سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 64
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ تَعَالَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَوَآءٍۭ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُولُوا۟ ٱشْهَدُوا۟ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ ﴿64﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allâh (Alone), and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allâh. Then, if they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلْ
qul
Say
يَـٰٓأَهْلَ
yāahla
O People
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
l-kitābi
(of) the Book
تَعَالَوْا۟
taʿālaw
Come
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
كَلِمَةٍۢ
kalimatin
a word
سَوَآءٍۭ
sawāin
equitable
بَيْنَنَا
baynanā
between us
وَبَيْنَكُمْ
wabaynakum
and between you
أَلَّا
allā
that not
نَعْبُدَ
naʿbuda
we worship
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
وَلَا
walā
and not
نُشْرِكَ
nush'rika
we associate partners
بِهِۦ
bihi
with Him
شَيْـًۭٔا
shayan
anything
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَتَّخِذَ
yattakhidha
take
بَعْضُنَا
baʿḍunā
some of us
بَعْضًا
baʿḍan
(to) others
أَرْبَابًۭا
arbāban
(as) lords
مِّن
min
from
دُونِ
dūni
besides
ٱللَّهِ ۚ
l-lahi
Allah
فَإِن
fa-in
Then if
تَوَلَّوْا۟
tawallaw
they turn away
فَقُولُوا۟
faqūlū
then say
ٱشْهَدُوا۟
ish'hadū
Bear witness
بِأَنَّا
bi-annā
that we
مُسْلِمُونَ
mus'limūna
(are) Muslims
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.
64. Say: "O People of the Book! Come to a word that is equitable between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate nothing with Him, and that none of us takes others as lords [57] besides Allah." But if they turn away, then say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who submit to Allah)."
[57] After the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent letters inviting various kings of the non-Arab world to Islam. The letter sent to Heraclius, the Emperor of Rome, included this very verse after the invitation to Islam. At that time, Abu Sufyan, along with some of his companions, was in Syria. Heraclius summoned him and his companions to his court and asked many questions about the Prophet of Islam. Eventually, he became convinced of the truthfulness of the Prophet. Then he called the leaders of his state into a closed room and said, "If you become Muslims, you will attain guidance, and your kingdom will remain with you." But they were agitated by this invitation and tried to rush out. Heraclius called them back and said, "I was only testing you to see how firm you are in your religion." So they prostrated to Heraclius and were pleased with him. (Summary of a lengthy hadith) [بخاری، کتاب التفسیر، زیر آیت : __QUR_0__ ]
The Dialogue Between Heraclius and Abu Sufyan:
Among the questions mentioned in the above hadith, one of the questions Heraclius asked was, "Has there ever been a war between you and this Prophet?" Abu Sufyan replied, "Yes, there has." Then Heraclius asked, "What was the outcome of that war?" Abu Sufyan answered, "al-harb sujal," meaning, "War is like buckets (in a well); sometimes one side wins, sometimes the other." And this is the very phrase Abu Sufyan uttered at the end of the Battle of Uhud. From this, it is understood that these verses were revealed after the Battle of Uhud. Furthermore, this hadith makes it clear that Heraclius had reached the correct conclusion, but he could not prevail before his courtiers, nor did he have enough courage in faith to abandon his kingdom and become Muslim. And this very conclusion that Heraclius reached is the "kalimatun sawaa" (common word) which Allah has mentioned here, and it is found in every revealed book. Later, people introduced various alterations into this "kalimatun sawaa" or the word of monotheism, just as the Christians later invented the divinity of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity, etc.
[57] After the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent letters inviting various kings of the non-Arab world to Islam. The letter sent to Heraclius, the Emperor of Rome, included this very verse after the invitation to Islam. At that time, Abu Sufyan, along with some of his companions, was in Syria. Heraclius summoned him and his companions to his court and asked many questions about the Prophet of Islam. Eventually, he became convinced of the truthfulness of the Prophet. Then he called the leaders of his state into a closed room and said, "If you become Muslims, you will attain guidance, and your kingdom will remain with you." But they were agitated by this invitation and tried to rush out. Heraclius called them back and said, "I was only testing you to see how firm you are in your religion." So they prostrated to Heraclius and were pleased with him. (Summary of a lengthy hadith) [بخاری، کتاب التفسیر، زیر آیت : __QUR_0__ ]
The Dialogue Between Heraclius and Abu Sufyan:
Among the questions mentioned in the above hadith, one of the questions Heraclius asked was, "Has there ever been a war between you and this Prophet?" Abu Sufyan replied, "Yes, there has." Then Heraclius asked, "What was the outcome of that war?" Abu Sufyan answered, "al-harb sujal," meaning, "War is like buckets (in a well); sometimes one side wins, sometimes the other." And this is the very phrase Abu Sufyan uttered at the end of the Battle of Uhud. From this, it is understood that these verses were revealed after the Battle of Uhud. Furthermore, this hadith makes it clear that Heraclius had reached the correct conclusion, but he could not prevail before his courtiers, nor did he have enough courage in faith to abandon his kingdom and become Muslim. And this very conclusion that Heraclius reached is the "kalimatun sawaa" (common word) which Allah has mentioned here, and it is found in every revealed book. Later, people introduced various alterations into this "kalimatun sawaa" or the word of monotheism, just as the Christians later invented the divinity of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity, etc.
