وَإِذْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِيثَـٰقَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ لَمَآ ءَاتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَـٰبٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِۦ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُۥ ۚ قَالَ ءَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُمْ إِصْرِى ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَقْرَرْنَا ۚ قَالَ فَٱشْهَدُوا۟ وَأَنَا۠ مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ 81
Translations
And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allāh took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him." [Allāh] said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?" They said, "We have acknowledged it." He said, "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses."
Transliteration
Wa-idh akhatha Allahu mithaaqa an-nabiyyeen lamma ataytukum min kitaab wa-hikmah thumma jaaakum rasoolun musaddiqun lima maAAakum latu'minunna bihi wa-latansurunhu qala a-aqrartum wa-akhathum AAala thaalikum isri qaloo aqrarna qala fa-ashhadu wa-ana maAAakum mina ash-shahideen
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah took a covenant from all the prophets that when He gave them Scripture and Wisdom, and thereafter a messenger came confirming what they possessed, they must believe in him and support him. This ayah is understood by many classical scholars, including Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, to establish the prophecy of Muhammad (peace be upon him) as foretold in previous scriptures, binding all prophets to acknowledge and support him. The covenant emphasizes the unity of the prophetic message across all ages and the mutual obligation of belief and assistance, with Allah Himself being a witness to this sacred pledge.
Revelation Context
This ayah is set within Surah Ali 'Imran's broader discussion of the relationship between Muslims and the People of the Book (Jews and Christians). It was revealed in Medina to establish the continuity of the prophetic tradition and to counter those who denied Muhammad's prophecy despite its mention in their own scriptures, affirming that all previous prophets were bound by covenant to support the final messenger.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (Hadith #4994) where the Prophet Muhammad said: 'My position in relation to the other prophets is like that of a man who has built a house excellently and beautifully, except for a place of one brick in one of its corners. People go around it and wonder at its beauty, but say: "Why was this brick not placed?" I am that brick, and I am the seal of the prophets.' This confirms the role described in 3:81.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that faith in the message of Muhammad is not arbitrary but rather rooted in a primordial covenant that bound all previous prophets, making belief in him an obligation that transcends time and community. For modern Muslims, it reinforces that supporting and defending the Prophet's message is not merely a choice but a sacred duty inherited from the entire prophetic tradition, and that this covenant makes us witnesses to a truth that has been affirmed throughout human history.