wa-inna min'hum lafarīqan yalwūna alsinatahum bil-kitābi litaḥsabūhu mina l-kitābi wamā huwa mina l-kitābi wayaqūlūna huwa min ʿindi l-lahi wamā huwa min ʿindi l-lahi wayaqūlūna ʿalā l-lahi l-kadhiba wahum yaʿlamūna
Translation
And indeed, there is among them a party who alter the Scripture with their tongues so you may think it is from the Scripture, but it is not from the Scripture. And they say, "This is from Allāh," but it is not from Allāh. And they speak untruth about Allāh while they know.
Verse 78 of Surah Ali ’Imran (3:78), a Medinan surah, is in juz 3, on page 60 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 71 reciters.
Listen to verse 78 of Surah Ali ’Imran
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Tafsir of verse 78
Al-Mukhtasar
There is a group of Jews who twist their tongues when reciting the Torah that was revealed by Allah, so that you think that they are reciting from the Torah, whereas it is not from the Torah. Instead, it is their lies and fabrications against Allah. They say: What we recite has been revealed by Allah – whereas it was not revealed by Allah. They tell lies about Allah when they know they are lying against Allah and His messengers.
And there are some among them who alter the Scripture34 with their tongues so that you may think it is part of the Scripture, while it is not part of the Scripture; and they say, “It is from Allah,” while it is not from Allah. And they tell lies about Allah knowingly.
Notes
[34] The Scripture meant here is the Torah; by distorting its words or meanings.
And verily, among them is a party who distort the Book with their tongues (as they read), so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book, and they say: "This is from Allâh," but it is not from Allâh; and they speak a lie against Allâh while they know it.
And lo! there is a party of them who distort the Scripture with their tongues, that ye may think that what they say is from the Scripture, when it is not from the Scripture. And they say: It is from Allah, when it is not from Allah; and they speak a lie concerning Allah knowingly.
There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues: (As they read) you would think it is a part of the Book, but it is no part of the Book; and they say, "That is from Allah," but it is not from Allah: It is they who tell a lie against Allah, and (well) they know it!
Most surely there is a party amongst those who distort the Book with their tongue that you may consider it to be (a part) of the Book, and they say, It is from Allah, while it is not from Allah, and they tell a lie against Allah whilst they know.
And surely (there is) indeed a group of them who twist their tongues with the Book that you may reckon it a (part) of the Book, and in no way is it a (part) of the Book, And they say, "It is from the Providence of Allah, " and in no way is it from the Providence of Allah; and they say lies against Allah, and they know (that).
They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allāh, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
And among the People of the Scripture is he who, if you entrust him with a great amount [of wealth], he will return it to you. And among them is he who, if you entrust him with a [single] coin, he will not return it to you unless you are constantly standing over him [demanding it]. That is because they say, "There is no blame upon us concerning the unlearned." And they speak untruth about Allāh while they know [it].
But those who feared their Lord will have gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein, as accommodation from Allāh. And that which is with Allāh is best for the righteous.
So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and caused her to grow in a good manner and put her in the care of Zechariah. Every time Zechariah entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found with her provision. He said, "O Mary, from where is this [coming] to you?" She said, "It is from Allāh. Indeed, Allāh provides for whom He wills without account."
