Quran Ayah an-Najm (The Star) 53:9 - 70+ Translation Comparison

Home Qur'an
Index English
Translations Word-for-Word
Block View Word-for-Word
Column View Non-English
Languages Help
←Prev Ayah an-Najm (The Star) 53:9 Next→

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
until he was but two bow-lengths away, or even nearer
Arthur John Arberry   
two bows' length away, or nearer
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer

Listen: 

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوۡسَیۡنِ أَوۡ أَدۡنَىٰ ۝٩
Transliteration (2021)   
fakāna qāba qawsayni aw adn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more   
And was (at) a distance (of) two bow-(lengths) or nearer.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
until he was but two bow-lengths away, or even nearer
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer
M. M. Pickthall   
Till he was (distant) two bows' length or even nearer
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
that he was only two arms-lengths away or even less.
Wahiduddin Khan   
until he was two bow-lengths away or even close
Safi Kaskas   
to within two bows’ length or closer.
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
until he had been at a distance of two bow lengths or closer.
T.B.Irving   
and stood two bow-lengths off or even closer.
Shakir   
So he was the measure of two bows or closer still
Abdul Hye   
and was at a distance of 2 bow’s length or even closer,
Saeed Malik   
-- he was as close as two bow lengths or closer
The Study Quran   
till he was within two bows’ length or nearer
Talal Itani & AI (2025)   
He was two bow-lengths away, or closer.
Talal Itani (2012)   
He was within two bows' length, or closer
M. Farook Malik   
within the length of two bows or even closer
Dr. Kamal Omar   
So he was at a distance of two bow-lengths, or (so to say, even) nearer
Dr. Munir Munshey   
He was two bow-lengths away, or (even) less
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And was at a distance of only two bow-lengths (of spiritual union) or even nearer
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And was at a distance of two bow lengths or nearer
Muhammad Sarwar   
until he was as close to him as the distance of two bows, or even less
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
so as he was at a distance like that of two bows (joined together), rather even nearer
Shabbir Ahmed   
Till he was but two bow-lengths away, or even closer. (The Divine Will and the will of the Messenger merged together, like the two of you join your bows as a bond of friendship (8:17))
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
So he was at two bows (distance) or (even) closer (still)
Hamid S. Aziz   
Until he was two bows distant or closer still
Abdel Haleem   
until he was two bow-lengths away or even closer––
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Till he was two bows length off or yet nearer
Ahmed Ali   
Until a space of two bow (arcs) or even less remained
Aisha Bewley   
He was two bow-lengths away or even closer.
Ali Ünal   
So he was (so near that there was left only the distance between) the strings of two bows (put adjacent to each other) or even nearer (than that)
Ali Quli Qara'i   
until he was within two bows’ length or even nearer
[The Monotheist Group] (2017 Edition)   
Until he became as near as two bow-lengths or nearer.
Musharraf Hussain   
The distance between two bows held together.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
And was at a distance of only two bow-lengths or nearer
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
until he was at a distance of two bows or closer,
Maududi   
until he was two bows´ length away, or nearer
Mohammad Shafi   
To be within a distance of two bow-lengths

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
So there was a distance of two hands between the Splendid sight and the beloved (Prophet) but rather less than that.
Rashad Khalifa   
Until He became as close as possible.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
he was but two bows' length or even nearer
Faridul Haque   
So the distance between the Spectacle and the beloved was only two arms’ length, or even less. (The Heavenly Journey of Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him – was with body and soul.
Bijan Moeinian   
of the universe…
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
So he was the measure of two bows or closer still
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
So he was (a) short measure of length (of) two arm's/bow's (lengths) or nearer
Sher Ali   
So that HE became, as it were, one chord to two bows, or closer still
Edip Yuksel   
Until he became as near as two bow-lengths or nearer.
Amatul Rahman Omar   
So that he became (as it were) one chord to two bows or closer still
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Then a distance measuring only two bow-lengths was left (between Allah Unveiled and His Esteemed Beloved), or even less than that (in extreme nearness)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And was at a distance of two bows length or (even) nearer

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
N J Dawood (2014)   
he came down within two bows‘ length or even closer
Arthur John Arberry   
two bows' length away, or nearer
Edward Henry Palmer   
until he was two bows length off or nigher still
George Sale   
until He was at the distance of two bows length from him, or yet nearer
John Medows Rodwell   
And was at the distance of two bows, or even closer,

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Shuaib Abdullahi   
and (Fa) was (Kaana) at a distance (Qaaba) of two bows (Qaw'sai'ni) or (Aw') nearer (Ad'naa).
Fode Drame   
Till he was at the angle of two bows or even nearer.
Munir Mezyed   
He was as close to (Muhammad) as the distance of two bows or even less.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
And was at a distance of two bow lengths or less.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
…until he was closer than two bow-shots.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
so that he was within two bows’ length or closer.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
and stood two bow-lengths off or even closer.
Samy Mahdy   
So he was within two bows’ length, or closer.
Ali Quli Qarai   
until he was within two bows’ length or even nearer,
Ahmed Hulusi   
And was (as close as) the distance between two bow lengths or nearer!
Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri   
And was at a distance of two bows' length or less.
A. S. Mohamed   
He was two bows' length away or closer.
Mir Aneesuddin   
and was at a distance of two bows, length or closer,
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Until the intervening distance between him and Muhammad was no more than two bows length or even close
The Wise Quran Project   
Then he was two bows' length away, or nearer.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Until he became as near as two bow-lengths or nearer.
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Until he became as near as two bow-lengths or nearer
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And was (at) a distance (of) two bow-(lengths) or nearer
OLD Transliteration   
Fakana qaba qawsayni aw adna