But those who wronged changed [those words] to a statement other than that which had been said to them, so We sent down upon those who wronged a punishment [i.e., plague] from the sky because they were defiantly disobeying.
Verse 59 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:59), a Medinan surah, is in juz 1, on page 9 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 69 reciters.
Listen to verse 59 of Surah Al-Baqarah
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Tafsir of verse 59
Al-Mukhtasar
The wrongdoers among them changed what they were told to do and say, and entered dragging themselves on their rears, saying, ‘A grain in a hair’, mocking Allah’s sacred law. Due to their actions He sent down a torment from the sky upon the wrongdoers among them, because they trespassed over the limits of the law and disobeyed His command.
But the wrongdoers changed the words to other than what they were told33; so We sent down upon the wrongdoers a torment from the heaven for their rebelliousness.
Notes
[33] They were asked to seek forgiveness. The word is hittah, which means: to put down a burden, but they twisted their tongues to mean ‘barley’, hintah.
But those who did wrong changed the word from that which had been told to them for another, so We sent upon the wrong-doers Rijz (a punishment)14 from the heaven because of their rebelling against Allâh’s obedience. (Tafsir At-Tabarî).
Notes
[14] (V.2:59) Narrated Usâmah bin Zaid رضي الله عنه: Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Plague was a means of torture sent on a group of Israelis (or on some people before you). So if you hear of its spread in a land, don’t approach it, and if plague should appear in a land where you are present, then don’t leave that land in order to run away from it (i.e. plague)." (Sahih Al-Bukhâri Vol.4, Hadîth No.679).
But those who did wrong changed the word which had been told them for another saying, and We sent down upon the evil-doers wrath from heaven for their evil-doing.
But the transgressors changed the word from that which had been given them; so We sent on the transgressors a plague from heaven, for that they infringed (Our command) repeatedly.
But those who were unjust changed it for a saying other than that which had been spoken to them, so We sent upon those who were unjust a pestilence from heaven, because they transgressed.
Then the ones who did injustice exchanged a saying other than that which had been said to them. So We sent down upon the ones who did injustice chastisement from the heaven for that they used to commit immorality.
O my people, enter the blessed land [i.e., Palestine] which Allāh has assigned to you and do not turn back [from fighting in Allāh's cause] and [thus] become losers." …
The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?" Say, "To Allāh belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path."
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
But those who wronged among them changed [the words] to a statement other than that which had been said to them. So We sent upon them a punishment from the sky for the wrong that they were doing.
