Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 111

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They say that no one shall ever enter Paradise unless he is a Jew, or a Christian. These are their fancies. Say, “Bring your proof, if you are truthful.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

The Jews and Christians each claim that none will enter Paradise except those of their own faith. These are their desires. Reply, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Show ˹me˺ your proof if what you say is true.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

And they say, “None will enter Paradise except a Jew or a Christian.” That is their wishful thinking. Say, “Produce your proof, if you are truthful.”

A. J. Arberry

And they say, 'None shall enter Paradise except that they be Jews or Christians.' Such are their fancies. Say: 'Produce your proof, if you speak truly.'

Abdul Haleem

They also say, ‘No one will enter Paradise unless he is a Jew or a Christian.’ This is their own wishful thinking. [Prophet], say, ‘Produce your evidence, if you are telling the truth.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And they say: none shall enter the Garden except he be a Jew or a Nazarene. Such are their vain desires! Say thou: forthwith your proof if ye say

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And they say; "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian." Those are their (vain) desires. Say; "Produce your proof if ye are truthful."

Abul Ala Maududi

They say, "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or according to the Christians) a Christian." These are their wishful fancies. Say to them, "Bring your proof, if you are right in your claim."

Ahmed Ali

And they say: "None will go to Paradise but the Jews and the Christians;" but this is only wishful thinking. Say: "Bring the proof if you are truthful."

Ahmed Raza Khan

And the People given the Book(s) said, “None will enter Paradise unless he is a Jew or a Christian”; these are their own imaginations; say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “Bring your proof, if you are truthful.”

Ali Quli Qarai

And they say, ‘No one will enter paradise except one who is a Jew or Christian.’ Those are their [false] hopes! Say, ‘Produce your evidence, should you be truthful.’

Ali Ünal

They (Jews or Christians) say that none will enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian. That is their wishfulness (vain desires and fancies). Say (to them, O Messenger): "Produce your proof if you are truthful (in and convinced of your claim)!"

Amatul Rahman Omar

And they (- the Jews and the Christians) say (respectively about themselves), `None shall ever enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.´ These are their wishful beliefs. Say, `Bring forth your vivid proof (of what you state) if you are right.´

English Literal

And they said: "Will never enter the Paradise except who was Jewish or Christian ." Those are their wishes/desires. Say: "Give me your proof/evidence if you were truthful."

Faridul Haque

And the People given the Book(s) said, "None will enter Paradise unless he is a Jew or a Christian"; these are their own imaginations; say (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), "Bring your proof, if you are truthful."

Hamid S. Aziz

They say, "None shall enter Paradise save such as be Jews or Christians;" that is their vain desire. Say thou, "Bring your proofs, if you are speaking truth."

Hilali & Khan

And they say, "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian." These are their own desires. Say (O Muhammad Peace be upon him), "Produce your proof if you are truthful."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And they say: None shall enter the Garden except he who is a Jew, or the Christians. These are their vain desires. Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And they say: None shall enter the garden (or paradise) except he who is a Jew or a Christian. These are their vain desires. Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And they say: None entereth paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian. These are their own desires. Say: Bring your proof (of what ye state) if ye are truthful.

Muhammad Sarwar

They have said that no one can ever go to Paradise except the Jews or Christians, but this is only what they hope. Ask them to prove that their claim is true.

Qaribullah & Darwish

They say: 'None but Jews and Nazarenes shall be admitted to Paradise' Such are their wishful fancies. Say: 'Bring us your proof, if what you say is true'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And they say, "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian." These are their own desires. Say (O Muhammad), "Produce your Burhan if you are truthful."

Wahiduddin Khan

They declare, "None shall ever enter Heaven unless he be a Jew or a Christian." This is their own wishful thinking. [Prophet], say, "Produce your evidence if you are telling the truth."

Talal Itani

And they say, “None will enter Heaven unless he is a Jew or a Christian.” These are their wishes. Say, “Produce your proof, if you are truthful.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And they say, `None shall enter Paradise except those who are Jews (hd is the plural of h'id) or Christians'; this is what the Jews of Medina and the Christians of Najrn said when they disputed with the Prophet (s), each party separately claiming Paradise for its members exclusively. Such, sayings, are their desires, their false passions. Say, to them; `Produce your proof, your evidence for this, if you speak truly', in this matter.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Hopes of the People of the Book

Allah tells;

وَقَالُواْ لَن يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلاَّ مَن كَانَ هُوداً أَوْ نَصَارَى تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ

And they say, "None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian." These are their own desires.

Allah made the confusion of the Jews and the Christians clear, since they claim that no one will enter Paradise, unless he is a Jew or a Christian.

Similarly, Allah mentioned their claims in Surah Al-Ma'idah;

نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّاوُهُ

We are the children of Allah and His loved ones. (5;18)

Allah refuted this false claim and informed them that they will be punished because of their sins.

Previously we mentioned their claim that the Fire would not touch them for more than a few days, after which they would be put in Paradise. Allah rebuked this claim, and He said about this baseless claim,
تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ
(These are their own desires).

Abu Al-Aliyah commented,

"These are wishes that they wished Allah would answer, without basis."

Similar was stated by Qatadah and Ar-Rabi bin Anas.

Allah then said,

قُلْ

Say,

meaning, "Say O Muhammad;"

هَاتُواْ بُرْهَانَكُمْ

"Produce your Burhan..."

Abu Al-Aliyah, Mujahid, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi bin Anas stated,

meaning, "Your proof."

Qatadah said that the Ayah means,

"Bring the evidence that supports your statement.

إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ



if you are truthful, (in your claim)."

Allah then said