6. Surah Al-An'am, Verse 137
وَكَذٰلِكَ زَيَّنَ لِكَث۪يرٍ مِنَ الْمُشْرِك۪ينَ قَتْلَ اَوْلَادِهِمْ شُرَكَٓاؤُ۬هُمْ لِيُرْدُوهُمْ وَلِيَلْبِسُوا عَلَيْهِمْ د۪ينَهُمْۜ وَلَوْ شَٓاءَ اللّٰهُ مَا فَعَلُوهُ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ
Wakathalika zayyana likatheerin minaalmushrikeena qatla awladihim shurakaohumliyurdoohum waliyalbisoo AAalayhim deenahum walaw shaa Allahuma faAAaloohu fatharhum wama yaftaroon
In the same way their idols have made killing their children appear good to many of the idolaters, in order to destroy them and confuse them in their deen. If Allah had willed, they would not have done it; so abandon them and what they fabricate.
- Progressive Muslims
And it was adorned for those who set up partners, by such partners, to kill their unborn children in order to turn them and to confuse their system for them. Had God willed they would not have done this, so ignore them and what they invent.
- Shabbir Ahmed
(At the prompting of the mystics and monks, and in the name of their temples, idols, sanctuaries, and the dead "holy" men and women), the MUSHRIKEEN do acts of omission and commission against their own children! They inflict great pain upon themselves and their families in the name of religion. If they followed Allah's Commands, they wouldn't have done it. (Since they take this abuse as a part of their plan to salvation, for the moment), leave them alone with their fabrications (until Reality gazes them in the eyes).
- Sam Gerrans
And thus have their partners made fair to many among the idolaters the killing of their children, to bring them to ruin, and to obfuscate their doctrine for them. And had God willed, they would not have done it; so leave thou them and what they fabricate.
- The Monotheist Group
And it was adorned for the polytheists, by their partners, to kill their children in order to turn them and to confound their system for them. Had God willed they would not have done this, so ignore them and what they invent.
- Edip-Layth
Thus, for those who set up partners their partners adorned the killing of born children, in order to turn them and to confuse their system for them. Had God willed they would not have done this, so ignore them and what they invent.
- Aisha Bewley
In the same way their idols have made killing their children appear good to many of the idolaters, in order to destroy them and confuse them in their deen. If Allah had willed, they would not have done it; so abandon them and what they fabricate.
- Rashad Khalifa
Thus were the idol worshipers duped by their idols, to the extent of killing their own children. In fact, their idols inflict great pain upon them, and confuse their religion for them. Had GOD willed, they would not have done it. You shall disregard them and their fabrications.,
- Mohamed Ahmed - Samira
In the same way have their companions shown many unbelievers the killing of their children as desirable in order to ruin them and falsify their faith. If God had so willed they would never have done so. Leave them to their falsehoods.
- Sahih International
And likewise, to many of the polytheists their partners have made [to seem] pleasing the killing of their children in order to bring about their destruction and to cover them with confusion in their religion. And if Allah had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them and that which they invent.
- Muhammad Asad
And, likewise, their belief in beings or powers that are supposed to have a share in God's divinity makes [even] the slaying of their children seem goodly to many of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God, thus bringing them to ruin and confusing them in their faith. Yet, unless God had so willed, they would not be doing all this: stand, therefore, aloof from them and all their false imagery!
- Marmaduke Pickthall
Thus have their (so-called) partners (of Allah) made the killing of their children to seem fair unto many of the idolaters, that they may ruin them and make their faith obscure for them. Had Allah willed (it otherwise), they had not done so. So leave them alone with their devices.
- Abdel Khalek Himmat
Furthermore, infanticide - mainly females, occasionally a male - was imposed by the Satanic mediators as a religious rite which allured many of them to brighter worlds; a plan devised by the priests and the satanic to demoralize them and induce them to perfect their own ruin and throw their idolism into confusion. Had Allah willed they would not have indulged in such an evil practice. Therefore let them O Muhammad sink under the vexations of their thoughtless minds and befool the minds and the judgement of the people so as to cause what is false to be accepted as true.
- Bijan Moeinian
Now these idols (that the disbelievers have raised them to the level of God) make the killing of their own children [in account of being female, economic hardship or simple sacrifice to gods at the altars] seem fine to them! In fact these "gods" cause more pain for them and create confusion in their religion [way of life. ] If God willed [and had taken their freedom of choice away from them,] they would not have done so. Leave them alone to follow their fabricated religion [so that they wonder around confused and believe that they are following the path of Abraham and Ishmael.]
- Al-Hilali & Khan
And so to many of the Mushrikûn (polytheists - see V.2:105) their (Allâh’s so-called) "partners" have made fair-seeming the killing of their children, in order to lead them to their own destruction and cause confusion in their religion. And if Allâh had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them alone with their fabrications.
- Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Even so, in the eyes of most of the pagans, their "partners" made alluring the slaughter of their children, in order to lead them to their own destruction, and cause confusion in their religion. If Allah had willed, they would not have done so: But leave alone them and their inventions.
- Mustafa Khattab
Likewise, the pagans’ evil associates have made it appealing to them to kill their own children—only leading to their destruction as well as confusion in their faith. Had it been Allah’s Will, they would not have done such a thing. So leave them and their falsehood.
- Taqi Usmani
Similarly, their associate-gods have made the killing of their children seem fair to many mushriks (idolators), so that they may ruin them and may confuse their faith for them. Had Allah so willed, they would not have done that. So, leave them alone with what they fabricate.
- Abdul Haleem
In the same way, their idols have induced many of the pagans to kill their own children, bringing them ruin and confusion in their faith: if God had willed otherwise they would not have done this, so [Prophet] leave them to their own devices.
- Arthur John Arberry
Thus those associates of theirs have decked out fair to many idolaters to slay their children, to destroy them, and to confuse their religion for them. Had God willed, they would not have done so; so leave them to their forging.
- E. Henry Palmer
Thus too have their associates made seemly to many of the idolaters the killing of their children, to destroy them, and to obscure for them their religion; but had God pleased they would not have done it, leave them alone and that which they have forged.
- Hamid S. Aziz
Even so, have their "partners" made seemly to many of the Pagans (idolaters), the killing of their children, leading them to their own destruction, and to the obscuration for them of their religion. If Allah willed they would not have done so. But leave them alone and their inventions.
- Mahmoud Ghali
And thus, their associates (i. e., what they associate with Allah) have adorned (i.e., have made attractive) to many associators the killing of their children (in order) to topple them and confound for them their religion. And if Allah had (so) decided, they would not have performed it. So leave them alone with whatever they fabricate.
- George Sale
In like manner have their companions induced many of the idolaters to slay their children, that they might bring them to perdition, and that they might render their religion obscure and confused unto them. But if God had pleased, they had not done this: Therefore leave them, and that which they falsely imagine.
- Syed Vickar Ahamed
Even so, in the eyes of most of the (unbelieving) pagans, their ‘partners’ made the killing of their (own) children look nice, in order to lead them to their own destruction, and cause confusion in their religion. If Allah had willed, they would not have done so: But leave them and their inventions alone.
- Amatul Rahman Omar
Just (as their associate-gods turned the polytheists away from Allâh) so did they make (even so monstrous a deed as) the killing of their children seem fair to a large number of the polytheists, with the result that they ruin them and that they obscure for them their religion. And if Allâh had (enforced) His will they would not have done so, so leave them alone and that what they forge.
- Ali Quli Qarai
That is how to most of the polytheists is presented as decorous the slaying of their children by those whom they ascribe as partners [to Allah], that they may ruin them and confound their religion for them. Had Allah wished, they would not have done it. So leave them with what they fabricate.