Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
O Prophet! Inspire the believers to conquer all fear of death when fighting, [so that,] if there be twenty of you who are patient in adversity, they might overcome two hundred; and [that,] if there be one hundred of you, they might overcome one thousand of those who are bent on denying the truth, because they are people who cannot grasp it
M. M. Pickthall
O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred (steadfast) they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without intelligence
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
O Prophet! rouse the Believers to the fight. If there are twenty amongst you, patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred: if a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of the Unbelievers: for these are a people without understanding
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
O Prophet! Motivate the believers to fight. If there are twenty steadfast among you, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are one hundred of you, they will overcome one thousand of the disbelievers, for they are a people who do not comprehend.
Safi Kaskas
Urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty of you who are patient in hard times, they will overcome two hundred, and if there are one hundred of you, they will overcome one thousand unbelievers, for the unbelievers are people who do not comprehend.
Wahiduddin Khan
Prophet, urge the believers to fight;[15] if there are twenty of you who are steadfast, they will overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you, they will overcome a thousand of those who deny the truth, for they are devoid of understanding
Shakir
O Prophet! urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
O Prophet! Encourage fighting to the ones who believe. If there be twenty of you, ones who remain steadfast, they will vanquish two hundred. And if there be a hundred of you, they will vanquish a thousand of those who were ungrateful because they are a folk who understand not.
T.B.Irving
0 Prophet, urge believers on to fight! If there are twenty disciplined men among you, they will overcome two hundred, while if there are a hundred of you, they will defeat a thousand of those who disbelieve, since those are folk who do not understand.
Abdul Hye
O Prophet (Muhammad)! Urge the believers on to fight. If there are 20 steadfast people amongst you, they shall overcome 200 (disbelievers), and if there are 100 (steadfast people) amongst you, they will overcome 1,000 of those who disbelieve, because they (disbelievers) are people who don’t understand.
The Study Quran
Prophet! Rouse the believers to fight. If there be twenty steadfast among you, they shall overcome two hundred. And if there be one hundred of you, they shall overcome one thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who understand not
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
O Prophet, rouse the believers to fight. If there are among you twenty who are steadfast, they will defeat two hundred. And if there are a hundred of you, they will defeat a thousand of the unbelievers, for they are a people void of understanding.
Talal Itani (2012)
O prophet! Rouse the believers to battle. If there are twenty steadfast among you, they will defeat two hundred; and if there are a hundred of you, they will defeat a thousand of those who disbelieve; because they are a people who do not understand
Dr. Kamal Omar
O you Prophet! Motivate the Believers for Qital . If there are twenty steadfast amongst you, they will overpower two hundred. And if there be a hundred steadfast amongst you, they will overpower a thousand of those who have disbelieved, because they are a nation who do not understand
O Prophet! Rouse the believers to prepare for combat. If there are twenty steadfast among you, they shall vanquish two hundred: if there are one hundred they shall overcome one thousand of the unbelievers, for they are a people who lack understanding
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
O you Prophet, exhort the believers to the fight. In case there are twenty of you, patient (men), they will overcome two hundred; and in case there are a hundred of you, they will overcome a thousand of the ones who have disbelieved for that they are a people who do not comprehend
Muhammad Sarwar
Prophet, mobilize the believers for the battle. It will take only twenty of your men who are steadfast (in prayer) to defeat two hundred unbelieving men. Your two hundred men would defeat their two thousand; the unbelievers have no understanding
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
O Prophet, rouse the believers to fighting. If there are twenty among you, who are patient, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are one hundred among you, they will overcome one thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand
Shabbir Ahmed
O Prophet! Inspire the believers to conquer all fear of death when fighting in the Cause of Allah. So that if there be twenty of you who are patient in adversity, they might overcome two hundred; and if there be one hundred of you, they might overcome one thousand of those who are bent upon denying the Truth. This is because the rejecters cannot grasp the Eternal rewards that infuse enthusiasm in the believers
Dr. Munir Munshey
Oh prophet! Urge the believers to fight (for His cause). If, among you there are twenty patient and steadfast men, they would triumph over two hundred. A hundred of you would overcome a thousand unbelievers, since they are a people who do not understand
Syed Vickar Ahamed
O Prophet! Make ready the believers to the fight. If there are twenty from you, (who are) steadfast (patient and persevering) persons, they will defeat two hundred: If there be a hundred steadfast persons from you, they will defeat a thousand of the disbelievers: Because these are the people without understanding
O Prophet, urge the believers to battle. If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of those who have disbelieved because they are a people who do not understand
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
O prophet, urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty of you who are patient, they will defeat two hundred. And if there are one hundred of you, they will defeat one thousand from amongst those who reject; that is because they are a people who do not comprehend
Abdel Haleem
Prophet, urge the believers to fight: if there are twenty of you who are steadfast, they will overcome two hundred, and a hundred of you, if steadfast, will overcome a thousand of the disbelievers, for they are people who do not understand
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
0 Prophet! urge the believers unto fighting. If there be twenty of you persevering, they will overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred, they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, for they are a people who understand not
Ahmed Ali
O Prophet, urge the faithful to fight. If there are twenty among you with determination they will vanquish two hundred; and if there are a hundred then they will vanquish a thousand unbelievers, for they are people devoid of understanding
Aisha Bewley
O Prophet! spur on the muminun to fight. If there are twenty of you who are steadfast, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are a hundred of you, they will overcome a thousand of those who are kafir, because they are people who do not understand.
Ali Ünal
O (most illustrious) Prophet! Rouse the believers to fighting. If there be twenty of you who are steadfast, they will vanquish two hundred; and if there be of you a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand of those who disbelieve, for they (the disbelievers) are a people who do not ponder and seek to penetrate the essence of matters in order to grasp the truth
Ali Quli Qara'i
O Prophet! Urge on the faithful to fight: If there be twenty patient men among you, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there be a hundred of you, they shall overcome a thousand of the faithless, for they are a lot who do not understand
Hamid S. Aziz
O you Prophet! Urge on the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast men, they shall overcome two hundred; if there be of you a hundred, they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people without understanding
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
Prophet, encourage the believers to the fight. If there are twenty of you persevering, they defeat two hundreds, and if there are a hundred of you, they defeat a thousand of those who disbelieve, for indeed they are people who do not understand.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
O messenger, rouse the believers to the fight. If there are twenty among you, patient and persevering, they will defeat two hundred. If a hundred, they will defeat a thousand of the unbelievers, for these are people without understanding
Musharraf Hussain
Prophet, urge the believers to fight in His way . It may be that your twenty steadfast men can defeat a force of two hundred, and a hundred of you can defeat a thousand of the disbelievers, because they are people who don’t understand.
Maududi
O Prophet! Rouse the believers to fighting. If they be twenty of you who persevere they shall vanquish two hundred; and if there be of you a hundred, they shall vanquish a thousand of those who disbelieve, for they are a people who lack understanding
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
O prophet, urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty of you who are patient, they will defeat two hundred. And if there are one hundred of you, they will defeat one thousand from among those who reject; that is because they are a people who do not understand.
Mohammad Shafi
O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be twenty of you exercising patience, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there be a hundred of you, they shall overcome a thousand of those who suppress the Truth, because they (the latter) are a people who do not understand
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
'O Communicator of the hidden news! Urge the Muslims to wage holy war. If there will be twenty of you patient, they will overcome two hundred, and there be hundred of you, they will overcome a thousand infidels, because they do not understand.
O you prophet, you shall exhort the believers to fight. If there are twenty of you who are steadfast, they can defeat two hundred, and a hundred of you can defeat a thousand of those who disbelieved. That is because they are people who do not understand.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
O Prophet, urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty patient men among you, you shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred, they shall overcome a thousand unbelievers, for they are a nation who do not understand
Maulana Muhammad Ali
O Prophet, urge the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there be of you a hundred, they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
You, you the prophet, instigate/urge/encourage the believers on (to) the fighting/killing. If (there) be twenty patient from you, they will defeat/conquer two hundred, and if (there) be one hundred from you, they defeat/conquer a thousand, from those who disbelieved, because they (E) (are) a nation (that) do not understand/know
Bijan Moeinian
O Prophet, lift the spirit of the believers to fight. Let them know that twenty of them can overcome two hundred enemies with perseverance. The same is true for one hundred with such an attitude who can easily defeat one thousand of disbelievers as the latter do not understand [why they are fighting and consequently suffer from lack of morale.]
Faridul Haque
O Herald of the Hidden! Urge the believers to fight; if there are twenty persevering men among you, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there are a hundred among you, they shall overcome a thousand disbelievers because the disbelievers are a people who do not have sense
Sher Ali
O Prophet, urge the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty who are steadfast, they shall overcome two hundred; And if there be a hundred of you, they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people do not understand
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
O (Venerable) Messenger! Motivate the believers to fight (for the establishment of peace and human dignity). If there are twenty of you firm and steadfast (in the event of war), they will overpower two hundred (combating disbelievers), and if (one) hundred of you are (steadfast), they will overpower (one) thousand of the (invading) disbelievers because they do not understand
Amatul Rahman Omar
O Prophet! urge the believers frequently and strongly to (defensive) fighting. If there be of you twenty steadfast, they shall overcome two hundred and if there be a hundred of you they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because these are a people devoid of understanding
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
O Prophet (Muhammad SAW)! Urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty steadfast persons amongst you, they will overcome two hundred, and if there be a hundred steadfast persons they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are people who do not understand
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
O you the prophet! Exhort the believers unto the war. If there be among you twenty patient they will overcome two hundred. And if there be among you hundred, they will overcome thousand from those who disbelieve. That is because they are a people who do not discern.
Munir Mezyed
O’ Prophet, urge the Monotheistic Believers to fight. If there are twenty steadfast persons among you, they will overcome two hundred. And if there be a hundred steadfast persons, they will overcome a thousand of those who are spiritually dead and blind because they are a people who have low emotional intelligence.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
Oh prophet, encourage the believers to fight; if there are twenty steadfast amongst you, they will overpower two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you, they will overpower a thousand of those who reject (the truth), for they are a people who do not understand.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
O Prophet, rouse the believers to the fight! If there are twenty among you, who are persevering, they will vanquish two hundred. If there are a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand unbelievers, who are people with no understanding.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
O Prophet, urge the believers on to combat. If there are twenty patient ones among you, they can overcome two hundred. And if there are a hundred of you, they can overcome a thousand of those who have denied, because they are a people who do not comprehend.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
O Prophet, urge believers on to fight! If there are twenty disciplined men among you, they will overcome two hundred, while if there are a hundred of you, they will defeat a thousand of those who disbelieve, since those are folk who do not understand.
Samy Mahdy
O the prophet! Urge the believers upon the fight. If there are twenty patient ones among you, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are a hundred among you, they will overcome a thousand among those who disbelieve, because they are a kinfolk not understanding.
Sayyid Qutb
Prophet, urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty steadfast men among you, they will overcome two hundred, and if there are a hundred of you, they will defeat a thousand of those who disbelieve, for those are devoid of understanding.
Ahmed Hulusi
O Nabi! Encourage the believers for battle! If there are among you twenty (people) who endure, they will overcome two hundred. And if there among you one hundred who endure, they will overcome one thousand of those who deny the knowledge of the reality... They are a people with no understanding!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli
O Prophet! Urge on the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty patient (steadfast men) , they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred (steadfast ones) , they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, for they are a people who do not understand.
O you the Prophet: Urge the Muslims to action; twenty of you exercising patience and standing firm shall vanquish two hundred, and if there are a hundred of such a caliber, they shall defeat a thousand of the infidels who are fighting against the truth because they are characterized with dullness of comprehension
Mir Aneesuddin
O prophet ! rouse the believers to fight, if there are twenty patient ones of you, they shall overcome two hundred and if there are a hundred of you, they shall overcome a thousand of those who do not believe because they are a people who do not understand.
The Wise Quran
O prophet! Urge the believers to fight. If there are of you twenty patient, they shall conquer two hundred; and if there are of you a hundred they shall conquer a thousand of those who disbelieved, because they are people who do not understand.