لَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمْ رُسُلًا ۖ كُلَّمَا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌۢ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُهُمْ فَرِيقًا كَذَّبُوا۟ وَفَرِيقًا يَقْتُلُونَ 70
Translations
We had already taken the covenant of the Children of Israel and had sent to them messengers. Whenever there came to them a messenger with what their souls did not desire, a party [of messengers] they denied, and another party they killed.
Transliteration
Laqad akhdhana mithaaqa banee israaeel wa arsalnaa ilayhim rusulaa; kullama jaahum rasoolun bimaa laa tahuwa anfusuhum fareeqan kadhdhaboo wa fareeqan yaqtuluun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah recounts Allah's covenant with the Children of Israel and their repeated rejection of His messengers throughout history. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, the verse emphasizes that whenever a messenger came to them with a message contradicting their desires and misconceptions, some among them denied him while others went further and killed them. This pattern of rejection demonstrates their persistent disobedience despite having received clear signs and divine guidance.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Medina during a period when the Muslim community was dealing with the Jews of Medina who rejected Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The ayah is part of a broader Medinan discourse addressing the People of the Book, establishing the historical precedent of Jewish rejection of prophets to contextualize their current opposition to Islam. This theme appears throughout Surah Al-Ma'idah, which extensively discusses the covenants and transgressions of Bani Israeel.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The parable of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which is fertile soil that absorbs water and brings forth vegetation and pasture in abundance. (Sahih Bukhari 79:1). Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, it is narrated that the Prophet mentioned that the Children of Israel were divided into seventy-two sects, and this ummah will be divided into seventy-three sects.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that resistance to truth is not new—it is a recurring human tendency rooted in attachment to desires and cultural preferences rather than rational rejection. For modern believers, it serves as a reminder to examine our own hearts for similar resistance to divine guidance and to remain steadfast in accepting truth even when it conflicts with our personal inclinations or societal norms.