سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 47
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَا نَزَّلْنَا مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّطْمِسَ وُجُوهًا فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِهَآ أَوْ نَلْعَنَهُمْ كَمَا لَعَنَّآ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلسَّبْتِ ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا ﴿47﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who have been given the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Believe in what We have revealed (to Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) confirming what is (already) with you, before We efface faces (by making them like the back of necks; without nose, mouth) and turn them hindwards, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers. And the Commandment of Allâh is always executed.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
أُوتُوا۟
ūtū
(have) been given
ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ
l-kitāba
the Book
ءَامِنُوا۟
āminū
believe
بِمَا
bimā
in what
نَزَّلْنَا
nazzalnā
We (have) revealed
مُصَدِّقًۭا
muṣaddiqan
confirming
لِّمَا
limā
what is
مَعَكُم
maʿakum
with you
مِّن
min
from
قَبْلِ
qabli
before
أَن
an
[that]
نَّطْمِسَ
naṭmisa
We efface
وُجُوهًۭا
wujūhan
faces
فَنَرُدَّهَا
fanaruddahā
and turn them
عَلَىٰٓ
ʿalā
on
أَدْبَارِهَآ
adbārihā
their backs
أَوْ
aw
or
نَلْعَنَهُمْ
nalʿanahum
We curse them
كَمَا
kamā
as
لَعَنَّآ
laʿannā
We cursed
أَصْحَـٰبَ
aṣḥāba
companions
ٱلسَّبْتِ ۚ
l-sabti
(of) the Sabbath
وَكَانَ
wakāna
And is
أَمْرُ
amru
(the) command
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
مَفْعُولًا
mafʿūlan
(always) executed
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.
47. O People of the Book! Believe in what We have sent down (the Qur'an), confirming that which is with you, before We alter faces and turn them backwards, or curse you as We cursed the people of the Sabbath [79]. And Allah's command is always fulfilled.
[79] That is, your crimes have become so severe that you deserve the same punishment that was given to the People of the Sabbath. Either your faces will be disfigured in such a way that your faces will be turned towards your backs, or you will be turned into apes as they were. Therefore, it is better for them to believe before such a humiliation is imposed upon them. Literally, the apparent meaning of
﴿فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلٰٓي اَدْبَارِهَآ﴾
is as mentioned above. However, these words are also used figuratively, in which case it would mean that the prosperity and progress We had granted you would be reversed, and you would be thrown into the depths of humiliation, and you would be returned to the days of slavery and captivity that you had previously witnessed, and you would be expelled from Arabia and once again sent back to the state of helplessness and disgrace in the land of Syria. Thus, this was a prophecy that was fulfilled word for word in the time of the Prophet ﷺ and then in the era of Umar Farooq ؓ. When these people were exiled from Madinah, they had to leave carrying even their stoves and grinding stones on their heads. In this verse, two types of alternative punishments are mentioned: either We will return you to your former state of misery, slavery, and disgrace, or We will send upon you a punishment like that which befell the People of the Sabbath in the time of Dawud ؑ, and they were turned into apes. Thus, of these two, the first form of punishment befell these rebellious Jews of Madinah.
[79] That is, your crimes have become so severe that you deserve the same punishment that was given to the People of the Sabbath. Either your faces will be disfigured in such a way that your faces will be turned towards your backs, or you will be turned into apes as they were. Therefore, it is better for them to believe before such a humiliation is imposed upon them. Literally, the apparent meaning of
﴿فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلٰٓي اَدْبَارِهَآ﴾
is as mentioned above. However, these words are also used figuratively, in which case it would mean that the prosperity and progress We had granted you would be reversed, and you would be thrown into the depths of humiliation, and you would be returned to the days of slavery and captivity that you had previously witnessed, and you would be expelled from Arabia and once again sent back to the state of helplessness and disgrace in the land of Syria. Thus, this was a prophecy that was fulfilled word for word in the time of the Prophet ﷺ and then in the era of Umar Farooq ؓ. When these people were exiled from Madinah, they had to leave carrying even their stoves and grinding stones on their heads. In this verse, two types of alternative punishments are mentioned: either We will return you to your former state of misery, slavery, and disgrace, or We will send upon you a punishment like that which befell the People of the Sabbath in the time of Dawud ؑ, and they were turned into apes. Thus, of these two, the first form of punishment befell these rebellious Jews of Madinah.
