يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ عَلَىٰ فَتْرَةٍ مِّنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ مَا جَآءَنَا مِنۢ بَشِيرٍ وَلَا نَذِيرٍ ۖ فَقَدْ جَآءَكُم بَشِيرٌ وَنَذِيرٌ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ 19
Translations
O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger to make clear to you [the religion] after a period [of suspension] of messengers, lest you say, "There came not to us any bringer of good tidings or a warner." But there has come to you a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And Allāh is over all things competent.
Transliteration
Yā ahla al-kitābi qad jāʾakum rasūlunā yubayyinu lakum ʿalā fatrah min al-rusul an taqūlū mā jāʾanā min bashīrin wa lā nadhīr; faqad jāʾakum bashīrun wa nadhīr; wa-Allāhu ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), reminding them that Prophet Muhammad has come to clarify matters for them after a long period (fatrah) without messengers, so they cannot claim ignorance or lack of divine guidance. The Prophet is both a bringer of good tidings (bashīr) for the believers and a warner (nadhīr) for those who reject, and Allah has complete power over all things to enforce His message. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this ayah removes any excuse the People of the Book might have for rejecting the final message, as they possessed knowledge of prophets and revelation before.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the Medinan period when the Muslim community had direct contact with Jewish and Christian communities in and around Medina. The surah addresses the People of the Book multiple times, calling them to recognize the truth of the Quranic message. The 'fatrah' (period of cessation) of messengers refers to the approximately 600 years between Prophet ʿĪsā (Jesus) and Prophet Muhammad, during which no new messenger was sent to humanity.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'My example and the example of the messengers before me is like a man who built a house and made it beautiful and complete except for the place of one brick. People go around it and admire it but say: "If only this brick were in place." I am that brick and I am the seal of the prophets.' (Sahih al-Bukhārī). Additionally, 'Every prophet was sent specifically to his people, but I have been sent to all of mankind.' (Sahih Muslim)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that the arrival of the final Prophet removed all excuses for humanity regarding divine guidance, emphasizing personal responsibility to seek and accept truth. For modern readers, it underscores that clear guidance has been provided, and each person will be accountable for their response to it.
Related Ayahs
قَالُوا۟ نُرِيدُ أَن نَّأْكُلَ مِنْهَا وَتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُنَا وَنَعْلَمَ أَن قَدْ صَدَقْتَنَا وَنَكُونَ عَلَيْهَا مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ
They said, "We wish to eat from it and let our hearts be reassured and know that you have been truthful to us and be among its witnesses."
مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنَّهُۥ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًۢا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحْيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًا ۚ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ
Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And Our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.
قَدْ سَأَلَهَا قَوْمٌ مِّن قَبْلِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحُوا۟ بِهَا كَـٰفِرِينَ
A people asked such [questions] before you; then they became thereby disbelievers.
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ غَيْرَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَ قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّوا۟ كَثِيرًا وَضَلُّوا۟ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ
Say, "O People of the Scripture, do not exceed limits in your religion beyond the truth and do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way."