سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 82
۞ لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ ٱلنَّاسِ عَدَٰوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلْيَهُودَ وَٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۖ وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُم مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا نَصَـٰرَىٰ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ﴿82﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers (Muslims) the Jews and those who are Al-Mushrikûn and you will find the nearest in love to the believers (Muslims) those who say: "We are Christians." That is because amongst them are priests and monks, and they are not proud.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ لَتَجِدَنَّ
latajidanna
Surely you will find
أَشَدَّ
ashadda
strongest
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) the people
عَدَٰوَةًۭ
ʿadāwatan
(in) enmity
لِّلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
ٱلْيَهُودَ
l-yahūda
the Jews
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
and those who
أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۖ
ashrakū
(are) polytheists
وَلَتَجِدَنَّ
walatajidanna
and surely you will find
أَقْرَبَهُم
aqrabahum
nearest of them
مَّوَدَّةًۭ
mawaddatan
(in) affection
لِّلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
قَالُوٓا۟
qālū
say
إِنَّا
innā
We
نَصَـٰرَىٰ ۚ
naṣārā
(are) Christians
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That (is)
بِأَنَّ
bi-anna
because
مِنْهُمْ
min'hum
among them
قِسِّيسِينَ
qissīsīna
(are) priests
وَرُهْبَانًۭا
waruh'bānan
and monks
وَأَنَّهُمْ
wa-annahum
and that they
لَا
lā
(are) not
يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
yastakbirūna
arrogant
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 82) ➊ {لَتَجِدَنَّ اَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً …… :} This is because among the Jews there is much stubbornness and denial, enmity towards the truth, arrogance, and a tendency to belittle the people of knowledge and faith. That is why denying the prophets, and even killing them, has been their hallmark. They even plotted several times to kill the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), performed magic on him, and made every reprehensible effort to harm him. The polytheists are the same in this matter. This is truly a reality that can be observed even in this era; even today, the enmity that Jews and polytheists (cow and idol-worshipping Hindus, atheists, and communists) have towards Muslims is, in any case, not found among the Christians. However, those Christians who are dominated by Judaism are indeed severe enemies of Muslims.
➋ {ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيْسِيْنَ …… :} The difference mentioned in the enmity of Jews and Christians towards Muslims is due to this reason. Just as the scholar among the Jews is called a "Habr," whose plural is "Ahbar," similarly, the leader and scholar among the Christians are called "Qissis." That is, those who said, "We are Christians," who truly claim to follow the Shariah of Jesus (peace be upon him), are relatively closer to the Muslims, because among them are found knowledge and asceticism, that is, disinterest in the world, and in the Christian religion, the teaching of gentleness and forgiveness holds fundamental importance. Then among them are scholars, worshippers, and ascetic people who adopt humility; they are not afflicted with arrogance and pride like the Jews. Among the Christians, the innovation of monasticism (withdrawal from the world) was prevalent. Allah Almighty has said: «وَ رَهْبَانِيَّةَ ا۟بْتَدَعُوْهَا مَا كَتَبْنٰهَا عَلَيْهِمْ » [الحديد: ۲۷ ] "And monasticism—they invented it themselves; We did not prescribe it for them." Monasticism, no doubt, was commendable compared to the worldliness and hard-heartedness of the Jews, but this does not prove that monasticism is commendable and good in every respect. For these reasons, Christians were considered closer to Muslims than Jews and polytheists. Otherwise, as far as enmity towards Islam and Muslims is concerned, malice and stubbornness are also present among the Christians, as is evident from the centuries-long wars of the Cross and the Crescent, and which continue to this day. Now, both Jews and Christians have united with the polytheists against Islam; that is why the Quran has forbidden Muslims from befriending Jews and Christians as well as polytheists.
➋ {ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيْسِيْنَ …… :} The difference mentioned in the enmity of Jews and Christians towards Muslims is due to this reason. Just as the scholar among the Jews is called a "Habr," whose plural is "Ahbar," similarly, the leader and scholar among the Christians are called "Qissis." That is, those who said, "We are Christians," who truly claim to follow the Shariah of Jesus (peace be upon him), are relatively closer to the Muslims, because among them are found knowledge and asceticism, that is, disinterest in the world, and in the Christian religion, the teaching of gentleness and forgiveness holds fundamental importance. Then among them are scholars, worshippers, and ascetic people who adopt humility; they are not afflicted with arrogance and pride like the Jews. Among the Christians, the innovation of monasticism (withdrawal from the world) was prevalent. Allah Almighty has said: «وَ رَهْبَانِيَّةَ ا۟بْتَدَعُوْهَا مَا كَتَبْنٰهَا عَلَيْهِمْ » [الحديد: ۲۷ ] "And monasticism—they invented it themselves; We did not prescribe it for them." Monasticism, no doubt, was commendable compared to the worldliness and hard-heartedness of the Jews, but this does not prove that monasticism is commendable and good in every respect. For these reasons, Christians were considered closer to Muslims than Jews and polytheists. Otherwise, as far as enmity towards Islam and Muslims is concerned, malice and stubbornness are also present among the Christians, as is evident from the centuries-long wars of the Cross and the Crescent, and which continue to this day. Now, both Jews and Christians have united with the polytheists against Islam; that is why the Quran has forbidden Muslims from befriending Jews and Christians as well as polytheists.
