سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 52
۞ فَلَمَّآ أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَٱشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ ﴿52﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then when ‘Îsâ (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief, he said: "Who will be my helpers in Allâh’s Cause?" Al-Hawâriyyûn (the disciples) said: "We are the helpers of Allâh; we believe in Allâh, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allâh)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ فَلَمَّآ
falammā
Then when
أَحَسَّ
aḥassa
perceived
عِيسَىٰ
ʿīsā
Isa
مِنْهُمُ
min'humu
from them
ٱلْكُفْرَ
l-kuf'ra
[the] disbelief
قَالَ
qāla
he said
مَنْ
man
Who
أَنصَارِىٓ
anṣārī
(will be) my helpers
إِلَى
ilā
to
ٱللَّهِ ۖ
l-lahi
Allah
قَالَ
qāla
Said
ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ
l-ḥawāriyūna
the disciples
نَحْنُ
naḥnu
We
أَنصَارُ
anṣāru
(will be the) helpers
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
ءَامَنَّا
āmannā
we believe[d]
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
in Allah
وَٱشْهَدْ
wa-ish'had
and bear witness
بِأَنَّا
bi-annā
that we
مُسْلِمُونَ
mus'limūna
(are) Muslims
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
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 52) ➊ { فَلَمَّاۤ اَحَسَّ عِيْسٰى مِنْهُمُ الْكُفْرَ … :} That is, he did not understand only through intellect, but realized through their senses; with their eyes and ears, they came to know this reality that the Jews and their scholars had become helpless before the signs, proofs, and miracles given by Allah, yet they were not willing to accept in any way. Rather, they were after his life and were conspiring for this purpose, so he had no doubt left about departing from this world. Now, his concern was only that the work of spreading and preaching the religion should not stop. Therefore, he asked his followers, "Who will be my helper in calling towards Allah, walking on His path, and guiding others on it?" Allah granted a few people the ability, they believed and helped Isa (peace be upon him) with full dedication, and these people were called the disciples of Isa (peace be upon him). Here, it is worth noting that Isa (peace be upon him) is seeking help from his companions; if he had complete authority, what need was there to ask for help? The grave-worshippers of our time are also strange; they use this verse as evidence to ask deceased elders for things that are not in their power, presenting this verse as proof. Whereas in this, the elders asked the juniors for help that was within their ability.
➋ The statement of Isa (peace be upon him) is similar to what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say to various Arab tribes during the time of Hajj before migration: "Who will give me protection so that I can convey my Lord's message to the people, for the Quraysh have prevented me from delivering this message?" Until he found the Ansar, who gave him protection and helped him with their lives and wealth. But his disciples (special loyal helpers) were not only the Ansar, but also the Muhajirun, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked three times during the Battle of the Trench: "Who will bring news of Banu Qurayza?" Each time, Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) presented himself, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every prophet has disciples; my disciple is Zubair." [مسلم، فضائل الصحابۃ، باب من فضائل طلحۃ … : ۲۴۱۵، عن جابر بن عبد اللہ رضی اللہ عنہما ]
➋ The statement of Isa (peace be upon him) is similar to what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say to various Arab tribes during the time of Hajj before migration: "Who will give me protection so that I can convey my Lord's message to the people, for the Quraysh have prevented me from delivering this message?" Until he found the Ansar, who gave him protection and helped him with their lives and wealth. But his disciples (special loyal helpers) were not only the Ansar, but also the Muhajirun, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked three times during the Battle of the Trench: "Who will bring news of Banu Qurayza?" Each time, Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) presented himself, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every prophet has disciples; my disciple is Zubair." [مسلم، فضائل الصحابۃ، باب من فضائل طلحۃ … : ۲۴۱۵، عن جابر بن عبد اللہ رضی اللہ عنہما ]
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
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.
52. 1. That is, such deep conspiracies and suspicious actions which were based on disbelief, i.e., the denial of the messengership of Jesus.
52. 2. Many prophets, when distressed by their people, have, according to apparent means, sought help from the conscious people of their nation. Just as the Prophet ﷺ himself, in the beginning, when the Quraysh were obstructing his call, would, during the season of Hajj, encourage people to become his companions and helpers so that he could convey the word of the Lord to the people, to which the Ansar responded and helped the Prophet ﷺ before the migration. In this way, here Jesus (peace be upon him) sought help. This is not the kind of help that is sought through supernatural means, because that is shirk, and every prophet has come to prevent shirk; then how could they themselves commit shirk? But the wrong practice of grave-worshippers is lamentable, that they seek justification for asking help from deceased persons by reasoning from the saying of Jesus (peace be upon him), مَن انصاري الی اللہ May Allah grant them guidance (Ameen).
52. 3. Hawariyyun is the plural of Hawari, meaning helpers (supporters), just as the Prophet ﷺ said that every prophet has a special helper, and my helper is Zubair.
52. 2. Many prophets, when distressed by their people, have, according to apparent means, sought help from the conscious people of their nation. Just as the Prophet ﷺ himself, in the beginning, when the Quraysh were obstructing his call, would, during the season of Hajj, encourage people to become his companions and helpers so that he could convey the word of the Lord to the people, to which the Ansar responded and helped the Prophet ﷺ before the migration. In this way, here Jesus (peace be upon him) sought help. This is not the kind of help that is sought through supernatural means, because that is shirk, and every prophet has come to prevent shirk; then how could they themselves commit shirk? But the wrong practice of grave-worshippers is lamentable, that they seek justification for asking help from deceased persons by reasoning from the saying of Jesus (peace be upon him), مَن انصاري الی اللہ May Allah grant them guidance (Ameen).
52. 3. Hawariyyun is the plural of Hawari, meaning helpers (supporters), just as the Prophet ﷺ said that every prophet has a special helper, and my helper is Zubair.
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
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.
52. Then when Jesus sensed their disbelief [51], he said: "Who will be my helpers for (the cause of) Allah?" The disciples [52] said: "We are the helpers of Allah’s cause. We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (submitting to Allah)."
[51]
The Killing of Sayyiduna Yahya and the Intention to Kill Isa:
It had become completely clear to Isa (peace be upon him) that the Jews and their scholars, having been defeated in the field of arguments, were now intent on taking his life and were preparing conspiracies for this purpose. He also knew that unjustly killing prophets had become a second nature for the Jews. He had also witnessed that a leader of the Jews, at the request of a dancer, had beheaded a distinguished prophet like Yahya (peace be upon him), so he had no doubt that his own death was imminent. Now, his only concern was that the work of propagation and preaching of the religion should not stop. Therefore, he addressed his few followers and asked who among them would help him in this cause so that the religion of Allah could flourish.
[52]
Who Were the Disciples (Hawariyun)?
There is a difference of opinion among the commentators on this matter. However, it is agreed that the meaning of Hawari is the same as the word Ansar, that is, the helpers of Allah’s prophet and religion. The meaning of Hawari can also be understood from this incident: On the occasion of the Battle of the Trench, Allah Almighty helped the Muslims in such a way that He sent a very cold and strong wind in the form of a severe storm, which even uprooted the tents of the disbelievers’ army. Their pots were overturned, and they became disheartened and began to think of returning in failure. To get an accurate report of this situation, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressed the companions ؓ and said, “Who will bring news of the disbelievers’ army?” In that biting cold and storm, no one had the courage to go out. Only Zubair bin Al-Awwam ؓ said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I will go.” You repeated the same question a second time, and again Zubair bin Al-Awwam ؓ said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I will go.” The third time you repeated the question, and for the third time, Zubair bin Al-Awwam ؓ was ready to go. At that moment, you said, “Every prophet has a Hawari, and my Hawari is Zubair ؓ.”
[بخاری، کتاب المناقب، باب مناقب الزبیر بن العوام]
Thus, some of the disciples openly declared that they would serve the religion of Allah and renewed their pledge and covenant, saying to Isa that he should bear witness that they believe in Allah and become obedient to Him. According to the Bible, these disciples were the sincere devotees and special students of Isa (peace be upon him), numbering twelve, and their names are as follows:
(1) Simon, also called Peter, (2) Andrew, the brother of Simon or Peter, (3) James son of Zebedee, (4) John, (5) Philip, the brother of John, (6) Bartholomew, (7) Thomas, (8) Matthew, (9) James son of Alphaeus, (10) Thaddaeus, (11) Simon the Canaanite, and (12) Judas Iscariot. These were the twelve disciples or helpers who pledged to Isa (peace be upon him) to advance his mission at any cost.
[51]
The Killing of Sayyiduna Yahya and the Intention to Kill Isa:
It had become completely clear to Isa (peace be upon him) that the Jews and their scholars, having been defeated in the field of arguments, were now intent on taking his life and were preparing conspiracies for this purpose. He also knew that unjustly killing prophets had become a second nature for the Jews. He had also witnessed that a leader of the Jews, at the request of a dancer, had beheaded a distinguished prophet like Yahya (peace be upon him), so he had no doubt that his own death was imminent. Now, his only concern was that the work of propagation and preaching of the religion should not stop. Therefore, he addressed his few followers and asked who among them would help him in this cause so that the religion of Allah could flourish.
[52]
Who Were the Disciples (Hawariyun)?
There is a difference of opinion among the commentators on this matter. However, it is agreed that the meaning of Hawari is the same as the word Ansar, that is, the helpers of Allah’s prophet and religion. The meaning of Hawari can also be understood from this incident: On the occasion of the Battle of the Trench, Allah Almighty helped the Muslims in such a way that He sent a very cold and strong wind in the form of a severe storm, which even uprooted the tents of the disbelievers’ army. Their pots were overturned, and they became disheartened and began to think of returning in failure. To get an accurate report of this situation, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressed the companions ؓ and said, “Who will bring news of the disbelievers’ army?” In that biting cold and storm, no one had the courage to go out. Only Zubair bin Al-Awwam ؓ said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I will go.” You repeated the same question a second time, and again Zubair bin Al-Awwam ؓ said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I will go.” The third time you repeated the question, and for the third time, Zubair bin Al-Awwam ؓ was ready to go. At that moment, you said, “Every prophet has a Hawari, and my Hawari is Zubair ؓ.”
[بخاری، کتاب المناقب، باب مناقب الزبیر بن العوام]
Thus, some of the disciples openly declared that they would serve the religion of Allah and renewed their pledge and covenant, saying to Isa that he should bear witness that they believe in Allah and become obedient to Him. According to the Bible, these disciples were the sincere devotees and special students of Isa (peace be upon him), numbering twelve, and their names are as follows:
(1) Simon, also called Peter, (2) Andrew, the brother of Simon or Peter, (3) James son of Zebedee, (4) John, (5) Philip, the brother of John, (6) Bartholomew, (7) Thomas, (8) Matthew, (9) James son of Alphaeus, (10) Thaddaeus, (11) Simon the Canaanite, and (12) Judas Iscariot. These were the twelve disciples or helpers who pledged to Isa (peace be upon him) to advance his mission at any cost.
