Skip to content
MyDeenTools

Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

Verse 221of 286

وَلَا تَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكَٰتِ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنَّ ۚ وَلَأَمَةٌۭ مُّؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌۭ مِّن مُّشْرِكَةٍۢ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ ۗ وَلَا تُنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ ۚ وَلَعَبْدٌۭ مُّؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌۭ مِّن مُّشْرِكٍۢ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ ۗ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلْجَنَّةِ وَٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖ وَيُبَيِّنُ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ﴿٢٢١

Translation (Sahih International)

And do not marry polytheistic women until they believe. And a believing slave woman is better than a polytheist, even though she might please you. And do not marry polytheistic men [to your women] until they believe. And a believing slave is better than a polytheist, even though he might please you. Those invite [you] to the Fire, but Allah invites to Paradise and to forgiveness, by His permission. And He makes clear His verses to the people that perhaps they may remember.

Word-by-word meaning

وَلَاwalāAnd (do) not
تَنكِحُوا۟tankiḥū[you] marry
ٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِl-mush'rikāti[the] polytheistic women
حَتَّىٰḥattāuntil
يُؤْمِنَّ ۚyu'minnathey believe
وَلَأَمَةٌۭwala-amatunAnd a bondwoman
مُّؤْمِنَةٌmu'minatun(who is) believing
خَيْرٌۭkhayrun(is) better
مِّنminthan
مُّشْرِكَةٍۢmush'rikatina polytheistic woman
وَلَوْwalaw[and] even if
أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ ۗaʿjabatkumshe pleases you
وَلَاwalāAnd (do) not
تُنكِحُوا۟tunkiḥūgive in marriage (your women)
ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَl-mush'rikīna(to) [the] polytheistic men
حَتَّىٰḥattāuntil
يُؤْمِنُوا۟ ۚyu'minūthey believe
وَلَعَبْدٌۭwalaʿabdunand a bondman
مُّؤْمِنٌmu'minun(who is) believing
خَيْرٌۭkhayrun(is) better
مِّنminthan
مُّشْرِكٍۢmush'rikina polytheistic man
وَلَوْwalaw[and] even if
أَعْجَبَكُمْ ۗaʿjabakumhe pleases you
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَulāika[Those]
يَدْعُونَyadʿūnathey invite
إِلَىilāto
ٱلنَّارِ ۖl-nārithe Fire
وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuand Allah
يَدْعُوٓا۟yadʿūinvites
إِلَىilāto
ٱلْجَنَّةِl-janatiParadise
وَٱلْمَغْفِرَةِwal-maghfiratiand [the] forgiveness
بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖbi-idh'nihiby His permission
وَيُبَيِّنُwayubayyinuAnd He makes clear
ءَايَـٰتِهِۦāyātihiHis Verses
لِلنَّاسِlilnnāsifor the people
لَعَلَّهُمْlaʿallahumso that they may
يَتَذَكَّرُونَyatadhakkarūnatake heed

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The Prohibition of marrying Mushrik Men and WomenAllah prohibited the believers from marrying Mushrik women who worship idols. Although the meaning is general and includes every Mushrik woman from among the idol worshippers and the People of the Scripture, Allah excluded the People of the Scripture from this ruling.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

Share this verse with others

WhatsAppX

These tools are free because of generous Muslims.

$10/month keeps this platform free for 50,000 people. Every visit earns you reward — Sadaqah Jariyah.

Support this project