سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 183
ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَهِدَ إِلَيْنَآ أَلَّا نُؤْمِنَ لِرَسُولٍ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَنَا بِقُرْبَانٍ تَأْكُلُهُ ٱلنَّارُ ۗ قُلْ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِى بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَبِٱلَّذِى قُلْتُمْ فَلِمَ قَتَلْتُمُوهُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ ﴿183﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those (Jews) who said: "Verily, Allâh has taken our promise not to believe in any Messenger unless he brings to us an offering which the fire (from heaven) shall devour." Say: "Verily, there came to you Messengers before me, with clear signs and even with what you speak of; why then did you kill them, if you are truthful?"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
Those who
قَالُوٓا۟
qālū
said
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
عَهِدَ
ʿahida
(has) taken promise
إِلَيْنَآ
ilaynā
from us
أَلَّا
allā
that not
نُؤْمِنَ
nu'mina
we (should) believe
لِرَسُولٍ
lirasūlin
in a Messenger
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
يَأْتِيَنَا
yatiyanā
he brings to us
بِقُرْبَانٍۢ
biqur'bānin
a sacrifice
تَأْكُلُهُ
takuluhu
consumes it
ٱلنَّارُ ۗ
l-nāru
the fire
قُلْ
qul
Say
قَدْ
qad
Surely
جَآءَكُمْ
jāakum
came to you
رُسُلٌۭ
rusulun
Messengers
مِّن
min
from
قَبْلِى
qablī
before me
بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ
bil-bayināti
with the clear Signs
وَبِٱلَّذِى
wabi-alladhī
and with what
قُلْتُمْ
qul'tum
you speak
فَلِمَ
falima
So why
قَتَلْتُمُوهُمْ
qataltumūhum
you killed them
إِن
in
if
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you are
صَـٰدِقِينَ
ṣādiqīna
truthful
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.
(These are the Jews) who said: "Allah has taken a covenant [181] from us that we will not believe in any messenger until he brings us an offering which fire from heaven will consume." Say to them: "Messengers before me have come to you with clear signs and even with what you are now demanding. So why did you kill them, if you are truthful?"
[181]
The Excuse of the Jews Regarding the Fiery Sacrifice:
The statement of the Jews is an outright lie and a slander against Allah. Nowhere in the Torah or the present-day Bible is it mentioned that a prophet who cannot present the miracle of a fiery sacrifice will not be a prophet. However, to some extent, it is correct that certain prophets were given this miracle. First of all, the acceptance of the sacrifices of Qabil and Habil was determined by this very criterion. Later, this miracle was granted to Prophet Ilyas, Prophet Sulaiman, and Prophet Yahya (peace be upon them). Most prophets, however, were not given this miracle. Now, the question being posed to the Jews is: if, according to you, this is the criterion for the truthfulness of a prophet, then why did you kill those prophets who were given this miracle? These Jews killed Prophet Yahya ؑ, and the Baal-worshipping queen of the king of Israel became the enemy of Prophet Ilyas ؑ, and the uxorious king, to please his queen, sought to kill him. Eventually, he had to leave and take refuge in the Sinai Peninsula [سلاطين باب 18: 19]. But from this verse, it is understood that besides the aforementioned prophets, there were several other prophets who were granted this miracle, and the Jews killed them as well. It is also evident that the Jews fabricated this blatant slander so that it could serve as an excuse for not believing in the Last Prophet, and it also shows to what extent the Jews were faithful to the covenant they made with Allah.
[181]
The Excuse of the Jews Regarding the Fiery Sacrifice:
The statement of the Jews is an outright lie and a slander against Allah. Nowhere in the Torah or the present-day Bible is it mentioned that a prophet who cannot present the miracle of a fiery sacrifice will not be a prophet. However, to some extent, it is correct that certain prophets were given this miracle. First of all, the acceptance of the sacrifices of Qabil and Habil was determined by this very criterion. Later, this miracle was granted to Prophet Ilyas, Prophet Sulaiman, and Prophet Yahya (peace be upon them). Most prophets, however, were not given this miracle. Now, the question being posed to the Jews is: if, according to you, this is the criterion for the truthfulness of a prophet, then why did you kill those prophets who were given this miracle? These Jews killed Prophet Yahya ؑ, and the Baal-worshipping queen of the king of Israel became the enemy of Prophet Ilyas ؑ, and the uxorious king, to please his queen, sought to kill him. Eventually, he had to leave and take refuge in the Sinai Peninsula [سلاطين باب 18: 19]. But from this verse, it is understood that besides the aforementioned prophets, there were several other prophets who were granted this miracle, and the Jews killed them as well. It is also evident that the Jews fabricated this blatant slander so that it could serve as an excuse for not believing in the Last Prophet, and it also shows to what extent the Jews were faithful to the covenant they made with Allah.
