سُوْرَةُ مَرْيَمَ

Surah Maryam (19) — Ayah 37

Mary · Meccan · Juz 16 · Page 307

فَٱخْتَلَفَ ٱلْأَحْزَابُ مِنۢ بَيْنِهِمْ ۖ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن مَّشْهَدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿37﴾
Then the sects differed [i.e. the Christians about ‘Îsâ (Jesus) عليه السلام], so woe unto the disbelievers [those who gave false witness by saying that ‘Îsâ (Jesus) is the son of Allâh] from the Meeting of a great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection, when they will be thrown in the blazing Fire).
فَٱخْتَلَفَ fa-ikh'talafa But differed
ٱلْأَحْزَابُ l-aḥzābu the sects
مِنۢ min from among them
بَيْنِهِمْ ۖ baynihim from among them
فَوَيْلٌۭ fawaylun so woe
لِّلَّذِينَ lilladhīna to those who
كَفَرُوا۟ kafarū disbelieve
مِن min from
مَّشْهَدِ mashhadi (the) witnessing
يَوْمٍ yawmin (of) a Day
عَظِيمٍ ʿaẓīmin great

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 37) ➊ { فَاخْتَلَفَ الْاَحْزَابُ مِنْۢ بَيْنِهِمْ:} After explaining the truth about Isa (Jesus) عليه السلام in detail, it is stated that then, not any group outside of Bani Israel, but their own groups themselves differed among each other. {’’ مِنْۢ بَيْنِهِمْ ‘‘} refers to this. The Jews called him illegitimate and a magician, and the Christians split into several groups: some said Allah is the Messiah Himself (Ma'idah: 72), some said the Messiah is the son of Allah (Tawbah: 30), some said the Messiah is the third of three (deities), etc. (Ma'idah: 73) The Jews tried to diminish his status, so the Christians exaggerated it beyond limits. However, the people of truth said only that he is Allah's servant and His messenger. The Jews became disbelievers due to diminishing his status and not believing in him, and the Christians became disbelievers due to exaggerating his status, but the people of truth remained firm on faith.
➋ The tanween (tahweel) on { فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا … : ’’ فَوَيْلٌ ‘‘} is for expressing its horror, that is why it is translated as "great destruction." {’’ مَشْهَدِ ‘‘} here, according to the preferred opinion, is a verbal noun (masdar mimi), meaning that on that great day, due to attendance, there is great destruction for those who disbelieved; if there were no attendance on that day, these people would have been saved from this destruction. Allah Almighty did not just say "for those people," but explicitly stated: "for those who disbelieved, there is great destruction." It is clear that the cause of this woe is disbelief. The "great day" is the day of fifty thousand years (Ma'arij: 4) and the day of being presented before Allah for reckoning. [ اَللّٰھُمَّ حَاسِبْنَا حِسَابًا یَّسِیْرًا ]

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

37. 1 Here, "al-Ahzab" refers to the sects of the People of the Book and the sects among the Christians themselves, who differed among themselves regarding 'Isa (Jesus) عليه السلام. The Jews said that he was a magician and the son of Yusuf the carpenter. One sect of the Christians said that he was the son of Allah (the Catholics). Another sect said he was the third of three (the third among three gods), and the third sect, the Ya‘qubiyah (Orthodox), said he was Allah. Thus, the Jews committed negligence and deficiency, while the Christians committed excess and exaggeration (al-Yasra li-Tafasir, Fath al-Qadir).

37. 2 For those disbelievers who differed and committed excess regarding 'Isa عليه السلام in this way, there is destruction on the Day of Resurrection when they will be present there.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

37. Then the groups differed among themselves. So woe to those disbelievers who deny the meeting of the great Day [33].

[33] The straight path is that my Lord and your Lord, that is, the Creator and Sustainer of all people, is only Allah Almighty. Now, those who create obstacles in this straight path, who assign sons, grandsons, daughters, or other partners to Allah, and then, by arguing over them, form separate sects—warn them of the dreadful destructions of the Day of Resurrection and frighten them of the doom that will surely befall them on that day.