أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَسْـَٔلُوا۟ رَسُولَكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَىٰ مِن قَبْلُ ۗ وَمَن يَتَبَدَّلِ ٱلْكُفْرَ بِٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ 108
Translations
Or do you intend to ask your Messenger as Moses was asked before? And whoever exchanges faith for disbelief has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way.
Transliteration
Am turīdūna an tas'alū rasūlakum kamā su'ila Mūsā min qablu wa man yatabaddal al-kufra bil-īmān faqad dalla sawā' al-sabīl
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes the Muslims for wanting to question and make excessive demands of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the same manner that the Israelites questioned Prophet Musa (Moses). The ayah warns that whoever exchanges faith (īmān) for disbelief (kufr) has indeed strayed far from the right path. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir explain that this addresses the tendency of some to seek miraculous signs or make unreasonable requests of the Prophet, similar to how the Children of Israel tested Musa with constant questions and demands.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period and addresses the Muslims' community directly regarding proper conduct with their Prophet. It appears in the context of Surah Al-Baqarah's discussion of faith, obedience, and the covenant between Allah and His servants, particularly drawing parallels to the experiences of previous prophets and their nations.
Related Hadiths
The hadith of Jundub ibn Abdullah (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Belief) describes the Prophet's forbearance when faced with difficult questions, exemplifying the patience required of a messenger. Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding the seventy thousand who will enter Paradise without reckoning relates to accepting the Prophet's message without excessive questioning.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should maintain proper respect and trust in their Prophet's guidance without making excessive demands or questioning, understanding that testing faith through constant skepticism mirrors the mistakes of previous communities. Exchanging true belief for doubt or disbelief represents a fundamental loss of spiritual direction that leads one far astray from righteousness.