إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّى مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ فِيمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ 55
Translations
[Mention] when Allāh said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify [i.e., free] you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allāh alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ.
Transliteration
Idh qala Allahu ya Isa inni mutawaffika wa rafiʿuka ilayya wa mutahhiruka min alladhina kafaru wa jaʿilu alladhina ittabaʿuka fawqa alladhina kafaru ila yawmi al-qiyamah. Thumma ilayya marjiʿukum fa-ahkum baynakum fima kuntum fihi takhtalifun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah informs Jesus ('Alayhis-Salam) that He will cause him to die (or take him up), raise him to His presence, and purify him from the disbelievers. He will make those who follow Jesus superior to those who reject him until the Day of Judgment, after which all will return to Allah for final judgment of their disputes. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir interpret 'mutawaffika' (taking him in death) as either death before the Hour or being raised alive, with strong scholarly consensus supporting Jesus being raised alive and not crucified, based on Quranic evidence like Surah 4:157-158.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the context of Surah Ali 'Imran's discussion of Jesus ('Alayhis-Salam) and his miraculous birth, directly addressing accusations from the People of the Book regarding his nature and fate. It responds to the disputes between Christians and Jews about Jesus' death and divine status, providing Quranic clarity on his status as a messenger.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'By the One in whose hand is my soul, Jesus, son of Mary, will descend as a just judge' (Sahih Bukhari 3448), relating to Jesus' future role and authority. Also relevant: 'Jesus will descend and judge among people by the law of the Qur'an' (Sunan Ibn Majah 4077).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reassures believers that God protects His righteous servants and ultimately grants victory to those who follow truth, while reminding us that all disputes will be settled by Divine justice on the Day of Judgment—a source of comfort for those facing opposition for their faith.
Related Ayahs
فَـَٔاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ثَوَابَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَحُسْنَ ثَوَابِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
So Allāh gave them the reward of this world and the good reward of the Hereafter. And Allāh loves the doers of good.
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِيثَـٰقَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ لَمَآ ءَاتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَـٰبٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِۦ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُۥ ۚ قَالَ ءَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُمْ إِصْرِى ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَقْرَرْنَا ۚ قَالَ فَٱشْهَدُوا۟ وَأَنَا۠ مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ
And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allāh took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him." [Allāh] said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?" They said, "We have acknowledged it." He said, "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses."
۞ فَلَمَّآ أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَٱشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ
But when Jesus felt [persistence in] disbelief from them, he said, "Who are my supporters for [the cause of] Allāh?" The disciples said, "We are supporters for Allāh. We have believed in Allāh and testify that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].
أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ ٱللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُۥٓ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ
So is it other than the religion of Allāh they desire, while to Him have submitted [all] those within the heavens and earth, willingly or by compulsion, and to Him they will be returned?