ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ نَزَّلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَفِى شِقَاقٍۭ بَعِيدٍ 176
Translations
That is [deserved by them] because Allāh has sent down the Book in truth. And indeed, those who differ over the Book are in extreme dissension.
Transliteration
Dhālika bi-anna Allāha nazzala al-Kitāba bi-al-ḥaqq, wa-inna alladhīna ikhtalafu fī al-Kitābi la-fī shiqāq ba'īd
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah states that Allah revealed the Book (Qur'an) with truth, and those who dispute and differ about the Book are in severe discord and opposition. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse condemns those who reject the clear truth of the Qur'an and engage in baseless argumentation, emphasizing that disagreement stemming from denial of divine revelation leads to profound spiritual schism. The verse establishes that the Qur'an's truth is absolute, and deliberate disagreement with it represents a fundamental breach from the straight path.
Revelation Context
This ayah is situated within Surah Al-Baqarah's discussion of the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab) and their contradictions regarding the Qur'an. The broader context addresses how some Jews and Christians distorted their own scriptures and rejected the Qur'an despite its clarity, making it a Medinan ayah responding to specific interfaith disputes the Muslim community encountered.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027), emphasizing proper understanding of the Book. Additionally, the Hadith Qudsi: 'Indeed, those who dispute about My ayat have gone far astray' reflects the gravity of quarreling about divine revelation (Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that true knowledge comes from accepting the Qur'an's truth without needless disputation, and that disagreement rooted in denial of divine guidance creates profound spiritual distance from Allah's path. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of studying scripture with sincere intention to understand rather than to argue or find faults.
Related Ayahs
صِبْغَةَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ صِبْغَةً ۖ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ عَـٰبِدُونَ
[And say, "Ours is] the religion of Allāh. And who is better than Allāh in [ordaining] religion? And we are worshippers of Him."
حَـٰفِظُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٰتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلْوُسْطَىٰ وَقُومُوا۟ لِلَّهِ قَـٰنِتِينَ
Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle [i.e., ʿaṣr] prayer and stand before Allāh, devoutly obedient.
وَقَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۖ بَل لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُۥ قَـٰنِتُونَ
They say, "Allāh has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him,
مَّا يَوَدُّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَلَا ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
Neither those who disbelieve from the People of the Scripture [i.e., the Jews and Christians] nor the polytheists wish that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord. But Allāh selects for His mercy whom He wills, and Allāh is the possessor of great bounty.