سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 78
وَإِنَّ مِنْهُمْ لَفَرِيقًا يَلْوُۥنَ أَلْسِنَتَهُم بِٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لِتَحْسَبُوهُ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿78﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And verily, among them is a party who distort the Book with their tongues (as they read), so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book, and they say: "This is from Allâh," but it is not from Allâh; and they speak a lie against Allâh while they know it.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِنَّ
wa-inna
And indeed
مِنْهُمْ
min'hum
among them
لَفَرِيقًۭا
lafarīqan
surely (is) a group
يَلْوُۥنَ
yalwūna
they distort
أَلْسِنَتَهُم
alsinatahum
their tongues
بِٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
bil-kitābi
in (reciting) the Book
لِتَحْسَبُوهُ
litaḥsabūhu
so that you may think it
مِنَ
mina
(is) from
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
l-kitābi
the Book
وَمَا
wamā
and not
هُوَ
huwa
it
مِنَ
mina
(is) from
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ
l-kitābi
the Book
وَيَقُولُونَ
wayaqūlūna
And they say
هُوَ
huwa
It
مِنْ
min
(is)
عِندِ
ʿindi
from
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
وَمَا
wamā
But not
هُوَ
huwa
it
مِنْ
min
(is)
عِندِ
ʿindi
from
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
وَيَقُولُونَ
wayaqūlūna
And they say
عَلَى
ʿalā
about
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
ٱلْكَذِبَ
l-kadhiba
the lie
وَهُمْ
wahum
while they
يَعْلَمُونَ
yaʿlamūna
know
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.
78. And indeed, among the People of the Book are some who distort their tongues while reciting the Book, so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book. And they say, "This is from Allah," but it is not from Allah. They knowingly [68] attribute lies to Allah.
[68]
Scholars Deceiving the Public Through Tone and the Tricks of Preachers:
In this verse, another trick of the Jews is mentioned. It is generally the habit of preachers and sermonizers that they recite the verses of the Book of Allah with melodious voice and tune, and explain their meanings and commentary in the tone of ordinary conversation. Now, if they deliver the words of meaning and commentary in the same tone as they do for the Book of Allah, the listeners think that the meanings of these words are also part of the Book of Allah. This is one of the worst forms of deceiving people and attributing one's own ideas to Allah, and in this way, they attribute all sorts of true and false things to Allah and derive various benefits from it. The bad habit of the Jews that Allah Almighty has mentioned in this verse is not limited to them; other People of the Book, even Muslims, are not safe from it. Among Muslims, there is also a sect that denies the humanity of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When they recite this verse
﴿ قُلْ اِنَّمَآ اَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ ﴾
they make a slight alteration in the word ﴿انما﴾, splitting this one word into two words (an ma) and then translate it as: "O Prophet! Say: Indeed, I am not a human like you." In this way, the verse that declared their belief to be false is made to conform to their belief. Thus, they are not only guilty of verbal distortion, but also cause their followers to remain firm on this supposed belief and further widen the gulf of mutual division, and all this results from twisting the tone and manner of speech.
[68]
Scholars Deceiving the Public Through Tone and the Tricks of Preachers:
In this verse, another trick of the Jews is mentioned. It is generally the habit of preachers and sermonizers that they recite the verses of the Book of Allah with melodious voice and tune, and explain their meanings and commentary in the tone of ordinary conversation. Now, if they deliver the words of meaning and commentary in the same tone as they do for the Book of Allah, the listeners think that the meanings of these words are also part of the Book of Allah. This is one of the worst forms of deceiving people and attributing one's own ideas to Allah, and in this way, they attribute all sorts of true and false things to Allah and derive various benefits from it. The bad habit of the Jews that Allah Almighty has mentioned in this verse is not limited to them; other People of the Book, even Muslims, are not safe from it. Among Muslims, there is also a sect that denies the humanity of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When they recite this verse
﴿ قُلْ اِنَّمَآ اَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ ﴾
they make a slight alteration in the word ﴿انما﴾, splitting this one word into two words (an ma) and then translate it as: "O Prophet! Say: Indeed, I am not a human like you." In this way, the verse that declared their belief to be false is made to conform to their belief. Thus, they are not only guilty of verbal distortion, but also cause their followers to remain firm on this supposed belief and further widen the gulf of mutual division, and all this results from twisting the tone and manner of speech.
