Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 121

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Those to whom We have given the Book and they recite it observing the rights of its recitation - they are the ones who believe in it. And those who disbelieve in it, they are the losers.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Those We have given the Book follow it as it should be followed. It is they who ˹truly˺ believe in it. As for those who reject it, it is they who are the losers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Those to whom We have given the Book recite it as it should be recited, it is they who believe in it. As for those who disbelieve in it, it is they who are the losers.

A. J. Arberry

Those to whom We have given the Book and who recite it with true recitation, they believe in it; and whoso disbelieves in it, they shall be the losers.

Abdul Haleem

Those to whom We have given the Scripture, who follow it as it deserves, are the ones who truly believe in it. Those who deny its truth will be the losers.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Those unto whom We have vouchsafed the Book and they recite it as it ought to be recited - they shall believe therein and whosoever disbelieveth therein, those then! they shall be the losers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Those to whom We have sent the Book study it as it should be studied; They are the ones that believe therein; Those who reject faith therein,- the loss is their own.

Abul Ala Maududi

There are those, even among the people of the Scripture, who read the Book as it should be read and believe in it sincerely; as for those who reject it, they are indeed the losers.

Ahmed Ali

Those to whom We have sent down the Book, and who read it as it should be read, believe in it truly; but those who deny it will be losers.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Those to whom We have given the Book, read it in the manner it should be read; it is they who believe in it; and those who deny it – it is they who are the losers.

Ali Quli Qarai

Those to whom We have given the Book follow it as it ought to be followed: they have faith in it. As for those who deny it—it is they who are the losers.

Ali Ünal

Those (people) to whom We gave the Book (and who) recite it with true recitation, following its commandments without making any changes or distortions in it: they have (renewed, ever-strengthening) faith in it. Whoever disbelieves in it (conceals and distorts the truths the Book contains): they are the losers (in both this world and the Hereafter).

Amatul Rahman Omar

They (- the true Muslims), to whom We have given the Book, follow it as it deserves to be followed. It is they who truly believe in it. And whoso does not believe therein, these are they who are the utter losers.

English Literal

Those who We brought to them The Book they read/recite it its correct/true reading/recitation, those believe with it and who disbelieves with it so those (are) the losers .

Faridul Haque

Those to whom We have given the Book, read it in the manner it should be read; it is they who believe in it; and those who deny it - it is they who are the losers.

Hamid S. Aziz

They to whom We have brought the Book and who read it as it should be studied, they are the ones that believe therein; and whoever rejects faith therein, it is they who are the losers.

Hilali & Khan

Those (who embraced Islam from Bani Israel) to whom We gave the Book [the Taurat (Torah)] [or those (Muhammad's Peace be upon him companions) to whom We have given the Book (the Quran)] recite it (i.e. obey its orders and follow its teachings) as it should be recited (i.e. followed), they are the ones that believe therein. And whoso disbelieves in it (the Quran), those are they who are the losers. (Tafsir Al-Qurtubi. Vol. 2, Page 95).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Those to whom We have given the Book follow it as it ought to be followed. These believe in it. And whoever disbelieves in it, these it is that are the losers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Those to whom We have given the Book read it as it ought to be read. These believe in it; and whoever disbelieves in it, these it is that are the losers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Those unto whom We have given the Scripture, who read it with the right reading, those believe in it. And whoso disbelieveth in it, those are they who are the losers.

Muhammad Sarwar

Those (of the People of the Book) who have received Our Book (Quran), and read it thoroughly, believe in it. Those who disbelieve the Book are certainly losers.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Those to whom We have given the Book, and who recite it as it ought to be read, truly believe in it; those who disbelieve it shall be the losers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Those to whom we gave the Book recite it as it should be recited (Yatlunahu Haqqa Tilawatihi) they are the ones who believe therein. And whoso disbelieve in it, those are they who are the losers.) Ibn Jarir said, "Allah said,

Wahiduddin Khan

Those whom We have given this Book follow it as it ought to be followed; it is they who [truly] believe in it; those who deny it will be the losers.

Talal Itani

Those to whom We have given the Scripture follow it, as it ought to be followed—these believe in it. But as for those who reject it—these are the losers.

Tafsir jalalayn

Those to whom We have given the Scripture (this is the subject of the sentence), and who recite it with true recitation, that is, who recite it as it was revealed (haqqa tilwatihi, `its true recitation', is a circumstantial qualifier; haqqa is in the accusative because it is the object of the verbal noun), they believe in it (this is the predicate); this was revealed concerning a group of Ethiopians that presented themselves [to the Prophet] and accepted Islam; and whoever disbelieves in it, that is, in the revealed Book, by distorting it, they shall be the losers, because they will be destined for the Fire, made everlasting for them.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

الَّذِينَ اتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَتْلُونَهُ حَقَّ تِلَوَتِهِ

Those to whom We gave the Book, Yatlunahu Haqqan Tilawatih.

Abdur-Razzaq said from Ma`mar, from Qatadah,

"They are the Jews and Christians."

This is the opinion of Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam, and it was also chosen by Ibn Jarir.

Sa`id reported from Qatadah,

"They are the Companions of the Messenger of Allah."

Abu Al-Aliyah said that Ibn Mas`ud said,

"By He in Whose Hand is my soul! The right Tilawah is allowing what it makes lawful, prohibiting what it makes unlawful, reciting it as it was revealed by Allah, not changing the words from their places, and not interpreting it with other than its actual interpretation."

As-Suddi reported from Abu Malik from Ibn Abbas who said about this Ayah;

"They make lawful what it allows and they prohibit what it makes unlawful, and they do not alter its wordings."

Umar bin Al-Khattab said,

"They are those who when they recite an Ayah that mentions mercy, they ask Allah for it, and when they recite an Ayah that mentions torment, they seek refuge with Allah from it."

This meaning was attributed to the Prophet, for when he used to recite an Ayah of mercy, he invoked Allah for mercy, and when he recited an Ayah of torment, he sought refuge from it with Allah.

Allah's statement,

أُوْلَـيِكَ يُوْمِنُونَ بِهِ

they are the ones who believe therein.

explains the Ayah,
الَّذِينَ اتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَتْلُونَهُ حَقَّ تِلَوَتِهِ
(Those to whom We gave the Book, Yatlunahu Haqqa Tilawatihi).

These Ayat mean,

"Those among the People of the Book who perfectly adhered to the Books that were revealed to the previous Prophets, will believe in what I have sent you with, O Muhammad!"

Allah said in another Ayah,

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُواْ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالاِنجِيلَ وَمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيهِمْ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ لاّكَلُواْ مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِم

And if only they had acted according to the Tawrah, the Injil, and what has (now) been sent down to them from their Lord (the Qur'an), they would surely, have gotten provision from above them and from underneath their feet. (5;66)

The Ayah,

قُلْ يَـأَهْلَ الْكِتَـبِ لَسْتُمْ عَلَى شَىْءٍ حَتَّى تُقِيمُواْ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالاِنجِيلَ وَمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ

Say (O Muhammad) "O People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! You have nothing (as regards guidance) till you act according to the Tawrah, the Injil, and what has (now) been sent down to you from your Lord (the Qur'an)." (5;68)

means, "If you adhere to the Torah and the Gospel in the correct manner, believe in them as you should, and believe in the news they carry about Muhammad's Prophethood, his description and the command to follow, aid and support him, then this will direct you to adhere to truth and righteousness in this life and the Hereafter."

In another Ayat, Allah said,

الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِىَّ الاُمِّىَّ الَّذِى يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِى التَّوْرَاةِ وَالاِنجِيلِ

Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad) whom they find written with them in the Tawrah and the Injil. (7;157)

and,

قُلْ ءَامِنُواْ بِهِ أَوْ لَا تُوْمِنُواْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهِ إِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلٌّذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا وَيَقُولُونَ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَأ إِن كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولاً

Say (O Muhammad to them);"Believe in it (the Qur'an) or do not believe (in it). Verily, those who were given knowledge before it, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration. And they say;"Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord must be fulfilled." (17;107-108)

These Ayat indicate that what Allah promised for Muhammad will certainly occur.

Allah also said,

الَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـهُمُ الْكِتَـبَ مِن قَبْلِهِ هُم بِهِ يُوْمِنُونَ

وَإِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّنَأ إنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ

أُوْلَـيِكَ يُوْتُونَ أَجْرَهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ بِمَا صَبَرُواْ وَيَدْرَوُنَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّيَةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

Those to whom We gave the Scripture (i. e. the Tawrah and the Injil) before it, they believe in it (the Qur'an). And when it is recited to them, they say;"We believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed even before it we have been from those who submit themselves to Allah in Islam as Muslims. These will be given their reward twice over, because they are patient, and repel evil with good, and spend (in charity) out of what We have provided them. (28;52-54)

and,

وَقُلْ لِّلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ وَالاٍّمِّيِّينَ ءَأَسْلَمْتُمْ فَإِنْ أَسْلَمُواْ فَقَدِ اهْتَدَواْ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَـغُ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ

And say to those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and to those who are illiterates (Arab pagans);"Do you (also) submit yourselves (to Allah in Islam)!"

If they do, they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Message; and Allah is the Seer of (His) servants. (3;20)

Allah said,

وَمن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ فَأُوْلَـيِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ



And whoever disbelieves in it (the Qur'an), those are they who are the losers,

just as He said in another Ayah,

وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ مِنَ الاٌّحْزَابِ فَالنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُ

But those of the sects (Jews, Christians and all the other non-Muslim nations) that reject it (the Qur'an), the Fire will be their promised meeting place. (11;17)

As recorded in the Sahih, the Prophet said,

وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَاا يَسْمَعُ بِي أَحَدٌ مِنْ هذِهِ الاْاُمَّةِ يَهُودِيٌّ وَلَاا نَصْرَانِيٌّ ثُمَّ لَاا يُوْمِنُ بِي إِلاَّ دَخَلَ النَّار

By He in Whose Hand is my soul! There is no member of this Ummah (mankind and Jinns), Jew or a Christian, who hears of me, yet does not believe in me, but will enter the Fire