فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ 63
Translations
But if they turn away, then indeed - Allāh is Knowing of the corrupters.
Transliteration
Fa-in tawallaw fa-inna Allaha alimun bil-mufsideen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah concludes the call to the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) to accept the message of Islam and acknowledge the truth of the Quran. If they turn away from this invitation despite clear evidence, Allah is fully aware of those who cause corruption and spread discord. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this serves as both a warning and a reminder that rejection of truth does not escape Allah's knowledge, and that those who deliberately turn away from guidance are considered among the mufsidun (those who spread corruption).
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ali 'Imran's broader context addressing the People of the Book, particularly Christians. The immediate context (3:59-63) presents the story of Jesus ('Isa) and invites Christians to recognize the oneness of Allah and reject the concept of the Trinity. The ayah serves as a concluding warning to those who reject this clear call after understanding it.
Related Hadiths
The concept of turning away from truth and spreading corruption is reflected in the hadith: 'The best of you are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger' (Sahih Bukhari 3531). Additionally, the Prophet (ﷺ) emphasized in Muslim 196 that 'whoever hides knowledge, Allah will seal his heart,' relating to those who reject clear truth.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that deliberate rejection of clear truth and causing discord in society does not escape Allah's omniscience—He is fully aware of intentions and actions. For believers today, it serves as a reminder to remain steadfast in conveying the message clearly while trusting that Allah will ultimately deal justly with those who reject it, and to avoid being among those who corrupt the truth.
Related Ayahs
أَوَلَمَّآ أَصَـٰبَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَدْ أَصَبْتُم مِّثْلَيْهَا قُلْتُمْ أَنَّىٰ هَـٰذَا ۖ قُلْ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Why [is it that] when a [single] disaster struck you [on the day of Uḥud], although you had struck [the enemy in the battle of Badr] with one twice as great, you said, "From where is this?" Say, "It is from yourselves [i.e., due to your sin]." Indeed, Allāh is over all things competent.
ذُرِّيَّةًۢ بَعْضُهَا مِنۢ بَعْضٍ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Descendants, some of them from others. And Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ ءَامَنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم ۚ مِّنْهُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ
You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allāh. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.
وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنِّى قَدْ جِئْتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ أَنِّىٓ أَخْلُقُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُبْرِئُ ٱلْأَكْمَهَ وَٱلْأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِى بُيُوتِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allāh. And I cure the blind [from birth] and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allāh. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.