سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 20
فَإِنْ حَآجُّوكَ فَقُلْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّهِ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِ ۗ وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْأُمِّيِّـۧنَ ءَأَسْلَمْتُمْ ۚ فَإِنْ أَسْلَمُوا۟ فَقَدِ ٱهْتَدَوا۟ ۖ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَادِ ﴿20﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
So if they dispute with you (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) say: "I have submitted myself to Allâh (in Islâm), and (so have) those who follow me." And say to those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and to those who are illiterates (Arab pagans): "Do you (also) submit yourselves (to Allâh in Islâm)?" If they do, they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Message; and Allâh is All-Seer of (His) slaves.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَإِنْ
fa-in
Then if
حَآجُّوكَ
ḥājjūka
they argue with you
فَقُلْ
faqul
then say
أَسْلَمْتُ
aslamtu
I have submitted
وَجْهِىَ
wajhiya
myself
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
to Allah
وَمَنِ
wamani
and (those) who
ٱتَّبَعَنِ ۗ
ittabaʿani
follow me
وَقُل
waqul
And say
لِّلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
أُوتُوا۟
ūtū
were given
ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ
l-kitāba
the Book
وَٱلْأُمِّيِّـۧنَ
wal-umiyīna
and the unlettered people
ءَأَسْلَمْتُمْ ۚ
a-aslamtum
Have you submitted yourselves
فَإِنْ
fa-in
Then if
أَسْلَمُوا۟
aslamū
they submit
فَقَدِ
faqadi
then surely
ٱهْتَدَوا۟ ۖ
ih'tadaw
they are guided
وَّإِن
wa-in
But if
تَوَلَّوْا۟
tawallaw
they turn back
فَإِنَّمَا
fa-innamā
then only
عَلَيْكَ
ʿalayka
on you
ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ۗ
l-balāghu
(is) to [the] convey
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
بَصِيرٌۢ
baṣīrun
(is) All-Seer
بِٱلْعِبَادِ
bil-ʿibādi
of [His] slaves
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.
20. 1. By "the unlettered people" is meant the Arab polytheists, who, in comparison to the People of the Book, were generally unlettered.
