إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّى مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ فِيمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ 55
Translations
[Mention] when Allāh said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify [i.e., free] you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allāh alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ.
Transliteration
Idh qala Allahu ya Isa inni mutawaffika wa rafiʿuka ilayya wa mutahhiruka min alladhina kafaru wa jaʿilu alladhina ittabaʿuka fawqa alladhina kafaru ila yawmi al-qiyamah. Thumma ilayya marjiʿukum fa-ahkum baynakum fima kuntum fihi takhtalifun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah informs Jesus ('Alayhis-Salam) that He will cause him to die (or take him up), raise him to His presence, and purify him from the disbelievers. He will make those who follow Jesus superior to those who reject him until the Day of Judgment, after which all will return to Allah for final judgment of their disputes. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir interpret 'mutawaffika' (taking him in death) as either death before the Hour or being raised alive, with strong scholarly consensus supporting Jesus being raised alive and not crucified, based on Quranic evidence like Surah 4:157-158.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the context of Surah Ali 'Imran's discussion of Jesus ('Alayhis-Salam) and his miraculous birth, directly addressing accusations from the People of the Book regarding his nature and fate. It responds to the disputes between Christians and Jews about Jesus' death and divine status, providing Quranic clarity on his status as a messenger.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'By the One in whose hand is my soul, Jesus, son of Mary, will descend as a just judge' (Sahih Bukhari 3448), relating to Jesus' future role and authority. Also relevant: 'Jesus will descend and judge among people by the law of the Qur'an' (Sunan Ibn Majah 4077).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reassures believers that God protects His righteous servants and ultimately grants victory to those who follow truth, while reminding us that all disputes will be settled by Divine justice on the Day of Judgment—a source of comfort for those facing opposition for their faith.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِم مِّلْءُ ٱلْأَرْضِ ذَهَبًا وَلَوِ ٱفْتَدَىٰ بِهِۦٓ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّـٰصِرِينَ
Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they are disbelievers - never would the [whole] capacity of the earth in gold be accepted from one of them if he would [seek to] ransom himself with it. For those there will be a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers.
سَنُلْقِى فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلرُّعْبَ بِمَآ أَشْرَكُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِۦ سُلْطَـٰنًا ۖ وَمَأْوَىٰهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ ۚ وَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve for what they have associated with Allāh of which He had not sent down [any] authority. And their refuge will be the Fire, and wretched is the residence of the wrongdoers.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِنْهُ ءَايَـٰتٌ مُّحْكَمَـٰتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَـٰبِهَـٰتٌ ۖ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَـٰبَهَ مِنْهُ ٱبْتِغَآءَ ٱلْفِتْنَةِ وَٱبْتِغَآءَ تَأْوِيلِهِۦ ۗ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَٱلرَّٰسِخُونَ فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ
It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muḥammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise - they are the foundation of the Book - and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allāh. But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord." And no one will be reminded except those of understanding.
فَمَنْ حَآجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا۟ نَدْعُ أَبْنَآءَنَا وَأَبْنَآءَكُمْ وَنِسَآءَنَا وَنِسَآءَكُمْ وَأَنفُسَنَا وَأَنفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَل لَّعْنَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ
Then whoever argues with you about it after [this] knowledge has come to you - say, "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then supplicate earnestly [together] and invoke the curse of Allāh upon the liars [among us]."