وَمَا لَنَا لَا نُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَا جَآءَنَا مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَنَطْمَعُ أَن يُدْخِلَنَا رَبُّنَا مَعَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ 84
Translations
And why should we not believe in Allāh and what has come to us of the truth? And we aspire that our Lord will admit us [to Paradise] with the righteous people."
Transliteration
Wa ma lana la nu'minu billahi wa ma ja'ana mina al-haqqi wa natma'u an yudkhilana rabbuna ma'a al-qawmi al-saliheen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah expresses the earnest plea of believing servants who question why they should not have faith in Allah and in the truth that has come to them, while hoping that their Lord will admit them among the righteous people. The rhetorical question conveys both certainty of belief and deep longing for divine acceptance, reflecting the hearts of those who have truly comprehended the signs of Allah. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir note this represents the culmination of sincere faith—not merely believing, but yearning to be numbered among the righteous (al-salihun), those who live according to divine guidance.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the narrative of Surah Al-Ma'idah (verses 82-84) concerning the believing people from the People of the Book who, upon hearing the Qur'an recited, recognize the truth and weep in emotional response. The specific context describes those from among Christians and Jews who accepted Islam, expressing their heartfelt desire to be among the righteous believers.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari). Additionally, the hadith about supplication in Sahih Muslim emphasizes that Allah loves those who earnestly turn to Him with sincere hope and faith.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that true faith must be accompanied by a sincere longing to embody righteousness and to be counted among the righteous servants of Allah. It reminds us that merely believing is incomplete without the aspiration to live righteously and seek acceptance from our Lord, making this a call for continuous spiritual development and sincere intention.