alam tara ilā alladhīna ūtū naṣīban mina l-kitābi yu'minūna bil-jib'ti wal-ṭāghūti wayaqūlūna lilladhīna kafarū hāulāi ahdā mina alladhīna āmanū sabīlan
Translation
Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, who believe in jibt [superstition] and ṭāghūt [false objects of worship] and say about the disbelievers, "These are better guided than the believers as to the way"?
Verse 51 of Surah An-Nisa (4:51), a Medinan surah, is in juz 5, on page 86 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 51 of Surah An-Nisa
78 recitations by 72 reciters: pick one and it plays in the player.
All voices (78)
Tafsir of verse 51
Al-Mukhtasar
Do you not know, O Messenger, and wonder at the state of the Jews – who Allah gave a portion of knowledge – that believe in all sorts of false gods, and flatter the idolaters, saying that they are more rightly guided than the Companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, who believe in idols37 and Tāghoot [i.e., false gods]38, and they say to the disbelievers that they are more guided than the believers39?
Notes
[37] al-Jibt: all sorts of false things and everything that is worshiped besides Allah.
[38] al-Tāghūt: taken from ṭughyān, i.e. transgression and wrongdoing. All that transgresses against Allah. Anyone who condones being worshiped besides Allah is a ṭāghūt.
[39] Ibn ‘Abbās (رضي الله عنهما) reported: “When (the Jewish scholar) Ka‘b ibn al-Ashraf came to Makkah, the Quraysh asked him: “You are the best of the people of Madinah and their master. Aren’t you?” He replied: “Yes!” They then said: “What do you think of this sonless outcast (meaning Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) claiming that he is better than us when we are the custodians of pilgrims and the caretakers of the House of Allah!” He said: “You are indeed better than him!” Then the following verses were revealed: “Indeed, your hater is the one cut off”, (108: 3) and (5: 51- 52)”. [Al-Nasā’ī, Al-Sunan al-Kubrā: 11707; Ibn Ḥibbān: 6572]
Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They believe in Jibt and Tâghût 20 and say to the disbelievers that they are better guided as regards the way than the believers (Muslims).
Notes
[20] (V.4:51) The words "Jibt and Tâghût" cover wide meanings: They mean anything worshipped other than the Real God (Allâh) i.e. all the false deities, it may be an idol, satan, graves, stone, sun, star, angel, saints or any human being. [Please see Tafsir Ibn Kathir and the footnote of (V.2:256)].
Hast thou not seen those unto whom a portion of the Scripture hath been given, how they believe in idols and false deities, and how they say of those (idolaters) who disbelieve: "These are more rightly guided than those who believe"?
Hast thou not turned Thy vision to those who were given a portion of the Book? they believe in sorcery and Evil, and say to the Unbelievers that they are better guided in the (right) way Than the believers!
Have you not seen those to whom a portion of the Book has been given? They believe in idols and false deities and say of those who disbelieve: These are better guided in the path than those who believe.
Have you not regarded (how) the ones to whom was brought an assignment of the Book believe in Jibt and Taghut (Two idols that were worshiped by the pagan Arabs) and say to (the ones) who have disbelieved, "These are more (rightly) guided on the way than the ones who have believed."
Do you not consider, [O Muḥammad], those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They are invited to the Scripture of Allāh that it should arbitrate between them; then a party of them turns away, and they are refusing.
Have you not seen those who claim themselves to be pure? Rather, Allāh purifies whom He wills, and injustice is not done to them, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed].
Have you not considered those who make allies of a people with whom Allāh has become angry? They are neither of you nor of them, and they swear to untruth while they know [they are lying].
