يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَا نَزَّلْنَا مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّطْمِسَ وُجُوهًا فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِهَآ أَوْ نَلْعَنَهُمْ كَمَا لَعَنَّآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلسَّبْتِ ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا 47
Translations
O you who were given the Scripture, believe in what We have sent down [to Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)], confirming that which is with you, before We obliterate faces and turn them toward their backs or curse them as We cursed the sabbath-breakers. And ever is the matter [i.e., decree] of Allāh accomplished.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha alladhina ootoo alkitaba aminoo bima nazzalna musaddiqan lima maAAakum min qabli an natmisa wujoohan fanardduha AAala adbariha aw nalaAAnahum kama laaAAanna ashaba assabti wa kana amru Allahi mafAAoolan
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), commanding them to believe in the Quran which confirms their scriptures, before they face severe punishment—either the obliteration of their faces turned backward or a curse like that which befell those who violated the Sabbath. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir interpret this as a warning that rejection of the Quranic message despite its alignment with their own scriptures constitutes willful obstinacy deserving of divine punishment, emphasizing that Allah's decree is inevitable and will be executed.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah An-Nisa (a Medinan surah) and addresses the Jewish and Christian communities of Medina during the early Islamic period. It comes in the context of verses addressing the People of the Book regarding their refusal to accept Prophet Muhammad and the Quran despite clear signs and the confirmation of their own revelations. The surah deals extensively with legal rulings and social ethics.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said regarding those who distort the Torah: 'Those who most deserve punishment on the Day of Judgment are those who liken Allah to His creation.' Related to the theme of divine punishment for rejecting truth and distorting scripture.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that possessing knowledge of truth (like the People of the Book's scriptures) increases our responsibility to accept further revelation when it comes confirming what we already know—ignorance cannot justify rejection when the signs are clear. For modern believers, it reminds us that stubbornness in the face of evident truth invites divine punishment, and that accepting divinely-guided guidance with humility is essential.
Related Ayahs
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ ۚ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا۟ فِيهِ ٱخْتِلَـٰفًا كَثِيرًا
Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’ān? If it had been from [any] other than Allāh, they would have found within it much contradiction.
وَلْيَخْشَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَوْ تَرَكُوا۟ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّةً ضِعَـٰفًا خَافُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلْيَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا
And let those [executors and guardians] fear [injustice] as if they [themselves] had left weak offspring behind and feared for them. So let them fear Allāh and speak words of appropriate justice.
لَّـٰكِنِ ٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ ۖ أَنزَلَهُۥ بِعِلْمِهِۦ ۖ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَشْهَدُونَ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدًا
But Allāh bears witness to that which He has revealed to you. He has sent it down with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness [as well]. And sufficient is Allāh as Witness.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۖ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقًّا ۚ وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ قِيلًا
But the ones who believe and do righteous deeds - We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. [It is] the promise of Allāh, [which is] truth, and who is more truthful than Allāh in statement.