مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُؤْتِيَهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولَ لِلنَّاسِ كُونُوا۟ عِبَادًا لِّى مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَـٰكِن كُونُوا۟ رَبَّـٰنِيِّـۧنَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ 79
Translations
It is not for a human [prophet] that Allāh should give him the Scripture and authority and prophethood and then he would say to the people, "Be servants to me rather than Allāh," but [instead, he would say], "Be pious scholars of the Lord because of what you have taught of the Scripture and because of what you have studied."
Transliteration
Mā kāna li-basharun an yu'tīyahu Allāhu al-Kitāba wa-al-ḥukma wa-al-nubuwwata thumma yaqūlu li-al-nāsi kūnū 'ibādan lī min dūni Allāhi wa-lākin kūnū rabbāniyyīna bimā kuntum tu'allimūna al-Kitāba wa-bimā kuntum tadrusūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that it is impossible for any human recipient of divine revelation, wisdom, and prophethood to command people to worship him instead of Allah. Rather, a true scholar (rabbānī) teaches people to worship only Allah and emphasizes devotion to the study and understanding of the Scripture. Ibn Kathir emphasizes this refutes claims of divinity by prophets and scholars, while al-Qurtubi highlights that this ayah addresses the hypocrisy of those who claim religious knowledge but exploit it for personal veneration.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period within the context of refuting Christian claims about Jesus ('Īsā) being the Son of God and worthy of worship. The broader context of Surah Ali 'Imran addresses the nature of Jesus and emphasizes strict monotheism (tawḥīd) against the Christian doctrines of incarnation and trinity.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim (1835): The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever seeks knowledge for worldly gain or to be praised by people, shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise.' This reinforces the ayah's emphasis on pure intentions in teaching and learning sacred knowledge. Also relevant: Sunan Ibn Mājah on the virtue of 'ulamā' (scholars) who practice what they preach.
Themes
Key Lesson
Scholars and teachers of religion bear a sacred responsibility to direct people exclusively toward the worship of Allah, never exploiting their knowledge for personal glory or authority. This ayah reminds believers that true scholarship is demonstrated through humble teaching grounded in Scripture, not through demands for personal veneration or deviation from monotheism.