ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَعْرِفُونَهُۥ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَآءَهُمُ ۘ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ 20
Translations
Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize it as they recognize their [own] sons. Those who will lose themselves [in the Hereafter] do not believe.
Transliteration
Alladhīna ātaynāhumu al-kitāba yaʿrifūnahū kamā yaʿrifūna abnāʾahum. Alladhīna khasirū anfusahum fahum lā yuʾminūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) who possess the Torah and Injil and recognize the truth about Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with the same clarity as they recognize their own children, yet they deliberately reject faith out of envy and stubbornness. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this describes those scholars among the People of the Book who encountered clear evidence of the Prophet's truthfulness in their scriptures but chose denial, thereby losing their own souls. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that their rejection despite such clear knowledge represents a profound loss—they are those who have ruined themselves spiritually.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-An'am during a period of intense opposition to the Prophet's message. The context addresses the stubbornness of those who rejected the Prophet despite possessing previous scriptures that contained prophecies about him. This reflects the broader theme of the surah regarding the rejection of divine signs by those with knowledge.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The example of the one who has knowledge of the Quran is like the example of a full saddlebag of musk—its fragrance spreads everywhere' (Tirmidhi). This contrasts with those who possess knowledge but do not act upon it, relating to the ayah's theme of wasted knowledge.
Themes
Key Lesson
Possessing knowledge of divine truth without acting upon it and believing in it leads to profound spiritual ruin—knowledge without faith is a loss, not a gain. We must reflect on whether we recognize truth when presented to us, and whether we have the courage to follow it despite social or personal pressures that may make us resistant to change.
Related Ayahs
وَمَا تَأْتِيهِم مِّنْ ءَايَةٍ مِّنْ ءَايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَّا كَانُوا۟ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَ
And no sign comes to them from the signs of their Lord except that they turn away therefrom.
فَلَمَّا نَسُوا۟ مَا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَٰبَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَرِحُوا۟ بِمَآ أُوتُوٓا۟ أَخَذْنَـٰهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ
So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair.
وَجَعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ مِمَّا ذَرَأَ مِنَ ٱلْحَرْثِ وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ نَصِيبًا فَقَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَا لِلَّهِ بِزَعْمِهِمْ وَهَـٰذَا لِشُرَكَآئِنَا ۖ فَمَا كَانَ لِشُرَكَآئِهِمْ فَلَا يَصِلُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ فَهُوَ يَصِلُ إِلَىٰ شُرَكَآئِهِمْ ۗ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ
And they [i.e., the polytheists] assign to Allāh from that which He created of crops and livestock a share and say, "This is for Allāh," by their claim, "and this is for our 'partners' [associated with Him]." But what is for their "partners" does not reach Allāh, while what is for Allāh - this reaches their "partners." Evil is that which they rule.
فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلَّيْلُ رَءَا كَوْكَبًا ۖ قَالَ هَـٰذَا رَبِّى ۖ فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَآ أُحِبُّ ٱلْـَٔافِلِينَ
So when the night covered him [with darkness], he saw a star. He said, "This is my lord." But when it set, he said, "I like not those that set [i.e., disappear]."