كَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى ٱلْمُقْتَسِمِينَ 90
Translations
Just as We had revealed [scriptures] to the separators
Transliteration
Kamā anzalnā 'alā al-muqtasimīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to Allah's punishment upon those who divided the Qur'an into parts, accepting some verses while rejecting others—a reference to the mushrikīn (polytheists) of Mecca who selectively believed in certain aspects of the revelation. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret 'al-muqtasimīn' (those who divide/partition) as those who made arbitrary distinctions in their faith, accepting the parts that suited their desires while rejecting divine guidance. The ayah emphasizes that such selective acceptance of Allah's signs brings divine punishment, serving as a warning against hypocrisy and theological inconsistency.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Hijr is a Meccan surah addressing the polytheists' rejection of the Qur'an and mockery of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). This specific ayah comes in the context of rebuking those who divided their acceptance of the revelation based on personal preference, a common practice among the Meccan disbelievers who would accept moral teachings but reject the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (ﷺ).
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) warned against selective belief: 'The example of those who fulfill the covenant of Allah and those who do not is like the example of two men, one of whom hired workers to work for him till a certain day...' This reflects the theme of complete submission versus partial acceptance of divine guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims must embrace the Qur'an and Islamic teachings as a unified, coherent whole rather than selectively accepting portions that align with personal desires; partial or conditional faith negates true submission (islām) to Allah's will.