سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 64
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ تَعَالَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَوَآءٍۭ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُولُوا۟ ٱشْهَدُوا۟ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ ﴿64﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allâh (Alone), and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allâh. Then, if they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلْ
qul
Say
يَـٰٓأَهْلَ
yāahla
O People
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
l-kitābi
(of) the Book
تَعَالَوْا۟
taʿālaw
Come
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
كَلِمَةٍۢ
kalimatin
a word
سَوَآءٍۭ
sawāin
equitable
بَيْنَنَا
baynanā
between us
وَبَيْنَكُمْ
wabaynakum
and between you
أَلَّا
allā
that not
نَعْبُدَ
naʿbuda
we worship
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
وَلَا
walā
and not
نُشْرِكَ
nush'rika
we associate partners
بِهِۦ
bihi
with Him
شَيْـًۭٔا
shayan
anything
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَتَّخِذَ
yattakhidha
take
بَعْضُنَا
baʿḍunā
some of us
بَعْضًا
baʿḍan
(to) others
أَرْبَابًۭا
arbāban
(as) lords
مِّن
min
from
دُونِ
dūni
besides
ٱللَّهِ ۚ
l-lahi
Allah
فَإِن
fa-in
Then if
تَوَلَّوْا۟
tawallaw
they turn away
فَقُولُوا۟
faqūlū
then say
ٱشْهَدُوا۟
ish'hadū
Bear witness
بِأَنَّا
bi-annā
that we
مُسْلِمُونَ
mus'limūna
(are) Muslims
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.
64. 1. Do not worship any idol, nor the cross, nor fire, nor anything else, but worship only one Allah, as has been the call of all the prophets.
64. 2. Firstly, this points to the fact that the belief you have established regarding the divinity (being Lord) of Hazrat Isa and Hazrat Uzair (علیہما السلام) is incorrect; they are not Lords, they are humans. Secondly, it points to the fact that you have given your priests and monks the authority to declare things lawful or unlawful, which is also making them lords. The authority to declare lawful and unlawful belongs only to Allah (Ibn Kathir and Fath al-Qadeer).
64. 3. It is in Sahih Bukhari that, in accordance with this command of the Quran, the Prophet ﷺ wrote a letter to Heraclius, the king of Rome, and in it, he invited him to accept Islam with reference to this verse. He said, "If you become Muslim, you will have a double reward, otherwise the sin of all your subjects will be upon you. Accept Islam and you will remain in safety, because you will be the reason for your subjects not accepting Islam." In this mentioned verse, there are three points: 1. Worship only Allah. 2. Do not associate anyone with Him. 3. Do not give anyone the divine position of legislating the Shariah. Therefore, to unite this Ummah, these three points and this common word should be made the primary foundation.
64. 2. Firstly, this points to the fact that the belief you have established regarding the divinity (being Lord) of Hazrat Isa and Hazrat Uzair (علیہما السلام) is incorrect; they are not Lords, they are humans. Secondly, it points to the fact that you have given your priests and monks the authority to declare things lawful or unlawful, which is also making them lords. The authority to declare lawful and unlawful belongs only to Allah (Ibn Kathir and Fath al-Qadeer).
64. 3. It is in Sahih Bukhari that, in accordance with this command of the Quran, the Prophet ﷺ wrote a letter to Heraclius, the king of Rome, and in it, he invited him to accept Islam with reference to this verse. He said, "If you become Muslim, you will have a double reward, otherwise the sin of all your subjects will be upon you. Accept Islam and you will remain in safety, because you will be the reason for your subjects not accepting Islam." In this mentioned verse, there are three points: 1. Worship only Allah. 2. Do not associate anyone with Him. 3. Do not give anyone the divine position of legislating the Shariah. Therefore, to unite this Ummah, these three points and this common word should be made the primary foundation.
