سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْعَامِ
Surah Al-An'aam (6) — Ayah 20
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَعْرِفُونَهُۥ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَآءَهُمُ ۘ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿20﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those to whom We have given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognize him (i.e. Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم as a Messenger of Allâh, and they also know that there is no Ilâh (God) but Allâh and Islâm is Allâh’s Religion), as they recognize their own sons. Those who have lost (destroyed) themselves will not believe. (Tafsir At-Tabarî).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
Those (to) whom
ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ
ātaynāhumu
We have given them
ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ
l-kitāba
the Book
يَعْرِفُونَهُۥ
yaʿrifūnahu
they recognize him
كَمَا
kamā
as
يَعْرِفُونَ
yaʿrifūna
they recognize
أَبْنَآءَهُمُ ۘ
abnāahumu
their sons
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
Those who
خَسِرُوٓا۟
khasirū
lost
أَنفُسَهُمْ
anfusahum
themselves
فَهُمْ
fahum
then they
لَا
lā
(do) not
يُؤْمِنُونَ
yu'minūna
believe
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.
20. Those to whom We have given the Book recognize him (the Prophet) as they recognize their own sons [23]. But those who have ruined themselves—they will not believe.
[23]
The People of the Book Recognizing You ﷺ:
In Arabia, these words are used as an idiom, meaning that if a person has firm conviction about something, it is said that he recognizes it just as he recognizes his own son. That is, just as a father immediately recognizes his son in a gathering of children, in exactly the same way, the People of the Book, according to the signs mentioned in their book, had recognized the Last Prophet as indeed the very Prophet whose glad tidings had been given. Yet, if they do not believe, then the reasons are different, such as national prejudice, the end of their own leaderships and positions, jealousy and malice, etc., or the belief that the Mosaic law is unchangeable until the Day of Judgment, or that no prophet can come except from among the Children of Israel. Whatever the case may be, they are, in any event, only harming themselves.
[23]
The People of the Book Recognizing You ﷺ:
In Arabia, these words are used as an idiom, meaning that if a person has firm conviction about something, it is said that he recognizes it just as he recognizes his own son. That is, just as a father immediately recognizes his son in a gathering of children, in exactly the same way, the People of the Book, according to the signs mentioned in their book, had recognized the Last Prophet as indeed the very Prophet whose glad tidings had been given. Yet, if they do not believe, then the reasons are different, such as national prejudice, the end of their own leaderships and positions, jealousy and malice, etc., or the belief that the Mosaic law is unchangeable until the Day of Judgment, or that no prophet can come except from among the Children of Israel. Whatever the case may be, they are, in any event, only harming themselves.
