مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَٰعِنَا لَيًّۢا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ وَٱنظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَـٰكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا 46
Translations
Among the Jews are those who distort words from their [proper] places [i.e., usages] and say, "We hear and disobey" and "Hear but be not heard" and "Rāʿinā," twisting their tongues and defaming the religion. And if they had said [instead], "We hear and obey" and "Wait for us [to understand]," it would have been better for them and more suitable. But Allāh has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few.
Transliteration
Mina allatheena hadoo yuharrifoon alkalam AAan mawadieih wayaqooloona samiAAna waAAasayna waismaA ghayra musmaAAin waraAina layyan bialsinatihim wataAAnan fee alddeeni walaw annahum qaloo samiAAna waataAAna waismaA waonzurna lakana khayran lahum waaqwamu walakinn laAAanahumu Allahu bikufrihim fala yuminoon illa qaleelan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah condemns certain People of the Book (Jews) who deliberately distort the meanings of Scripture and mock the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) through linguistic tricks and double entendre. They claim to hear and obey while actually rebelling, and use insulting wordplay—particularly the word 'rāʿinā' which could mean 'look after us' or carry a derogatory meaning—as veiled mockery. The ayah presents a conditional contrast: had they said 'we hear and obey' with sincerity, it would have been better for them, but Allah has cursed them due to their disbelief and sealed their hearts from faith. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this describes both intellectual distortion of religious texts and deliberate insolence toward divine truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in Medina regarding the hypocritical and disrespectful behavior of some Jewish tribes and their allies in Medina toward the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Qur'ān. The broader context of Surah An-Nisa addresses moral and legal matters within a diverse community, and this specific passage reflects the historical tensions between the Muslim community and those who rejected the message despite understanding it. The phrase 'rāʿinā' references a specific linguistic mockery incident documented in Islamic sources.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (Book of Tafsir) contains discussions of this ayah where scholars explain the mockery of 'rāʿinā.' Additionally, hadiths in Sahih Muslim regarding the prohibition of insulting the Prophet (ﷺ) or the Qur'ān relate thematically to the condemnation of such disrespectful behavior mentioned in this verse.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that sincere acceptance of truth with humble obedience brings divine favor, while deliberate mockery and intellectual dishonesty—even dressed in polite language—brings divine displeasure and seals hearts from guidance. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of sincere intention (niyyah) in religious discourse and warns against using intelligence or rhetoric to undermine faith rather than strengthen it.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ظَالِمِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا۟ فِيمَ كُنتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا۟ فِيهَا ۚ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيرًا
Indeed, those whom the angels take [in death] while wronging themselves - [the angels] will say, "In what [condition] were you?" They will say, "We were oppressed in the land." They [the angels] will say, "Was not the earth of Allāh spacious [enough] for you to emigrate therein?" For those, their refuge is Hell - and evil it is as a destination.
بَشِّرِ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ بِأَنَّ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا
Give tidings to the hypocrites that there is for them a painful punishment -
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنفُسَهُم ۚ بَلِ ٱللَّهُ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا
Have you not seen those who claim themselves to be pure? Rather, Allāh purifies whom He wills, and injustice is not done to them, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed].
ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ ۚ فَٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ قَـٰنِتَـٰتٌ حَـٰفِظَـٰتٌ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَٱلَّـٰتِى تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ ۖ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلَا تَبْغُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًا ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّا كَبِيرًا
Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allāh has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allāh would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them [lightly]. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allāh is ever Exalted and Grand.