مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَٰعِنَا لَيًّۢا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ وَٱنظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَـٰكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا 46
Translations
Among the Jews are those who distort words from their [proper] places [i.e., usages] and say, "We hear and disobey" and "Hear but be not heard" and "Rāʿinā," twisting their tongues and defaming the religion. And if they had said [instead], "We hear and obey" and "Wait for us [to understand]," it would have been better for them and more suitable. But Allāh has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few.
Transliteration
Mina allatheena hadoo yuharrifoon alkalam AAan mawadieih wayaqooloona samiAAna waAAasayna waismaA ghayra musmaAAin waraAina layyan bialsinatihim wataAAnan fee alddeeni walaw annahum qaloo samiAAna waataAAna waismaA waonzurna lakana khayran lahum waaqwamu walakinn laAAanahumu Allahu bikufrihim fala yuminoon illa qaleelan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns certain People of the Book (Jews) who deliberately distort the meanings of Scripture and mock the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) through linguistic tricks and double entendre. They claim to hear and obey while actually rebelling, and use insulting wordplay—particularly the word 'rāʿinā' which could mean 'look after us' or carry a derogatory meaning—as veiled mockery. The ayah presents a conditional contrast: had they said 'we hear and obey' with sincerity, it would have been better for them, but Allah has cursed them due to their disbelief and sealed their hearts from faith. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this describes both intellectual distortion of religious texts and deliberate insolence toward divine truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in Medina regarding the hypocritical and disrespectful behavior of some Jewish tribes and their allies in Medina toward the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Qur'ān. The broader context of Surah An-Nisa addresses moral and legal matters within a diverse community, and this specific passage reflects the historical tensions between the Muslim community and those who rejected the message despite understanding it. The phrase 'rāʿinā' references a specific linguistic mockery incident documented in Islamic sources.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (Book of Tafsir) contains discussions of this ayah where scholars explain the mockery of 'rāʿinā.' Additionally, hadiths in Sahih Muslim regarding the prohibition of insulting the Prophet (ﷺ) or the Qur'ān relate thematically to the condemnation of such disrespectful behavior mentioned in this verse.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that sincere acceptance of truth with humble obedience brings divine favor, while deliberate mockery and intellectual dishonesty—even dressed in polite language—brings divine displeasure and seals hearts from guidance. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of sincere intention (niyyah) in religious discourse and warns against using intelligence or rhetoric to undermine faith rather than strengthen it.
Related Ayahs
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُوا۟ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا
But they who believe in Allāh and His messengers and do not discriminate between any of them - to those He is going to give their rewards. And ever is Allāh Forgiving and Merciful.
وَكَيْفَ تَأْخُذُونَهُۥ وَقَدْ أَفْضَىٰ بَعْضُكُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَأَخَذْنَ مِنكُم مِّيثَـٰقًا غَلِيظًا
And how could you take it while you have gone in unto each other and they have taken from you a solemn covenant?
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ قَدْ ضَلُّوا۟ ضَلَـٰلًۢا بَعِيدًا
Indeed, those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allāh have certainly gone far astray.
مَّن يَشْفَعْ شَفَـٰعَةً حَسَنَةً يَكُن لَّهُۥ نَصِيبٌ مِّنْهَا ۖ وَمَن يَشْفَعْ شَفَـٰعَةً سَيِّئَةً يَكُن لَّهُۥ كِفْلٌ مِّنْهَا ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُّقِيتًا
Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a share [i.e., reward] therefrom; and whoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a portion [i.e., burden] therefrom. And ever is Allāh, over all things, a Keeper.