يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لِمَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَنتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ 70
Translations
O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allāh while you witness [to their truth]?
Transliteration
Ya ahlal-kitabi lima takfuruna bi-ayatillahi wa-antum tashadun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), reproaching them for rejecting His clear signs (ayat) despite their knowledge and testimony to their authenticity. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this ayah highlights the inexcusability of their disbelief, as they possessed scriptural knowledge and could recognize divine truth, yet deliberately turned away from it out of stubbornness, jealousy, or worldly interests. The phrase 'wa-antum tashadun' (while you bear witness) underscores their culpability—they cannot claim ignorance of God's signs.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ali 'Imran's broader dialogue with the People of the Book, addressing their rejection of Prophet Muhammad and the Qur'an despite the prophecies in their own scriptures. It was revealed in Medina during the period of increased interaction and disputes between the Muslim community and Jewish tribes of Medina, serving to expose the unjustifiable nature of their denial.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3:39) where the Prophet ﷺ states: 'The worst people are those who recognize the truth and then reject it.' Additionally, the Qur'anic principle in 2:101 about those who 'exchange the signs of Allah for a small price' parallels this theme of inexcusable rejection despite knowledge.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that knowledge without obedience is a source of greater accountability before Allah; those who recognize truth bear increased responsibility for accepting it. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder that awareness of divine guidance demands genuine submission, not mere intellectual acknowledgment.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ لِلْمَلَإِ حَوْلَهُۥٓ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَسَـٰحِرٌ عَلِيمٌ
[Pharaoh] said to the eminent ones around him, "Indeed, this is a learned magician.
أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَبَؤُا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍ وَعَادٍ وَثَمُودَ ۛ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ ۛ لَا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ۚ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَرَدُّوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِىٓ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِۦ وَإِنَّا لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَنَآ إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ
Has there not reached you the news of those before you - the people of Noah and ʿAad and Thamūd and those after them? No one knows them [i.e., their number] but Allāh. Their messengers brought them clear proofs, but they returned their hands to their mouths and said, "Indeed, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in disquieting doubt."
يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَـٰحِرٍ عَلِيمٍ
Who will bring you every learned magician."
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ عَنْهَا لَا تُفَتَّحُ لَهُمْ أَبْوَٰبُ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَا يَدْخُلُونَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ حَتَّىٰ يَلِجَ ٱلْجَمَلُ فِى سَمِّ ٱلْخِيَاطِ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِى ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ
Indeed, those who deny Our verses and are arrogant toward them - the gates of Heaven will not be opened for them, nor will they enter Paradise until a camel enters into the eye of a needle [i.e., never]. And thus do We recompense the criminals.