قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ هَلْ تَنقِمُونَ مِنَّآ إِلَّآ أَنْ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلُ وَأَنَّ أَكْثَرَكُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ 59
Translations
Say, "O People of the Scripture, do you resent us except [for the fact] that we have believed in Allāh and what was revealed to us and what was revealed before and because most of you are defiantly disobedient?"
Transliteration
Qul ya ahla al-kitabi hal tanqimuna minna illa an amanna billahi wa ma unzila ilayna wa ma unzila min qablu wa anna akthara kum fasiqun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet to ask the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) why they harbor resentment against Muslims, when our only 'crime' is believing in Allah and in the revelations sent to us and to them before. Ibn Kathir notes this verse exposes the irrational prejudice of those who reject Islam despite its consonance with previous scriptures, and the final clause indicates that most of them have abandoned the path of righteousness. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes that this ayah demonstrates the Muslims' commitment to the faith of all the prophets, making their opposition baseless and driven by worldly jealousy rather than legitimate theological grounds.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period during interactions between the Muslim community and the People of the Book in Medina. It addresses the hostility and accusations leveled against Muslims despite their affirmation of monotheism and respect for previous scriptures, reflecting the historical tensions that arose from religious disagreements and tribal politics in the Medinan context.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good words or remain silent,' which relates to the dignified approach of rational discourse presented in this ayah. Additionally, Sunan Ibn Majah contains traditions about the Prophet's respectful interactions with the People of the Book while maintaining clear boundaries regarding Islamic doctrine.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims to respond with clarity and reason when faced with unjust criticism, appealing to shared belief in Allah and previous scriptures rather than engaging in hostile debate. It reminds believers that rejection of truth often stems from base motives rather than intellectual conviction, and that maintaining one's faith with dignity while extending respectful discourse is the Islamic way.