thee standing. Say, “That which is with God is better than diversion and commerce; and God is the best of providers.
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
Yet when they see some trade or entertainment, they scatter towards it and leave you standing. Say, “What’s with God is better than any amusement or trade, and God is the Best of Providers.”
Talal Itani (2012)
Yet whenever they come across some business, or some entertainment, they scramble towards it, and leave you standing. Say, 'What is with God is better than entertainment and business; and God is the Best of providers.'
Dr. Kamal Omar
And when they noticed some trade or amusement they turned to it, and they left you in the standing position (while you had been delivering the sermon from the pulpit). Say: “Whatever is available with Allah is better than amusement and than trade. And Allah (is) the Better One of those who provide sustenance and provisions.”
Those who are still weak in ImAn (faith), when they see some bargain or some sport they rush to it and leave you standing. O Prophet declare to them that what Allah has in store for them is far better than any sport and bargain, and Allah is the best provider
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
And when they see (some) commercial dealing or some diversion, they break away to it, and they leave you (standing) upright. Say, "What is in the Providence of Allah is more charitable (i.e., sealed) than diversion and commerce; and Allah is The Most Charitable of providers."
Muhammad Sarwar
When they see some merchandise or some sport, they rush towards it and leave you alone standing. Say, "(God's rewards for good deeds) are better than merriment or merchandise; God is the best Sustainer"
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
And when they see some merchandise or amusement, they break away to it, and leave you (O prophet,) standing. Say, .What is with Allah is much better than the amusement and the merchandise, and Allah is the best giver of sustenance
Shabbir Ahmed
Yet when they see some bargain or entertainment, they rush to it, and leave you standing. Say, "That which is with Allah is better than all entertainment and all bargain. And Allah is the Best of providers."
Dr. Munir Munshey
When they see a bargain or an amusement troupe, they rush towards it and leave you standing. Say, "That, which is with Allah is better than any bargain or amusement. He is absolutely the very Best of all the providers!"
Syed Vickar Ahamed
And when they see some bargain or some amusement, they leave to run to it, and leave you standing. Say: "The (blessing) from the Presence of Allah is better than any amusement or bargain! And Allah is the Best to Provide (for all needs) (Khair-ur-Razikheen)."
But when they saw a transaction or a diversion, [O Muhammad], they rushed to it and left you standing. Say, "What is with Allah is better than diversion and than a transaction, and Allah is the best of providers."
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
And if they come across any trade, or some entertainment, they rush to it and leave you standing! Say: "What God possesses is far better than entertainment or trade. And God is the best Provider."
Abdel Haleem
Yet they scatter towards trade or entertainment whenever they observe it, and leave you [Prophet] standing there. Say, ‘God’s gift is better than any entertainment or trade: God is the best provider.’
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
And when they beheld merchandise or sport, they flocked thereto, and left thee standing. Say thou: that which is with Allah is better than sport and better than merchandise; and Allah is the Best of providers
Ahmed Ali
Yet when they see some buying and selling, or some sport, they go for it, leaving you standing. Tell them: "What is with God is better than your sport and commerce. And God is the best of providers."
Aisha Bewley
But when they see a chance of trade or entertainment they scatter off to it and leave you standing there. Say: ´What is with Allah is better than trade or entertainment. Allah is the Best of Providers.´
Ali Ünal
Yet (it happened that) when they saw (an opportunity for) business or pastime, they broke away for it and left you standing (while preaching the sermon). Say: "What is with God is better (for you) than pastimes and business. God is the Best to be sought as provider with the ultimate rank of providing."
Ali Quli Qara'i
When they sight a deal or a diversion, they scatter off towards it and leave you standing! Say, ‘What is with Allah is better than diversion and dealing, and Allah is the best of providers.’
Hamid S. Aziz
And when they see merchandise (bargains or business) or sport (amusement) they break up for it, and leave you standing. Say, "That which is with Allah is better than sport and better than merchandise, and Allah is the best of Sustainers."
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
And when they see a business or an amusement, they go away to it and leave you standing. Say: “What is with God is better than amusement and business, and God is the best of providers.”
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
But when they see some deal or some entertainment, they disperse headlong into it, and leave you standing there. Say, “That which is from the presence of God is better than any entertainment or deal, and God is the best to provide.
Musharraf Hussain
When they saw a commercial bargain or entertainment, they rushed towards it and left you standing. Tell them: “What Allah has is far better than the entertainment and the bargain.” Allah is the Best Provider
Maududi
Yet no sooner than they saw some trading or amusement, they flocked to it and left you standing by yourself. Tell them: "That which is with Allah is far better than amusement and trading. Allah is the Best Provider of sustenance."
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
And if they come across any trade, or some entertainment, they rush to it and leave you standing! Say: "What God possesses is far better than entertainment or trade. And God is the best Provider."
Mohammad Shafi
And when they see something of commercial or entertaining interest to them, they break away to go to it and leave you standing. Say, "What is with Allah is far better than any entertainment or merchandise. And Allah is the Best Provider."
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
And when they saw any trade or sports they dispersed towards it and left you standing while addressing. Say, you that which is with Allah is better then sport and trade. And the provision of Allah is best
When some of them come across a business deal, or some entertainment, they rush to it and leave you standing! Say, "What GOD possesses is far better than the entertainment or the business. GOD is the best Provider."
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
Yet when they see some commerce or amusement they flock to it, leaving you standing. Say: 'That which is with Allah is better than the amusement and commerce. Allah is the Best of Providers.
Maulana Muhammad Ali
And when they see merchandise or sport, they break away to it, and leave thee standing. Say: What is with Allah is better than sport and merchandise. And Allah is the Best of Providers
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
And if they saw/understood commercial trade/buying and selling or play things/amusement , they scattered/separated to it, and they left you standing , say: "What (is) at God (is) better than the play things/amusement and from the commercial trade/buying and selling, and God (is) best (of) the providers."
Bijan Moeinian
Tell to those Muslims who abandoned your Friday sermon to attend a business deal and entertainment: “That what you earn by worshipping God is far superior to what you may gain by closing a business deal or engaging in entertainment activities. Know that God is the best of all providers.”
Faridul Haque
And when they see some trade or sport, they move towards it and leave you standing delivering the sermon; proclaim, “That which is with Allah, is better than sport and trade; and the sustenance of Allah is the best.”
Sher Ali
But when they see some merchandise or amusement, they break up for it, and leave thee standing. Say, `That which is with ALLAH is better than amusement and merchandise, and ALLAH is the best providers.
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
And when they found some business or entertainment opportunity, they rushed towards that (due to their neediness and financial constraint) and left you standing (during the sermon). Say: ‘Whatever is with Allah is better than sport and business. And Allah is the Best of sustainers.
Amatul Rahman Omar
But (Prophet!) when some people see some merchandise or any form of amusement, they run for it and leave you standing (on the pulpit), say, `That (reward of worshipping Allah) which Allah has (for you) is far better than any amusement or merchandise, and Allah is the Best of Providers
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
And when they see some merchandise or some amusement (beating of Tambur (drum) etc.) they disperse headlong to it, and leave you (Muhammad SAW) standing (while delivering Jumuahs religious talk (Khutbah)). Say "That which Allah has is better than any amusement or merchandise! And Allah is the Best of providers."
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
But when they see a merchandize or an amusement, they all scuttle away towards it and leave you standing. Say, “What is with Allah is better than the amusement and the commerce.” and Allah is the best of the providers.
Munir Mezyed
(Just by chance) when some of them come across a business deal, or some entertainment, they rush towards it and leave you alone standing. Say: "That which Allâh has is far better than entertainment or transaction. And Allâh is the Best of providers."
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
And when they see trade or pastime, they disperse towards it and leave you standing; say: what is with Allah is better than pastime and trade, and Allah is the best of providers.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
[Some], however, when they see some bargain or entertainment, they rush off to it and leave you [the Prophet] standing [alone]. Say, “What is in the presence of Allah is better than any amusement or sale! Allah is the Best Provider.”
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
Yet whenever they come across a bargain or distraction they scramble towards it and leave yousg standing. Say, “What is with Allah is better than (any) distraction or bargain, and Allah is the Best of providers.”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
Yet whenever they see some business or some amusement they flock towards it and leave you standing there [alone]. SAY: "Whatever Allah (God) has is better than any amusement or business. Allah (God) is the Best Provider!"
Samy Mahdy
And if they saw a trade or an amusement, they dispersed into it and left you, standing. Say, "What is with Allah, is more goodness than the amusement and, than the trade, and Allah is the best of the livelihood providers."
Ahmed Hulusi
But when they saw an opportunity for trade or entertainment (rather than turning to Allah and remembering their essence), they raced to it and left you standing (as the imam of the Friday prayer)! Say, “That which is with Allah is better than entertainment and trade... Allah is the best of providers!”
Mir Aneesuddin
And when they see any commerce or pastime, they disperse towards it and leave you standing. Say, “That which is with Allah is better than pastime and commerce and Allah is the Best of providers.”
And when they see merchandise purposed for trade or they See amusement- the happiness of those that cannot think - they disperse and spread about and leave you standing addressing to them the divine discourse. Say to them: "What Allah has of rewards and happiness in His heaven's realm is far better than the satisfaction and happiness you derive from trade and amusement in life. And Allah is the best Purveyor to fit every person with what is necessary and with what he needs"
The Wise Quran
And when they see merchandise or diversion they disperse to it and leave you standing. Say, 'What is with God is better than the diversion and than the merchandise. And God is the best of providers.'