لَوْلَا يَنْهَىٰهُمُ ٱلرَّبَّـٰنِيُّونَ وَٱلْأَحْبَارُ عَن قَوْلِهِمُ ٱلْإِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ ٱلسُّحْتَ ۚ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَصْنَعُونَ 63
Translations
Why do the rabbis and religious scholars not forbid them from saying what is sinful and devouring what is unlawful? How wretched is what they have been practicing.
Transliteration
Lawlā yanhāhum ar-rabbāniyyūn wa-al-ahbār 'an qawlihim al-ithmā wa-aklihim as-suhit, labis'a mā kānū yasna'ūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes the Jewish scholars (rabbis and learned men) for failing to prohibit their people from uttering sinful statements (particularly false claims about Allah and His attributes) and from consuming forbidden wealth (suht). According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the suht refers to ill-gotten gains obtained through fraud, bribery, and deception. The verse condemns both the sinful behavior of the masses and the negligence of the religious scholars who should have been moral guides but remained silent.
Revelation Context
Revealed in the Medinan period, this ayah addresses the Jewish communities of Medina during the Prophet's time. It comes within the context of Surah Al-Ma'idah's discussion of the People of the Book and their departures from divine guidance, specifically criticizing their scholars' failure to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those of you who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Tirmidhi 3895). Related to leadership responsibility is: 'Whoever sees an evil must change it with his hand, and if he cannot, then with his tongue, and if he cannot, then with his heart—and that is the weakest of faith' (Sahih Muslim 49).
Themes
Key Lesson
Religious scholars bear a special responsibility not merely to possess knowledge, but to actively guide their communities away from sin and corruption; silence in the face of wrongdoing is itself a form of complicity that invites divine displeasure.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَوْفُوا۟ بِٱلْعُقُودِ ۚ أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ غَيْرَ مُحِلِّى ٱلصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ
O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts. Lawful for you are the animals of grazing livestock except for that which is recited to you [in this Qur’ān] - hunting not being permitted while you are in the state of iḥrām. Indeed, Allāh ordains what He intends.
۞ وَٱتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ٱبْنَىْ ءَادَمَ بِٱلْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ ٱلْـَٔاخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
And recite to them the story of Adam's two sons, in truth, when they both made an offering [to Allāh], and it was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. Said [the latter], "I will surely kill you." Said [the former], "Indeed, Allāh only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him].
۞ 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?