فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَـٰذَا مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۖ فَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ 79
Translations
So woe to those who write the "scripture" with their own hands, then say, "This is from Allāh," in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.
Transliteration
Fawaylun lilladhīna yaktubūn al-kitāba bi-aydīhim thumma yaqūlūn hādhā min 'indi Allāh li-yashtarū bihi thamanan qalīlan fawaylun lahum mimmā katabat aydīhim wa-waylun lahum mimmā yaksibūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns the scholars of the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) who deliberately altered and distorted divine scriptures with their own hands, then falsely attributed these corrupted texts to Allah in order to gain worldly profit and prestige. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this refers to those who knowingly committed tahrīf (textual corruption), earning the severe punishment of 'woe' (wail) both for their fraudulent writings and the ill-gotten gains they acquired through deception.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in Medina during the period when the Prophet (peace be upon him) encountered Jewish and Christian communities who had altered their scriptures. It forms part of Surah Al-Baqarah's broader discussion of the People of the Book's rejection of truth and their distortion of previous revelations, serving as a warning to the Muslim community about the dangers of scriptural corruption.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (Book of Knowledge) where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever intentionally attributes a false statement to me, let him take his place in Hell.' This relates to the broader theme of lying and misrepresenting divine revelation. Additionally, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:75-79 discusses how some scribes would alter the Torah intentionally.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a stern reminder that those entrusted with knowledge bear grave responsibility before Allah; deliberately distorting truth for material gain incurs severe divine displeasure. For modern believers, it emphasizes the importance of intellectual honesty, authenticity in conveying religious knowledge, and prioritizing divine guidance over worldly profit.