سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 79
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَـٰذَا مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۖ فَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ ﴿79﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, "This is from Allâh," to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَوَيْلٌۭ
fawaylun
So woe
لِّلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
يَكْتُبُونَ
yaktubūna
write
ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ
l-kitāba
the book
بِأَيْدِيهِمْ
bi-aydīhim
with their (own) hands
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
يَقُولُونَ
yaqūlūna
they say
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
This
مِنْ
min
(is)
عِندِ
ʿindi
from
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
لِيَشْتَرُوا۟
liyashtarū
to barter
بِهِۦ
bihi
with it
ثَمَنًۭا
thamanan
(for) a price
قَلِيلًۭا ۖ
qalīlan
little
فَوَيْلٌۭ
fawaylun
So woe
لَّهُم
lahum
to them
مِّمَّا
mimmā
for what
كَتَبَتْ
katabat
have written
أَيْدِيهِمْ
aydīhim
their hands
وَوَيْلٌۭ
wawaylun
and woe
لَّهُم
lahum
to them
مِّمَّا
mimmā
for what
يَكْسِبُونَ
yaksibūna
they earn
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 79) ➊ This is the condition of the educated class: they are themselves misguided and keep issuing wrong religious verdicts to misguide others. Merely to earn worldly gains, they fabricate statements according to the desires of the public and, with great audacity and boldness, attribute them to Allah and His Messenger. When asked about a religious issue, instead of quoting the command of Allah and His Messenger, they present their own or some elder’s statement, making people believe that this is exactly the Shariah. Sadly, most Muslims have also adopted this approach: they have declared the statements of followers as Shariah and labeled those who follow the Quran and Hadith as irreligious.
➋ The meaning of {” وَيْلٌ“} is destruction and ruin; the tanween is for emphasis, which is why it is translated as “great destruction.” In the Marfu’ narration of Sunan Tirmidhi in which it is stated: “Wail is the name of a valley in Hell; a disbeliever will keep falling in its depth for seventy years but will not reach its bottom”—this narration is not correct. Allamah Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared it weak in Da’if Tirmidhi (3164).
➌ Those people should especially reflect on this verse who, while interpreting the Quran, leave aside Sahih hadith and take interest in the Torah, Gospel, and Talmud, in which Allah has testified to distortion, and which contain accusations against the Prophets, baseless stories, and mutual contradictions in the verses—clear evidence of verbal distortion. The interpreter of the Quran, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), said: “Why do you ask the People of the Book about any report, when your Book, which was revealed to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), is the newest of all? You read it pure and free from all adulteration, even though Allah has informed you that the People of the Book altered their Book and wrote with their own hands and said, ‘This is from Allah,’ so that they could gain a small amount of worldly wealth through it. Does not the knowledge that has come to you prevent you from asking them? By Allah! We have not seen any of them asking you about what has been revealed to you.” [ بخاری، الاعتصام بالکتاب والسنۃ، باب قول النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم لا تسألوا… : ۷۳۶۳ ]
➍ Some people have declared the sale of the Noble Quran as impermissible, but this is not the meaning of this verse. It refers to those who, for worldly benefit, write false statements from themselves and make people believe it is the word of Allah. See Surah Al-Baqarah (41).
➋ The meaning of {” وَيْلٌ“} is destruction and ruin; the tanween is for emphasis, which is why it is translated as “great destruction.” In the Marfu’ narration of Sunan Tirmidhi in which it is stated: “Wail is the name of a valley in Hell; a disbeliever will keep falling in its depth for seventy years but will not reach its bottom”—this narration is not correct. Allamah Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) has declared it weak in Da’if Tirmidhi (3164).
➌ Those people should especially reflect on this verse who, while interpreting the Quran, leave aside Sahih hadith and take interest in the Torah, Gospel, and Talmud, in which Allah has testified to distortion, and which contain accusations against the Prophets, baseless stories, and mutual contradictions in the verses—clear evidence of verbal distortion. The interpreter of the Quran, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), said: “Why do you ask the People of the Book about any report, when your Book, which was revealed to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), is the newest of all? You read it pure and free from all adulteration, even though Allah has informed you that the People of the Book altered their Book and wrote with their own hands and said, ‘This is from Allah,’ so that they could gain a small amount of worldly wealth through it. Does not the knowledge that has come to you prevent you from asking them? By Allah! We have not seen any of them asking you about what has been revealed to you.” [ بخاری، الاعتصام بالکتاب والسنۃ، باب قول النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم لا تسألوا… : ۷۳۶۳ ]
➍ Some people have declared the sale of the Noble Quran as impermissible, but this is not the meaning of this verse. It refers to those who, for worldly benefit, write false statements from themselves and make people believe it is the word of Allah. See Surah Al-Baqarah (41).
