وَإِن كَادُوا۟ لَيَفْتِنُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ لِتَفْتَرِىَ عَلَيْنَا غَيْرَهُۥ ۖ وَإِذًا لَّٱتَّخَذُوكَ خَلِيلًا 73
Translations
And indeed, they were about to tempt you away from that which We revealed to you in order to [make] you invent about Us something else; and then they would have taken you as a friend.
Transliteration
Wa-in kādū layaftinūnaka 'anil-ladhī awhainā ilayka litaftarī 'alainā ghairahū wa-idhān latta-khdhūka khalīlā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that the Meccan disbelievers nearly succeeded in tempting him to alter or fabricate a different message than what Allah revealed to him, hoping to compromise the divine revelation for their approval. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that 'fitnah' (temptation) here refers to their attempts through various means—ridicule, offers of wealth, social pressure—to make the Prophet deviate from the pure message of tawhīd. Had the Prophet yielded to this pressure, they would have befriended him and accepted him, but this conditional friendship would have been built on his abandonment of truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah addresses the intense persecution and social pressure the Prophet faced in Mecca from the Quraysh, who offered him wealth, status, and acceptance if he would moderate or compromise the message of monotheism. The broader context of Surah Al-Isra emphasizes divine protection and the Prophet's steadfastness despite worldly temptations, particularly following the miraculous Night Journey (Isra' wa-Mi'raj).
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (4770) records that the Prophet was offered money and position by the Quraysh if he would stop preaching against idolatry. Additionally, the hadith of the Isra' and Mi'raj itself (found in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim) contextualizes Allah's protection of the Prophet during this trial.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true faith requires unwavering commitment to divine truth regardless of social pressure, financial incentives, or the promise of worldly acceptance; Muslims should recognize that compromising religious principles for temporary favor is a spiritual loss, not a gain.
Related Ayahs
وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ لَهَمَّت طَّآئِفَةٌ مِّنْهُمْ أَن يُضِلُّوكَ وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۖ وَمَا يَضُرُّونَكَ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ وَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُن تَعْلَمُ ۚ وَكَانَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ عَظِيمًا
And if it was not for the favor of Allāh upon you, [O Muḥammad], and His mercy, a group of them would have determined to mislead you. But they do not mislead except themselves, and they will not harm you at all. And Allāh has revealed to you the Book and wisdom and has taught you that which you did not know. And ever has the favor of Allāh upon you been great.
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلْفِيلِ
Have you not considered, [O Muḥammad], how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?
وَجَآءَ رَجُلٌ مِّنْ أَقْصَا ٱلْمَدِينَةِ يَسْعَىٰ قَالَ يَـٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱلْمَلَأَ يَأْتَمِرُونَ بِكَ لِيَقْتُلُوكَ فَٱخْرُجْ إِنِّى لَكَ مِنَ ٱلنَّـٰصِحِينَ
And a man came from the farthest end of the city, running. He said, "O Moses, indeed the eminent ones are conferring over you [intending] to kill you, so leave [the city]; indeed, I am to you of the sincere advisors."
وَحِفْظًا مِّن كُلِّ شَيْطَـٰنٍ مَّارِدٍ
And as protection against every rebellious devil