سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 88
وَقَالُوا۟ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌۢ ۚ بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلِيلًا مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿88﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And they say, "Our hearts are wrapped (i.e. do not hear or understand Allâh’s Word)." Nay, Allâh has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is that which they believe.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقَالُوا۟
waqālū
And they said
قُلُوبُنَا
qulūbunā
Our hearts
غُلْفٌۢ ۚ
ghul'fun
(are) wrapped
بَل
bal
Nay
لَّعَنَهُمُ
laʿanahumu
has cursed them
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
بِكُفْرِهِمْ
bikuf'rihim
for their disbelief
فَقَلِيلًۭا
faqalīlan
so little
مَّا
mā
(is) what
يُؤْمِنُونَ
yu'minūna
they believe
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
88. And the Jews say, "Our hearts are wrapped [103] (so no new belief can enter them)." (But this is not so); rather, Allah has cursed them because of their disbelief. So only a few [104] of them believe.
[103]
The Jews' Statement That "Our Hearts Are Wrapped":
It is human nature to try to present even one's bad qualities in a beautiful way, and it is very difficult for a person to admit the truth. Except for those whom Allah wills, this was the condition of the Jews. Even though they recognized Islam as the true religion, they did not accept it because doing so would put their religious superiority and authority at risk, or rather, it would be lost altogether. However, outwardly, they presented it as if their beliefs were so strong that they could not accept any new belief. Allah Almighty exposed the deceit and fraud in their claim, saying: It is not as they say, but rather, due to their disbelief and stubbornness, they have become accursed, and it is the effect of this curse that their hearts do not accept the truth. [104] This refers to people like Abdullah bin Salam (RA) and his group of followers. Some scholars translate ﴿فَقَلِيْلًا مَّا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ﴾ as meaning that they believe in only a few things from Allah's Book, the Torah, and deny most of its commandments.
[103]
The Jews' Statement That "Our Hearts Are Wrapped":
It is human nature to try to present even one's bad qualities in a beautiful way, and it is very difficult for a person to admit the truth. Except for those whom Allah wills, this was the condition of the Jews. Even though they recognized Islam as the true religion, they did not accept it because doing so would put their religious superiority and authority at risk, or rather, it would be lost altogether. However, outwardly, they presented it as if their beliefs were so strong that they could not accept any new belief. Allah Almighty exposed the deceit and fraud in their claim, saying: It is not as they say, but rather, due to their disbelief and stubbornness, they have become accursed, and it is the effect of this curse that their hearts do not accept the truth. [104] This refers to people like Abdullah bin Salam (RA) and his group of followers. Some scholars translate ﴿فَقَلِيْلًا مَّا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ﴾ as meaning that they believe in only a few things from Allah's Book, the Torah, and deny most of its commandments.
