سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 120
وَلَن تَرْضَىٰ عَنكَ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَلَا ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ هُوَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ ۗ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم بَعْدَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ ۙ مَا لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ ﴿120﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Never will the Jews nor the Christians be pleased with you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) till you follow their religion. Say: "Verily, the Guidance of Allâh (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism) that is the (only) Guidance. And if you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) were to follow their (Jews and Christians) desires after what you have received of Knowledge (i.e. the Qur’ân), then you would have against Allâh neither any Walî (protector or guardian) nor any helper.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَن
walan
And never
تَرْضَىٰ
tarḍā
will be pleased
عَنكَ
ʿanka
with you
ٱلْيَهُودُ
l-yahūdu
the Jews
وَلَا
walā
and [not]
ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ
l-naṣārā
the Christians
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
تَتَّبِعَ
tattabiʿa
you follow
مِلَّتَهُمْ ۗ
millatahum
their religion
قُلْ
qul
Say
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
هُدَى
hudā
(the) Guidance
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
هُوَ
huwa
it
ٱلْهُدَىٰ ۗ
l-hudā
(is) the Guidance
وَلَئِنِ
wala-ini
And if
ٱتَّبَعْتَ
ittabaʿta
you follow
أَهْوَآءَهُم
ahwāahum
their desires
بَعْدَ
baʿda
after
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
what
جَآءَكَ
jāaka
has come to you
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْعِلْمِ ۙ
l-ʿil'mi
the knowledge
مَا
mā
not
لَكَ
laka
for you
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
مِن
min
any
وَلِىٍّۢ
waliyyin
protector
وَلَا
walā
and not
نَصِيرٍ
naṣīrin
any helper
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.
In this verse, there is a severe warning that even if, hypothetically, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) were to follow the desires of the Jews and Christians to please them, there would be no way for him to be saved either. Although the addressee of this verse is the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the lesson is given to the Ummah: {”أَهْوَاءٌ“ ’’هَوًي‘‘} is the plural of {’’هَوٰي‘‘}, meaning desire. That is, the real guidance is that which comes from Allah Almighty, and that is the Qur’an and Sunnah. These people do not possess the real guidance; they only have a religion made according to their desires. Innovation (bid‘ah) is also called {’’هَوٰي‘‘}, because it too is introduced into the religion according to one’s own desires. Just as following the desires and innovations of the Jews and Christians to please them leads to destruction, similarly, following the desires and innovations of any group of innovators to please them also leads to destruction.
