سُوْرَةُ الْحَدِيْدِ
Surah Al-Hadid (57) — Ayah 27
ثُمَّ قَفَّيْنَا عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِم بِرُسُلِنَا وَقَفَّيْنَا بِعِيسَى ٱبْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلْإِنجِيلَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ رَأْفَةً وَرَحْمَةً وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً ٱبْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَـٰهَا عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ رِضْوَٰنِ ٱللَّهِ فَمَا رَعَوْهَا حَقَّ رِعَايَتِهَا ۖ فَـَٔاتَيْنَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ ﴿27﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then, We sent after them Our Messengers, and We sent ‘Îsâ (Jesus) - son of Maryam (Mary), and gave him the Injeel (Gospel). And We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy. But the monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them, but (they sought it) only to please Allâh therewith, but they did not observe it with the right observance. So We gave those among them who believed their (due) reward; but many of them are Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ثُمَّ
thumma
Then
قَفَّيْنَا
qaffaynā
We sent
عَلَىٰٓ
ʿalā
on
ءَاثَـٰرِهِم
āthārihim
their footsteps
بِرُسُلِنَا
birusulinā
Our Messengers
وَقَفَّيْنَا
waqaffaynā
and We followed
بِعِيسَى
biʿīsā
with Isa
ٱبْنِ
ib'ni
son
مَرْيَمَ
maryama
(of) Maryam
وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ
waātaynāhu
and We gave him
ٱلْإِنجِيلَ
l-injīla
the Injeel
وَجَعَلْنَا
wajaʿalnā
And We placed
فِى
fī
in
قُلُوبِ
qulūbi
(the) hearts
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(of) those who
ٱتَّبَعُوهُ
ittabaʿūhu
followed him
رَأْفَةًۭ
rafatan
compassion
وَرَحْمَةًۭ
waraḥmatan
and mercy
وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً
warahbāniyyatan
But monasticism
ٱبْتَدَعُوهَا
ib'tadaʿūhā
they innovated
مَا
mā
not
كَتَبْنَـٰهَا
katabnāhā
We prescribed it
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
for them
إِلَّا
illā
only
ٱبْتِغَآءَ
ib'tighāa
seeking
رِضْوَٰنِ
riḍ'wāni
(the) pleasure
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
فَمَا
famā
but not
رَعَوْهَا
raʿawhā
they observed it
حَقَّ
ḥaqqa
(with) right
رِعَايَتِهَا ۖ
riʿāyatihā
observance
فَـَٔاتَيْنَا
faātaynā
So We gave
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believed
مِنْهُمْ
min'hum
among them
أَجْرَهُمْ ۖ
ajrahum
their reward
وَكَثِيرٌۭ
wakathīrun
but most
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
of them
فَـٰسِقُونَ
fāsiqūna
(are) defiantly disobediently
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.
27-1 Ra’fah means gentleness and Rahmah means compassion. By followers is meant the disciples of ‘Isa (Jesus) ؑ, that is, feelings of love and affection for each other were created in their hearts. Just as the Companions ؓ collectively were merciful and compassionate to one another. "Merciful among themselves." The Jews were not sympathetic and caring for each other in this way, as were the followers of ‘Isa ؑ.
27-2 Rahbaniyyah is derived from rahb (fear) or attributed to rahban (dervish), in which case the ra will have a dammah, or if it is considered attributed to rahbanah, then the ra will have a fathah. The concept of monasticism is renunciation of the world, that is, cutting off from the world and its ties and going to a forest or desert to worship Allah. The background of this is that after ‘Isa ؑ, there were such kings who altered the Torah and the Gospel, which a group did not accept. Out of fear of the kings, they took refuge in mountains and caves. This was the beginning, whose foundation was on compulsion. But many of those who came after blindly followed their elders and made this exile from the city a way of worship, and confined themselves in churches and places of worship, and for this, considered severing ties with the world necessary. This is what Allah described as ibtida’ (self-invention).
-3 This is an emphasis of the previous statement that this monasticism was their own invention; Allah had not commanded it.
27-4 That is, We had only made seeking Our pleasure obligatory upon them. Another translation is that they did this to seek Allah’s pleasure. But Allah clarified that Allah’s pleasure cannot be attained by inventing innovations in the religion, no matter how attractive they may seem. Allah’s pleasure is attained only through His obedience.
-5 That is, although they claimed their purpose was to seek Allah’s pleasure, they did not fully observe this; otherwise, instead of inventing innovations (ibtida’), they would have chosen the path of following (ittiba’).
-6 These are those who remained steadfast on the religion of ‘Isa.
27-2 Rahbaniyyah is derived from rahb (fear) or attributed to rahban (dervish), in which case the ra will have a dammah, or if it is considered attributed to rahbanah, then the ra will have a fathah. The concept of monasticism is renunciation of the world, that is, cutting off from the world and its ties and going to a forest or desert to worship Allah. The background of this is that after ‘Isa ؑ, there were such kings who altered the Torah and the Gospel, which a group did not accept. Out of fear of the kings, they took refuge in mountains and caves. This was the beginning, whose foundation was on compulsion. But many of those who came after blindly followed their elders and made this exile from the city a way of worship, and confined themselves in churches and places of worship, and for this, considered severing ties with the world necessary. This is what Allah described as ibtida’ (self-invention).
-3 This is an emphasis of the previous statement that this monasticism was their own invention; Allah had not commanded it.
27-4 That is, We had only made seeking Our pleasure obligatory upon them. Another translation is that they did this to seek Allah’s pleasure. But Allah clarified that Allah’s pleasure cannot be attained by inventing innovations in the religion, no matter how attractive they may seem. Allah’s pleasure is attained only through His obedience.
-5 That is, although they claimed their purpose was to seek Allah’s pleasure, they did not fully observe this; otherwise, instead of inventing innovations (ibtida’), they would have chosen the path of following (ittiba’).
-6 These are those who remained steadfast on the religion of ‘Isa.
