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
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۖ وَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُۥ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allāh will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allāh does not guide the disbelieving people.
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ فِى ٱلْخَمْرِ وَٱلْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَعَنِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۖ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ
Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allāh and from prayer. So will you not desist?
إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَهُمْ رَٰكِعُونَ
Your ally is none but Allāh and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed - those who establish prayer and give zakāh, and they bow [in worship].
لَئِنۢ بَسَطتَ إِلَىَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقْتُلَنِى مَآ أَنَا۠ بِبَاسِطٍ يَدِىَ إِلَيْكَ لِأَقْتُلَكَ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
If you should raise your hand toward me to kill me - I shall not raise my hand toward you to kill you. Indeed, I fear Allāh, Lord of the worlds.