Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zukhruf Verse 57

Mufti Taqi Usmani

When the example of the son of Maryam was cited, your people started at once shouting at it (in joy),

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

When the son of Mary was cited as an example ˹in argument˺, your people ˹O Prophet˺ broke into ˹joyful˺ applause.[[ When {21:98} was revealed, warning the polytheists that all false gods will be in Hell, ’Abdullâh ibn Az-Ziba’ra, a poet who always attacked Islam, argued with the Prophet (ﷺ) that if what the verse says is true, then Jesus will be in Hell as well! The polytheists, who were present, laughed in agreement with this argument. The Prophet (ﷺ) replied that the verse was talking exclusively about idols, adding that Jesus himself did not ask anyone to worship him. Verse {21:101} was later revealed in support of the Prophet’s argument. Eventually, ’Abdullâh accepted Islam.]]

Ruwwad Translation Center

When the example of the son of Mary was given, your people laughed and jeered,

A. J. Arberry

And when the son of Mary is cited as an example, behold, thy people turn away from it

Abdul Haleem

When the son of Mary is cited as an example, your people [Prophet] laugh and jeer,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And when the son of Maryam is held up, an example, behold! thy people thereat cry out.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When (Jesus) the son of Mary is held up as an example, behold, thy people raise a clamour thereat (in ridicule)!

Abul Ala Maududi

No sooner the example of the son of Mary was mentioned than, lo and behold, your people raised a clamour

Ahmed Ali

When the example of Mary's son is quoted before them, your people cry out at it,

Ahmed Raza Khan

And when the example of the son of Maryam is given, your people laugh at it!

Ali Quli Qarai

When the Son of Mary was cited as an example, behold, your people raise an outcry.

Ali Ünal

And when (Jesus) the son of Mary has been presented as an example (of God’s Power and Oneness and to refute his being deified by many Christians), your people turn from it in disdain;

Amatul Rahman Omar

When (the case of Jesus,) the son of Mary is cited as an example, lo, your people start raising a clamour at it,

English Literal

And when Mary`s son was given (as) an example , then your nation from Him, they object/obstruct.

Faridul Haque

And when the example of the son of Maryam is given, your people laugh at it!

Hamid S. Aziz

And when the example of the son of Mary (Jesus) is given, lo! Your people raise a clamour (of ridicule) there at.

Hilali & Khan

And when the son of Maryam (Mary) is quoted as an example [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) is worshipped like their idols), behold! Your people cry aloud (laugh out at the example).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And We made them a thing past and an example for later generations.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when a description of the son of Marium is given, lo! your people raise a clamor thereat.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And when the son of Mary is quoted as an example, behold! the folk laugh out,

Muhammad Sarwar

When the son of Mary was mentioned as an example, you people cried out in protest, saying,

Qaribullah & Darwish

When the son of Mary is mentioned as an example, your people turn away from it

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, your people cry aloud thereat.

Wahiduddin Khan

When [Jesus] the son of Mary is held up as an example, your people raise an outcry on this,

Talal Itani

And when the son of Mary was cited as an example, your people opposed.

Tafsir jalalayn

And when the son of Mary is cited as an example -- after God's [following] words were revealed; `Truly you and what you worship besides God shall be fuel for Hell' [Q. 21;98] and the idolaters said, `We are satisfied that our gods be together with Jesus [in Hell], for he too was worshipped besides God' -- behold! your people, that is, the idolaters, laugh at it, at this example -- they clamour with joy at what they hear.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Contempt of the Quraysh for the son of Maryam, and His true Status with Allah

Allah tells us how the Quraysh persisted in their disbelief and stubborn arguments;

وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلً إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ



And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, your people cry aloud thereat.

Several others narrated that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Ikrimah, As-Suddi and Ad-Dahhak said,

"They laughed, i.e., they were astounded by that."

Qatadah said,

"They were repelled by that and they laughed."

Ibrahim An-Nakha`i said, "They turned away."

The reason for this was mentioned by Muhammad bin Ishaq in As-Sirah. He said,

"According to what I have heard, the Messenger of Allah sat down one day with Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah in the Masjid, and An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came and sat down with them. There were also other men from the Quraysh in the gathering. The Messenger of Allah spoke, then An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came up to him and the Messenger of Allah spoke to him until he defeated him in argument. Then he recited to him and to them,

إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ

Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! (Surely) you will enter it. (21;98)

Then the Messenger of Allah got up and went to sit with Abdullah bin Al-Zab`ari At-Tamimi.

Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah said to him, By Allah, An-Nadr bin Al-Harith could not match the son of Abd Al-Muttalib in argument. Muhammad claims that we and these gods that we worship are fuel for Hell.'

Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said,

`By Allah, if I meet with him I will defeat him in argument. Ask Muhammad whether everyone that is worshipped instead of Allah will be in Hell with those who worshipped him, for we worship the angels, and the Jews worship Uzayr, and the Christians worship the Messiah Isa bin Maryam.'

Al-Walid and those who were sitting with him were amazed at what Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said, and they thought that he had come up with a good point. He said this to the Messenger of Allah, who said;

كُلُّ مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُعْبَدَ مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ فَهُوَ مَعَ مَنْ عَبَدَهُ فَإِنَّهُمْ إِنَّمَا يَعْبُدُونَ الشَّيْطَانَ وَمَنْ أَمَرَهُمْ بِعِبَادَتِه

"Everyone who likes to worship something other than Allah will be with the one whom he worshipped, for indeed they are worshipping the Shaytan and whomever told them to worship that person."

Then Allah revealed the words;

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَى أُوْلَـيِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ

Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us, they will be removed far therefrom (Hell). (21;101),

meaning that Isa , Uzayr and rabbis and monks who were also worshipped, who spent their lives in devotion towards Allah. The misguided people who came after them took them as lords instead of Allah.

Concerning the notion of worshipping the angels as daughters of Allah, the following words were revealed;

وَقَالُواْ اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَـنُ وَلَداً سُبْحَانَهُ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ

And they say;"The Most Gracious has begotten a son (or children)."

Glory to Him! They are but honored servants. (21;26)

Concerning Isa bin Maryam, the fact that he is worshipped instead of Allah, and to the amazement of Al-Walid and the others who were present at the argument, the following was revealed;

وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلً إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ


And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, your people cry aloud thereat.

meaning, they take this argument as a basis for rejecting your message.

وَقَالُوا أَالِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلاَّ جَدَلاً

بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ