Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 183

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(There are) those who have said, “Allah has directed us that we should not believe in a messenger unless he comes to us with an offering to be eaten up by the fire.”Say, “A number of messengers have come to you, before me, with clear signs and with what you have said. So, why did you kill them, if you are true?

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Those ˹are the same people˺ who say, “Allah has commanded us not to believe in any messenger unless he brings us an offering to be consumed by fire ˹from the sky˺.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Other prophets did in fact come to you[[ i.e., your forefathers. ]] before me with clear proofs and ˹even˺ what you demanded—why then did you kill them, if what you say is true?”

Ruwwad Translation Center

They said, “Allah has commanded us not to believe in any messenger until he brings us an offering consumed by the fire.” Say, “There came to you messengers before me with clear proofs and with what you demanded. Then why did you kill them if you are truthful?”

A. J. Arberry

Those same men said, 'God has made covenant with us, that we believe not any Messenger until he brings to us a sacrifice devoured by fire.' Say: 'Messengers have come to you before me bearing clear signs, and that you spoke of; why therefore did you slay them, if you speak truly?'

Abdul Haleem

To those who say, ‘God has commanded us not to believe in any messenger unless he brings us an offering that fire [from heaven] consumes,’ say [Prophet], ‘Messengers before me have come to you with clear signs, including the one you mention. If you are sincere, why did you kill them?’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

There are those who say. verily God hath covenanted with us that we should believe not in an apostle until he bring unto us a sacrifice which a fire shall devour. Say thou: surety there came unto you apostles before me with evidences and with that which ye speak of, wherefore then did ye slay them, if ye say sooth?

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They (also) said; "Allah took our promise not to believe in an messenger unless He showed us a sacrifice consumed by Fire (From heaven)." Say; "There came to you messengers before me, with clear Signs and even with what ye ask for; why then did ye slay them, if ye speak the truth?"

Abul Ala Maududi

To those who say: 'Allah has directed us that we accept none as Messenger until he makes an offering that the fire will consume', say: 'Other Messengers came to you before me with clear signs, and with the sign you have mentioned. So why did you slay them, if what you say is true?

Ahmed Ali

To those who say: "God has ordained that we should not believe an apostle who does not bring burnt offerings," say: "Many an apostle had come to you before me with manifest proofs, even with what you mention; then why did you kill them if you were men of truth?"

Ahmed Raza Khan

Those who say, “Allah has agreed with us that we should not believe in any Noble Messenger until he comes with the command to offer a sacrifice, which a fire (from heaven) shall devour”; say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “Many Noble Messengers did come to you before me, with clear signs and with this command which you state – why did you then martyr them, if you are truthful?”

Ali Quli Qarai

Tell those who say, ‘Allah has pledged us not to believe in any apostle unless he brings us an offering consumed by fire,’ ‘Apostles before me certainly did bring you manifest signs and what you speak of. Then why did you kill them, if you are truthful?’

Ali Ünal

(Also it is) they who said: "God made covenant with us, that we believe not in any Messenger unless he brings us an offering which (as a sign of its being accepted by God) a fire (from heaven) will consume." Say (to them, O Messenger): "Before me there came to you Messengers with the clear proofs (of their Messengership) and with that (same miracle) which you describe: why, then, did you kill them, if you are true in your claim?"

Amatul Rahman Omar

(These are the very Jews) who said, `Surely, Allâh has enjoined us not to believe in any Messenger unless He brings us an offering which is consumed by the fire (in accordance with mosaic law).´ Say, `Surely Messengers have come to you before me with clear signs and with that of which you speak. Why, then did you seek to kill them if you have been right (in your demand)?´

English Literal

Those who said: "That God promised/recommended to us that We not believe to a messenger until he comes/brings to us with an approachment to God (offering that) the fire eats it." Say: "Messengers had come to you from before me with the evidences , and with what you said, so why (have) you killed them, if you were truthful?"

Faridul Haque

Those who say, “Allah has agreed with us that we should not believe in any Noble Messenger until he comes with the command to offer a sacrifice, which a fire (from heaven) shall devour”; say (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), “Many Noble Messengers did come to you before me, with clear signs and with this command which you state - why did you then martyr them, if you are truthful?”

Hamid S. Aziz

And if they deny you, even so did they deny Messengers before you, who came with manifest signs, and with the Psalms, and with the illuminating Scriptures.

Hilali & Khan

Those (Jews) who said: "Verily, Allah has taken our promise not to believe in any Messenger unless he brings to us an offering which the fire (from heaven) shall devour." Say: "Verily, there came to you Messengers before me, with clear signs and even with what you speak of; why then did you kill them, if you are truthful?"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

This is for that which your own hands have sent before, and because Allah is not in the least unjust to the servants.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

(Those are they) who said: Surely Allah has enjoined us that we should not believe in any apostle until he brings us an offering which the fire consumes. Say: Indeed, there came to you apostles before me with clear arguments and with that which you demand; why then did you kill them if you are truthful?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

(The same are) those who say: Lo! Allah hath charged us that we believe not in any messenger until he bring us an offering which fire (from heaven) shall devour. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Messengers came unto you before me with miracles, and with that (very miracle) which ye describe. Why then did ye slay them? (Answer that) if ye are truthful!

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), say to those who say, 'God has commanded us not to believe any Messenger unless he offers a burnt offering,' (Muhammad) say, "Messengers came to you before me with certain miracles and with that which you had asked for (burnt offering). Why, then, did you slay them if you were true in your claim?"

Qaribullah & Darwish

Those (the Jews) who say: 'Allah has promised us that we do not believe in a Messenger unless he brings to us an offering that fire consumes' Say: 'Indeed Messengers have come to you before me with clear proofs and with that of which you spoke. Why did you kill them, if what you say is true'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Those who said: "Verily, Allah has taken our promise not to believe in any Messenger unless he brings to us an offering which the fire (from heaven) shall devour. " Say: "Verily, there came to you Messengers before me, with Al-Bayinat and even with with what you speak of; why then did you kill them, if you are truthful"

Wahiduddin Khan

To those who say, "God has commanded us not to believe in any messenger unless he brings down to us an offering to be consumed by fire," say, "Messengers before me have come to you with clear signs, including the one you demand. Why did you kill them, if you are telling the truth?"

Talal Itani

Those who said, “God has made a covenant with us, that we shall not believe in any messenger unless he brings us an offering to be consumed by fire.” Say, “Messengers have come to you before me with proofs, and with what you asked for; so why did you assassinate them, if you are truthful?”

Tafsir jalalayn

Those (alladhna, an adjectival qualification of the previous alladhna, `those who' [Q. 3;181]) same who said, to Muhammad (s), `God has already made covenant with us, in the Torah, that we should not believe in any messenger, accepting his truthfulness, until he bring us an offering to be devoured by fire', and so we will not believe in you until you bring us this [offering], namely, of grazing livestock or other [kind of animal] one offers [in sacrifice] to God. If it is accepted, a white fire will come down from the heaven and consume it, otherwise it will remain as it is. Such a covenant was made with the Children of Israel, but not in the case of Jesus and Muhammad. God, exalted be He, says, Say, to them in rebuke; `messengers have come to you before me with clear proofs, with miracles, and with that which you said, [messengers] such as Zachariah and John, but you slew them; the address here is for those living at the time of our Prophet Muhammad (s), even though the deed was their forefathers', for they [their descendants] are content with it. Why did you slay them, then, if you are truthful?', about [the fact] that you would believe if it [the offering] were brought [to you].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللّهَ عَهِدَ إِلَيْنَا أَلاَّ نُوْمِنَ لِرَسُولٍ حَتَّىَ يَأْتِيَنَا بِقُرْبَانٍ تَأْكُلُهُ النَّارُ

Those (Jews) who said;"Verily, Allah has taken our promise not to believe in any Messenger unless he brings to us an offering which the fire (from heaven) shall devour."

Ibn Abbas and Al-Hasan stated,

Allah refuted their claim that in their Books, Allah took a covenant from them to only believe in the Messenger whose miracles include fire coming down from the sky that consumes the charity offered by a member of the Messenger's nation.

Allah replied,

قُلْ قَدْ جَاءكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِي بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ

Say;"Verily, there came to you Messengers before me, with Al-Bayinat..."

with proofs and evidence,

وَبِالَّذِي قُلْتُمْ

and even with what you speak of,

a fire that consumes the accepted charity, as you asked,

فَلِمَ قَتَلْتُمُوهُمْ

why then did you kill them!

Why did you meet these Prophets with denial, defiance, stubbornness and even murder!

إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ



if you are truthful.

if you follow the truth and obey the Messengers.

Allah then comforts His Prophet Muhammad,

فَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كُذِّبَ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ جَأوُوا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالزُّبُرِ وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُنِيرِ