سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 124
إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ ٱلسَّبْتُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ ۚ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿124﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The Sabbath was only prescribed for those who differed concerning it, and verily, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection about that wherein they used to differ.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
جُعِلَ
juʿila
was appointed
ٱلسَّبْتُ
l-sabtu
the Sabbath
عَلَى
ʿalā
for
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟
ikh'talafū
differed
فِيهِ ۚ
fīhi
in it
وَإِنَّ
wa-inna
And indeed
رَبَّكَ
rabbaka
your Lord
لَيَحْكُمُ
layaḥkumu
will surely judge
بَيْنَهُمْ
baynahum
between them
يَوْمَ
yawma
(on) the Day
ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ
l-qiyāmati
(of) the Resurrection
فِيمَا
fīmā
in what
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they used (to)
فِيهِ
fīhi
[in it]
يَخْتَلِفُونَ
yakhtalifūna
differ
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.
124. 1. What is the intention behind this difference? There is a difference of opinion regarding its details. Some say that Musa (عليه السلام) appointed Friday as the day for them, but the Children of Israel differed and preferred Saturday for reverence and worship. Allah said, "Musa! Let the day they have chosen remain for them." Some say Allah commanded them to designate one day in the week for reverence, and they differed in its determination. Thus, the Jews, based on their religious analogy, chose Saturday, and the Christians, out of opposition to the Jews, chose Sunday for themselves. Similarly, for worship, they adopted the eastern side of Bayt al-Maqdis as their qiblah to distinguish themselves from the Jews. The mention of Friday being appointed by Allah for the Muslims is found in the hadith (Sahih Bukhari).
