أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ نَصِيبًا مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَىٰ كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّىٰ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ 23
Translations
Do you not consider, [O Muḥammad], those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They are invited to the Scripture of Allāh that it should arbitrate between them; then a party of them turns away, and they are refusing.
Transliteration
Alam tara ila alladhina ootoo naseeban min al-kitabi yud'awna ila kitabi Allahi liyahkum baynahum thumma yatawalla fareequn minhum wa hum mu'ridoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses those who received knowledge from the Torah and were invited to refer to Allah's Book (Qur'an) for judgment in their disputes, yet a faction among them turned away in aversion. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this refers specifically to the Jews of Madinah who possessed scriptural knowledge but rejected the Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad's arbitration, preferring their own corrupted interpretations and pre-Islamic customs. The ayah highlights the sin of knowingly rejecting divine guidance despite possessing previous revelation.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period, addressing the Jews of Madinah during the Prophet's time. It follows the preceding verses about the People of the Book and reflects the historical situation where the Jewish tribes were invited to accept Islamic judgment but refused, clinging instead to their distorted teachings and the pagan arbitration of the Pre-Islamic era.
Related Hadiths
The principle reflected here relates to Hadith Qudsi where Allah says, 'Whoever turns away from My remembrance will have a life of hardship' (Qur'an 20:124). Additionally, Sahih Muslim contains narrations about the Jews of Banu Qaynuqa and their rejection of the Prophet's authority, demonstrating the historical context of this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
Possessing knowledge without implementing it is spiritually dangerous; true faith requires not only accepting divine guidance but actively submitting to it. We must examine our own hearts to ensure we do not, like those criticized here, knowingly turn away from Allah's guidance due to pride, cultural attachment, or desire for worldly benefit.
Related Ayahs
إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا خُلُقُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
This is not but the custom of the former peoples,
وَمَا كَانَ صَلَاتُهُمْ عِندَ ٱلْبَيْتِ إِلَّا مُكَآءً وَتَصْدِيَةً ۚ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ
And their prayer at the House [i.e., the Kaʿbah] was not except whistling and handclapping. So taste the punishment for what you disbelieved [i.e., practiced of deviations].
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَآ أَسْخَطَ ٱللَّهَ وَكَرِهُوا۟ رِضْوَٰنَهُۥ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ
That is because they followed what angered Allāh and disliked [what earns] His pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds.
فَهُمْ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِمْ يُهْرَعُونَ
So they hastened [to follow] in their footsteps.