سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 113
۞ لَيْسُوا۟ سَوَآءً ۗ مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أُمَّةٌ قَآئِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ ﴿113﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Not all of them are alike; a party of the people of the Scripture stand for the right, they recite the Verses of Allâh during the hours of the night, prostrating themselves in prayer.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ لَيْسُوا۟
laysū
They are not
سَوَآءًۭ ۗ
sawāan
(the) same
مِّنْ
min
among
أَهْلِ
ahli
(the) People
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
l-kitābi
(of) the Book
أُمَّةٌۭ
ummatun
(is) a community
قَآئِمَةٌۭ
qāimatun
standing
يَتْلُونَ
yatlūna
(and) reciting
ءَايَـٰتِ
āyāti
(the) Verses
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
ءَانَآءَ
ānāa
(in the) hours
ٱلَّيْلِ
al-layli
(of) the night
وَهُمْ
wahum
and they
يَسْجُدُونَ
yasjudūna
prostrate
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 113) ➊ {لَيْسُوْا سَوَآءً … :} That is, although the majority of the People of the Book are defiantly disobedient, not all of them are alike; among them are some people who do believe. Tabari and Ibn Abi Hatim have narrated with sound chains from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that when Abdullah bin Salam, Tha'labah bin Sa'id, Usayd bin Sa'id, Asad bin Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with them) and their other companions became Muslim and became steadfast in Islam with eagerness, the Jewish scholars and their disbelieving people began to say that only our bad people have followed Muhammad (peace be upon him); if they were our good people, they would not have left the religion of their forefathers and turned to another. Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed these verses (113, 114). These are the words of Tabari. The mention of these good people from the People of the Book is also found in Surah Al-Imran (199), Bani Isra'il (107 to 109), and Surah Al-Baqarah (121).
➋ { اُمَّةٌ قَآىِٕمَةٌ … : } That is, they stand in prayer at night and recite the Qur'an in the Tahajjud prayer. One meaning of {”قَآىِٕمَةٌ“} is {’’ مُسْتَقِيْمَةٌ ‘‘}, that is, they are obedient to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and are steadfast upon his Shari'ah.
➋ { اُمَّةٌ قَآىِٕمَةٌ … : } That is, they stand in prayer at night and recite the Qur'an in the Tahajjud prayer. One meaning of {”قَآىِٕمَةٌ“} is {’’ مُسْتَقِيْمَةٌ ‘‘}, that is, they are obedient to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and are steadfast upon his Shari'ah.
