تفسير سورة البقرة
The explanation (tafsir) of Surah Al-Baqarah, verse by verse, according to Al-Mukhtasar.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
الٓمٓ ١
1. Alif Lām Mīm – letters like these begin certain sūrahs of the Qur’ān. Although they have no meaning in themselves, they do however have a purpose. Since there is divine wisdom contained in everything in the Qur’ān, these letters point to the miracle of the Qur’ān, made up of the letters which make up the words we speak. Therefore, when sūrahs begin with letters in this way, they are usually followed with a verse about the Qur’ān, as we see in this sūrah.
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ٢
2. This is the Qur’ān, in which there is nothing of any doubt, neither in terms of its origin, nor in terms of its meaning. It is the word of Allah, guiding those who are mindful of Allah to the way that leads to Him.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ٣
4. They believe in the revelation that Allah sent down to you, O Prophet, and in that which He revealed to all the other prophets before you (peace be upon them), without distinction; and they have a definite belief in the Afterlife, with its rewards and punishments.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ ٤
4. They believe in the revelation that Allah sent down to you, O Prophet, and in that which He revealed to all the other prophets before you (peace be upon them), without distinction; and they have a definite belief in the Afterlife, with its rewards and punishments.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ٥
5. The people who possess these qualities are on the path of guidance, and will be successful in this world and the next, gaining what they desire and being saved from what they fear.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَأَنذَرْتَهُمْ أَمْ لَمْ تُنذِرْهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ٦
6. Those who reject what Allah revealed to His Messenger continue on the wrong path in their stubbornness. So, it makes no difference whether you warn them or not.
خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰٓ أَبْصَٰرِهِمْ غِشَٰوَةٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ٧
7. Allah has sealed their hearts, locking inside them their falsehood, and has placed a seal on their hearing, so that they do not listen to nor accept the truth. He has put a cover over their eyes, so that they do not see the truth in its clarity. They will suffer greatly. After describing the disbelievers, who are at fault inside and out, He describes the hypocrites, who appear good on the outside, but are not so inwardly:
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَبِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَمَا هُم بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ٨
8. Among people are some who claim to have faith in Allah, when they actually do not believe.
يُخَٰدِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَمَا يَخْدَعُونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ ٩
9. They think that they can deceive Allah and the believers by acting outside as if they believe, while inside hiding their disbelief; but really, they only deceive themselves, without realising it. Allah knows all that is secret and hidden, and has told the believers what these people are like.
فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَرَضًا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْذِبُونَ ١٠
10. Allah increases the disease in their hearts, and they reap what they sow. Because they lied Allah increases the disease of doubts in their hearts, by adding hesitation to their uncertainty, hence they only gain what they deserve. They will have a painful suffering in the worst parts of Hell because they lied against Allah, and the people, and rejected the message brought by Muhammad (peace be upon him).
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ ١١
11. When they are told not to ruin things on earth – through their rejection of the truth, their disobedience and so on – they deny doing so, claiming that they only correct things and put them right.
أَلَآ إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْسِدُونَ وَلَٰكِن لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ ١٢
12. The truth is that it is they who ruin things, but they do not admit this, nor do they know that their actions are the cause of all ruin.
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ ءَامِنُوا۟ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلنَّاسُ قَالُوٓا۟ أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَآ ءَامَنَ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ أَلَآ إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ وَلَٰكِن لَّا يَعْلَمُونَ ١٣
13. When they are told to have faith as the companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him) did, they reply, looking down on people and making fun of them, saying “should we have faith like simple-minded people do?” In fact, it is they who are the fools, but they are unaware of this.
وَإِذَا لَقُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ شَيَٰطِينِهِمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِءُونَ ١٤
14. When the hypocrites meet the believers, they say, ‘We believe what you believe’, as they think it will benefit them if they act like this; but when they are alone with their leaders, they say, ‘We are really with you and follow you. We are only making fun of them when we say that we believe’.
ٱللَّهُ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَيَمُدُّهُمْ فِى طُغْيَٰنِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ١٥
15. Allah mocks the hypocrites for their mocking of the believers, and He will repay in equal measure for their behavior. They are treated as believers in this world, but will be repaid for their lying and deception in the next life. He allows them to become more and more lost and to do more and more wrong, so they remain confused and doubtful about the truth.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشْتَرَوُا۟ ٱلضَّلَٰلَةَ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ فَمَا رَبِحَت تِّجَٰرَتُهُمْ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُهْتَدِينَ ١٦
16. It is they who are the fools, because they exchanged faith for disbelief; and this exchange did not help them in any way, because they lost their faith in Allah and lost the way to the truth.
مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى ٱسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَلَمَّآ أَضَآءَتْ مَا حَوْلَهُۥ ذَهَبَ ٱللَّهُ بِنُورِهِمْ وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِى ظُلُمَٰتٍ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ ١٧
17. They are like someone who lights a fire, but when it has lit up what is around him, Allah takes away the light from the flames: leaving them in the darkness, unable to see. Allah shows us what the hypocrites are like with two examples: one related to fire, and the other to water. In the example related to fire, He compares them to someone who lights a fire to illuminate things, but when it is lit and he thinks he will benefit from its light, it goes out, smoldering and leaving him in the dark. Such people then remain in the dark, unable to see anything or find a way.
صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ ١٨
18.They are deaf: unable to hear and accept the truth, or speak about it. They are blind to seeing the truth, so they do not turn back from their error.
أَوْ كَصَيِّبٍ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فِيهِ ظُلُمَٰتٌ وَرَعْدٌ وَبَرْقٌ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِم مِّنَ ٱلصَّوَٰعِقِ حَذَرَ ٱلْمَوْتِ وَٱللَّهُ مُحِيطٌۢ بِٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ١٩
19. In the example related to water, a storm full of darkness, thunder and lightning is described. Some people are terrified by it and put their fingers in their ears because of the strength of the thunderclaps, scared of death. Allah surrounds the disbelievers, and has absolute power over them, so they cannot escape Him.
يَكَادُ ٱلْبَرْقُ يَخْطَفُ أَبْصَٰرَهُمْ كُلَّمَآ أَضَآءَ لَهُم مَّشَوْا۟ فِيهِ وَإِذَآ أَظْلَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَامُوا۟ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَأَبْصَٰرِهِمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ٢٠
20. The brightness of the lightning almost blinds them. Whenever it flashes, lighting things up, they go forward and when there is no light they remain in darkness, unable to move. If God willed, He could take away their hearing and their sight, in His absolute power over all things; and not return it to them because they turn away from the truth. The rain in the storm could be likened to the Qur’ān, the thunderclap to its warnings, and the lightning to truths, appearing to them from time to time. The covering of their ears to the thunderclaps likened to their turning away from the truth, and not responding to it. The hypocrites are similar to the people in these examples because they receive no benefit from anything. In the example of the fire, all they receive is darkness and a smoldering fire. In the example of the storm-cloud, all they receive is fear and alarm because of the thunder and lightning. Similarly, the hypocrites see nothing in Islam except difficulty and harshness.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ٢١
21. O people, worship no one other than your Lord, because He created you and the people before you, so that you may save yourselves from suffering, by following His instructions and keeping away from what He has prohibited.
ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ فِرَٰشًا وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءً وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ رِزْقًا لَّكُمْ فَلَا تَجْعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ أَندَادًا وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ٢٢
22. It is He Who made the earth like a carpet spread out in front of you and it is He Who masterfully constructed the sky over you. Through His grace rain falls, producing different crops from the earth, as produce for you. Do not, then, consider others to be equal to Allah, when you know that He alone is worthy of being worshipped.
وَإِن كُنتُمْ فِى رَيْبٍ مِّمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا۟ بِسُورَةٍ مِّن مِّثْلِهِۦ وَٱدْعُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ ٢٣
23. Allah challenges those who have any doubt about the Qur’ān revealed to His servant, Muhammad (peace be upon him), to produce a chapter just like it, and to call their helpers, if they are truthful about what they say.
فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا۟ وَلَن تَفْعَلُوا۟ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِى وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَٰفِرِينَ ٢٤
24. If they are unable to do so – and they will never be able to do it – they should be mindful of the fire of Hell, which burns with people who deserve the torment, and with the idols which they used to worship instead of Allah: punishing both the idol-worshipers and what they worshiped. The fire of Hell has been prepared as a punishment for the disbelievers.
وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ كُلَّمَا رُزِقُوا۟ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقًا قَالُوا۟ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِى رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَأُتُوا۟ بِهِۦ مُتَشَٰبِهًا وَلَهُمْ فِيهَآ أَزْوَٰجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ ٢٥
25. The warnings in the previous verses were for the disbelievers, so now the Messenger is told to address the believers: Give good news to those who have faith in Allah and do good, and tell them about that which will please them: gardens in Paradise, with rivers flowing beneath their palaces and trees. Whenever they are given fruits from the gardens to consume, they will comment on how similar they are to the fruits of the earth, saying, ‘This is similar to what we had before’. They will be given fruits that carry the same name and shape, so that they may recognise and desire them, but they will in fact taste differently. In the Garden they will be paired with their mates, who will not have any unpleasant traits that people have on earth; and they will live there in eternal bliss, unlike the bliss of the earth which is only temporary.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْىِۦٓ أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلًا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِى بِهِۦ كَثِيرًا وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ ٢٦
26. Allah does not shy away from using whatever example He wishes, whether that be of a gnat or anything bigger than it. The believers know and trust that there is wisdom in the use of such examples, while the disbelievers will make fun, asking each other why Allah uses examples with lowly creatures, such as gnats, flies and spiders. Allah replies that in these examples lie guidance, direction and a test for people. There are many people who are misguided by Allah through these examples, because they refuse to consider them; and there are many who He guides along the right path because they learn from them. He does not misguide anyone except those who deserve to be misguided. They are those who do not obey Him.
ٱلَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مِيثَٰقِهِۦ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَآ أَمَرَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦٓ أَن يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَٰسِرُونَ ٢٧
27.Those who break the promise they made with God to serve Him alone and follow His way. This is in the verse, “He made them testify concerning themselves: “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes, we bear witness!” (7:172) He affirmed this by sending the prophets and the scriptures. Those who do not take their promises with God seriously are those who cut off from things which God instructed not to, such as blood relations and they work to spread corruption on earth through their wrongdoing. They are the losers in this world and the next.
كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَٰتًا فَأَحْيَٰكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ٢٨
28. Strange is the situation of the disbelievers. How can you disbelieve the Oneness of Allah when you can see the signs of His power in your own existence? You were nothing, and He brought you to life; then you will die, and you shall be brought to life again. Then you will return to Him and be held accountable.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَسَوَّىٰهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ٢٩
29. It is Allah alone Who created everything on earth for you: the countless rivers, trees and so on, from which you benefit and enjoy. Then He turned to the sky, making it into seven heavens, and He has knowledge of everything.
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ٣٠
30. Allah tells His Prophet and humankind that He said to the angels that He would put humans on earth who will give birth to other humans, to inhabit it according to His laws. The angels asked their Lord, trying to understand, what the wisdom behind making the children of Adam guardians of the earth was, when they would ruin things in it, and kill in it, while the angels always do as He tells them, and recognise His greatness, praising Him and honouring His power and perfection. Allah replied to their question, saying that He knew the deep wisdom behind His creation of them, and behind making them guardians, and the angels did not.
وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنۢبِـُٔونِى بِأَسْمَآءِ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ ٣١
31. To reveal the position of Adam, Allah taught him the names of everything, living things and objects, their pronunciation and meanings. Then he put them before the angels, instructing them to tell Him the names if they were telling the truth when they said that they were a nobler and better creation than Adam.
قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَٰنَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَآ إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَآ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ٣٢
32. Recognising their shortcomings and that everything comes from Allah, they said that they acknowledged that His judgement and sacred law could not be doubted, and that they had no knowledge except for the knowledge He had given them, accepting that He is the Knowing, from Whom nothing is hidden, and the Wise in His decrees and laws.
قَالَ يَٰٓـَٔادَمُ أَنۢبِئْهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ فَلَمَّآ أَنۢبَأَهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ ٣٣
33. Then Allah told Adam to tell them the names. When Adam told the angels the names of things, as he had been taught, Allah reminded the angels that He had told them that He knew everything hidden in the heavens and the earth, and what they made public and what they said inside of themselves.
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ٣٤
34. Allah reveals that He told the angels to prostrate to Adam out of recognition and respect, so they prostrated to him, eager to do as He told them, except for Iblīs, or Satan, who was originally from the jinn. Due to the excellence of his worship, Allah had entered Iblīs into the company of the angels; but he then returned to his lowly nature, refusing to prostrate as Allah told him to, and becoming proud towards Adam, leading to him becoming a disbeliever.
وَقُلْنَا يَٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٣٥
35. Allah told Adam to live with his wife, Eve, in the Garden, with nothing to ruin their bliss. They were instructed to consume the delightful food from anywhere in the Garden, but also to avoid going near a particular tree which they were forbidden to eat from. If they ate from the prohibited tree, they would become wrongdoers for disobeying Him.
فَأَزَلَّهُمَا ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ عَنْهَا فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ وَقُلْنَا ٱهْبِطُوا۟ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ وَلَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ ٣٦
36. Satan did not stop whispering to them, trying to trick them, until he made them slip and fall by eating from the tree which Allah had told them not to. For this Allah sent them out of the Garden, telling them and Satan to go down to the earth, some of them enemies to others, where they would stay and live, enjoying the good things there until their lifespan, and until the Final Hour arrived.
فَتَلَقَّىٰٓ ءَادَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ كَلِمَٰتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٣٧
37. Adam received the words given to him by Allah, and was inspired to ask for forgiveness with them. These words of forgiveness are mentioned in Sūrah Al-A‘rāf: 23: ‘They said, “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will certainly be of the losers”’. Allah accepted Adam’s turning to Him and forgave him, for He is always forgiving and Merciful towards His creation.
قُلْنَا ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ٣٨
38. Allah told them to go down together from the Garden to the earth, and said that when He sends guidance, through the prophets, those who follow it and have faith in His prophets will have nothing to fear in the world to come, and will not feel sorrow about what passed them by on earth.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَآ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ ٣٩
39. As for those who disbelieve and deny His signs, they are the people of the fire of Hell, who will live there eternally.
يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَوْفُوا۟ بِعَهْدِىٓ أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ وَإِيَّٰىَ فَٱرْهَبُونِ ٤٠
40. O Children of the Prophet Jacob, remember the many blessings He gave you and be thankful for them. Fulfil your contract to Him, having faith in Him, His prophets and His sacred laws. If you fulfil your contract, He will fulfil His contract to you, as well as His promises to you of a good life on earth and a beautiful reward on the Day of Judgement. Fear Him alone and do not break His contract.
وَءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَآ أَنزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ وَلَا تَكُونُوٓا۟ أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍۭ بِهِۦ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِى ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا وَإِيَّٰىَ فَٱتَّقُونِ ٤١
41. Also, have faith in the Qur’ān which Allah revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) confirming what came in the Torah, before its corruption, concerning the Oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him), and do not be the first group to disbelieve. Do not exchange His signs – the verses which He has revealed – for the small price of position or leadership, and avoid His displeasure and punishment.
وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ٤٢
42. Do not hide the truth, which He revealed to His prophets, with lies and falsehood; and do not hide the truth of the description of Muhammad which came in His scripture, when you know what the truth is and are convinced of it.
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرْكَعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ ٤٣
43. Establish the prayers properly with its obligatory and recommended parts; give Zakat from your wealth, which Allah has put in your hands; and be humble to Allah with those who are humble of Muhammad’s nation (peace be upon him).
أَتَأْمُرُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ بِٱلْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ٤٤
44. What is more immoral than telling others to have faith and do good when you, upon reading the Torah, turn away from it and forget it yourselves, while knowing that it orders you to follow Allah’s religion and have faith in His prophets? Have you then no sense?
وَٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلْخَٰشِعِينَ ٤٥
45. Ask for help in sacred and worldly affairs, with patience and prayer, which bring you close to Allah and allow you to reach Him, so that He will help you, protect you and take away your difficulties. Prayer is a hardship except for those who are humble to their Lord.
ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَٰقُوا۟ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ٤٦
46. The humble are convinced that they will meet their Lord on the Day of Judgement, that they are returning to Him and will be held accountable for their actions.
يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّى فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ٤٧
47. O Israelites, remember the sacred and worldly blessings which I gave to you, and that I favoured you over all those of your time in terms of prophethood and power.
وَٱتَّقُوا۟ يَوْمًا لَّا تَجْزِى نَفْسٌ عَن نَّفْسٍ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا شَفَٰعَةٌ وَلَا يُؤْخَذُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ ٤٨
48. Protect yourselves against the Day of Judgement by following Allah’s instructions and staying away from what He has prohibited. On that day no soul will be able to help another in any way, and no pleading on their behalf will be accepted to benefit them or protect them from harm, except with Allah’s permission, and no ransom will be taken, even if it were to be the earth filled with gold. They will have no helpers on that day. Without appeal, ransom or helper, to where will they turn?
وَإِذْ نَجَّيْنَٰكُم مِّنْ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَسُومُونَكُمْ سُوٓءَ ٱلْعَذَابِ يُذَبِّحُونَ أَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمْ وَفِى ذَٰلِكُم بَلَآءٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ عَظِيمٌ ٤٩
49. O Israelites! Remember when Allah saved you from the people of Pharaoh, who were tormenting you, slaughtering your sons so you would not survive, and letting your women live so they could serve them, taking great pains to humiliate and insult you. When you were saved from the oppression of Pharaoh and his people, it was a great test for you from your Lord, to see if you would be thankful.
وَإِذْ فَرَقْنَا بِكُمُ ٱلْبَحْرَ فَأَنجَيْنَٰكُمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَآ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ ٥٠
50. Remember Allah’s favour in saving you when He parted the sea and made it a dry path for you to go through, while drowning your enemies, Pharaoh and his followers, before your very eyes, as you looked on.
وَإِذْ وَٰعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰٓ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذْتُمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمْ ظَٰلِمُونَ ٥١
51. Also, remember that the forty nights appointed to Moses were from the blessings of Allah, in which the revelation of the Torah, with its light and guidance, was completed. Yet you went and worshipped the calf during that period, which made you into wrongdoers.
ثُمَّ عَفَوْنَا عَنكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ٥٢
52. Then Allah forgave you when you asked for forgiveness, and did not take you to account for it, so that you might be thankful to Him, worshipping Him in the best way and doing as He instructed.
وَإِذْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْفُرْقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ٥٣
53. Also, remember that Allah’s giving Moses (peace be upon him) the Torah as a criterion between truth and falsehood, discriminating between guidance and misguidance, so that you might be guided to the truth through it, were from the blessings of Allah.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَٰقَوْمِ إِنَّكُمْ ظَلَمْتُمْ أَنفُسَكُم بِٱتِّخَاذِكُمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ فَتُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ بَارِئِكُمْ فَٱقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ عِندَ بَارِئِكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٥٤
54. Also, remember that Allah’s allowing you to ask His forgiveness for worshipping the calf, when Moses (peace be upon him) told you that you had wronged yourselves by taking the calf as a god and worshipping it, were from the blessings of Allah. Moses told you to ask for forgiveness and repent to your Creator by some of you killing others, because turning to Him in this way was better for you than persisting in disbelief, which would lead to an eternity in the fire of Hell. So, you did this with Allah’s approval, and He forgave you, for He is Forgiving and Merciful with His servants.
وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَٰمُوسَىٰ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ نَرَى ٱللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ ٱلصَّٰعِقَةُ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ ٥٥
55. Also, remember when you shamelessly addressed Moses (peace be upon him), saying that you would not believe him until you saw Allah with your own eyes, in the open before you, and the lightning struck you and killed you, whilst some of you looked at the others.
ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَٰكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ٥٦
56. Then He brought you back to life after death so that you might be thankful to Him for the blessings He granted you in this way.
وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَنَّ وَٱلسَّلْوَىٰ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَٰكُمْ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ ٥٧
57. Another of Allah’s blessings was that He sent clouds to shade you from the heat of the sun when you were wandering the earth; and He sent down manna, a sweet drink similar to honey, and quails for you, telling you to consume of the good things He had provided you with. Their ingratitude and disbelief for these blessings did not affect Allah in any way, but they wronged themselves, losing their share from the good they had done and exposing themselves to suffering.
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ٱدْخُلُوا۟ هَٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًا وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا۟ حِطَّةٌ نَّغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَٰيَٰكُمْ وَسَنَزِيدُ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ٥٨
58. Remember, from Allah’s blessings upon you, when He told you to enter Jerusalem and abundantly consume, with ease, from the good things in it from any place you wanted. He told you to prostrate in humility to Him when you entered, asking Him to remove your sins, so that He might answer you, and increase those who do good actions, rewarding them in this way.
فَبَدَّلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ قَوْلًا غَيْرَ ٱلَّذِى قِيلَ لَهُمْ فَأَنزَلْنَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ رِجْزًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْسُقُونَ ٥٩
59. 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.
وَإِذِ ٱسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ فَقُلْنَا ٱضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ ٱلْحَجَرَ فَٱنفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ ٱثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ كُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ ٦٠
60. Remember, from Allah’s blessings upon you, when you were in the wilderness, and you suffered great thirst, so Moses prayed to his Lord and asked that He give you water. Allah commanded that he hit the rock with his stick, and when he hit it, twelve springs appeared from it, the same number as the number of your tribes. Water gushed from them, and Allah made clear to each tribe which was their spring to drink from, so that there would be no conflict between you. And He told you to eat and drink from what He provided for you, without any effort or work from you, and told you not to put your efforts into ruining things on earth.
وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَٰمُوسَىٰ لَن نَّصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَٰحِدٍ فَٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلْأَرْضُ مِنۢ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّآئِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِصْرًا فَإِنَّ لَكُم مَّا سَأَلْتُمْ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلذِّلَّةُ وَٱلْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا۟ وَّكَانُوا۟ يَعْتَدُونَ ٦١
61. Also, remember when you were ungrateful for the blessings of your Lord, and became tired of the manna and quails He sent down to you, and said that you would not put up with one type of food. So, you asked Moses (peace be upon him) to ask Allah to produce herbs, vegetables, cucumbers, grains, lentils and onions from the plants on earth for you to consume. Moses said, disapproving of your request, that you wanted to exchange manna and quails which were better and nobler and came to you without effort or work, for what was lesser and worse. You were told to go down from this land to any town, and that you would find what you had asked for in its fields and markets. Due to following whims and repeatedly turning away from what Allah chose for them, they were disgraced, given poverty and misery. They earned Allah’s anger, because they turned away from His religion, and disbelieved His signs, and unjustly and brutally killed His prophets – all because they rebelled against Allah and used to transgress His limits.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ وَٱلصَّٰبِـِٔينَ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ٦٢
62. Those who have faith from the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and from the communities who came before him – from the Jews, the Christians and Sabians (said to be a group who followed prophets who were of the faith of Abraham, peace be upon him) – will have their reward with their Lord. They will not fear what awaits them in the Afterlife, nor grieve over what happened to them on earth. This was the case before the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent. Now his message of Islam – devotion and dedication to Allah – is the only way of life accepted by Allah, as He said, ‘Whoever seeks a path other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him’ [ Sūrah Āl ͑Imrān: 85].
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَٰقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ ٱلطُّورَ خُذُوا۟ مَآ ءَاتَيْنَٰكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ٦٣
63. Remember when Allah made a contract with you: that you should have faith in Allah and His prophets. He raised the mountain over you, inspiring awe and warning you against breaking the contract, commanding you to take what He had revealed to you of the Torah seriously and carefully, not taking it for granted or being lazy about it. He told you to remember and reflect upon it, so that you might be careful about what you earn from Allah.
ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ لَكُنتُم مِّنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ ٦٤
64. Yet after making a firm promise, you broke the contract and rebelled. If it had not been for Allah’s favour in His tolerance towards you, and His mercy, accepting when you asked for forgiveness, then you would be among the losers because of your turning away and rebellion.
وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱعْتَدَوْا۟ مِنكُمْ فِى ٱلسَّبْتِ فَقُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُوا۟ قِرَدَةً خَٰسِـِٔينَ ٦٥
65. You know well the story of your ancestors, who prepared to fish on the Sabbath when they were not allowed to do so, and did so through trickery. They set up nets in preparation for the Sabbath so Allah made them into monkeys, rejected and cast out, because of their trickery.
فَجَعَلْنَٰهَا نَكَٰلًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَمَا خَلْفَهَا وَمَوْعِظَةً لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ٦٦
66. Allah made this village, which had transgressed the limits, an example to the surrounding villages, and an example to those who came after it, so that they would not do the same and deserve the same fate. He made it a reminder for those mindful of Allah, who are careful of facing the consequences of their actions in the life to come, and are mindful of Allah’s repayment for those who transgress the limits.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تَذْبَحُوا۟ بَقَرَةً قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْجَٰهِلِينَ ٦٧
67. From the stories of your ancestors, remember what happened between them and Moses (peace be upon him) when he told them that Allah had instructed them to slaughter a cow. Instead of hurrying to do so, they said, stubbornly, ‘Are you making fun of us?’ Moses replied that he asked for Allah’s protection from being one of the ignorant people, who lied about Allah, and made fun of other people.
قَالُوا۟ ٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِىَ قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا فَارِضٌ وَلَا بِكْرٌ عَوَانٌۢ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ فَٱفْعَلُوا۟ مَا تُؤْمَرُونَ ٦٨
68. They asked Moses to call on his Lord to clarify what the cow they had been told to sacrifice was like. Moses told them that Allah said that it was neither old nor young, but was between the two; and he told them to do what Allah had instructed them to.
قَالُوا۟ ٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَآءُ فَاقِعٌ لَّوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ ٱلنَّٰظِرِينَ ٦٩
69. They continued debating and being stubborn, telling Moses (peace be upon him) to call on his Lord to make clear to them the colour of the cow. Moses told them that Allah said that it was a yellow cow, with a very strong colour, which was pleasing to everyone who saw it.
قَالُوا۟ ٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّن لَّنَا مَا هِىَ إِنَّ ٱلْبَقَرَ تَشَٰبَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنَّآ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَمُهْتَدُونَ ٧٠
70. They continued in their stubbornness, telling Moses to ask Allah to further clarify the nature of the cow. They said that there were many cows fitting the description, and they could not therefore identify it, insisting that they would then, if Allah willed, be guided to the right cow for sacrifice.
قَالَ إِنَّهُۥ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَّا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِى ٱلْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَّا شِيَةَ فِيهَا قَالُوا۟ ٱلْـَٰٔنَ جِئْتَ بِٱلْحَقِّ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ ٧١
71. Then Moses told them that Allah said the cow was not used for ploughing or irrigating the earth; she had no faults, and no marks of a different colour other than her yellow. They then replied that now he had brought them a detailed description, correctly identifying the cow. They sacrificed it, after almost not having done it, due to all their arguing and stubbornness.
وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَٱدَّٰرَْٰٔتُمْ فِيهَا وَٱللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ ٧٢
72. Allah reminds the Israelites about when they killed one of their own. They accused each other of it, each rejecting the accusation of having killed him, and accusing someone else, until they fought. But Allah revealed what they were hiding about the murder of the innocent person.
فَقُلْنَا ٱضْرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا كَذَٰلِكَ يُحْىِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ وَيُرِيكُمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ٧٣
73. Allah told them to hit the murdered man with a piece of the cow which they had been told to sacrifice. He would then bring him to life to tell them who the murderer was. They did this and he told them who had killed him. As this man was brought back to life by Allah, so will He bring the dead back to life on the Day of Judgement. Allah gives humanity clear signs of His power, to make them reflect and understand, and have true faith in Him.
ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِىَ كَٱلْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً وَإِنَّ مِنَ ٱلْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ ٱلْمَآءُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ٧٤
74. Their hearts became hard after these great lessons and incredible miracles, until they became like rocks, and even harder than rocks, because they never changed, whereas rocks change and transform. Rivers spring from some rocks, and some split, and water comes out of them, gushing and flowing on the earth, benefitting people and animals. And some rocks fall from the heights of the mountains in awe of Allah. But their hearts were not like that. Allah is not unaware of anything we do, but knows everything, and will hold us to account for it.
أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا۟ لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَٰمَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُۥ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ٧٥
75. O believers, do not expect, after knowing their true nature and how stubborn they are, that they will be truthful and respond to you. A group of their scholars heard the word of Allah, revealed to them in the Torah, and then changed its words and meanings after they had understood what it really meant; and they did this fully aware of the seriousness of the crime.
وَإِذَا لَقُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتُحَدِّثُونَهُم بِمَا فَتَحَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُحَآجُّوكُم بِهِۦ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ٧٦
76. An instance of their inconsistencies and deviousness occurred when some of them met some believers and acknowledged the truth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the correctness of his message, as the Torah witnessed to it. But when they were alone with one another they blamed each other because of these acknowledgments, saying that the Muslims might use them as proof that they recognised the truth of Muhammad’s prophethood.
أَوَلَا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ٧٧
77. They behave in this pathetic manner as if they are unaware that Allah knows what they hide, in terms of what they say and do, and what they reveal; but He will reveal it and expose them.
وَمِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ إِلَّآ أَمَانِىَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ ٧٨
78. A group of them do not know how to read or write and do not know what is in the Torah or what it says. They have only lies which they heard from some of their leaders, and think it is the Torah revealed by Allah.
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَٰذَا مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا فَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ ٧٩
79. Misery and great suffering awaits those who write the scripture with their own hands, and then say, falsely, that it comes from Allah, exchanging the truth and guidance for a small gain in this world, such as money or leadership. They will experience misery and suffering because of what their hands have written, through which they told lies about Allah, and for whatever wealth or leadership they may gain through these lies.
وَقَالُوا۟ لَن تَمَسَّنَا ٱلنَّارُ إِلَّآ أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَةً قُلْ أَتَّخَذْتُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَهْدًا فَلَن يُخْلِفَ ٱللَّهُ عَهْدَهُۥٓ أَمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ٨٠
80. They say, falsely, that the fire of Hell will not touch them and they will not be in it except for a few days. Ask them, O Muhammad, if they have had a promise from Allah that this will be the case: if they have had a promise, then Allah will not break His contract; or ask them if they are saying about Allah what they do not know.
بَلَىٰ مَن كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً وَأَحَٰطَتْ بِهِۦ خَطِيٓـَٔتُهُۥ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ ٨١
81. It is not as they imagine. Allah repays those who reach the evil of disbelief, and whose disobedience dominates them, with suffering in the fire of Hell, where they will live eternally.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ ٨٢
82. So those who have faith in Allah and His Prophet, and do good, will be rewarded with entry into the Garden, where they will live eternally.
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينِ وَقُولُوا۟ لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنكُمْ وَأَنتُم مُّعْرِضُونَ ٨٣
83. Remember the promise made between Allah and the Israelites: to worship Him alone; to be kind to parents, relatives, orphans and the poor; to say good words to people, telling them to do what is right and not what is wrong, without harshness or severity; to perform the prayer as instructed; and to give Zakat to those who have a right to it. But all they did after making this promise was to turn away, rejecting the promise they had made.
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَٰقَكُمْ لَا تَسْفِكُونَ دِمَآءَكُمْ وَلَا تُخْرِجُونَ أَنفُسَكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ ٨٤
84. Remember the contract Allah made with you in the Torah: forbidding you from killing each other and forcing people to leave their homes. You admitted the contract, and you witnessed its validity.
ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَتُخْرِجُونَ فَرِيقًا مِّنكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِهِمْ تَظَٰهَرُونَ عَلَيْهِم بِٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ وَإِن يَأْتُوكُمْ أُسَٰرَىٰ تُفَٰدُوهُمْ وَهُوَ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ إِخْرَاجُهُمْ أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ فَمَا جَزَآءُ مَن يَفْعَلُ ذَٰلِكَ مِنكُمْ إِلَّا خِزْىٌ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰٓ أَشَدِّ ٱلْعَذَابِ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ٨٥
85. Then you broke the contract: some of you killing others, and forcing a group of them to leave their homes, assisted by their enemies, unjustly and with aggression. Then if prisoners came to you in the hands of enemies, you pay their ransom and rescue them from their captivity, even though making them leave their homes was forbidden to you. How is it that you believe in some of what is in the Torah about the ransom of captives, and reject some of it (about not killing each other and driving people from where they live)? For those of you who do that, there is only humiliation in this life and the most severe torment in the Afterlife. Allah knows what you do; in fact, He is fully aware, and He will hold you to account.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشْتَرَوُا۟ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ ٨٦
86. They are the people who exchange the Afterlife for this life, preferring what is temporary to what is eternal. Their suffering will not be lightened, and they will have no one to help them.
وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَقَفَّيْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ بِٱلرُّسُلِ وَءَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ وَأَيَّدْنَٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ أَفَكُلَّمَا جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌۢ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُكُمُ ٱسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ فَفَرِيقًا كَذَّبْتُمْ وَفَرِيقًا تَقْتُلُونَ ٨٧
87. Allah gave Moses the Torah, and followed him with other messengers. He gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear signs of the truth of what he came with, such as bringing the dead back to life and healing the blind and the lepers, and He strengthened him with the angel Gabriel, the Holy Spirit (peace be upon him). Yet is it, O Israelites, that whenever a messenger comes to you from Allah with what does not agree with your whims, you become full of pride towards the truth, looking down on the messengers of Allah? Do you reject a group of them and kill a group of them?
وَقَالُوا۟ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌۢ بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلِيلًا مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ ٨٨
88. The Israelites argued that their stubbornness was because their hearts were wrapped in a cover, so that none of what was said to them could reach them, or make sense to them. On the contrary, Allah deprived them of His mercy due to their disbelief, so that they will not have faith.
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ كِتَٰبٌ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُوا۟ كَفَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَلَعْنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ٨٩
89. The Qur’ān came to them from Allah, agreeing with the universal true principles of the Torah and the Gospel. Before it was revealed, they used to say that they would be helped against the idolaters, who worship others alongside Allah, and would have success over them when a prophet was sent, since they would have faith in him and follow him. But when the Qur’ān and Muhammad (peace be upon him) came to them, according to the description they recognised and the truth they knew, they disbelieved him. Allah curses those who disbelieve Him and His Prophet.
بِئْسَمَا ٱشْتَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمْ أَن يَكْفُرُوا۟ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بَغْيًا أَن يُنَزِّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ فَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ عَلَىٰ غَضَبٍ وَلِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ ٩٠
90. How miserable is what they accepted in exchange for their portion of faith in Allah and His messengers. They disbelieved what Allah revealed, and unjustly and enviously rejected His prophets, because He gave prophethood and the Qur’ān to Muhammad (peace be upon him). For disbelieving in Muhammad (peace be upon him) and for distorting the Torah beforehand, they deserved anger upon anger from Allah. A humiliating torment on the Day of Judgement will meet those who disbelieved in the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him).
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ نُؤْمِنُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَيَكْفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَآءَهُۥ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ قُلْ فَلِمَ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنۢبِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ مِن قَبْلُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ٩١
91. When this group of Jews was told to have faith in the truth and guidance that Allah revealed to His Prophet, they said that they believed in what had been revealed to their prophets, and denied anything besides this, and in what was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him), although the Qur’ān is the truth, confirming what Allah had already revealed to them. Had they truly believed in what had been revealed to them, they would have believed in the Qur’ān. So, ask them then, O Muhammad, why they killed the prophets of Allah before, if they really had faith in the truth they brought to them.
وَلَقَدْ جَآءَكُم مُّوسَىٰ بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذْتُمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمْ ظَٰلِمُونَ ٩٢
92. And also, your prophet Moses (peace be upon him), brought clear signs to you, proving that what he said was true. But after that you made the calf into a god and worshipped it, when Moses had gone to meet his Lord. You were wrongdoers for worshipping others alongside Allah, since only He is worthy of worship.
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَٰقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ ٱلطُّورَ خُذُوا۟ مَآ ءَاتَيْنَٰكُم بِقُوَّةٍ وَٱسْمَعُوا۟ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَأُشْرِبُوا۟ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ قُلْ بِئْسَمَا يَأْمُرُكُم بِهِۦٓ إِيمَٰنُكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ٩٣
93. Remember when you made a binding promise with God to follow Moses, peace be upon him, and to accept what he brought from God. God raised the mountain over you so that you were awestruck, and told you to hold tightly and seriously to the scripture He had sent you, and to listen and follow what was revealed to you, if not God would make the mountain fall upon you, you said that you heard with your ears and rebelled in your actions. The worship of the calf took hold of their hearts because of their denial and ingratitude. O Muhammad, what their faith commands them to do is evil: disbelieving and turning away from what Allah instructs them to do – if they have any faith at all – because if they truly had faith they would not disbelieve and turn away from it.
قُلْ إِن كَانَتْ لَكُمُ ٱلدَّارُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَالِصَةً مِّن دُونِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا۟ ٱلْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ ٩٤
94. Say, O Prophet: Jews, if Paradise in the Afterlife is just for you, and no other people will enter it, then wish for death, and ask for it, so that you reach this place quickly, and can rest from the burdens and worries of the life of this world, if you are truthful about what you claim.
وَلَن يَتَمَنَّوْهُ أَبَدًۢا بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٩٥
95. They will never wish for death, because of what they have done in their lives: disbelieving in Allah, rejecting His prophets and distorting His scriptures. Allah knows the wrongdoers among them and other people: each person will be given what they have earned.
وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ حَيَوٰةٍ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ ٩٦
96. You will find, O Prophet, that the Jews are the most desirous for life, even if it is miserable and lowly. They are even greedier for it than the idolaters, who worship others alongside Allah, who do not believe in being brought back to life after death or in being held to account for what they have done. Despite being People of the Scripture, and believing in the resurrection and the reckoning, they would love to live a thousand years. Yet however long a life they might be given, it would not distance them from Allah’s punishment. Allah sees all that they do. Nothing is hidden from Him, and they will be given what they earn.
قُلْ مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُۥ نَزَّلَهُۥ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٩٧
97. Say, O Muhammad, to those of the Jews who say that Gabriel is their enemy among the angels, that whoever is against Gabriel – who revealed the Qur’ān to your heart, with Allah’s permission, affirming the sacred scripture that came before it, such as the Torah and the Gospel, showing the way to what is good, and bringing the good news to the believers of the bliss Allah has prepared for them – then he is misguided.
مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلَّهِ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَجِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَىٰلَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكَٰفِرِينَ ٩٨
98. Whoever stands against Allah, His angels and His prophets, and against His two angels Gabriel and Michael, then certainly Allah is a rival to the disbelievers from among you, and from other than you. Certain defeat faces whoever has Allah as his rival.
وَلَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ءَايَٰتٍۭ بَيِّنَٰتٍ وَمَا يَكْفُرُ بِهَآ إِلَّا ٱلْفَٰسِقُونَ ٩٩
99. I have revealed to you, O Prophet, clear signs proving the truth of your prophethood and revelation. The only people who reject these signs, despite its clarity, are those who have abandoned Allah’s path.
أَوَكُلَّمَا عَٰهَدُوا۟ عَهْدًا نَّبَذَهُۥ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُم بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ١٠٠
100. Due to their corrupt state, a group of the Jews would always break any commitment that they made, including the duty to have faith in what the Torah revealed about the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Most of them do not really have faith in what Allah revealed, because faith leads to keeping to and honouring commitments and promises.
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ كِتَٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ١٠١
101. When Muhammad (peace be upon him) came to them as a prophet from Allah, and he fitted the Torah’s description of him, a group of them turned away from the scripture that showed this, throwing it behind their backs, unmindful of it, not benefitting from its truth or guidance, like fools.
وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَا تَتْلُوا۟ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَٰنَ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَٰنُ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَٰرُوتَ وَمَٰرُوتَ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَآ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِۦ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِۦ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا۟ لَمَنِ ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَٰقٍ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ١٠٢
102. When they left the path of Allah, they followed instead what the satans said: lying about the kingdom of the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) by claiming that it was established through black magic. Solomon did not disbelieve by practicing black magic, as the Jews claimed; but the satans were disbelievers when they taught people the black magic revealed to the two angels, Hārūt and Mārūt, in the city of Babel in Iraq. These two angels would only teach black magic to someone after explaining that they were simply a trial and a test for people, warning them not to be ungrateful to Allah by learning it. Those who learned black magic from them but did not listen to their advice would, through it, separate a man and his wife by sowing hatred between them. These sorcerers are not able to harm anyone except with Allah’s permission and by His will. They learn what harms them and does not benefit them. This group of Jews knew that whoever exchanges the scripture of Allah for black magic will have no portion in the Afterlife. What an evil thing they sold their souls for when they exchanged the revelation and sacred law of Allah for black magic! If they had known what would benefit them, they would not have done something so disgraceful and clearly misguided.
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱتَّقَوْا۟ لَمَثُوبَةٌ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لَّوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ١٠٣
103. If the Jews had really had faith in Allah, and been mindful to obey His sacred law and not rebel, His reward would have been far better for them, if they only knew.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَقُولُوا۟ رَٰعِنَا وَقُولُوا۟ ٱنظُرْنَا وَٱسْمَعُوا۟ وَلِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ١٠٤
104. Allah directs the believers to choose their words carefully, telling them not to say ‘rā‘inā’, meaning ‘look after us’ or ‘shepherd us’, when addressing the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), because some of the Jews would mock what they said, twisting the words when addressing the Prophet (peace be upon him) themselves, corrupting its meaning to mean ‘foolish’ or ‘evil’. So, Allah told them not to use these words in order to prevent such mockery. He instructed them to say ‘unẓurnā’ instead, meaning ‘watch over us’, because the use of this word has no negative implications. Without doubt, the disbelievers in Allah will have a painful torment.
مَّا يَوَدُّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَلَا ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ ١٠٥
105. The disbelievers, whether they are from the People of the Scripture or from among the idolaters, do not like that Allah should send down any good thing, big or small, to you. Through His mercy Allah favours whom He wills of His servants with prophethood, revelation and faith. Allah’s bounty is vast. No one in creation gets any good except that it is from Him, and it is from His bounty that He sent His Prophet and revealed His scripture to us.
مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَآ أَوْ مِثْلِهَآ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ١٠٦
106. Allah makes it clear that whenever He removes the ruling of a verse or some words from the Qur’ān, so that people forget them, He replaces them with something more beneficial for the immediate moment or for later, or with what is similar. Such cases occur because of Allah’s wisdom and knowledge. You know, O Prophet, that Allah has power over all things. He does as He wills, and rules as He wishes.
أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ ١٠٧
107. You know, O Prophet, that everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah, and that He rules as He wills. He instructs His servants as He wills, and forbids them from doing what He wills, establishing the sacred law as He wishes, and abolishing what He wishes. Your only protector is Allah, Who will take care of you, and you have no other helper to protect you from harm. Allah is the protector and guardian of all, and has power over everything.
أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَسْـَٔلُوا۟ رَسُولَكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَىٰ مِن قَبْلُ وَمَن يَتَبَدَّلِ ٱلْكُفْرَ بِٱلْإِيمَٰنِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ١٠٨
108. O believers, it is not right for you to question your Prophet, resisting and quarrelling with the revelation as the people of Moses questioned their prophet before, like when they said, ‘Show us Allah openly’ [ Sūrah Al-Nisā’: 153]. Whoever exchanges faith for disbelief has lost the balanced way, the right path.
وَدَّ كَثِيرٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَوْ يَرُدُّونَكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ إِيمَٰنِكُمْ كُفَّارًا حَسَدًا مِّنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِهِم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلْحَقُّ فَٱعْفُوا۟ وَٱصْفَحُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِۦٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ١٠٩
109. Many of the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to worshipping idols as you did before you came to have faith because of envy, when it has become clear to them that what the Prophet came with is the truth from God. Forgive them what they do, and pardon them for their ignorance and for whatever is not good in them, until the command of God comes regarding them. God’s command came with its ruling, either Islam, or paying the Jizya or physical intervention. God has power over all things, and they do not affect Him in any way.
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ١١٠
110. Establish the prayer with all its parts, both obligatory and recommended aspects, and give Zakat from their wealth to those who deserve it. Whatever good action they do in life before death will be a treasure for them: the reward of which they will find with their Lord on the Day of Judgement. Allah sees all that you do, and rewards everyone accordingly.
وَقَالُوا۟ لَن يَدْخُلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَن كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَٰرَىٰ تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ قُلْ هَاتُوا۟ بُرْهَٰنَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ ١١١
111. The Jews and the Christians each said that Paradise would be for them alone. These were just their vain wishes and imaginings. Tell them, O Prophet, in reply, to bring proof of what they were claiming if they were telling the truth.
بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُۥ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُۥٓ أَجْرُهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ١١٢
112. All those who are sincere in repenting to Allah, doing good, serving Allah and following what the Prophet came with, will enter Paradise, no matter what group they come from. They will have their reward with their Lord. They will have no fear about what awaits them in the Afterlife, or feel sorrow about what passed them by in their lifetime. Regardless of someone’s original religious group – whether Jew, Christian, idolater other – successfully submitting to Allah is only now valid before Him by becoming Muslim, after the arrival of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ ٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ لَيْسَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ فَٱللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ١١٣
113. The Jews said that the Christians were not on the correct path and the Christians said the same about the Jews, although they both claimed to read the scriptures that Allah revealed to them, which contain the command to have faith in all the prophets without any distinction between them. In what they said, they are like those who know nothing, who worship others alongside Allah, rejecting all the prophets and the scriptures that were revealed to them. Allah will judge between those who disagree on the Day of Return. In His perfect and fair judgements, Allah tells His servants that there is no success without belief in all that He has revealed.
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن مَّنَعَ مَسَٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ أَن يُذْكَرَ فِيهَا ٱسْمُهُۥ وَسَعَىٰ فِى خَرَابِهَآ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ مَا كَانَ لَهُمْ أَن يَدْخُلُوهَآ إِلَّا خَآئِفِينَ لَهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا خِزْىٌ وَلَهُمْ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ١١٤
114. No one does greater wrong than those who stop the name of Allah being said in His Houses of worship, preventing the prayer and remembrance of Allah and the recitation of the Qur’ān in them, trying to destroy and ruin them, through tearing them down or stopping people from worshipping in them. Those who try to destroy them should not enter Allah’s places of worship, except fearfully and with trembling hearts, after their disbelief and having stopped people worshipping in them. They will have shame and humiliation in their life on earth at the hands of the believers, and in the Afterlife is a great torment for having stopped people from Allah’s Houses of worship.
وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَشْرِقُ وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا۟ فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ١١٥
115. Allah has authority over the entire world, and He instructs His servants as He wills. Wherever you turn, you will find Allah: He surrounds His creation. Whether He instructs you to face Jerusalem or the Kaaba, or you make a mistake in the direction of prayer or are not sure of it, then it is not an issue, because to Allah belongs every direction. Allah is vast in His blessings; He covers His creation with His mercy and ease. He knows their intentions and everything that they do.
وَقَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًا سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ بَل لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ كُلٌّ لَّهُۥ قَٰنِتُونَ ١١٦
116. The Jews, the Christians and the idolaters, who worship others alongside Allah, said that Allah had taken a son. He is far above and beyond such a thing, because He has no need of His creation, and no one has a son unless he is needy; and to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. All created beings are His servants, in submission to Him, glory be to Him! They are His servants and He deals with them as He wills.
بَدِيعُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ١١٧
117. Allah is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them; and there is nothing in creation that is like Him. If He decrees and wills something, He only says to it ‘Be’ and it is as He willed it. Nothing can stop His command and His decree.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ لَوْلَا يُكَلِّمُنَا ٱللَّهُ أَوْ تَأْتِينَآ ءَايَةٌ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ تَشَٰبَهَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا ٱلْـَٔايَٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ ١١٨
118. Those without knowledge from among the People of the Scripture and the idolaters asked, in their stubbornness against the truth, why Allah did not speak to them directly, or why a miracle was not sent for them to see. Disbelieving communities said similar things to their prophets in the past: their hearts are all similar, because all disbelievers are the same, even if they are from different times and places. Allah makes His signs clear to those who are certain of the truth when it appears to them, not doubting or resisting it.
إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَٰكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَا تُسْـَٔلُ عَنْ أَصْحَٰبِ ٱلْجَحِيمِ ١١٩
119. The Prophet was sent with the religion of truth, in which there is no doubt: to bring the good news of Paradise to those who have faith, and to warn disbelievers about the fire of Hell. The Prophet only had to clearly deliver the message: Allah will not ask him about those people in the fire of Hell who did not believe in him.
وَلَن تَرْضَىٰ عَنكَ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَلَا ٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ هُوَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم بَعْدَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ ١٢٠
120. Allah addresses and warns His Prophet, telling him that the Jews and the Christians will never be happy with him unless he leaves Islam and follows what they do; and that if he, or one of his followers, were to do such a thing, after the clear truth has come to them, they would not find protection or help from Allah. This makes clear the seriousness of leaving the truth and of following people of falsehood.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ يَتْلُونَهُۥ حَقَّ تِلَاوَتِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِۦ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَٰسِرُونَ ١٢١
121. The Qur’ān mentions a group from the People of the Scripture who know the revealed texts they have been given and follow them properly. They find in these scriptures signs pointing to the truth of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him); and because of this they immediately have faith in him. Another group sticks to its disbelief, and for them is loss.
يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّى فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ١٢٢
122. O Israelites, remember the blessings, sacred and worldly, which I gave to you, and remember that I favoured you over those of your time with prophethood and authority.
وَٱتَّقُوا۟ يَوْمًا لَّا تَجْزِى نَفْسٌ عَن نَّفْسٍ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهَا عَدْلٌ وَلَا تَنفَعُهَا شَفَٰعَةٌ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ ١٢٣
123. Protect yourself from the torment of the Day of Return by following the instructions of Allah and keeping away from what He has prohibited, because on that day no soul will be able to help another soul in any way; no ransom will be accepted for it, no matter how great; and no one pleading on its behalf will benefit it, no matter how high their position. On that day, a soul will have no helper other than Allah.
وَإِذِ ٱبْتَلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ رَبُّهُۥ بِكَلِمَٰتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ إِنِّى جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِى ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ١٢٤
124. The Qur’ān tells us that Allah tested Abraham (peace be upon him) by instructing him to fulfil commandments and obligations. Abraham obeyed, fulfilling the orders completely. Allah told His prophet Abraham that He would make his manners and behaviour an example for people to follow. Abraham asked Allah to make also his descendants leaders who people would be guided by. Allah replied by saying that His promise to him of sacred leadership would not extend to the wrongdoers among his descendants.
وَإِذْ جَعَلْنَا ٱلْبَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَمْنًا وَٱتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن مَّقَامِ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ مُصَلًّى وَعَهِدْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ أَن طَهِّرَا بَيْتِىَ لِلطَّآئِفِينَ وَٱلْعَٰكِفِينَ وَٱلرُّكَّعِ ٱلسُّجُودِ ١٢٥
125. The Qur’ān relates that Allah made the Kaaba a place for people to return to, as a means of connecting their hearts to Him. When they travel from it, they return to it. It has also been made a safe place for them where they will not be attacked. Allah tells people to make the stone which Abraham stood on while he was building the Kaaba into a place of prayer. Allah instructed Abraham and his son Ishmael to purify the sanctuary from filth and idols for those who wish to worship in it, go around the Kaaba, stay there for worship, praying and so on.
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْ هَٰذَا بَلَدًا ءَامِنًا وَٱرْزُقْ أَهْلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ مِنْهُم بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ قَالَ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَأُمَتِّعُهُۥ قَلِيلًا ثُمَّ أَضْطَرُّهُۥٓ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلنَّارِ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ١٢٦
126. Remember, O Prophet, when Abraham prayed to his Lord, asking Him to make Makkah a safe place, where no one would be faced with evil; and to provide the people who live there with all types of crops, and a special provision for those who have faith in Allah. Allah said that He would give some enjoyment to the disbelievers by giving them provision in this life; but in the next life they will be forced into the torment of the fire of Hell – a miserable place to which they return on the Day of Judgement.
وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ ٱلْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّآ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ١٢٧
127. Remember, O Prophet, when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the Kaaba. As they did so, they asked with humility for Allah to accept all they did, including building the Kaaba. Allah hears what we say and knows our intentions and everything that we do.
رَبَّنَا وَٱجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَآ أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَآ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١٢٨
128. They asked Allah to make them surrender in devotion to His command, humble towards Him, not worshipping anyone besides Him; and to make their children and their descendants a nation who also surrendered in devotion to Him. They also asked Allah to teach them how to worship Him, to forgive them for their faults and shortcomings in doing what He instructed them. He turns to those who ask for forgiveness and is compassionate towards His creation.
رَبَّنَا وَٱبْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ١٢٩
129. They asked Allah to send a messenger to their offspring from the descendants of Ishmael, to recite the revealed verses of Allah to them and teach them the Qur’ān and the Sunnah, and to purify them from worshipping others alongside Allah and from all evil. He is the Mighty in His essence, and the Wise in what He does and in His decrees.
وَمَن يَرْغَبُ عَن مِّلَّةِ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ إِلَّا مَن سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُۥ وَلَقَدِ ٱصْطَفَيْنَٰهُ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّهُۥ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ١٣٠
130. No one turns away from the religion of Abraham, peace be upon him, to other ways of life except those who do not know their own worth, and are content with humiliation. God chose him as a messenger in this world and as a friend of God, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the righteous people who fulfilled what God required them to do, and so reached the highest levels.
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥٓ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ١٣١
131. Allah chose Abraham because of his swiftness in surrendering, telling him to be faithful and devoted to Him in worship and to humbly do as He instructed. Abraham replied to his Lord saying that he had surrendered in devotion to Him, Who created His servants, providing for them and taking care of their affairs.
وَوَصَّىٰ بِهَآ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَٰبَنِىَّ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ ٱلدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ١٣٢
132. Abraham advised his sons to also say, ‘I have surrendered to the Lord of people’; and Jacob told his sons to do the same. They told their sons that Allah had chosen for them the religion of surrendering in devotion, Islam, and to hold on to it tightly until they died, surrendering sincerely to Allah on the inside and the outside.
أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَآءَ إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ ٱلْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنۢ بَعْدِى قَالُوا۟ نَعْبُدُ إِلَٰهَكَ وَإِلَٰهَ ءَابَآئِكَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ إِلَٰهًا وَٰحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ ١٣٣
133. Were you present at the time of Jacob’s death, when he asked his sons what they would worship after he had died? They replied to him, saying that they would worship Allah, the Lord of his forefathers – Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac – namely, the One Allah without partners; and they said that they surrendered in devotion to Him alone and were bound to Him.
تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبْتُمْ وَلَا تُسْـَٔلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ١٣٤
134. That nation has passed away like other communities. They gained whatever they did in their lives, earning either good or evil; and you will gain what you have earned. You will not be asked about what they did, and they will not be asked about what you do. No one is held to account for the disobedience of another, but everyone is rewarded according to their own actions. You should not be distracted from paying attention to your own behaviour by looking at what those before you did. Nothing will benefit anyone except his own good actions.
وَقَالُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَٰرَىٰ تَهْتَدُوا۟ قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ١٣٥
135. The Jews told the Muslims that they would have to be Jews if they were to be rightly guided; and the Christians told them that they would have to be Christians if they were to be rightly-guided. Tell them, O Prophet, in answer, that you follow the religion of Abraham, who turned away from other false ways of life to the way of truth. He did not worship others next to Allah, as some do.
قُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ ١٣٦
136. Tell the Jews and Christians who make these baseless claims that you have faith in Allah and the Qur’ān which He revealed to you, and in what He revealed to Abraham and his sons Ishmael and Isaac, and to Jacob, and in what He revealed to the prophets from the descendants of Jacob. Say that you have faith in the Torah which Allah gave to Moses, and the Gospel which He gave to Jesus, and in all the scriptures that He gave to every one of the prophets, with no distinction between them, having faith in all of them, not only having faith in some and rejecting others. Tell them that you humbly surrender to Him alone.
فَإِنْ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِمِثْلِ مَآ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ فَقَدِ ٱهْتَدَوا۟ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّمَا هُمْ فِى شِقَاقٍ فَسَيَكْفِيكَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ١٣٧
137. If the Jews and the Christians, and other disbelievers, have faith in the same way that you do, then they have been guided to the right way of life which Allah is satisfied with. Yet if they turn away from faith because they reject all the prophets or some of them, then they are in disagreement and are against you. Do not be sad, O Prophet, because Allah will protect you from their harm and evil, and give you victory over them. Allah hears all that they say, and knows all their intentions and actions.
صِبْغَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ صِبْغَةً وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ عَٰبِدُونَ ١٣٨
138. Hold tightly to the religion of Allah which is the natural way of life for you, on the inside and outside. There is no better way of life than the path of Allah, which agrees with our nature, benefiting us in every way and protecting us from evil and corruption. Say that you worship Allah alone and do not worship anything apart from Him.
قُلْ أَتُحَآجُّونَنَا فِى ٱللَّهِ وَهُوَ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمْ وَلَنَآ أَعْمَٰلُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَٰلُكُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُخْلِصُونَ ١٣٩
139. If the People of the Scripture argue with you, saying they have more right to Allah and His religion than you do because their way of life is older and their scriptures came before yours, then it will not benefit them. Allah is the Lord of everyone, and He is not for them alone. Tell them, O Prophet, that you have your actions which they will not be asked about; and they have their actions which you will not be asked about. Everyone will be rewarded according to what they have done. Tell them that you are sincere to Allah in your worship and in doing as He instructs you, and that you do not worship anything apart from Him.
أَمْ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطَ كَانُوا۟ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَٰرَىٰ قُلْ ءَأَنتُمْ أَعْلَمُ أَمِ ٱللَّهُ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهَٰدَةً عِندَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ١٤٠
140. Or do you say, O People of the Scripture, that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the prophets from Jacob’s descendants were on the path of the Jews or Christians? Ask, O Prophet, in reply to them, whether they are more knowledgeable or is Allah. If they claim that they were Jews or Christians, then what they say is false, because they were sent and died before the Torah and the Gospel were revealed. This shows that what they say is a lie against Allah and His Prophet, and that they hid the truth of what was revealed to them. No one does greater wrong than someone who hides firm evidence that they have from Allah, as some of the People of the Scripture did. Allah is not unaware of what you do, and you will be rewarded accordingly.
تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبْتُمْ وَلَا تُسْـَٔلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ ١٤١
141. That nation passed away before you, and earned what they earned from what they did. They have earned for themselves from their own actions; and you have earned from your own actions. You will not be asked about what they did, and they will not be asked about what you do. No one is held accountable for the disobedience of someone else, and no one benefits from what someone else does. Each person will receive his reward, according to what they themselves do.
سَيَقُولُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَا وَلَّىٰهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ ٱلَّتِى كَانُوا۟ عَلَيْهَا قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلْمَشْرِقُ وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ١٤٢
142. The foolish and weak-minded among the Jews, and those like them from among the hypocrites, will ask what turned the Muslims away from the prayer direction of Jerusalem, which was their direction of prayer before. Tell them, O Prophet, in reply, that to Allah belongs the east and the west and every direction, and He directs whomever He wills of His servants to whatever direction He wills. He guides whom He wills of His servants to the right path which is free of distortions and misguidance.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَٰكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا وَمَا جَعَلْنَا ٱلْقِبْلَةَ ٱلَّتِى كُنتَ عَلَيْهَآ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَٰنَكُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِٱلنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ١٤٣
143. Just as I made a direction of prayer for you, I have chosen you to be a good, just and balanced nation from among all the communities: in your beliefs and your ways of worship and in your transactions, so that you will be witnesses for the prophets of Allah on the Day of Judgement, confirming that they delivered the messages Allah instructed them to deliver to their people; and so that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) will also witness that he delivered his message to you. Allah changed the direction of prayer that you used to face (Jerusalem) to demonstrate who was content with Allah’s decree, willingly doing as He instructed and following the Messenger; and to also demonstrate who turned away from his religion, following his own desires and not obeying Allah’s sacred law. The first change of prayer direction was difficult, except for those who Allah granted faith to and who were certain that whatever He decrees for His servants has far reaching wisdom and underlying reasons behind it. Allah will not make you lose your faith in Him, or your good actions, including the prayers you prayed before the change of prayer direction. Allah is kind and compassionate with people, not overburdening them, and they will not lose the reward for their actions.
قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَىٰهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ ١٤٤
144. God saw you, O Prophet, turning your face and gazing towards the heavens, anticipating revelation about changing the direction of prayer to the place you loved. God will turn you to a prayer direction which you will be pleased with, to the Sacred House of God, instead of the prayer direction you now face, so turn your face to the Sacred House of God in Makkah, and wherever you are, O believers, turn towards it to perform your prayers. Those who have been given the Scripture, the Jews and the Christians, know well that the change of prayer direction is the truth revealed from their Creator Who arranges and manages their lives, as it is clear in their Scripture. God is not unaware of what those who turn away from the truth do. He, glory be to Him, is aware of everything, and will reward them according to their actions.
وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِكُلِّ ءَايَةٍ مَّا تَبِعُوا۟ قِبْلَتَكَ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ وَمَا بَعْضُهُم بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ إِنَّكَ إِذًا لَّمِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ١٤٥
145. By God! If you provided the Jews and Christians who have been given the Scripture with every sign and proof that the change of prayer direction was the truth, they would not face your prayer direction, stubborn against what you say and too proud to follow the truth. You will not face their prayer direction after God has directed you away from it, and they will not face the prayer directions of one another, because each group calls the other disbelievers, and because they follow their desires in the matter of the prayer direction and in other sacred laws and rulings, even after the true knowledge which was revealed to you and about which there is no doubt. If you were to leave guidance, and follow their desires, you would certainly be of the wrongdoers. Here God addresses the Prophet(s) directly to show how wrong it would be to follow them. Of course, God has protected the prophet himself from ever doing so, and this as a warning for his followers after him.
