وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ 4
Translations
And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], and what was revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith].
Transliteration
Wa alladhīna yu'minūna bimā unzila ilayka wa mā unzila min qablika wa bil-ākhirati hum yūqinūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the characteristics of the believers (al-Mu'minūn) who form the righteous community addressed in Surah Al-Baqarah. They are those who have faith in the Qur'an revealed to Prophet Muhammad, acknowledge the truth of previous scriptures (Torah, Gospel, Psalms), and possess unwavering certainty in the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse establishes three pillars of Islamic belief: acceptance of the final revelation, recognition of previous messengers and scriptures, and firm conviction in the afterlife—together forming the foundation of Islamic monotheism (Tawhīd).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the opening section of Surah Al-Baqarah (verses 1-5), which describes the Qur'an's guidance and those who benefit from it. Though revealed in Medina, this passage establishes universal principles of faith applicable to all believers, whether from People of the Book or those entering Islam. It forms part of the contextual framework where Allah describes those who will find guidance in the Qur'an.
Related Hadiths
Related to the theme of belief in previous scriptures: 'The Messenger of Allah said, "None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself" (Sahih Bukhari 13). More directly related: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should honor his guest' (Sahih Bukhari 5186), indicating the practical fruits of believing in the afterlife.
Themes
Key Lesson
True Islamic faith requires accepting not only the Qur'an but honoring the lineage of prophets and scriptures that came before, while maintaining unshakeable conviction in divine accountability in the afterlife. This teaches believers that faith is both comprehensive in scope and certain in conviction, demanding both intellectual acknowledgment and heart-felt assurance.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْفُرْقَانَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
And [recall] when We gave Moses the Scripture and criterion that perhaps you would be guided.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ يَرَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ إِذْ يَرَوْنَ ٱلْعَذَابَ أَنَّ ٱلْقُوَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعَذَابِ
And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allāh as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should] love Allāh. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allāh. And if only they who have wronged would consider [that] when they see the punishment, [they will be certain] that all power belongs to Allāh and that Allāh is severe in punishment.
إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتُّبِعُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ وَرَأَوُا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ ٱلْأَسْبَابُ
[And they should consider that] when those who have been followed disassociate themselves from those who followed [them], and they [all] see the punishment, and cut off from them are the ties [of relationship],
فَأَزَلَّهُمَا ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ عَنْهَا فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ ۖ وَقُلْنَا ٱهْبِطُوا۟ بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ ۖ وَلَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ
But Satan caused them to slip out of it and removed them from that [condition] in which they had been. And We said, "Go down, [all of you], as enemies to one another, and you will have upon the earth a place of settlement and provision for a time."