سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 18
وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ نَحْنُ أَبْنَـٰٓؤُا۟ ٱللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّـٰٓؤُهُۥ ۚ قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُم بِذُنُوبِكُم ۖ بَلْ أَنتُم بَشَرٌ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقَ ۚ يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿18﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are the children of Allâh and His loved ones." Say: "Why then does He punish you for your sins?" Nay, you are but human beings of those He has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allâh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them; and to Him is the return (of all).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقَالَتِ
waqālati
And said
ٱلْيَهُودُ
l-yahūdu
the Jews
وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ
wal-naṣārā
and the Christians
نَحْنُ
naḥnu
We (are)
أَبْنَـٰٓؤُا۟
abnāu
(the) children
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَأَحِبَّـٰٓؤُهُۥ ۚ
wa-aḥibbāuhu
and His beloved
قُلْ
qul
Say
فَلِمَ
falima
Then why
يُعَذِّبُكُم
yuʿadhibukum
(does He) punish you
بِذُنُوبِكُم ۖ
bidhunūbikum
for your sins
بَلْ
bal
Nay
أَنتُم
antum
you (are)
بَشَرٌۭ
basharun
human beings
مِّمَّنْ
mimman
from among (those)
خَلَقَ ۚ
khalaqa
He created
يَغْفِرُ
yaghfiru
He forgives
لِمَن
liman
[for] whom
يَشَآءُ
yashāu
He wills
وَيُعَذِّبُ
wayuʿadhibu
and punishes
مَن
man
whom
يَشَآءُ ۚ
yashāu
He wills
وَلِلَّهِ
walillahi
And for Allah
مُلْكُ
mul'ku
(is the) dominion
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
وَمَا
wamā
and whatever
بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ
baynahumā
(is) between them
وَإِلَيْهِ
wa-ilayhi
and to Him
ٱلْمَصِيرُ
l-maṣīru
(is) the final return
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.
18. 1 The Jews called Uzair and the Christians called Isa (Jesus) the son of Allah, and they also declared themselves to be the sons of Allah (Abna’ Allah) and His beloved ones. Some say that here a word is omitted, meaning the followers of the sons of Allah, i.e., we are the followers of Allah’s sons (Uzair and Masih). (Whichever of the two meanings is intended, it expresses their arrogance and undue confidence regarding Allah, which has no standing with Allah.)
18. 2 In this, the baselessness of their aforementioned arrogance has been made clear: if you were truly the beloved and favored ones of Allah, or if being beloved means that you can do whatever you wish and Allah will not call you to account, then why has Allah continued to punish you for your sins? The clear meaning is that in the court of Allah, matters are not decided on the basis of claims, nor will they be on the Day of Judgment. Rather, He looks at faith, piety, and deeds, and even in this world, He decides in light of these, and on the Day of Judgment, the decision will also be made on this principle.
18. 3 However, this decision of punishment or forgiveness will be according to the Sunnah of Allah, which He has clarified: forgiveness for the people of faith, and punishment for the people of disbelief and sin. The decision for all mankind will be according to this. O People of the Book! You too are a created being of Allah, that is, a human. Why should the decision regarding you be different from that of other human beings?
18. 2 In this, the baselessness of their aforementioned arrogance has been made clear: if you were truly the beloved and favored ones of Allah, or if being beloved means that you can do whatever you wish and Allah will not call you to account, then why has Allah continued to punish you for your sins? The clear meaning is that in the court of Allah, matters are not decided on the basis of claims, nor will they be on the Day of Judgment. Rather, He looks at faith, piety, and deeds, and even in this world, He decides in light of these, and on the Day of Judgment, the decision will also be made on this principle.
18. 3 However, this decision of punishment or forgiveness will be according to the Sunnah of Allah, which He has clarified: forgiveness for the people of faith, and punishment for the people of disbelief and sin. The decision for all mankind will be according to this. O People of the Book! You too are a created being of Allah, that is, a human. Why should the decision regarding you be different from that of other human beings?
