Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 47–54

4. An-Nisaa · The Women

Madinan176 verses

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَا نَزَّلْنَا مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا مَعَكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّطْمِسَ وُجُوهًۭا فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِهَآ أَوْ نَلْعَنَهُمْ كَمَا لَعَنَّآ أَصْحَٰبَ ٱلسَّبْتِ ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا

4:47O you who were given the Book! Believe in what We have sent down confirming what is with you, before We blot out the faces and turn them backwards, or curse them as We cursed the People of the Sabbath, and Allah’s command is bound to be fulfilled.

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفْتَرَىٰٓ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا

4:48Indeed Allah does not forgive that partners should be ascribed to Him, but He forgives anything besides that to whomever He wishes. Whoever ascribes partners to Allah has indeed fabricated [a lie] in great sinfulness.*

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنفُسَهُم ۚ بَلِ ٱللَّهُ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا

4:49Have you not regarded those who style themselves as pure? Indeed, it is Allah who purifies whomever He wishes, and they will not be wronged [so much as] a single date-thread.

ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ ۖ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِۦٓ إِثْمًۭا مُّبِينًا

4:50Look, how they fabricate lies against Allah! That suffices for a flagrant sin.

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ نَصِيبًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْجِبْتِ وَٱلطَّٰغُوتِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ أَهْدَىٰ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ سَبِيلًا

4:51Have you not regarded those who were given a share of the Book, believing in idols and fake deities and saying of the pagans: ‘These are better guided on the way than the faithful’?1

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَمَن يَلْعَنِ ٱللَّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُۥ نَصِيرًا

4:52They are the ones whom Allah has cursed, and whomever Allah curses, you will never find any helper for him.

أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُلْكِ فَإِذًۭا لَّا يُؤْتُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ نَقِيرًا

4:53Do they have a share in sovereignty? If so, they will not give those people [so much as] a speck on a date-stone!

أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَىٰ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۖ فَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ ءَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَءَاتَيْنَٰهُم مُّلْكًا عَظِيمًۭا

4:54Do they envy those people for what Allah has given them out of His bounty? We have certainly given the progeny of Abraham the Book and wisdom, and We have given them a great sovereignty.2

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 47

1.The main base string in this is the fact that these people have an externally trustworthy facade while their course of future action is veiled just as the face remains hidden for an onlooker who views the back.

Verse 48

2.In ambiguity, the movement of practice is kept safe and does not promise that besides polytheism all the sins will be forgiven but this matter is postponed in Allah’s will. As long as man has no knowledge of Allah’s will, he should seek forgiveness of Allah.

Verse 49

3.Jews were always boasted that they were the holy men, just as the people of other countries and communities, they think themselves more superior than others and look down upon others with disdain or consider them of lower social order. Allah contradicts this hallucination and takes charge in His hands. It is Our duty to praise and we do not proclaim the greatness of anyone without faith and character.

Verse 53

4.The Jews reflect a thousand faults. Out of these two are as follows: If they get territorial generosity, they will not give a little part from it to the believers of Allah and will keep their possession on it. It can be seen in Palestine. And they will keep an eye on what others have and will bear malice. That is why Muslims should remain aloof from their conduct.

Verse 54

5.Holy book means Quran. Wisdom means Prophethood. Greatness means leadership and Progeny of Ibrahim (a.s.) means Progeny of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and it is absolutely true.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. Benefit

    There are five causes of the forgiveness mentioned in ayat 48. Repentance, doing good, abstaining from greater sins, intercession, forgiveness of Allah. No salvation remission is possible without these factors.

  2. 1

    Jews have this characteristic that they never talk straight. They always try to misinterpret words. They were told to address the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) in the words. Samana wa Al-anawasma-wanzama etc. That we have heard you, we obeyed you. You also listen to us and look upon us with mercy. But these mischievous people changed everything. They added Aseena to Samana (Meaning we heard and we disobeyed), and ghair Masma to Asma (Meaning you listen to us but we do not listen to you). They also made wanzarna into Raana (which is formed for Ra-aayat and also from Raaya. (Meaning the shepherd). Such Jewish traits are born in every age therefore the Holy Quran has mentioned this.

  3. 2

    After the Battle of Ohad the Jews connived with the infidels to fight Islam. The infidels in order to test their seriousness put the condition of prostrating before the idols. Ka’ab Bin Ashraf prostrated before the idol and the plot succeeded, while in fact the Jews were not idolaters. Then the Jews began to flatter the infidels and praised their service to the Ka’ba to be better than that of the Muslims. The Holy Quran has mentioned the same despicable scheming nature for which one can even sacrifice his hypothesis.