قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ غَيْرَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَ قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّوا۟ كَثِيرًا وَضَلُّوا۟ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ 77
Translations
Say, "O People of the Scripture, do not exceed limits in your religion beyond the truth and do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way."
Transliteration
Qul ya ahla al-kitabi la taghlu fi deenikum ghayra al-haqq wa la tattabi'u ahwa'a qawmin qad dhallu min qablu wa adhallu kathiran wa dhallu 'an sawa'i al-sabeel
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet (peace be upon him) to tell the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) not to exceed bounds in their religion by going beyond the truth, and not to follow the whims and desires of those who have already gone astray and led many others astray before them. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this ayah specifically addresses the Christian practice of exaggerating the status of 'Isa (Jesus), elevating him to divinity, and the Jewish corruption of their scriptures and traditions—both departures from the straight path that had misled their communities for centuries.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Ma'idah (revealed in Medina during the later Meccan/early Medinan period) and addresses the theological errors of the People of the Book who lived in and around Medina. It comes within a section refuting false doctrines and calling all communities to authentic monotheism (tawhid) and adherence to divine revelation without human invention or distortion.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Beware of extremism in religion, for those before you were destroyed due to extremism in religion' (Sunan Ibn Majah 3029, classified as Hasan). Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet warned against resembling other nations in their religious practices and innovations.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah cautions believers against religious extremism and blind imitation of those who have departed from truth, urging instead a balanced, evidence-based approach to faith grounded in divine revelation. For modern Muslims, it serves as a reminder to avoid both laxity and excess in religious practice, and to critically examine traditions against the Quran and authentic Sunnah rather than following inherited customs uncritically.
Related Ayahs
لَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَـٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمْ رُسُلًا ۖ كُلَّمَا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌۢ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُهُمْ فَرِيقًا كَذَّبُوا۟ وَفَرِيقًا يَقْتُلُونَ
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.
فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُۥ نَفْسُهُۥ قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُۥ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
And his soul permitted to him the murder of his brother, so he killed him and became among the losers.
وَأَنِ ٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ وَٱحْذَرْهُمْ أَن يَفْتِنُوكَ عَنۢ بَعْضِ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُصِيبَهُم بِبَعْضِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَفَـٰسِقُونَ
And judge, [O Muḥammad], between them by what Allāh has revealed and do not follow their inclinations and beware of them, lest they tempt you away from some of what Allāh has revealed to you. And if they turn away - then know that Allāh only intends to afflict them with some of their [own] sins. And indeed, many among the people are defiantly disobedient.
فَمَن تَابَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ظُلْمِهِۦ وَأَصْلَحَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, indeed, Allāh will turn to him in forgiveness. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.