This page presents 7 parallel translations of the Qur’an. You can view the verses side by side, compare their meanings, and explore the nuances in each translation. This allows a deeper understanding of the Qur’an’s message and insight into different interpretive approaches.
Chapter (101) sūrat l-qāriʿah (The Striking Hour)
The Striking Hour – Verse (101:1) – English Translation
Sahih International: The Striking Calamity –
Pickthall: The Calamity!
Yusuf Ali: The (Day) of Noise and Clamour:
Shakir: The terrible calamity!
Muhammad Sarwar: The (unprecedented) crash!
Mohsin Khan: Al-Qari’ah (the striking Hour i.e. the Day of Resurrection),
Arberry: The Clatterer!
The Striking Hour – Verse (101:2) – English Translation
Sahih International: What is the Striking Calamity?
Pickthall: What is the Calamity?
Yusuf Ali: What is the (Day) of Noise and Clamour?
Shakir: What is the terrible calamity!
Muhammad Sarwar: What is the crash?
Mohsin Khan: What is the striking (Hour)?
Arberry: What is the Clatterer?
The Striking Hour – Verse (101:3) – English Translation
Sahih International: And what can make you know what is the Striking Calamity?
Pickthall: Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Calamity is!
Yusuf Ali: And what will explain to thee what the (Day) of Noise and Clamour is?
Shakir: And what will make you comprehend what the terrible calamity is?
Muhammad Sarwar: Would that you knew what the crash is!
Mohsin Khan: And what will make you know what the striking (Hour) is?
Arberry: And what shall teach thee what is the Clatterer?
The Striking Hour – Verse (101:4) – English Translation
Sahih International: It is the Day when people will be like moths, dispersed,
Pickthall: A day wherein mankind will be as thickly-scattered moths
Yusuf Ali: (It is) a Day whereon men will be like moths scattered about,
Shakir: The day on which men shall be as scattered moths,
Muhammad Sarwar: On that day, people will be like scattered moths
Mohsin Khan: It is a Day whereon mankind will be like moths scattered about,
Arberry: The day that men shall be like scattered moths,
The Striking Hour – Verse (101:5) – English Translation
Sahih International: And the mountains will be like wool, fluffed up.
Pickthall: And the mountains will become as carded wool.
Yusuf Ali: And the mountains will be like carded wool.
Shakir: And the mountains shall be as loosened wool.
Muhammad Sarwar: and mountains will be like carded wool.
Mohsin Khan: And the mountains will be like carded wool,
Arberry: and the mountains shall be like plucked wool-tufts.
The Striking Hour – Verse (101:6) – English Translation
Sahih International: Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds],
Pickthall: Then, as for him whose scales are heavy (with good works),
Yusuf Ali: Then, he whose balance (of good deeds) will be (found) heavy,
Shakir: Then as for him whose measure of good deeds is heavy,
Muhammad Sarwar: Those whose good deeds will weigh heavier (on the scale)
Mohsin Khan: Then as for him whose balance (of good deeds) will be heavy,
Arberry: Then he whose deeds weigh heavy in the Balance
The Striking Hour – Verse (101:7) – English Translation
Sahih International: He will be in a pleasant life.
Pickthall: He will live a pleasant life.
Yusuf Ali: Will be in a life of good pleasure and satisfaction.
Shakir: He shall live a pleasant life.
Muhammad Sarwar: will live a pleasant life,
Mohsin Khan: He will live a pleasant life (in Paradise).
Arberry: shall inherit a pleasing life,
The Striking Hour – Verse (101:8) – English Translation
Sahih International: But as for one whose scales are light,
Pickthall: But as for him whose scales are light,
Yusuf Ali: But he whose balance (of good deeds) will be (found) light,-
Shakir: And as for him whose measure of good deeds is light,
Muhammad Sarwar: but those whose good deeds will be lighter (on the scale).
Mohsin Khan: But as for him whose balance (of good deeds) will be light,
Arberry: but he whose deeds weigh light in the Balance
The Striking Hour – Verse (101:9) – English Translation
Sahih International: His refuge will be an abyss.
Pickthall: A bereft and Hungry One will be his mother,
Yusuf Ali: Will have his home in a (bottomless) Pit.
Shakir: His abode shall be the abyss.
Muhammad Sarwar: will have hawiyah as their dwelling.
Mohsin Khan: He will have his home in Hawiyah (pit, i.e. Hell).
Arberry: shall plunge in the womb of the Pit.
The Striking Hour – Verse (101:10) – English Translation
Sahih International: And what can make you know what that is?
Pickthall: Ah, what will convey unto thee what she is! –
Yusuf Ali: And what will explain to thee what this is?
Shakir: And what will make you know what it is?
Muhammad Sarwar: Would that you knew what hawiya his?
Mohsin Khan: And what will make you know what it is?
Arberry: And what shall teach thee what is the Pit?
The Striking Hour – Verse (101:11) – English Translation
Sahih International: It is a Fire, intensely hot.
Pickthall: Raging Fire.
Yusuf Ali: (It is) a Fire Blazing fiercely!
Shakir: A burning fire.
Muhammad Sarwar: It is a burning Fire.
Mohsin Khan: (It is) a hot blazing Fire!
Arberry: A blazing Fire!
1. Sahih International
- Translators: A group translation (edited by Umm Muhammad).
- Focus: Aims for literal accuracy (word-for-word meaning) using clear, modern English.
- Key Feature: Very popular in modern digital and print media due to its straightforward language and adherence to a generally accepted literal interpretation.
2. Pickthall
- Translator: Marmaduke Pickthall (An English convert to Islam).
- Focus: Uses a classical, formal English style. It aimed to provide an “English equivalent” while retaining original Islamic terminology (e.g., Allah, Salat).
- Key Feature: Considered the first authoritative English translation by a Muslim. Highly respected for its dignified and formal tone.
3. Yusuf Ali
- Translator: Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
- Focus: Most famous for its extensive footnotes and commentary (tafsir) which offer detailed background and theological context.
- Key Feature: Extremely popular, though the English is sometimes archaic, resembling the King James Bible style. The value lies primarily in its rich commentary.
4. Shakir
- Translator: M.H. Shakir.
- Focus: Known for being more concise and simple than Yusuf Ali, with fewer footnotes.
- Key Feature: The language is generally direct and less stylized, making it an easier read for some.
5. Muhammad Sarwar
- Translator: Muhammad Sarwar.
- Focus: Focuses on using simple, clear, and fluent modern English for easy comprehension.
- Key Feature: A contemporary translation designed to communicate the central message of the Qur’an without heavy theological phrasing or deep commentary.
6. Mohsin Khan (Hilali & Khan)
- Translators: Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan and Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali.
- Focus: Strictly adheres to the Salafi/Wahhabi school of interpretation. It frequently uses parenthetical insertions to clarify the meaning based on Hadith and Sunnah (Prophetic tradition).
- Key Feature: Known for its literal approach and inclusion of bracketed explanations to ensure the interpretation aligns with established scholarly views.
7. Arberry
- Translator: Arthur John Arberry (Academic).
- Focus: An academic and literary translation. Arberry’s primary goal was to capture the rhythm, music, and rhetorical quality (eloquence) of the original Arabic text.
- Key Feature: Highly praised for its attempt to convey the poetic beauty and flow of the Qur’an, often prioritizing literary quality over detailed commentary.