Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 23

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Did you not observe those who have been given a share from the Book? They are invited to the Book of Allah, so that it may decide between them. Then, a group from them goes back, turning their faces away.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scriptures?[[ i.e., the Torah.]] Yet when they are invited to the Book of Allah to settle their disputes, some of them turn away heedlessly.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Have you not considered those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They are invited to the Book of Allah to judge between them, then a group of them turn away in aversion.

A. J. Arberry

Hast thou not regarded those who were given a portion of the Book, being called to the Book of God, that it might decide between them, and then a party of them turned away, swerving aside?

Abdul Haleem

Have you considered those who were given a share of the Scripture? When they are asked to accept judgement from God’s Scripture, some of them turn their backs and walk away, all because they declare,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Hast thou not observed those vouchsafed a portion of the Book called to the Book of Allah that it may judge between them? Then a party of them turn away and they are backsliders

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Hast thou not turned Thy vision to those who have been given a portion of the Book? They are invited to the Book of Allah, to settle their dispute, but a party of them Turn back and decline (The arbitration).

Abul Ala Maududi

Have you not noticed those who have been given a portion of the Book? Whenever their learned men are summoned to the Book of Allah to judge the differences between them, a party of them turns away in aversion.

Ahmed Ali

Have you not seen the people who have received a part of Revelation who are called to the Book of God that it may judge (in their disputes) between them? But some, being averse turn away,

Ahmed Raza Khan

Did you not see them who have received a part of the Book – when called towards the Book of Allah for judging between them, a group of them opposes it and turns away?

Ali Quli Qarai

Have you not regarded those who were given a share of the Book, who are summoned to the Book of Allah in order that it may judge between them, whereat a part of them refuse to comply and they are disregardful?

Ali Ünal

Do you not consider those who were given a portion from the Book? They are called to the Book of God to judge between them, and then, (after the judgment was given,) a party of them turn away in aversion.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Have you not considered (the case of) those who were given a portion of the Scripture? When they are called to the Book of Allâh (the Qur´ân) that it may judge between them, yet a party of them turn away in sheer aversion.

English Literal

Did you not see/understand to those who were given a share/fortune from The Book , they are being called to God`s Book to judge/rule between them, then a group from them turns away, and they are objecting/opposing.

Faridul Haque

Did you not see them who have received a part of the Book - when called towards the Book of Allah for judging between them, a group of them opposes it and turns away?

Hamid S. Aziz

Did you not see those who have been given a portion of the Book? They called on the Book of Allah to decide disputes between them; and then a sect of them turned their backs and opposes it;

Hilali & Khan

Have you not seen those who have been given a portion of the Scripture? They are being invited to the Book of Allah to settle their dispute, then a party of them turn away, and they are averse.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Those are they whose works will be of no avail in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Have you not considered those (Jews) who are given a portion of the Book? They are invited to the Book of Allah that it might decide between them, then a part of them turn back and they withdraw.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Hast thou not seen how those who have received a portion of the Scripture invoke the Scripture of Allah (in their disputes) that it may judge between them; then a faction of them turn away, being opposed (to it)?

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), consider those who have received a share of the Book. When they refer to the Book in order to judge amongst themselves, a group of them turn away with disregard

Qaribullah & Darwish

Have you not seen those who have received a portion of the Book being called to the Book of Allah, that it might judge between them, and some turned away, swerving aside.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Have you not seen those who have been given a portion of the Scripture They are being invited to the Book of Allah to settle their dispute, then a party of them turned away, and they are averse.

Wahiduddin Khan

Have you not seen those who received a portion of the Book? When they are invited to accept the judgement of God's Book, a group of them turns away in aversion.

Talal Itani

Have you not considered those who were given a share of the Scripture, as they were called to the Scripture of God to arbitrate between them; then some of them turned back, and declined?

Tafsir jalalayn

Have you not seen those who were given a portion, a share, of the Book, the Torah, being called to the Book of God (yud`awna, `being called', is a circumstantial qualifier), that it might decide between them, and then a party of them turned away, opposed? to the acceptance of its rulings. This was revealed concerning the Jews; two of them fornicated and they [the Jews] asked the Prophet (s) to adjudicate the case. He ruled that they be stoned, but they [the Jews] refused to do so. When the Torah was brought and consulted, the same verdict was found, and so the two were stoned, but they [the Jews] became wrathful.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Chastising the People of the Book for Not Referring to the Book of Allah for Judgment

Allah says;

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوْتُواْ نَصِيبًا مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى كِتَابِ اللّهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّى فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ

Have you not seen those who have been given a portion of the Scripture! They are being invited to the Book of Allah to settle their dispute, then a party of them turned away, and they are averse.

Allah criticizes the Jews and Christians who claim to follow their Books, the Tawrah and the Injil, because when they are called to refer to these Books where Allah commanded them to follow Muhammad, they turn away with aversion.

This censure and criticism from Allah was all because of their defiance and rejection.

Allah said next