Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 41

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And have faith in what I have revealed, confirming what is already with you, and do not be the first to deny it, nor take a paltry price for My verses. Fear Me alone.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Believe in My revelations which confirm your Scriptures.[[ This refers to the passages in the Torah and the Gospel that call for the worship of the One True God, doing what is good, and avoiding what is evil.]] Do not be the first to deny them or trade them for a fleeting gain.[[ Trading Allah’s revelations for a fleeting gain is a recurring theme in the first few sûrahs of the Quran. This refers to the practice of some Jewish authorities in Medina who contradicted certain rulings in the Torah by giving people lenient opinions only to please them in exchange for money. ]] And be mindful of Me.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And believe in what I have sent down which confirms that [Scripture] which is with you, and do not be the first to disbelieve in it, nor trade my verses for a small price, and fear Me alone.

A. J. Arberry

And believe in that I have sent down, confirming that which is with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And sell not My signs for a little price; and fear you Me.

Abdul Haleem

Believe in the message I have sent down confirming what you already possess. Do not be the first to disbelieve in it, and do not sell My messages for a small price: I am the One of whom you should be mindful.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And believe in that which I have sent down confirming that which is with you, and be not the first to disbelieve therein, and barter not My revelations for a small price, and Me alone shall ye fear.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And believe in what I reveal, confirming the revelation which is with you, and be not the first to reject Faith therein, nor sell My Signs for a small price; and fear Me, and Me alone.

Abul Ala Maududi

And believe in the Book I have now sent down; as it confirms the Scriptures you already possess, be not the first to reject it; barter not away My Revelations for paltry worldly gain, and guard yourselves against My wrath

Ahmed Ali

And believe in what I have sent down which verifies what is already with you; and do not be the first to deny it, nor part with it for little gain; and beware of Me.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And accept faith in what I have sent down (the Qur’an), which confirms what is with you (the Torah / Bible), and do not be the first to disbelieve in it – and do not exchange My verses for an abject – and fear Me alone.

Ali Quli Qarai

And believe in that which I have sent down confirming that which is with you, and do not be the first ones to deny it, and do not sell My signs for a paltry gain, and be wary of Me [alone].

Ali Ünal

Believe in that which I have sent down (the Qur’an), confirming what (of the truth) you already possess, and do not be the first to disbelieve in it. And (you scribes, fearful of losing your status and the worldly benefit accruing from it) do not sell My Revelations for a trifling price (such as worldly gains, status and renown); and in Me alone seek refuge through reverence for Me and piety.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And believe in what I have revealed (now) confirming (the prophecies of the Scripture) which are (already) with you, and do not be the first to deny it, neither take a paltry price for My Messages, and Me alone you should take as a shield (for protection).

English Literal

And believe with what I descended, confirming to what (is) with you, and do not be (the) first disbeliever with it, and do not buy/volunteer with My verses/evidences a small/little price, and (only) Me, so fear and obey Me.

Faridul Haque

And accept faith in what I have sent down (the Qur’an), which confirms what is with you (the Torah / Bible), and do not be the first to disbelieve in it - and do not exchange My verses for an abject price - and fear Me alone.

Hamid S. Aziz

Believe in what I have revealed, verifying what you have got, and be not the first to disbelieve in it, and do not barter My signs for a little price, and keep your duty to Me.

Hilali & Khan

And believe in what I have sent down (this Quran), confirming that which is with you, [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)], and be not the first to disbelieve therein, and buy not with My Verses [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] a small price (i.e. getting a small gain by selling My Verses), and fear Me and Me Alone. (Tafsir At-Tabari, Vol. I, Page 253).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And believe in that which I have revealed, verifying that which is with you, and be not the first to deny it; neither take a mean price for My messages; and keep your duty to Me, Me alone.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And believe in what I have revealed, verifying that which is with you, and be not the first to deny it, neither take a mean price in exchange for My communications; and Me, Me alone should you fear.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And believe in that which I reveal, confirming that which ye possess already (of the Scripture), and be not first to disbelieve therein, and part not with My revelations for a trifling price, and keep your duty unto Me.

Muhammad Sarwar

Believe in My revelations (Quran) that confirms what I revealed to you (about Prophet Muhammad in your Scripture). Do not be the first ones to deny it nor sell My revelations for a small price, but have fear of Me.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And believe in what I have sent down confirming what is with you, and do not be the first to disbelieve it. Do not sell My verses for a little price and fear Me.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And believe in what I have sent down (this Qur'an), confirming that which is with you (the Tawrah and the Injil), and be not the first to disbelieve therein, and buy not with My verses (the Tawrah and the Injil) a small price (i.e. getting a small gain by selling My verses), and fear Me and Me alone.

Wahiduddin Khan

And believe in the message I have sent down which fulfils that [predictions about the last prophet in their Scripture] which you already possess and do not be foremost among those who deny its truth. Do not sell My revelations for a paltry price; fear Me alone.

Talal Itani

And believe in what I revealed, confirming what is with you; and do not be the first to deny it; and do not exchange My revelations for a small price; and be conscious of Me.

Tafsir jalalayn

And believe in what I have revealed, of the Qur'n, confirming that which is with you, of the Torah, by its agreement with it, in respect to [affirmation of] God's Oneness and prophethood; and be not the first to disbelieve in it, from among the People of the Scripture, for those who will come after you will depend on you and so you will bear their sins. And do not sell, exchange, My signs, those that relate to the description of Muhammad (s) in your Book; for a small price, for a trivial and temporary affair of this world; that is to say, do not suppress this for fear of losing what you hope to earn from lowly individuals among you; and fear Me, and none other in this matter.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَامِنُواْ بِمَا أَنزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقاً لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ

And believe in what I have sent down, confirming that which is with you (the Tawrah and the Injil),

meaning, the Qur'an that Allah sent down to Muhammad, the unlettered Arab Prophet, as bringer of glad tidings, a warner and a light. The Qur'an contains the Truth from Allah and affirms what was revealed beforehand in the Tawrah and the Injil (the Gospel).

Abu Al-Aliyah said that Allah's statement,

"means, `O People of the Book! Believe in what I sent down that conforms to what you have.' This is because they find the description of Muhammad recorded in the Tawrah and the Injil."

Similar statements were attributed to Mujahid, Ar-Rabi bin Anas and Qatadah.

Allah said,

وَلَا تَكُونُواْ أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍ بِهِ

and be not the first to disbelieve therein.

Ibn Abbas commented,

"Do not become the first to disbelieve in the Qur'an (or Muhammad), while you have more knowledge in it than other people."

Abu Al-Aliyah commented,

"`Do not become the first to disbelieve in Muhammad,' meaning from among the People of the Book, `after you hear that he was sent as a Prophet."'

Similar statements were attributed to Al-Hasan, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi bin Anas.

Ibn Jarir stated that;

the Ayah (disbelieve therein 2;41) refers to the Qur'an, mentioned earlier in the Ayah,
بِمَا أَنزَلْتُ
(in what I have sent down (this Qur'an).

Both statements are correct because they are inter-related. For instance, whoever disbelieves in the Qur'an will have disbelieved in Muhammad, and whoever disbelieves in Muhammad will have disbelieved in the Qur'an.

Allah's statement,
أَوَّلَ كَافِرٍ بِهِ
(the first to disbelieve therein) means,

do not become the first among the Children of Israel to disbelieve in it, for there were people from Quraysh and the Arabs in general who rejected Muhammad before the People of the Book disbelieved in him.

We should state here that the Ayah is talking about the Children of Israel in specific, because the Jews in Al-Madinah were the first among the Children of Israel to be addressed by the Qur'an. Hence, their disbelief in the Qur'an means that they were the first among the People of the Book to disbelieve in it.

Allah's statement,

وَلَا تَشْتَرُواْ بِأيَاتِي ثَمَناً قَلِيلً

and buy not with My verses a small price,

means, "Do not substitute faith in My Ayat and belief in My Prophet with the life of this world and its lusts which are minute and bound to end."

Allah said,

وَإِيَّايَ فَاتَّقُونِ




and have Taqwa of Me and Me alone.

Ibn Abi Hatim reported that Talq bin Habib said,

"Taqwa is to work in Allah's obedience, on a light from Allah, hoping in Allah's mercy, and to avoid Allah's disobedience, on a light from Allah, fearing Allah's punishment."

Allah's statement,
وَإِيَّايَ فَاتَّقُونِ
(and fear Me and Me alone) means,

that Allah warns the People of the Book against intentionally hiding the truth and spreading the opposite of it, as well as, against defying the Messenger