وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا۟ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ تَرَىٰٓ أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ ۖ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱكْتُبْنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ 83
Translations
And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth. They say, "Our Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses.
Transliteration
Wa-idha sami'u ma unzila ila al-rasuli tara a'yunuhum tafiду min al-dam'i mimma 'arifу min al-haqq; yaqulun rabbbana amanna faktubna ma'a al-shahidin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the emotional and spiritual response of certain people (understood by classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari to refer to sincere Christians and Jews) who hear the Qur'an recited to them. Their eyes overflow with tears upon recognizing the truth in the Message, and they immediately profess belief and ask Allah to record them among the witnesses to the truth. This demonstrates the power of divine revelation to move hearts that are genuinely seeking truth, transcending sectarian boundaries.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Ma'idah's discussion of the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) and their varied responses to Islam. It follows verses describing those who reject faith and precedes discussion of the rewards for believers. The specific historical context may relate to encounters between Muslims and sincere believers from other faiths during the Medinan period who recognized the authenticity of the Qur'an.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim (#164) where the Prophet ﷺ mentioned that some people will be brought forth on the Day of Judgment, and when they hear the Qur'an, they will weep due to its truth, illustrates a similar theme of emotional response to divine guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
True believers are moved to tears by the Word of Allah when their hearts are receptive to truth, regardless of their prior background or beliefs. This ayah teaches us that sincere seeking of guidance can overcome barriers of doctrine and tradition, and that humility before divine revelation—asking to be recorded among witnesses—is the path to authentic faith.