وَمَا قَدَرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِۦٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ بَشَرٍ مِّن شَىْءٍ ۗ قُلْ مَنْ أَنزَلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَ بِهِۦ مُوسَىٰ نُورًا وَهُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ ۖ تَجْعَلُونَهُۥ قَرَاطِيسَ تُبْدُونَهَا وَتُخْفُونَ كَثِيرًا ۖ وَعُلِّمْتُم مَّا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنتُمْ وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ ۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ ۖ ثُمَّ ذَرْهُمْ فِى خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ 91
Translations
And they did not appraise Allāh with true appraisal when they said, "Allāh did not reveal to a human being anything." Say, "Who revealed the Scripture that Moses brought as light and guidance to the people? You [Jews] make it into pages, disclosing [some of] it and concealing much. And you were taught that which you knew not - neither you nor your fathers." Say, "Allāh [revealed it]." Then leave them in their [empty] discourse, amusing themselves.
Transliteration
Wa mā qodarū Allāha ḥaqqa qodrihi idh qālū mā anzala Allāhu ʿalā basharun min shayʾ. Qul man anzala al-kitāba alladhī jāʾa bihi Mūsā nūran wa hudān li-l-nāsi tajʿalūnahu qarāṭīsa tubdūnahā wa tukhfūn kathīran wa ʿullimtum mā lam taʿlamū antum wa lā ābāʾukum. Qul Allāhu thumma dharhum fī khawḍihim yalʿabūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes those (primarily Jewish scholars of Medina) who denied that Allah sent revelation to humans, claiming no scripture was revealed—a denial that contradicts their own possession and knowledge of the Torah brought by Moses. The verse highlights their hypocrisy: they possessed the divine book yet concealed much of it while distorting its message, and they were taught knowledge that neither they nor their forefathers possessed beforehand. Ibn Kathir notes this refutation exposes the absurdity of their claim by pointing to their own acknowledgment of previous scriptures, while Al-Qurtubi emphasizes their selective disclosure and concealment of the Torah's true teachings.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-An'am is Meccan, revealed during the early Islamic period. This particular ayah addresses the disputations with Jewish and Christian scholars, particularly those in Medina, who rejected the prophethood of Muhammad (ﷺ) and denied that Allah reveals to humans. The context shows the broader Quranic theme of refuting those who denied revelation while possessing scriptural knowledge themselves.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari records that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those of my generation, then those who follow them' (Hadith of the Three Best Generations), relating to how knowledge was transmitted and distorted over time. Additionally, the Quranic account of Jews concealing the Torah's teachings is referenced in various hadiths about the alteration (taḥrīf) of previous scriptures.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to recognize the absurdity of rejecting truth when it is clearly evidenced, and warns against the spiritual danger of possessing knowledge yet concealing or distorting it for worldly gain. It emphasizes that all genuine knowledge ultimately comes from Allah, and those who suppress divine truth will be left in their delusion and falsehood.