Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
[O wives of the Prophet!] Were he to divorce [any of] you, God might well give him in your stead spouses better than you - women who surrender themselves unto God, who truly believe, devoutly obey His will, turn [unto Him] in repentance [whenever they have sinned] worship [Him alone] and go on and on [seeking His goodly acceptance] - be they women previously married or virgins
M. M. Pickthall
It may happen that his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in your stead wives better than you, submissive (to Allah), believing, pious, penitent, devout, inclined to fasting, widows and maids
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
It may be, if he divorced you (all), that Allah will give him in exchange consorts better than you,- who submit (their wills), who believe, who are devout, who turn to Allah in repentance, who worship (in humility), who travel (for Faith) and fast,- previously married or virgins
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
Perhaps, if he were to divorce you ˹all˺, his Lord would replace you with better wives who are submissive ˹to Allah˺, faithful ˹to Him˺, devout, repentant, dedicated to worship and fasting—previously married or virgins.
Safi Kaskas
Perhaps if he divorced you, his Lord will give him wives better than you: submissive to God, believing, obedient, repentant, worshipping, who fast much; previously married as well as virgins.
Wahiduddin Khan
Were he to divorce you, his Lord might well replace you with better wives submissive [to God], believing, pious, penitent, devout in worship, given to fasting previously married and virgins
Shakir
Maybe, his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in your place wives better than you, submissive, faithful, obedient, penitent, adorers, fasters, widows and virgins
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
Perhaps if he divorced you (f), his Lord will cause in exchange for him spouses better than you (f), ones who submit (f) to One God , ones who believe (f), ones who are morally obligated (f), ones who repent, ones who worship (f), ones who are inclined to fasting (f), women previously married and virgins.
T.B.Irving
Perhaps, should he divorce you, his Lord would grant him even better wives than you are in exchange, ones committed to (live in) peace, who are believers, devoted, repentant, worshipful, serving as social workers, both matrons and virgins.
Abdul Hye
It may well be that, if he divorces you all, his Lord will give him wives better than you in exchange: Muslims, believers, obedient (to Allah), turn to Allah in repentance, worshippers, (who are) fasting or emigrating (for Allah’s sake), previously married and virgins.
The Study Quran
It may be that if he divorces you, his Lord would give him wives in your stead who are better than you, submitting, believing, devoutly obedient, penitent, worshipping, and given to wayfaring—previously married, and virgins
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
It may be that if he divorces you, his Lord will give him in exchange wives better than you—submissive, faithful, obedient, penitent, dedicated to worship and fasting—widows or virgins.
Talal Itani (2012)
Perhaps, if he divorces you, his Lord will give him in exchange wives better than you: submissive, believing, obedient, penitent, devout, fasting—previously married, or virgins
Dr. Kamal Omar
It is possible if he divorced you women that his Nourisher-Sustainer would replace for him as wives better than you, — Muslim females, Believing females, content females, repentant females, submitting females, travelling (in Allah’s cause), divorced/widowed (in previous marriage) as well as unmarried
It may well be that, if he divorces you all, his Lord will give him in your place better wives than yourselves, submissive, faithful, obedient, penitent, worshippers and keepers of fasting; be they previously married or virgins
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
It may be that, in case he divorces you, his Lord will give him, in exchange, spouses more charitable (i.e., better) than you, Muslim (i.e., who have surrendered to Allah) women, believing, devout, repentant, worshiping Allah), (and) wandering (Sometimes understood to mean "fasting") (in His way), who were married before and virgins (too)
Muhammad Sarwar
If he divorces you, perhaps his Lord will replace you with better wives, either widows or virgins who will be Muslims: believers, faithful, obedient, repentant, and devout in prayer and fasting
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
It is hoped that, if he divorces you, Allah will give him in your place wives better than you, submissive to Allah, believing, devout, penitent, steadfast in worship, fasting, previously married and virgins
Shabbir Ahmed
If he divorces any of you, it may happen that his Lord substitute other wives in your stead who are better than you, submissive to Allah, staunch believers, devoted, repentant, serving Allah, traveling with him, widows or maidens
Dr. Munir Munshey
In case the prophet divorces you all, his Lord would perhaps grant him other wives _ widows or maidens, in your place. They would be better than you, more obedient, believing, pious, penitent and fond of fasting
Syed Vickar Ahamed
It may be, if he (the Prophet) divorced you (all) that Allah will give him in exchange wives better than you— Who submit (their wills), who believe, who are (devoutly) obedient, who turn to Allah in repentance, who sincerely worship (in humility) who travel (for their faith in Islam) and who fast— Previously married or virgins
Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you - submitting [to Allah ], believing, devoutly obedient, repentant, worshipping, and traveling - [ones] previously married and virgins
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
It may be that he would divorce you, then his Lord will substitute other wives in your place who are better than you; surrendering, believing, obedient, repentant, worshipping, pious, previously married, and first born
Abdel Haleem
His Lord may well replace you with better wives if the Prophet decides to divorce any of you: wives who are devoted to God, true believers, devout, who turn to Him in repentance and worship Him, given to fasting, whether previously married or virgins
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
Belike his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in exchange wives better than you, Muslims, believers, devout, penitent, worshippers, given to fasting, both non-virgins and virgins
Ahmed Ali
In case he divorces you, his Lord will give him better wives in return, who will be modest, true believers, obedient to God, repentant, observant of prayer and fasting, both widows and virgins
Aisha Bewley
It may be that if he does divorce you, his Lord will give him in exchange better wives than you: Muslim women, believing women, obedient women, penitent women, women who worship, women who fast much — previously married women as well as virgins.
Ali Ünal
It may happen that his Lord, if he should divorce you (O wives of the Prophet), will give him in your place wives better than you – submissive to God (muslimah), true in faith (mu’minah), devout in obedience to God, penitent, dedicated to worship and fasting – widows or virgins
Ali Quli Qara'i
It may be that if he divorces you his Lord will give him, in [your] stead, wives better than you: [such as are] muslim, faithful, obedient, penitent, devout and given to fasting, virgins and non-virgins
Hamid S. Aziz
Maybe, if he divorce you, His Lord will give him in your stead wives better than you, who surrender their self-will (to Allah or His Messenger), who believe (or have faith), who are devoted (or pious, devout), who turn in repentance, who travel (or striv
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
If he divorces you, perhaps his Lord gives him better wives than you in exchange, submitted, believer, obedient, repentant, devoted servant, fasting, previously married and virgin women.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
It may be that if he divorced you all, God will give him instead, wives better than you, who are loyal, who believe, who are devout, who turn to God in repentance, who worship and fast, who have been previously married or virgins
Musharraf Hussain
Were he to divorce you, his Lord would give him better wives in your place, those who are submitting, believers, obedient, repentant, devout, fasting, and some previously married and others virgins
Maududi
Maybe if he were to divorce you, your Lord might grant him in exchange wives better than you – those who truly submit to Allah, are full of faith, obedient, disposed to repentance, and given to worship and fasting – both previously wedded ones and virgins
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
It may be that he would divorce you, then his Lord will substitute other wives in your place who are better than you; submitting, believing, dutiful, repentant, worshipping, devout, mature and youthful.
Mohammad Shafi
Were he [the Prophet] to divorce you, Allah might well give him in your stead spouses better than you — women who surrender themselves to Allah, truly believe in Him, devoutly obey His will, turn to Him in repentance, worship Him alone, and who are dedicated — be they previously married or virgins
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
It is possible that, if he divorces you, his Lord may give him in exchange better wives than you; obedient, believing, well mannered, pertinent, devout in worship, fasting, married, and virgins
If he divorces you, his Lord will substitute other wives in your place who are better than you; submitters (Muslims), believers (Mu'mins), obedient, repentant, worshipers, pious, either previously married, or virgins.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
It may be that if he divorces you his Lord will give him in your place better wives than yourselves, women who have surrendered, believing, obedient, penitent worshippers and given to fasting; who were (previously) married, and virgins too
Maulana Muhammad Ali
Maybe, his Lord, if he divorce you, will give him in your place wives better than you, submissive, faithful, obedient, penitent, adorers, fasters, widows, and virgins
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
Maybe/perhaps his Lord if he divorced you (F) that He exchanges/replaces for him wives better than you, Moslems/submitters , believers, worshipping humbly, , repentant, worshipping , fasting and secluded in mosques (devout) , divorced/widowed/non-virgin , and first borns/virgins
Bijan Moeinian
Bear in mind that if Mohammad divorces you, God will put better than you in Mohammad’s path to marry: the virgins or previously married women who are true Muslims, believing, obedient, mindful of God, worshipper of Lord, and observant of fasting
Faridul Haque
It is likely that, if he divorces you, his Lord will give him wives better than you in your place -widows and maidens who are obedient, believing, respectful, penitent, serving and fasting
Sher Ali
Maybe, his Lord, if he divorces you, will give him instead wives better than you - resigned, believing, obedient, always turning to God, devout in worship, given to fasting, both widows and virgins
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
If he divorces you, then it may well be that your Lord will give him in your place better wives than yourselves (who) will be obedient, true believers, submissive, penitent, worshippers, given to fasting, (some) formerly married and (some) virgins
Amatul Rahman Omar
It may be that in case he divorces you, his Lord will give him instead wives better than yourselves; (wives who will be) submissive (to Allah), faithful, obedient, penitent, devout (worshippers of God), given to fasting. (And they may consist of) divorced, widows and virgins
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
It may be if he divorced you (all) that his Lord will give him instead of you, wives better than you, Muslims (who submit to Allah), believers, obedient to Allah, turning to Allah in repentance, worshipping Allah sincerely, fasting or emigrants (for Allahs sake), previously married and virgins
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
Perhaps his Lord, if he should divorce you, would give him in replacement wives who are better than you who are submitters to Allah, who are believers, who are devout, who are repentant, who are serving, who are circumambulators, who are middle-aged and are virgins.
Munir Mezyed
It may happen that his Lord, if he divorces you, will substitute other wives in your place, who are better than you, submissive, faithful, obedient, repentant, worshipers, given to fasting, either previously married, or virgins.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
If he divorced you, his Lord might replace you with better wives who submit (as Muslims), believe, are humble, repent, serve (Allah), fast, were previously married or are virgins.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
It may be that, if he divorced you all, Allah would give him better wives than you. [They would] submit, believe, be devout, repent, worship, and fast. [They could be] previously married or virgins.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
Perhaps, if he divorces youpl , his Lord will give him in exchange better spouses than you: Muslim, believing, devout, repentant, given to worshiping, given to fasting—whether previously married or virgins.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
Perhaps, should he divorce you, his Lord would grant him even better wives than you are in exchange, ones submissive [to Allah(God)], who are believers, devoted, repentant, worshipful, serving as social workers, both matrons and virgins.
Samy Mahdy
Perhaps, if his Lord divorced you, He would substitute for him, wives better than you: submissive, believing, devoutly obedient, repentant, worshiping, tourmates, previously married, or virgins.
Ahmed Hulusi
Were he to divorce you, his Rabb may well replace you with better wives, who have submitted, who believe, obey, repent, worship, who are given to fasting (from worldly things), both previously married and virgins.
Mir Aneesuddin
Maybe his Fosterer, if he divorces you, will give him in your place, wives better than you:(Those who are) submissive, believing, obeying, penitent, worshipping, fasting, widows and virgins.
"If he should divorce you all, Allah may replace you with better wives who would help him accomplish his goal; wives who are submissive with hearts impressed with the image of religious and spiritual virtues and deeds with wisdom and piety, who feel contrition and in lowliest plight repentant stand, who are devoted to divine worship and service, they exercise their minds in thought and contemplation, conducive to meditation, wives who may have been previously married or virgins