سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 13
فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـٰقَهُمْ لَعَنَّـٰهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَـٰسِيَةً ۖ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ ۙ وَنَسُوا۟ حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ۚ وَلَا تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىٰ خَآئِنَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ ۖ فَٱعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَٱصْفَحْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿13﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
So, because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their (right) places and have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. And you will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them. But forgive them and overlook (their misdeeds). Verily, Allâh loves Al-Muhsinûn (good-doers - See V.2:112).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَبِمَا
fabimā
So for
نَقْضِهِم
naqḍihim
their breaking
مِّيثَـٰقَهُمْ
mīthāqahum
(of) their covenant
لَعَنَّـٰهُمْ
laʿannāhum
We cursed them
وَجَعَلْنَا
wajaʿalnā
and We made
قُلُوبَهُمْ
qulūbahum
their hearts
قَـٰسِيَةًۭ ۖ
qāsiyatan
hard
يُحَرِّفُونَ
yuḥarrifūna
They distort
ٱلْكَلِمَ
l-kalima
the words
عَن
ʿan
from
مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ ۙ
mawāḍiʿihi
their places
وَنَسُوا۟
wanasū
and forgot
حَظًّۭا
ḥaẓẓan
a part
مِّمَّا
mimmā
of what
ذُكِّرُوا۟
dhukkirū
they were reminded
بِهِۦ ۚ
bihi
of [it]
وَلَا
walā
And not
تَزَالُ
tazālu
will you cease
تَطَّلِعُ
taṭṭaliʿu
to discover
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
of
خَآئِنَةٍۢ
khāinatin
treachery
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
from them
إِلَّا
illā
except
قَلِيلًۭا
qalīlan
a few
مِّنْهُمْ ۖ
min'hum
of them
فَٱعْفُ
fa-uʿ'fu
But forgive
عَنْهُمْ
ʿanhum
them
وَٱصْفَحْ ۚ
wa-iṣ'faḥ
and overlook
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
يُحِبُّ
yuḥibbu
loves
ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
l-muḥ'sinīna
the good-doers
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.
13. Then, because they broke their [37] covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They distort the words of Allah from their proper places [38] and have forgotten a good part of what they were reminded of. And you will not cease to discover their betrayals, except for a few of them [39]. So pardon them and overlook (their faults). Surely, Allah loves those who do good.
[37]
The Violation of Every Clause of Their Covenant by Bani Israel:
Bani Israel paid little heed to their firm covenant. They were negligent in establishing prayer and giving zakat. Instead of zakat, they chose the path of miserliness, and instead of giving a goodly loan, they began indulging in usury and unlawful earnings. Far from believing in the messengers of Allah, they vehemently opposed them, and even unjustly killed some of the prophets. In short, they left no stone unturned in breaking every clause of that covenant, as a result of which We cursed them and distanced them from Our mercy. The second punishment We gave them was that We made their hearts hard, due to which, firstly, they became incapable of accepting the path of truth, and secondly, instead of feelings of love and affection among themselves, selfishness, hard-heartedness, and mutual enmity took root within them.
[38] The further consequences of these two punishments were that these people began to alter the Book of Allah. Through philosophical hair-splitting and self-serving interpretations, they changed the meaning of most of the verses of the Book and turned it into something else entirely. The second result was that, although they had been told to take admonition and lesson from the Book of Allah, they completely abandoned this, and instead devoted all their efforts to unraveling the complexities of words and began to derive meanings that suited their desires. [See also footnote no. 77 of Surah An-Nisa.]
[39] These few people were Abdullah bin Salam and some of his companions who possessed a similarly upright mindset. Apart from them, all the Jews were conspiratorial, treacherous, and deceitful people, and from time to time, the Muslims themselves would become aware of their conspiracies, misdeeds, breaches of trust, and betrayals. Then, since the majority of the Jews consisted of such treacherous and deceitful people, Allah Almighty said to His Prophet ﷺ that if you become distressed by every objectionable thing they say, it will cause you a separate worry, so stop considering their words worthy of attention, and do not hold them accountable for every betrayal you become aware of. Allah Himself will deal with them. You should adopt the path of forgiveness and kindness, for this is the path Allah likes.
[37]
The Violation of Every Clause of Their Covenant by Bani Israel:
Bani Israel paid little heed to their firm covenant. They were negligent in establishing prayer and giving zakat. Instead of zakat, they chose the path of miserliness, and instead of giving a goodly loan, they began indulging in usury and unlawful earnings. Far from believing in the messengers of Allah, they vehemently opposed them, and even unjustly killed some of the prophets. In short, they left no stone unturned in breaking every clause of that covenant, as a result of which We cursed them and distanced them from Our mercy. The second punishment We gave them was that We made their hearts hard, due to which, firstly, they became incapable of accepting the path of truth, and secondly, instead of feelings of love and affection among themselves, selfishness, hard-heartedness, and mutual enmity took root within them.
[38] The further consequences of these two punishments were that these people began to alter the Book of Allah. Through philosophical hair-splitting and self-serving interpretations, they changed the meaning of most of the verses of the Book and turned it into something else entirely. The second result was that, although they had been told to take admonition and lesson from the Book of Allah, they completely abandoned this, and instead devoted all their efforts to unraveling the complexities of words and began to derive meanings that suited their desires. [See also footnote no. 77 of Surah An-Nisa.]
[39] These few people were Abdullah bin Salam and some of his companions who possessed a similarly upright mindset. Apart from them, all the Jews were conspiratorial, treacherous, and deceitful people, and from time to time, the Muslims themselves would become aware of their conspiracies, misdeeds, breaches of trust, and betrayals. Then, since the majority of the Jews consisted of such treacherous and deceitful people, Allah Almighty said to His Prophet ﷺ that if you become distressed by every objectionable thing they say, it will cause you a separate worry, so stop considering their words worthy of attention, and do not hold them accountable for every betrayal you become aware of. Allah Himself will deal with them. You should adopt the path of forgiveness and kindness, for this is the path Allah likes.
