وَمِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ إِلَّآ أَمَانِىَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ 78
Translations
And among them are unlettered ones who do not know the Scripture except [indulgement in] wishful thinking, but they are only assuming.
Transliteration
Wa minhum ummiyyūn lā ya'lamūn al-kitāb illā amanī wa in hum illā yazunnūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes a group among the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) who are illiterate and do not truly know the Scripture except through mere desires and wishful thinking, relying on conjecture rather than knowledge. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain this refers to those who claim religious knowledge without proper study, following their desires instead of divine guidance, exemplifying how ignorance combined with stubbornness leads to spiritual misguidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Baqarah's discussion of the People of the Book and their distortion of religious knowledge. It addresses the broader Medinan context where the Prophet (peace be upon him) encountered Jewish and Christian communities whose scholarship was sometimes corrupted by personal interests and desires rather than genuine pursuit of truth from their scriptures.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027), emphasizing the importance of true knowledge over mere claims. Additionally, the hadith warning against following one's desires in understanding religion relates thematically to this ayah's critique of those who rely on wishes rather than substance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns believers against superficial religious knowledge based on desires and assumptions rather than genuine study and understanding of sacred texts. It encourages Muslims to seek authentic knowledge ('ilm) from reliable sources rather than following baseless opinions and conjectures.
Related Ayahs
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا كَسَبُوا۟ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ
Those will have a share of what they have earned, and Allāh is swift in account.
صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ
Deaf, dumb and blind - so they will not return [to the right path].
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَقُولُوا۟ لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنكُمْ وَأَنتُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them], "Do not worship except Allāh; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give zakāh." Then you turned away, except a few of you, and you were refusing.
ٱلَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ ٱلَّذِى يَتَخَبَّطُهُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ مِنَ ٱلْمَسِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۗ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ ۚ فَمَن جَآءَهُۥ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ فَٱنتَهَىٰ فَلَهُۥ مَا سَلَفَ وَأَمْرُهُۥٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلنَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity. That is because they say, "Trade is [just] like interest." But Allāh has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have what is past, and his affair rests with Allāh. But whoever returns [to dealing in interest or usury] - those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein.