سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 140
أَمْ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطَ كَانُوا۟ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَـٰرَىٰ ۗ قُلْ ءَأَنتُمْ أَعْلَمُ أَمِ ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهَـٰدَةً عِندَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿140﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Or say you that Ibrâhîm (Abraham), Ismâ‘îl (Ishmael), Ishâq (Isaac), Ya‘qûb (Jacob) and Al-Asbât [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya‘qûb (Jacob)] were Jews or Christians? Say, "Do you know better or does Allâh (knows better ... that they all were Muslims)? And who is more unjust than he who conceals the testimony [i.e. to believe in Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم when he comes, as is written in their Books. (See Verse 7:157)] he has from Allâh? And Allâh is not unaware of what you do."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَمْ
am
Or
تَقُولُونَ
taqūlūna
(do) you say
إِنَّ
inna
that
إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ
ib'rāhīma
Ibrahim
وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ
wa-is'māʿīla
and Ishmael
وَإِسْحَـٰقَ
wa-is'ḥāqa
and Isaac
وَيَعْقُوبَ
wayaʿqūba
and Yaqub
وَٱلْأَسْبَاطَ
wal-asbāṭa
and the descendants
كَانُوا۟
kānū
were
هُودًا
hūdan
Jews
أَوْ
aw
or
نَصَـٰرَىٰ ۗ
naṣārā
Christians
قُلْ
qul
Say
ءَأَنتُمْ
a-antum
Are you
أَعْلَمُ
aʿlamu
better knowing
أَمِ
ami
or
ٱللَّهُ ۗ
l-lahu
(is) Allah
وَمَنْ
waman
And who
أَظْلَمُ
aẓlamu
(is) more unjust
مِمَّن
mimman
than (the one) who
كَتَمَ
katama
concealed
شَهَـٰدَةً
shahādatan
a testimony
عِندَهُۥ
ʿindahu
(that) he has
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱللَّهِ ۗ
l-lahi
Allah
وَمَا
wamā
And not
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(is) Allah
بِغَـٰفِلٍ
bighāfilin
unaware
عَمَّا
ʿammā
of what
تَعْمَلُونَ
taʿmalūna
you do
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.
(Ayah 140) According to their current beliefs and doctrines, Judaism came into existence long after Musa (Moses) (peace be upon him), and Christianity, with its specific beliefs and doctrines, came into existence long after Isa (Jesus) (peace be upon him). The scholars of the Jews and Christians knew very well that Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Yaqub (Jacob) (peace be upon them), and their descendants lived long before this Judaism and Christianity, and even before Musa and Isa (peace be upon them). However, the scholars of the Jews and Christians had firmly established in the minds of the common people that, according to the Jews, all these prophets were Jews, and according to the Christians, they were Christians.
In this verse, Allah Almighty has exposed the dishonesty of the Jewish and Christian scholars and, by declaring them guilty of concealing testimony, has declared them the greatest wrongdoers. The example of this act of the Jews and Christians in the Muslim Ummah would be like a Muslim scholar convincing the public that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to make decisions according to Hanafi or Shafi'i jurisprudence, even though he knows very well that Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on them) were born long after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and they were not prophets, so their words cannot be considered as proof.
In this verse, Allah Almighty has exposed the dishonesty of the Jewish and Christian scholars and, by declaring them guilty of concealing testimony, has declared them the greatest wrongdoers. The example of this act of the Jews and Christians in the Muslim Ummah would be like a Muslim scholar convincing the public that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to make decisions according to Hanafi or Shafi'i jurisprudence, even though he knows very well that Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on them) were born long after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and they were not prophets, so their words cannot be considered as proof.
