قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَسْتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰ تُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۗ وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم مَّآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَـٰنًا وَكُفْرًا ۖ فَلَا تَأْسَ عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ 68
Translations
Say, "O People of the Scripture, you are [standing] on nothing until you uphold [the law of] the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to you from your Lord [i.e., the Qur’ān]." And that which has been revealed to you from your Lord will surely increase many of them in transgression and disbelief. So do not grieve over the disbelieving people.
Transliteration
Qul ya ahla al-kitabi lastum ala shay'in hatta tuqimu al-tawrata wa-al-injila wa-ma unzila ilaykum min rabbikum wa-layazidanna kathiran minhum ma unzila ilayka min rabbika tughyanan wa-kufran fa-la ta'sa ala al-qawmi al-kafirina
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet (peace be upon him) to tell the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) that they have no basis for their faith unless they uphold the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to them from their Lord. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that this verse challenges them to follow their own scriptures as they were originally revealed, which contain predictions of the Prophet Muhammad's coming. The second part warns that the Quranic revelation will only increase many of them in transgression and disbelief, and the Prophet is consoled not to grieve over those who reject faith.
Revelation Context
This verse is part of the Medinan period when the Prophet had extended interaction with the People of the Book in Medina. It addresses the disputes between Muslims and the Jewish and Christian communities of Medina who rejected the Prophet's message despite having scripture that they claimed testified to truth. The surah Al-Ma'idah deals extensively with matters of law, dietary rules, and relations with People of the Book.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim 1851: The Prophet stated that whoever believes in him and follows his guidance is upon the truth, emphasizing the importance of accepting the final revelation. Related also is the theme in Surah Al-'Imran 3:64 where believers are called to invite People of the Book to common grounds.
Themes
Key Lesson
This verse teaches that true faith requires not merely claiming adherence to a scripture, but actually living by its principles and being open to divine truth. For contemporary believers, it emphasizes the importance of genuine practice over mere nominal affiliation with religion, and encourages patience when facing rejection from those who resist evident truth.