Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 199

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Surely, among the people of the Book there are those who believe in Allah, and in what has been sent down to you and what has been sent down to them, humbling themselves before Allah. They do not barter away the verses of Allah for paltry (worldly) gains. They have their reward with their Lord. Surely, Allah is swift at reckoning.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, there are some among the People of the Book who truly believe in Allah and what has been revealed to you ˹believers˺ and what was revealed to them. They humble themselves before Allah—never trading Allah’s revelations for a fleeting gain. Their reward is with their Lord. Surely Allah is swift in reckoning.

Ruwwad Translation Center

There are some among the People of the Book who believe in Allah and what has been sent down to you and what was sent down to them; humbling themselves before Allah. They do not sell Allah’s verses for a small price. It is they who will have their reward with their Lord. Indeed, Allah is swift in reckoning.

A. J. Arberry

And some there are of the People of the Book who believe in God, and what has been sent down unto you, and what has been sent down unto them, men humble to God, not selling the signs of God for a small price; those -- their wage is with their Lord; God is swift at the reckoning.

Abdul Haleem

Some of the People of the Book believe in God, in what has been sent down to you and in what was sent down to them: humbling themselves before God, they would never sell God’s revelation for a small price. These people will have their rewards with their Lord: God is swift in reckoning.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And verily of the people of the Book there are some who believe in Allah and in that which hath been sent down unto you and that which hath been sent down unto them, humbling themselves before Allah, and barter not the revelations of Allah for a small price, these they shall have their hire with Allah. Verily Allah swift in reckoning.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And there are, certainly, among the People of the Book, those who believe in Allah, in the revelation to you, and in the revelation to them, bowing in humility to Allah; They will not sell the Signs of Allah for a miserable gain! For them is a reward with their Lord, and Allah is swift in account.

Abul Ala Maududi

And among the People of the Book some believe in Allah and what has been revealed to you, and what has been revealed to them. They humble themselves before Allah, and do not sell Allah's revelations for a small price. For these men their reward is with their Lord. Allah is swift in His reckoning.

Ahmed Ali

Certainly among the people of the Book are some who believe in God and in what has been revealed to you and had been revealed to them; and they bow in humility before God, and do not trade for paltry gain the signs of God. Their reward is verily with their Lord; and swift is the reckoning of God!

Ahmed Raza Khan

And undoubtedly there are some among the People given the Book(s), who accept faith in Allah and what is sent down to you and what was sent down to them – their hearts are submitted humbly before Allah – they do not exchange the verses of Allah for an abject price; they are those whose reward is with their Lord; indeed Allah is Swift At Taking Account.

Ali Quli Qarai

Indeed among the People of the Book there are some who have faith in Allah and in what has been sent down to you, and in what has been sent down to them. Humble toward Allah, they do not sell the signs of Allah for a paltry gain. They shall have their reward near their Lord; indeed Allah is swift at reckoning.

Ali Ünal

And, behold, among the People of the Book are those who believe in God and what has been sent down to you, and what was sent down to them, those humbling themselves before God in reverence, not selling God’s Revelations for a trifling price. Such are those whose reward is with their Lord. God is swift at reckoning.

Amatul Rahman Omar

There are some among the people of the Scripture who believe in Allâh and in that which has been revealed to you and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allâh, they barter not the Messages of Allâh for a paltry price, it is these whose reward is due with their Lord. Indeed, Allâh is Swift in reckoning.

English Literal

And that from The Book`s People whom (E) believes with God and what was descended to you, and what was descended to them, humble and fearing to God, they do not buy with God`s signs/verses/evidences a small price, those for them (is) their reward at their Lord, that God (is) quick (in) the counting/calculating .

Faridul Haque

And undoubtedly there are some among the People given the Book(s), who accept faith in Allah and what is sent down to you and what was sent down to them - their hearts are submitted humbly before Allah - they do not exchange the verses of Allah for an abject price; they are those whose reward is with their Lord; indeed Allah is Swift At Taking Account.

Hamid S. Aziz

O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord, who created you from one soul, and created there from its mate, and scattered from the twain a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty towards Allah, in whose name you claim rights of one another, and the wombs that bore you; verily, Allah is Watcher over you.

Hilali & Khan

And there are, certainly, among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), those who believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allah. They do not sell the Verses of Allah for a little price, for them is a reward with their Lord. Surely, Allah is Swift in account.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

But those who keep their duty to their Lord, for them are Gardens wherein flow rivers, to abide therein; and entertainment from their Lord. And that which Allah has in store for the righteous is best.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And most surely of the followers of the Book there are those who believe in Allah and (in) that which has been revealed to you and (in) that which has been revealed to them, being lowly before Allah; they do not take a small price for the communications of Allah; these it is that have their reward with their Lord; surely Allah is quick in reckoning.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And lo! of the People of the Scripture there are some who believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto you and that which was revealed unto them, humbling themselves before Allah. They purchase not a trifling gain at the price of the revelations of Allah. Verily their reward is with their Lord. Lo! Allah is swift to take account.

Muhammad Sarwar

There are some among the People of the Book who believe in God and what is revealed to you and to them. They are humble before God and do not trade God's revelations for a small price. They will receive their reward from their Lord. God's reckoning is swift.

Qaribullah & Darwish

There are some among the People of the Book who believe in Allah, and in what has been sent down to you, and what has been sent down to them, humble to Allah and do not buy with the verses of Allah a little price. Those, their wage shall be with their Lord. Allah is Swift at reckoning.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And there are, certainly, among the People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), those who believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allah. They do not sell the verses of Allah for a small price, for them is a reward with their Lord. Surely, Allah is swift in account.

Wahiduddin Khan

Some of the People of the Book believe in God, and in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed to them. They humble themselves before God and do not sell God's revelations for a trifling price. These shall be rewarded by their Lord: God is swift in reckoning!

Talal Itani

Among the People of the Scripture are those who believe in God, and in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed to them. They are humble before God, and they do not sell God’s revelations for a cheap price. These will have their reward with their Lord. God is swift in reckoning.

Tafsir jalalayn

Verily, there are some among the People of the Scripture who believe in God, like `Abd Allh b. Salm and his companions and the Negus, and what has been revealed to you, that is, the Qur'n, and what has been revealed to them, that is, the Torah and the Gospel, humble before God (khshi`n is a circumstantial qualification of the person of [the verb] yu'min, `who believe', and takes into account the [potentially plural] sense of man, `who'), not purchasing with the verses of God, which they have before them in the Torah and the Gospel pertaining to the descriptions of the Prophet (s), a small price, of this world, by concealing them for fear of losing their supremacy, as others, like the Jews, have done. Those -- their wage, the reward for their deeds, is with their Lord, [a reward] which they will be given twice over, as [stated] in the srat al- Qasas [Q. 28;54]. God is swift at reckoning, reckoning with the whole of creation in about half a day of the days of this world.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Condition of Some of the People of the Scriptures and their Rewards

Allah says;

وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَمَن يُوْمِنُ بِاللّهِ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ خَاشِعِينَ لِلّهِ

And there are, certainly, among the People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), those who believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allah.

Allah states that some of the People of the Book truly believe in Him and in what was sent down to Muhammad, along with believing in the previously revealed Books, and they are obedient to Him and humble themselves before Allah.

لَا يَشْتَرُونَ بِأيَاتِ اللّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً

They do not sell the verses of Allah for a small price.

for they do not hide what they know of the glad tidings about the description of Muhammad, his Prophethood, and the description of his Ummah. Indeed, these are the best people among the People of the Book, whether they were Jews or Christians.

Allah said in Surah Al-Qasas,

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

Those to whom We gave the Scripture 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 were Muslims. These will be given their reward twice over, because they are patient. (28;52-54)

Allah said,

الَّذِينَ اتَيْنَـهُمُ الْكِتَـبَ يَتْلُونَهُ حَقَّ تِلَوَتِهِ أُوْلَـيِكَ يُوْمِنُونَ بِهِ

Those to whom We gave the Book, recite it (follow it) as it should be recited (i.e. followed), they are the ones who believe therein. (2;121)

وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَى أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ

And of the people of Musa there is a community who lead with truth and establish justice therewith. (7;159)

لَيْسُواْ سَوَاءً مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ أُمَّةٌ قَأيِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ ءَانَأءَ الَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ

Not all of them are alike; a party of the people of the Scripture stand for the right, they recite the verses of Allah during the hours of the night, prostrating themselves in prayer. (3;113)

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

وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلٌّذْقَانِ يَبْكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ خُشُوعًا

Say;"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." And they fall down on their faces weeping and it increases their humility. (17;107-109)

These qualities exist in some of the Jews, but only a few of them. For instance, less than ten Jewish rabbis embraced the Islamic faith, such as Abdullah bin Salam. Many among the Christians, on the other hand, embraced the Islamic faith.

Allah said,

لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ الْيَهُودَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّا نَصَارَى

Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers the Jews and those who commit Shirk, and you will find the nearest in love to the believers those who say;"We are Christians." (5;82) until,

فَأَثَابَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِمَا قَالُواْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَا

So because of what they said, Allah rewarded them Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), they will abide therein forever. (5;85)

In this Ayah, Allah said,

أُوْلَـيِكَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ

for them is a reward with their Lord.

When Jafar bin Abi Talib recited Surah Maryam to An-Najashi, King of Ethiopia, in the presence of Christian priests and patriarchs, he and they cried until their beards became wet from crying.

The Two Sahihs record that;

when An-Najashi died, the Prophet conveyed the news to his Companions and said,

إِنَّ أَخًا لَكُمْ بِالْحَبَشَةِ قَدْ مَاتَ فَصَلُّوا عَلَيْه

A brother of yours from Ethiopia has passed, come to offer the funeral prayer.

He went out with the Companions to the Musalla lined them up in rows, and after that led the prayer.

Ibn Abi Najih narrated that Mujahid said that,
إِنَّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ
(And there are, certainly, among the People of the Scripture),

refers to those among them who embraced Islam.

Abbad bin Mansur said that;

he asked Al-Hasan Al-Basri about Allah's statement,
وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَمَن يُوْمِنُ بِاللّهِ
(And there are, certainly, among the People of the Scripture, those who believe in Allah).

Al-Hasan said,

"They are the People of the Book, before Muhammad was sent, who believed in Muhammad and recognized Islam. Allah gave them a double reward, for the faith that they had before Muhammad, and for believing in Muhammad (after he was sent as Prophet)."

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded both of these statements.

The Two Sahihs record that Abu Musa said that the Messenger of Allah said,

ثَلَثَةٌ يُوْتَوْنَ أَجْرَهُمْ مَرَّتَيْن

Three persons will acquire a double reward.

He mentioned among them,

وَرَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ امَنَ بِنَبِيِّهِ وَامَنَ بِي

A person from among the People of the Book who believed in his Prophet and in me.

Allah's statement,
لَا يَشْتَرُونَ بِأيَاتِ اللّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً
(They do not sell the verses of Allah for a small price),

means, they do not hide the knowledge that they have, as the cursed ones among them have done. Rather, they share the knowledge without a price, and this is why Allah said,

أُوْلَـيِكَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ

إِنَّ اللّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ



for them is a reward with their Lord. surely, Allah is Swift in account.

Mujahid commented on the verse,
سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ
((Surely, Allah is) swift in account),

"He is swift in reckoning,"

as Ibn Abi Hatim and others have recorded from him.
The Command for Patience and Ribat

Allah said