ثُمَّ قَفَّيْنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِم بِرُسُلِنَا وَقَفَّيْنَا بِعِيسَى ٱبْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلْإِنجِيلَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ رَأْفَةً وَرَحْمَةً وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً ٱبْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَـٰهَا عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ رِضْوَٰنِ ٱللَّهِ فَمَا رَعَوْهَا حَقَّ رِعَايَتِهَا ۖ فَـَٔاتَيْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ 27
Translations
Then We sent following their footsteps [i.e., traditions] Our messengers and followed [them] with Jesus, the son of Mary, and gave him the Gospel. And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy and monasticism, which they innovated; We did not prescribe it for them except [that they did so] seeking the approval of Allāh. But they did not observe it with due observance. So We gave the ones who believed among them their reward, but many of them are defiantly disobedient.
Transliteration
Thumma qaffaynā alā āthārahum bi-rusulinnā wa-qaffaynā bi-ʿĪsā ibni Maryama wa-ātaynāhu al-injīla wa-jaʿalnā fī qulūbi alladhīna ittabaʿūhu raʾfatan wa-raḥmatan wa-rahbāniyyatan ibtadaʿūhā mā katabnāhā ʿalayhim illā ibtighāʾa riḍwāni Allāhi fa-mā raʿawhā ḥaqqa riʿāyatihā fa-ātaynā alladhīna āmanū minhum ajrahum wa-kathīrun minhum fāsiqūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This verse describes how Allah sent messengers in succession following the prophets of old, culminating with Jesus (ʿĪsā) son of Mary, to whom the Gospel (Injīl) was revealed. Allah placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of Jesus's followers, and monasticism (rahbāniyyah) emerged among them—a practice they invented themselves seeking Allah's pleasure, though many did not preserve it properly. The verse concludes that among Jesus's followers, some believers received their reward while many became transgressors (fāsiqūn), indicating a division in the Christian community regarding adherence to divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Al-Hadid's discussion of successive prophets and the continuity of divine revelation. The broader context addresses how different communities received messengers and how some distorted or abandoned their teachings. While no specific incident of revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl) is documented for this particular verse, it relates to the surah's theme of spiritual commitment (ruhbāniyyah) and accountability before Allah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: 'Monasticism was not prescribed for us, but the monasticism of my Ummah is the Hijrah (migration) and Jihād.' (Musnad Ahmad). Additionally, hadith literature addresses how early Christian monks diverged from Jesus's actual teachings, supporting the Qur'anic point about innovation in religion.
Themes
Key Lesson
Sincere intentions to please Allah are essential, but must be paired with adherence to authentic divine guidance—personal piety without scriptural foundation can lead to deviation. Believers should seek to preserve the true teachings of their faith while avoiding innovations (bidʿah) that, though well-intentioned, distance them from Allah's actual commands.
Related Ayahs
مَّن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يُقْرِضُ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَـٰعِفَهُۥ لَهُۥ وَلَهُۥٓ أَجْرٌ كَرِيمٌ
Who is it that would loan Allāh a goodly loan so He will multiply it for him and he will have a noble reward?
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحْىِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۚ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
Know that Allāh gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. We have made clear to you the signs; perhaps you will understand.
سَبَّحَ لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
Whatever is in the heavens and earth exalts Allāh, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَـٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَـٰمًا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ
Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allāh and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.