سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 31
ٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـٰنَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَسِيحَ ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَـٰهًا وَٰحِدًا ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿31﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allâh (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allâh), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded [in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] to worship none but One Ilâh (God - Allâh) Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He)[4]. Praise and glory be to Him (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟
ittakhadhū
They have taken
أَحْبَارَهُمْ
aḥbārahum
their rabbis
وَرُهْبَـٰنَهُمْ
waruh'bānahum
and their monks
أَرْبَابًۭا
arbāban
(as) Lords
مِّن
min
besides
دُونِ
dūni
besides
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
وَٱلْمَسِيحَ
wal-masīḥa
and the Messiah
ٱبْنَ
ib'na
son
مَرْيَمَ
maryama
(of) Maryam
وَمَآ
wamā
And not
أُمِرُوٓا۟
umirū
they were commanded
إِلَّا
illā
except
لِيَعْبُدُوٓا۟
liyaʿbudū
that they worship
إِلَـٰهًۭا
ilāhan
One God
وَٰحِدًۭا ۖ
wāḥidan
One God
لَّآ
lā
(There) is no
إِلَـٰهَ
ilāha
god
إِلَّا
illā
except
هُوَ ۚ
huwa
Him
سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ
sub'ḥānahu
Glory be to Him
عَمَّا
ʿammā
from what
يُشْرِكُونَ
yush'rikūna
they associate (with Him)
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.
They have taken their scholars and monks as lords [31] besides Allah, and also the Messiah, son of Mary. Yet they were commanded to worship none but one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.
[31]
The People of the Book Making Their Scholars and Monks as Lords:
The second form of shirk of the People of the Book was that they had handed over the authority of declaring things lawful and unlawful to their scholars and monks. Whereas this authority belongs only to Allah. They would not even look at the Book of Allah; whatever their scholars and monks said, they would consider it to be the command of Allah. As for their scholars and monks, their condition was such that they would issue verdicts according to people’s wishes even for a small amount of money. In this way, they had given their scholars and monks the status of lords, as is made clear by the following hadith: Sayyiduna ‘Adi bin Hatim says that I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and there was a golden cross around my neck. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Adi! Throw away this idol.” And I heard the Prophet ﷺ recite this verse from Surah Bara’ah: ﴿اِتَّخَذُوْٓا اَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ اَرْبَابًا مِّنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ وَالْمَسِيْحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ ۚ وَمَآ اُمِرُوْٓا اِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوْٓا اِلٰهًا وَّاحِدًا ۚ لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ ۭسُبْحٰنَهٗ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُوْنَ﴾ Then the Prophet ﷺ said, “Those people did not worship those scholars and monks, but when those scholars and monks declared something lawful, they would consider it lawful, and when they declared something unlawful, they would consider it unlawful.” [ترمذي۔ ابواب التفسير]
These two verses have actually come as an explanation of the previous verse in which it was said that the People of the Book do not believe in Allah. That is, in the presence of such various forms of shirk, the claim of believing in Allah has no meaning.
[31]
The People of the Book Making Their Scholars and Monks as Lords:
The second form of shirk of the People of the Book was that they had handed over the authority of declaring things lawful and unlawful to their scholars and monks. Whereas this authority belongs only to Allah. They would not even look at the Book of Allah; whatever their scholars and monks said, they would consider it to be the command of Allah. As for their scholars and monks, their condition was such that they would issue verdicts according to people’s wishes even for a small amount of money. In this way, they had given their scholars and monks the status of lords, as is made clear by the following hadith: Sayyiduna ‘Adi bin Hatim says that I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and there was a golden cross around my neck. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Adi! Throw away this idol.” And I heard the Prophet ﷺ recite this verse from Surah Bara’ah: ﴿اِتَّخَذُوْٓا اَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ اَرْبَابًا مِّنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ وَالْمَسِيْحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ ۚ وَمَآ اُمِرُوْٓا اِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوْٓا اِلٰهًا وَّاحِدًا ۚ لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ ۭسُبْحٰنَهٗ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُوْنَ﴾ Then the Prophet ﷺ said, “Those people did not worship those scholars and monks, but when those scholars and monks declared something lawful, they would consider it lawful, and when they declared something unlawful, they would consider it unlawful.” [ترمذي۔ ابواب التفسير]
These two verses have actually come as an explanation of the previous verse in which it was said that the People of the Book do not believe in Allah. That is, in the presence of such various forms of shirk, the claim of believing in Allah has no meaning.
