بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Topic: The Book of Allah

(Translation and Tafsir of Selected Important Verses)

The Noble Verse

ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

[البقرة: 2]

Simple Translation

This is the Book; there is no doubt in it, [1] a guidance [2] for the Muttaqin (the God-conscious).

Surah — Al-Baqarah | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 2

Brief Tafsir

[1] There is no room for doubt that this Book has been sent down from Allah. As another verse states: "The revelation of this Book is from the Lord of the worlds; there is no doubt in it." (Surah As-Sajdah 32:2)
Some scholars have said that although the sentence is declarative in form, its meaning is prohibitive, i.e., لاَ تَرتَابُوا فِيهِ (Do not doubt it).
Furthermore, there is no doubt whatsoever about the truth of the events mentioned in it; about the fact that the welfare and salvation of humanity depend on the rulings and laws it sets out; and about the truth of the matters of creed (Tawhid, Risalah and the Hereafter) discussed in it.
[2] This divine Book has in fact been revealed for the guidance and direction of all mankind, but only those will be refreshed by the water of this spring who are seekers of the 'water of life' and who fear Allah. As for those whose hearts have no awareness or concern about standing before Allah after death to give account, and who have no zeal or desire to seek the right path or to be saved from misguidance — from where, and why, would they find guidance?
(The morning belongs to those who leave their sleep and open their eyes.)

The Noble Verse

قُلْ يَاأَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ

[آل عمران: 64]

Simple Translation

Say: O People of the Book! Come to a word that is equal between us and you — that we worship none but Allah and associate no partner with Him, [1] and that none of us takes others as lords besides Allah. [2] Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (submitting to Allah). [3]

Surah — Al 'Imran | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 64

Brief Tafsir

[1] Neither an idol, nor a cross, nor fire, nor anything else. Rather, we will worship Allah alone. And this was the call of every Prophet.

[2] The first thing alluded to here is that the fabricated belief you hold about 'Isa and 'Uzair (peace be upon them) being lords (Rabb) is entirely wrong. They were not lords; rather, they were human beings.
And the second thing alluded to is that your giving your rabbis and monks the authority to declare things lawful and unlawful is itself a form of taking them as lords. The verse [اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ] also bears witness to this. This practice of theirs is also wrong, because the right to declare things lawful and unlawful belongs to Allah alone. (Ibn Kathir and Fath al-Qadir)

[3] It is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari that, in accordance with this command of the Noble Quran, the Messenger (ﷺ) sent a letter to Heraclius, the Roman emperor, and through it invited him to accept Islam in line with what this verse calls for.

' فَأَسْلِمْ تَسْلَمْ، أَسلِمْ يُؤْتِكَ اللهُ أَجْرَكَ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ فَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ إِثْمَ الْأَرِيسِيِّينَ'

"Accept Islam and you will be safe. Become a Muslim, and Allah will give you your reward twice. But if you turn away, then the sin of your subjects will be upon you." (Bukhari, no. 7)
Because you would be the reason for your subjects not accepting Islam. This verse mentions three fundamental matters: (a) worshipping Allah alone, (b) not associating anyone as a partner with Him, and (c) not granting anyone the divine status of legislating the Shari'ah. This is the 'common word' upon which the People of the Book were invited to unite. Therefore, to unite this Ummah, which is now split into countless factions, these three matters and this 'common word' should all the more be taken as the core foundation and basis.

The Noble Verse

وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ فِي رَيْبٍ مِمَّا نَزَّلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا فَأْتُوا بِسُورَةٍ مِنْ مِثْلِهِ وَادْعُوا شُهَدَاءَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

[البقرة: 23]

Simple Translation

And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our servant, then produce a surah like it, and call upon your helpers besides Allah, if you are truthful.

Surah — Al-Baqarah | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 23

Brief Tafsir

After Tawhid, the proof of Risalah (Messengership) is now being presented. It is being said: if you have any doubt that the Book We have sent down upon Our servant is from Allah, then gather all your helpers and compose even a single surah like it! And if you cannot do so, then know that this speech is truly not the product of any human effort; rather, it is the Word of Allah. You should believe in the Word of Allah and the Messengership of the Messenger, and strive to save yourselves from the Fire of Hell that has been prepared for the disbelievers.

The Noble Verse

فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا وَلَنْ تَفْعَلُوا فَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَ

[البقرة: 24]

Simple Translation

But if you cannot do it — and you will never be able to do it — [1] then fear the Fire whose fuel is people and stones, [2] prepared for the disbelievers. [3]

Surah — Al-Baqarah | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 24

Brief Tafsir

(1) This is yet another shining proof of the truthfulness of the Noble Quran: all the disbelievers, both Arab (Arabic speakers) and non-Arab (those whose language is not Arabic), were challenged. Yet to this day they have proven incapable of answering this challenge, and they will remain incapable until the Day of Resurrection.
(2) According to Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), 'stones' here refers to stones of sulphur. According to others, the stone idols that the idolaters worshipped in this world will also be fuel for Hell. As the Noble Quran states:

{إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ}

"Indeed, you and what you worship besides Allah are the fuel of Hell." (Al-Anbiya, verse 98)
(3) From this, firstly, we learn that Hell has in reality been prepared for the kafirs (disbelievers) and the mushriks (those who associate partners with Allah). And secondly, we learn that Paradise and Hell exist and are present even now. This is the creed ('aqidah) of the Salaf as-Salih. It is not merely a metaphor or symbolic notion, as many modernists and deniers of Hadith try to portray it.

The Noble Verse

وَآمِنُوا بِمَا أَنْزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا مَعَكُمْ ولَا تَكُونُوا أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍ بِهِ ولَا تَشْتَرُوا بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا وَإِيَّايَ فَاتَّقُونِ

[البقرة: 41]

Simple Translation

And believe in what I have sent down, confirming that which is with you, and do not be the first to reject it, [1] and do not sell My verses for a small price, [2] and fear Me alone.

Surah — Al-Baqarah | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 41

Brief Tafsir

(1) The pronoun بِهِ (it) refers either to the Quran or to Muhammad (ﷺ). Both views are correct, because the two are inseparable. Whoever disbelieves in the Quran has disbelieved in Muhammad (ﷺ), and whoever disbelieves in Muhammad (ﷺ) has disbelieved in the Quran. (Ibn Kathir)
'Do not be the first to disbelieve' means, firstly, that you possess knowledge which others lack, so your responsibility is the greatest. Secondly, in Madinah the Jews were the first to be invited to faith, even though many people had already accepted Islam before the Hijrah. Therefore, the warning is given that you should not be the first disbelievers among the Jews, because if you are, the burden (of sin) of the disbelief and rejection of all the Jews will fall upon you.
(2) 'Do not sell My verses for a small price' does not mean that you may accept divine rulings in exchange for a higher price. Rather, it means: give no importance whatsoever to worldly interests in the face of divine rulings. The value of Allah's rulings is so immense that the goods and wealth of this world are utterly insignificant in comparison — nothing at all. Although the Children of Israel are addressed in this verse, this command applies to all people until the Day of Resurrection. Whoever involves himself in falsifying the truth, establishing falsehood or concealing knowledge, and abandons upholding the truth merely for worldly gain, is also included in this warning.
(Fath al-Qadir)

The Noble Verse

وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

[البقرة: 101]

Simple Translation

And when a Messenger came to them from Allah, confirming what was with them, a party of those who had been given the Book threw the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if they did not know.

Surah — Al-Baqarah | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 101

Brief Tafsir

Allah, referring to the Noble Prophet (ﷺ), says that We granted the Messenger many clear signs, upon seeing which even the Jews should have believed. Moreover, their own book, the Torah, mentions his qualities and contains a covenant to believe in him. But have they ever cared about any covenant before, that they would care about this one? Breaking covenants was the very habit of a party among them. They even threw the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if they did not know it (to be the Word of Allah).

The Noble Verse

الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَتْلُونَهُ حَقَّ تِلَاوَتِهِ أُولَئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِهِ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

[البقرة: 121]

Simple Translation

Those to whom We have given the Book [1] recite it as it ought to be recited; [2] it is they who believe in it. And whoever rejects it — it is they who are the losers. [3]

Surah — Al-Baqarah | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 121

Brief Tafsir

[1] After the necessary discussion of the base character and deeds of the unworthy successors among the People of the Book, this verse describes the qualities of the few righteous and noble people among them and informs that they were believers. Among them were 'Abdullah ibn Salam and some others. From among the Jews, it was these who were granted the ability (tawfiq) to accept Islam.
[2] 'They recite it as it ought to be recited' (they recite it fulfilling its due right) has been given several meanings, such as: (a) They recite it with deep concentration and attention — when Paradise is mentioned, they ask for Paradise, and when Hell is mentioned, they seek refuge from it. (b) They regard what it makes lawful as lawful and what it makes unlawful as unlawful, and they do not distort the Word of Allah (as the Jews used to do). (c) They convey to people everything written in it and conceal nothing of it. They act upon its clear verses, believe in its ambiguous verses, and learn from scholars whatever they do not understand themselves. (d) They follow every statement in it.
(Fath al-Qadir)
In fact, all the (above-mentioned) meanings fall within proper recitation. And guidance is the lot only of those who take care of these matters.
[3] Whoever among the People of the Book does not believe in the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) will enter Hell, as stated in an authentic hadith. (Ibn Kathir)

The Noble Verse

الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

[البقرة: 146]

Simple Translation

Those to whom We have given the Book recognize him (the Final Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) as they recognize their own sons. But indeed, a party of them knowingly conceals the truth.

Surah — Al-Baqarah | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 146

Brief Tafsir

Here the crime of concealing the truth is attributed to one party of the People of the Book, because among them there was also a group of people like 'Abdullah ibn Salam (may Allah be pleased with him), who, owing to their honesty and inner purity, were blessed with accepting Islam.

The Noble Verse

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَشْتَرُونَ بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا أُولَئِكَ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ إِلَّا النَّارَ وَلَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلَا يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

[البقرة: 174]

Simple Translation

Indeed, those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book and take a small price in exchange for it — they put nothing into their bellies but fire. Allah will neither speak to them on the Day of Resurrection nor purify them, and for them is a painful punishment.

Surah — Al-Baqarah | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 174

The Noble Verse

نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَنْزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنْجِيلَ

[آل عمران: 3]

Simple Translation

Allah has sent down to you the Book (the Holy Quran) with the truth, confirming what was revealed before it, and He sent down the Torah and the Injil (Gospel).

Surah — Al 'Imran | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 3

The Noble Verse

إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ

[آل عمران: 19]

Simple Translation

Indeed, the religion (chosen) with Allah is Islam alone. [1] Those who were given the Book fell into disagreement out of mutual envy, even after knowledge had come to them! [2] And whoever denies the signs [3] of Allah (let him know that) Allah is indeed swift in reckoning.

Surah — Al 'Imran | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 19

Brief Tafsir

[1] Islam is the chosen religion to which all the Prophets called in every age and which they all taught. And now, the complete form of this Islam is that which the Final Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) presented to the world. According to it, one must believe in Tawhid, Risalah and the Hereafter exactly as the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) instructed. Now, Islam is not established, nor is salvation in the Hereafter attained, merely by considering Allah to be One or by doing some good deeds. Rather, the requirement of faith and Islam is to regard Allah as One and worship Him alone, to believe in all the Prophets including Muhammad (ﷺ), and also to accept that no Prophet will come after the Noble Prophet (ﷺ).
Along with this faith, one must hold to the beliefs and practise the deeds described in the Quran and Hadith. Now, no religion other than Islam will be accepted by Allah.
Allah says: "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers." (Surah Al 'Imran 3:85)
The Prophethood and Messengership of the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) is for all of humanity.

[قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا]

"Say: O mankind! I am the Messenger of Allah to you all." (Surah Al-A'raf 7:158)

[تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَالَمِينَ نَذِيرًا]

"Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion (Al-Furqan) upon His servant, so that he may be a warner to all the worlds." (Surah Al-Furqan 25:1)
In a hadith, the Messenger (ﷺ) said: "By the One in whose Hand is my soul! Whoever among the Jews and Christians dies without believing in me will be among the people of Hell." (Sahih Muslim) He also said, "I have been sent to the red and the black." (That is, I have been sent as a Prophet to all people.) And for this reason he sent letters to all the kings of his time, inviting them to accept Islam.
(Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Kathir)
[2] 'Disagreement' refers to the mutual disputes that the followers of one and the same religion stirred up among themselves — such as the disputes, divisions and factionalism among the Jews, and likewise the conflicts and divisions among the Christians. It also refers to the disagreements between the People of the Book themselves, because of which the Jews and the Christians would say to one another, "You have no foundation to stand on." The dispute over the Prophethood of Muhammad (ﷺ) and of 'Isa (peace be upon him) is also included. None of these disagreements were based on evidence; they arose solely from envy, malice and enmity.
That is, they knew and recognized the truth; yet despite this, chasing whimsical worldly interests, they clung to false statements and tried to present them as the religion — so that their prestige would stay high and their standing among the people would remain secure. Regrettably, nowadays a large number of Muslim scholars are following the very same misguided path, driven by exactly these kinds of vile motives. May Allah guide them and us. Ameen.
[3] Here, 'signs' refers to those signs which prove that Islam is the religion chosen by Allah.

The Noble Verse

يَاأَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَلْبِسُونَ الْحَقَّ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

[آل عمران: 71]

Simple Translation

O People of the Book! Why do you mix the truth with falsehood and conceal the truth while you know?

Surah — Al 'Imran | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 71

Brief Tafsir

Here, pointing to two very grave crimes of the Jews, they are commanded to refrain from them.
The first crime is mixing right with wrong and truth with falsehood, so that truth and falsehood do not become clear to people.
The second crime is concealing the truth — that is, hiding from people the signs and qualities of the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) recorded in the Torah, so that at least through these signs his truthfulness would not become evident. They committed both of these crimes knowingly, because of which they met with great misfortune. Their crime is also mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:42).
Allah says:

[وَلا تَلْبِسُوا الْحَقَّ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا الْحَقَّ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ]

That is, "Do not mix the truth with falsehood, and do not conceal the truth while you know it." According to some commentators, the term 'People of the Book' (possessors of divine scripture) is general and includes both Jews and Christians.
That is, both of them have been told to refrain from this crime.
Others have said that 'People of the Book' here refers to the Jewish tribes who lived in Madinah, such as Banu Qurayzah, Banu an-Nadir and Banu Qaynuqa'. And this view appears to be the correct one, because (owing to various affairs) the Muslims had direct dealings with them, and they were at the forefront in opposing the Noble Prophet (ﷺ).

The Noble Verse

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِمَا أَرَاكَ اللَّهُ وَلَا تَكُنْ لِلْخَائِنِينَ خَصِيمًا

[النساء: 105]

Simple Translation

Indeed, We have sent down to you the Book with the truth so that you may judge [1] between people by what Allah has shown you. And do not be an advocate for the treacherous. [2]

Surah — An-Nisa | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 105

Brief Tafsir

[1] Regarding the occasion of revelation (sha'n an-nuzul) of these verses (104 to 113), it is reported that a man from the Banu Zafar clan of the Ansar, named Tu'mah or Bashir ibn Ubayriq, stole a coat of armour belonging to another Ansari. When the theft began to be talked about and he sensed that it would be exposed, he threw the (stolen) armour into the house of a Jew and, taking some men of Banu Zafar with him, came to the Messenger (ﷺ). Together they claimed that a certain Jew had stolen the armour. The Jew also came to the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) and said that Ibn Ubayriq had stolen the armour and thrown it into his house. The people of Banu Zafar (Tu'mah or Bashir and others) had been on their guard from the start. They kept trying to convince the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) that the Jew was the thief and that Tu'mah had been falsely accused. The Noble Prophet (ﷺ) was influenced by their polished and clever talk, and he was about to declare the Ansari innocent of the theft and find the Jew guilty, when at that very moment Allah revealed this verse.
The lessons learned from this are as follows: Firstly, being a human being, the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) could be subject to misunderstanding.
Secondly, he did not possess knowledge of the unseen (ghayb). Had he known the unseen, he would have immediately known the reality of their matter.
Thirdly, Allah protects His Messenger. So whenever, because the reality was hidden, the Prophet came close to doing something contrary to (the truth), Allah would immediately alert him and correct him. This is what the infallibility ('ismah) of the Prophets entails. It is such a lofty rank that no one besides the Prophets can attain it.
[2] This refers to the Ubayriq clan, who committed the theft and then, through their eloquence, tried to make the Jew out to be the thief. In the following verse too, the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) is cautioned by exposing the wrongful conduct of them and their supporters.

The Noble Verse

لَكِنِ اللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ إِلَيْكَ أَنْزَلَهُ بِعِلْمِهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا

[النساء: 166]

Simple Translation

Allah Himself bears witness — and the angels bear witness too — that what He has sent down to you, He has sent down with His knowledge. And Allah is sufficient as a Witness.

Surah — An-Nisa | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 166

The Noble Verse

يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بُرْهَانٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَأَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ نُورًا مُبِينًا

[النساء: 174]

Simple Translation

O mankind! There has certainly come to you a proof [1] from your Lord, and We have sent down to you a clear light (the Quran). [2]

Surah — An-Nisa | Revealed in — Madinah | Verse — 174

Brief Tafsir

[1] برهان (Burhan) is a decisive and clear proof after which no room for objection remains — a conclusive proof that removes all doubt. For this reason it is subsequently likened to 'Nur' (light).
[2] In this verse, the meaning and intent of 'Nur' (light) is the Noble Quran: the light of guidance amid the darkness of disbelief and shirk, the straight and clear path amid the whirlpools of misguidance, and the firm and strong rope of Allah. Therefore, whoever believes in it will be deserving of Allah's favour and His mercy.