Surah Al-Imran Ayat 23 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 23
Do you not consider, [O Muhammad], those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They are invited to the Scripture of Allah that it should arbitrate between them; then a party of them turns away, and they are refusing.
Hast thou not turned Thy vision to those who have been given a portion of the Book? They are invited to the Book of Allah, to settle their dispute, but a party of them Turn back and decline (The arbitration).
Have you not noticed those who have been given a portion of the Book? Whenever their learned men are summoned to the Book of Allah to judge the differences between them, a party of them turns away in aversion.
Have you not seen those who have been given a portion of the Scripture? They are being invited to the Book of Allah to settle their dispute, then a party of them turn away, and they are averse.
Hast thou not seen how those who have received a portion of the Scripture invoke the Scripture of Allah (in their disputes) that it may judge between them; then a faction of them turn away, being opposed (to it)?
Have you not regarded the ones who were brought an assignment of the Book, being called to the Book of Allah, that it may judge between them? Thereafter a group of them turn back, and they are veering away (from it).
Have you considered those who were given a share of the Scripture? When they are asked to accept judgement from God’s Scripture, some of them turn their backs and walk away, all because they declare,
کیا آپ نے انہیں نہیں دیکھا جنہیں ایک حصہ کتاب کا دیا گیا ہے وه اپنے آپس کے فیصلوں کے لئے اللہ تعالیٰ کی کتاب کی طرف بلائے جاتے ہیں، پھر بھی ایک جماعت ان کی منھ پھیر کر لوٹ جاتی ہے
Quran 3 Verse 23 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Imran ayat 23, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(3:23) Have you not noticed those who have been given a portion of the Book? Whenever their learned men are summoned to the Book of Allah to judge the differences between them,[22] a party of them turns away in aversion.
22. They are asked to acknowledge the Book of God as the final arbiter in all matters, and to submit to its judgement, accepting as right whatever this Book holds to be right, and as wrong whatever it holds to be wrong. The Book of God referred to here is the Torah and the Injil, while the expression ‘those who have been given a portion of the Book’ refers to the Jewish and Christian religious scholars. (For the Quranic view of the Torah and the Injil see n. 2 above – Ed.)
Ibn-Kathir
23. Have you not seen those who have been given a portion of the Scripture They are being invited to the Book of Allah to settle their dispute, then a party of them turned away, and they are averse. 24. This is because they say: “The Fire shall not touch us but for a number of days.” And that which they used to invent in their religion has deceived them. 25. How (will it be) when We gather them together on the Day about which there is no doubt (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). And each person will be paid in full what he has earned And they will not be dealt with unjustly.
Allah criticizes the Jews and Christians who claim to follow their Books, the Tawrah and the Injil, because when they are called to refer to these Books where Allah commanded them to follow Muhammad , they turn away with aversion. This censure and criticism from Allah was all because of their defiance and rejection. Allah said next,
(This is because they say: “The Fire shall not touch us but for a number of days.”) meaning, what made them dare to challenge and defy the truth is their false claim that Allah will only punish them for seven days in the Fire, a day for every one thousand years in this life. We mentioned this subject in the Tafsir of Surat Al-Baqarah.
Allah then said,
(And that which they used to invent regarding their religion has deceived them.) meaning, what caused them to remain on their false creed is that they deceived themselves, believing that the Fire will only touch them for a few days for their errors. However, it is they who have invented this notion, and Allah did not grant them authority to support this claim. Allah said, while threatening and warning them,
(How (will it be) when We gather them together on the Day about which there is no doubt (i. e. the Day of Resurrection).) meaning, what will their condition be like after they have uttered this lie about Allah, rejected His Messengers and killed His Prophets and their scholars who enjoined righteousness and forbade evil Allah will ask them about all this and punish them for what they have done. This is why Allah said,
(How (will it be) when We gather them together on the Day about which there is no doubt.) meaning, there is no doubt that this Day will come,
(And each person will be paid in full what he has earned And they will not be dealt with unjustly.).
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