سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 107
قُلْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَوْ لَا تُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦٓ إِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلْأَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا ﴿107﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم to them): "Believe in it (the Qur’ân) or do not believe (in it). Verily those who were given knowledge before it (the Jews and the Christians like ‘Abdullâh bin Salâm and Salmân Al-Farisî), when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلْ
qul
Say
ءَامِنُوا۟
āminū
Believe
بِهِۦٓ
bihi
in it
أَوْ
aw
or
لَا
lā
(do) not
تُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ ۚ
tu'minū
believe
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
أُوتُوا۟
ūtū
were given
ٱلْعِلْمَ
l-ʿil'ma
the knowledge
مِن
min
before it
قَبْلِهِۦٓ
qablihi
before it
إِذَا
idhā
when
يُتْلَىٰ
yut'lā
it is recited
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
to them
يَخِرُّونَ
yakhirrūna
they fall
لِلْأَذْقَانِ
lil'adhqāni
on their faces
سُجَّدًۭا
sujjadan
(in) prostration
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
➊ { قُلْ اٰمِنُوْا بِهٖۤ اَوْ لَا تُؤْمِنُوْا :} That is, His greatness neither increases nor decreases by your believing or not believing. This is an address in the form of threat and denial to those people who, despite the clear evidences of the Quran, demanded miracles.
➋ { اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ اُوْتُوا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ قَبْلِهٖۤ :} That is, whether you believe or not, there are those better and righteous people of knowledge who are familiar with the teachings of previous heavenly books and understand the reality of revelation and the Messengership, such as Waraqah bin Nawfal, Abdullah bin Salam, Salman Farsi, and Najashi; they accept you as the Messenger and acknowledge that this is the very Prophet whose glad tidings were given in the Torah and the Gospel.
➌ { اِذَا يُتْلٰى عَلَيْهِمْ …: ’’أَذْقَانٌ‘‘ ’’ذَقَنٌ‘‘} is the plural of {’’ اِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا ‘‘}, chins. {’’ إِنَّهُ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا ‘‘} was originally {’’ إِنَّهُ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا ‘‘}, meaning that when the Quran is recited before the Hanifs and the scholars of the People of the Book, they fall down on their chins in prostration to thank Allah, that it is Allah’s favor that we have reached the time of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and have believed in the Quran, and they declare the glory of Allah, saying that our Lord is free from breaking promises and every defect; surely the promise of our Lord is always fulfilled, so according to His promise, He has sent you (peace be upon him).
➍ Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) deduced from this verse that it is recommended to recite {’’ سُبْحٰنَ رَبِّنَاۤ اِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُوْلًا ‘‘} in the prostration of recitation. (Iklil)
➎ {يَخِرُّوْنَ لِلْاَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا … :} Upon hearing the admonition mentioned in the Noble Quran, they fall down on their chins in prostration, weeping from the intensity of emotion, and listening to the Quran increases their humility and submissiveness even more. The state of such People of the Book has been mentioned in several places in the Quran. See Ma’idah (83, 84) and Qasas (52 to 54).
The repetition of falling on their chins is meant to express two different states: that is, to glorify Allah by prostrating, and to fall in prostration while weeping. Or it expresses the repetition of prostration, that they prostrate again and again. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “There are two prostrations in prayer, so it is mentioned twice: the first time as a result of the miraculous effect of the Quran, and the second time for humility and submissiveness.” (Mawduh) It should be noted that in the hadiths, there is great virtue in weeping at the time of Allah’s remembrance (which includes the Quran). Thus, among the seven fortunate ones who will receive the shade of the Throne, one is the servant about whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: [ ذَكَرَ اللّٰهَ خَالِيًا فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ ] [ مسلم : ۱۰۳۱۔ بخاری، الزکاۃ، باب فضل إخفاء الصدقۃ : ۶۴۷۹ ] “Whoever remembered Allah in seclusion and his eyes overflowed with tears.”
➋ { اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ اُوْتُوا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ قَبْلِهٖۤ :} That is, whether you believe or not, there are those better and righteous people of knowledge who are familiar with the teachings of previous heavenly books and understand the reality of revelation and the Messengership, such as Waraqah bin Nawfal, Abdullah bin Salam, Salman Farsi, and Najashi; they accept you as the Messenger and acknowledge that this is the very Prophet whose glad tidings were given in the Torah and the Gospel.
➌ { اِذَا يُتْلٰى عَلَيْهِمْ …: ’’أَذْقَانٌ‘‘ ’’ذَقَنٌ‘‘} is the plural of {’’ اِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا ‘‘}, chins. {’’ إِنَّهُ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا ‘‘} was originally {’’ إِنَّهُ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا ‘‘}, meaning that when the Quran is recited before the Hanifs and the scholars of the People of the Book, they fall down on their chins in prostration to thank Allah, that it is Allah’s favor that we have reached the time of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and have believed in the Quran, and they declare the glory of Allah, saying that our Lord is free from breaking promises and every defect; surely the promise of our Lord is always fulfilled, so according to His promise, He has sent you (peace be upon him).
➍ Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) deduced from this verse that it is recommended to recite {’’ سُبْحٰنَ رَبِّنَاۤ اِنْ كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُوْلًا ‘‘} in the prostration of recitation. (Iklil)
➎ {يَخِرُّوْنَ لِلْاَذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا … :} Upon hearing the admonition mentioned in the Noble Quran, they fall down on their chins in prostration, weeping from the intensity of emotion, and listening to the Quran increases their humility and submissiveness even more. The state of such People of the Book has been mentioned in several places in the Quran. See Ma’idah (83, 84) and Qasas (52 to 54).
The repetition of falling on their chins is meant to express two different states: that is, to glorify Allah by prostrating, and to fall in prostration while weeping. Or it expresses the repetition of prostration, that they prostrate again and again. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “There are two prostrations in prayer, so it is mentioned twice: the first time as a result of the miraculous effect of the Quran, and the second time for humility and submissiveness.” (Mawduh) It should be noted that in the hadiths, there is great virtue in weeping at the time of Allah’s remembrance (which includes the Quran). Thus, among the seven fortunate ones who will receive the shade of the Throne, one is the servant about whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: [ ذَكَرَ اللّٰهَ خَالِيًا فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ ] [ مسلم : ۱۰۳۱۔ بخاری، الزکاۃ، باب فضل إخفاء الصدقۃ : ۶۴۷۹ ] “Whoever remembered Allah in seclusion and his eyes overflowed with tears.”
