لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ ۘ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَـٰهٍ إِلَّآ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۚ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُوا۟ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ 73
Translations
They have certainly disbelieved who say, "Allāh is the third of three." And there is no god except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment.
Transliteration
Laqad kafara alladhina qalu inna Allaha thalithu thalaathah. Wa ma min ilah illa ilah wahid. Wa in lam yantahu amma yaqulun layamassanna alladhina kafaru minhum adhabun alim.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns those who claim that Allah is the third of three (referring to the Christian Trinity doctrine), declaring such a statement as disbelief (kufr), and affirms the absolute oneness of Allah. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as a direct refutation of Christian trinitarian theology, emphasizing that there is no god but Allah alone, and warning of severe punishment for those who persist in such false claims.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of Madinah's religious pluralism, where the Muslims encountered Christians who believed in the Trinity. The Surah Al-Ma'idah addresses interactions between Muslims and People of the Book (Christians and Jews), and this particular verse serves as a theological clarification and warning against adopting such beliefs.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever witnesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, Allah will save him from the Fire' (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim). This hadith reinforces the tawhid (monotheism) principle emphasized in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to firmly uphold the doctrine of pure monotheism and warns against diluting Islamic theology with doctrines that contradict Allah's oneness; it reminds us that sincere faith requires clear understanding and unwavering commitment to the foundational principle that Allah alone is worthy of worship.