سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 82
۞ لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ ٱلنَّاسِ عَدَٰوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلْيَهُودَ وَٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۖ وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُم مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا نَصَـٰرَىٰ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ ﴿82﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers (Muslims) the Jews and those who are Al-Mushrikûn and you will find the nearest in love to the believers (Muslims) those who say: "We are Christians." That is because amongst them are priests and monks, and they are not proud.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ لَتَجِدَنَّ
latajidanna
Surely you will find
أَشَدَّ
ashadda
strongest
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) the people
عَدَٰوَةًۭ
ʿadāwatan
(in) enmity
لِّلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
ٱلْيَهُودَ
l-yahūda
the Jews
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
and those who
أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۖ
ashrakū
(are) polytheists
وَلَتَجِدَنَّ
walatajidanna
and surely you will find
أَقْرَبَهُم
aqrabahum
nearest of them
مَّوَدَّةًۭ
mawaddatan
(in) affection
لِّلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
قَالُوٓا۟
qālū
say
إِنَّا
innā
We
نَصَـٰرَىٰ ۚ
naṣārā
(are) Christians
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That (is)
بِأَنَّ
bi-anna
because
مِنْهُمْ
min'hum
among them
قِسِّيسِينَ
qissīsīna
(are) priests
وَرُهْبَانًۭا
waruh'bānan
and monks
وَأَنَّهُمْ
wa-annahum
and that they
لَا
lā
(are) not
يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
yastakbirūna
arrogant
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.
82. You will surely find that the most hostile of people to those who believe are the Jews and the polytheists. And you will surely find that those who say, "We are Christians," are nearest in affection [128] to the believers. That is because among them are priests and monks, and they are not arrogant.
[128]
Comparison of the Character of Jews and Christians:
Allah has mentioned three reasons for the Christians’ lesser enmity towards Muslims and their closer friendship. First, that among them are learned people. (Remember, by “learned” is always meant a learned person who acts upon his knowledge.) Second, among them are elders (spiritual leaders). And third, these Christians are not arrogant, rather they are humble and modest in temperament. Now, in comparison, look at the condition of the Jews: their scholars were those who sold the verses of Allah, concealed the verses and the truth, and plotted conspiracies. Among them, there were no monks or spiritual elders even in name; rather, the entire nation was so engrossed in the love of the world that they would not refrain from usury and consuming the unlawful, and would acquire wealth by every lawful and unlawful means. Then, as an effect of these evils, they became extremely hard-hearted, miserly, and arrogant. All their leaders, such as Ka‘b bin Ashraf, Salam bin Abi al-Huqayq, and Huyayy bin Akhtab, were all arrogant and ill-natured. If, in comparison to them, one studies the character of Heraclius, the Emperor of Rome, Muqawqis, the King of Egypt, and Najashi, the King of Abyssinia, it becomes clear how much closer these people were to Islam and the Muslims compared to the Jews, and despite differences, preferred to maintain friendship with Muslims over others. And the enmity of the Jews towards Islam was such that they themselves tried three times to kill the Prophet of Islam, but each time Allah saved him from their evil. Once by performing a very severe kind of magic, the second time by feeding him poisoned meat of a goat, and the third time by dropping a heavy stone on him from the roof while you were sitting below.
[128]
Comparison of the Character of Jews and Christians:
Allah has mentioned three reasons for the Christians’ lesser enmity towards Muslims and their closer friendship. First, that among them are learned people. (Remember, by “learned” is always meant a learned person who acts upon his knowledge.) Second, among them are elders (spiritual leaders). And third, these Christians are not arrogant, rather they are humble and modest in temperament. Now, in comparison, look at the condition of the Jews: their scholars were those who sold the verses of Allah, concealed the verses and the truth, and plotted conspiracies. Among them, there were no monks or spiritual elders even in name; rather, the entire nation was so engrossed in the love of the world that they would not refrain from usury and consuming the unlawful, and would acquire wealth by every lawful and unlawful means. Then, as an effect of these evils, they became extremely hard-hearted, miserly, and arrogant. All their leaders, such as Ka‘b bin Ashraf, Salam bin Abi al-Huqayq, and Huyayy bin Akhtab, were all arrogant and ill-natured. If, in comparison to them, one studies the character of Heraclius, the Emperor of Rome, Muqawqis, the King of Egypt, and Najashi, the King of Abyssinia, it becomes clear how much closer these people were to Islam and the Muslims compared to the Jews, and despite differences, preferred to maintain friendship with Muslims over others. And the enmity of the Jews towards Islam was such that they themselves tried three times to kill the Prophet of Islam, but each time Allah saved him from their evil. Once by performing a very severe kind of magic, the second time by feeding him poisoned meat of a goat, and the third time by dropping a heavy stone on him from the roof while you were sitting below.
