What is the correct translation of the verse 74:5?

Question

I noticed that verse 74(Muddassir):5 is translated differently, both into English and other languages. Sahih international version is

And uncleanliness avoid

while this verse, according to Muhsin Khan, should be

And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)!

Russian translation at legacy.quran.com also says "idols"

Идолов сторонись!

I didn't investigate other languages but what is clear is that arabic word "Ar-Rujz" is being translated diffirently: iether it is "uncleanliness" or "idols".

So which one is correct? (Request for some deeper explanation on this vese)

Answer 1

Both translations are correct and are based on what has been narrated in the tafsir of the verse.

قرأ أبو جعفر وحفص [عن عاصم] ويعقوب: "والرجز" بضم الراء، وقرأ الآخرون بكسرها وهما لغتان ومعناهما واحد. قال مجاهد وعكرمة وقتادة والزهري وابن زيد وأبو سلمة: المراد بالرجز الأوثان، قال: فاهجرها ولا تقربها.وقيل: الزاي فيه منقلبة عن السين والعرب تعاقب بين السين والزاي لقرب مخرجهما ودليل هذا التأويل قوله: "فاجتنبوا الرجس من الأوثان" (الحج-30) . وروي عن ابن عباس أن معناه: اترك المآثم. وقال أبو العالية والربيع: "الرجز" بضم الراء: الصنم، وبالكسر: النجاسة والمعصية. وقال الضحاك: يعني الشرك. وقال الكلبي: يعني العذاب. ومجاز الآية: اهجر ما أوجب لك العذاب من الأعمال

Abu Jafar, Hafs [from Asim] and Yaqub recited Rujz with a Ḍammah (ُ ) on the Ra (ر) and others recited it with a Kasrah (ِ ) and these are two words and their meaning is one.

Mujahid, 'Ikrimah, Qatada and Zuhri, Ibn Zaid and Abu Salamah said: The meaning of الرجز is idols and the meaning of فاهجرها is that that do not go near them.

And it was said that zāy (ز) has replaced sīn (س) and the Arabs substitute between the two letters because of the closeness of their Makhārij and the evidence for that is the verse:

فاجتنبوا الرجس من الأوثان

So avoid the uncleanliness of idols

^{— Quran 22:30}

And it is narrated from Ibn Abbas that it means "leave sins"

And Abu’l-Aaliyah and Rabi' said that الرجز with a Ḍammah means idols and with a Kasrah means uncleanliness and sin.

Dhahak said, it means Shirk.

And Kalbi said that it means punishment, and the intented meaning is "leave those deeds which earn punishment".

^{— Tafsir al-Baghawy}

قوله تعالى: (والرجز فاهجر) قال مجاهد وعكرمة: يعني الأوثان، دليله قوله تعالى: فاجتنبوا الرجس من الأوثان [الحج: 30]. قال ابن عباس وابن زيد. وعن ابن عباس أيضا: والمأثم فاهجر، أي فاترك. وكذا روى مغيرة عن إبراهيم النخعي قال: الرجز الإثم. وقال قتادة: الرجز: إساف ونائلة، صنمان كانا عند البيت. وقيل: الرجز العذاب، على تقدير حذف المضاف، المعنى: وعمل الرجز فاهجر، أو العمل المؤدي إلى العذاب. وأصل الرجز العذاب، قال الله تعالى: لئن كشفت عنا الرجز لنؤمنن لك [الأعراف: 134]. وقال تعالى: فأرسلنا عليهم رجزا من السماء [الأعراف: 162]. فسميت الأوثان رجزا، لأنها تؤدي إلى العذاب. وقراءة العامة (الرجز) بكسر الراء. وقرأ الحسن وعكرمة ومجاهد وابن محيصن وحفص عن عاصم والرجز بضم الراء وهما لغتان مثل الذكر والذكر. وقال أبو العالية والربيع والكسائي: الرجز بالضم: الصنم، وبالكسر: النجاسة والمعصية. وقال الكسائي أيضا: بالضم: الوثن، وبالكسر: العذاب

Mujahid and 'Ikrimah said: meaning idols. The evidence of this is the saying of Allah:

فاجتنبوا الرجس من الأوثان

So avoid the uncleanliness of idols

^{— Quran 22:30}

And that has also been related by Ibn Abbas and Ibn Zaid.

And it is also recorded from Ibn Abbas that it means: "keep away from sins", i.e. leave them. And the same is narrated by Mugheerah from Ibrahim al-Nakha’i: that الرجز means sin.

And it is narrated from Qatada: that it means Isaf and Na'ila,, the names of two idols.

And it is said: الرجز means punishment, meaning keep away from the act that invites punishment. And the origin of الرجز is punishment, Allah says:

لئن كشفت عنا الرجز لنؤمنن لك

If you [can] remove the punishment from us, we will surely believe you

^{— Quran 7:134}

and

فأرسلنا عليهم رجزا من السماء

So We sent upon them a punishment from the sky

^{— Quran 7:162}

And idols are called الرجز because they invite punishment.

And the common recitation of الرجز is with a Kasrah (ِ ) on Ra (ر) and Hasan, 'Ikrimah, Mujahid, Ibn Muhaysin and Hafs from Asim recited it with a Ḍammah (ُ ) and these are two words like الذِّكْرِ and الذُّكْرِ

Abu’l-Aaliyah and Rabi' and al-Kisaa’i said that الرجز with a Ḍammah means idols and with a Kasrah means uncleanliness and sin. And al-Kisaa’i also said that with a Ḍammah it means idols, and with a Kasrah it means punishment.

^{— Tafsir al-Qurtubi}