سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 66
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُوا۟ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِم مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ لَأَكَلُوا۟ مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِم ۚ مِّنْهُمْ أُمَّةٌ مُّقْتَصِدَةٌ ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ سَآءَ مَا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿66﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if only they had acted according to the Taurât (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), and what has (now) been sent down to them from their Lord (the Qur’ân), they would surely have gotten provision from above them and from underneath their feet. There are from among them people who are on the right course (i.e. they act on the revelation and believe in Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم as ‘Abdullâh bin Salâm رضي الله عنه), but many of them do evil deeds.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
أَنَّهُمْ
annahum
that they
أَقَامُوا۟
aqāmū
had stood firmly
ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ
l-tawrāta
(by) the Taurat
وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ
wal-injīla
and the Injeel
وَمَآ
wamā
and what
أُنزِلَ
unzila
was revealed
إِلَيْهِم
ilayhim
to them
مِّن
min
from
رَّبِّهِمْ
rabbihim
their Lord
لَأَكَلُوا۟
la-akalū
surely they (would have) eaten
مِن
min
from
فَوْقِهِمْ
fawqihim
above them
وَمِن
wamin
and from
تَحْتِ
taḥti
beneath
أَرْجُلِهِم ۚ
arjulihim
their feet
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
Among them
أُمَّةٌۭ
ummatun
(is) a community
مُّقْتَصِدَةٌۭ ۖ
muq'taṣidatun
moderate
وَكَثِيرٌۭ
wakathīrun
but many
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
of them
سَآءَ
sāa
evil
مَا
mā
(is) what
يَعْمَلُونَ
yaʿmalūna
they 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 66)➊ {وَ لَوْ اَنَّهُمْ اَقَامُوا التَّوْرٰىةَ وَ الْاِنْجِيْلَ:} The meaning of adhering to the Torah and the Gospel is, along with following other commands and limits, also to have faith in Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), because this command is present in both books. By {’’وَ مَاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْهِمْ ‘‘} is meant the Qur’an revealed to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his Sunnah. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever among the People of the Book believes in his own prophet and then also believes in Muhammad (peace be upon him), for him there is double reward.” [ بخاری، العلم، باب تعلیم الرجل أمتہ و أھلہ : ۹۷ ]
➋ {لَاَكَلُوْا مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ وَ مِنْ تَحْتِ اَرْجُلِهِمْ:} That is, the sky would send down blessed rains, the earth would produce abundant crops and other treasures, and they would not face any kind of difficulty in earning their livelihood. As mentioned in Surah Al-A’raf, not only for the People of the Book but for every nation and community, the same glad tidings are given in the case of faith and piety, as He said: «وَ لَوْ اَنَّ اَهْلَ الْقُرٰۤى اٰمَنُوْا وَ اتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكٰتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَ الْاَرْضِ » [ الأعراف : ۹۶ ] “And if only the people of the towns had believed and feared Allah, We would certainly have opened up to them blessings from the sky and the earth.” Now, if Muslims also wish to attain this blessing, the way is faith and piety, not begging from the disbelievers or adopting their disbelieving ways.
➌ {مِنْهُمْ اُمَّةٌ مُّقْتَصِدَةٌ:} That is, those who walk the middle path, avoiding excess and deficiency. By them are meant those People of the Book who became Muslims, such as Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) and his companions.
➍ {وَ كَثِيْرٌ مِّنْهُمْ سَآءَ مَا يَعْمَلُوْنَ:} By this are meant the remaining Jews who did not believe.
➋ {لَاَكَلُوْا مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ وَ مِنْ تَحْتِ اَرْجُلِهِمْ:} That is, the sky would send down blessed rains, the earth would produce abundant crops and other treasures, and they would not face any kind of difficulty in earning their livelihood. As mentioned in Surah Al-A’raf, not only for the People of the Book but for every nation and community, the same glad tidings are given in the case of faith and piety, as He said: «وَ لَوْ اَنَّ اَهْلَ الْقُرٰۤى اٰمَنُوْا وَ اتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكٰتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَ الْاَرْضِ » [ الأعراف : ۹۶ ] “And if only the people of the towns had believed and feared Allah, We would certainly have opened up to them blessings from the sky and the earth.” Now, if Muslims also wish to attain this blessing, the way is faith and piety, not begging from the disbelievers or adopting their disbelieving ways.
➌ {مِنْهُمْ اُمَّةٌ مُّقْتَصِدَةٌ:} That is, those who walk the middle path, avoiding excess and deficiency. By them are meant those People of the Book who became Muslims, such as Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) and his companions.
➍ {وَ كَثِيْرٌ مِّنْهُمْ سَآءَ مَا يَعْمَلُوْنَ:} By this are meant the remaining Jews who did not believe.
