Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'idah Verse 26

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He (Allah) said, “This (land) is prohibited to them for forty years. They shall be wandering around the earth. So, do not grieve for the sinning people.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Allah replied, “Then this land is forbidden to them for forty years, during which they will wander through the land. So do not grieve for the rebellious people.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

[Allah] said, “Then this land will be forbidden to them for forty years, while they will be straying through the land. Therefore, do not grieve over the rebellious people.”

A. J. Arberry

Said He, 'Then it shall be forbidden them for forty years, while they are wandering in the earth; so grieve not for the people of the ungodly.'

Abdul Haleem

God said, ‘The land is forbidden to them for forty years: they will wander the earth aimlessly. Do not grieve over those who disobey.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Said He: verily then it is forbidden unto them for forty years, while they shall wander about in the earth, so mourn not thou over this transgressing people.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah said; "Therefore will the land be out of their reach for forty years; In distraction will they wander through the land; But sorrow thou not over these rebellious people.

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah said: 'This land will now be forbidden to them for forty years and they will remain wandering about on the earth. Do not grieve over the condition of these transgressing people.

Ahmed Ali

(And God) said: "Then verily this land is forbidden them for forty years, and they shall wander perplexed over the earth. So do not grieve for these, the wicked people."

Ahmed Raza Khan

Said Allah, “The (holy) land is therefore forbidden for them for forty years; they will wander in the earth; so do not grieve for these disobedient people.”

Ali Quli Qarai

He said, ‘It shall be forbidden them for forty years: they shall wander about in the earth. So do not grieve for the transgressing lot.’

Ali Ünal

He (God) said (passing this judgment): "Then, this (land) shall now be forbidden to them for forty years, while they shall wander about on earth, bewildered. Do not grieve over that transgressing people."

Amatul Rahman Omar

(God) said, `Verily, it (- the Holy Land) is forbidden to them for forty years. They shall wander about in the earth distracted and in confusion, so grieve not over these disobedient people.´

English Literal

(God) said: "So that it truly is forbidden/prohibited on them forty years, they stray/wander in the earth/Planet Earth, so do not grieve on the nation the debauchers ."

Faridul Haque

Said Allah, “The (holy) land is therefore forbidden for them for forty years; they will wander in the earth; so do not grieve for these disobedient people.”

Hamid S. Aziz

Recite to them the true tale of the two sons of Adam; truly when they offered an offering and it was accepted from one of them, and not from the other. Said the latter, "I will surely kill you." Said the former, "Surely, Allah only accepts from those who fear (are righteous).

Hilali & Khan

(Allah) said: "Therefore it (this holy land) is forbidden to them for forty years; in distraction they will wander through the land. So be not sorrowful over the people who are the Fasiqun (rebellious and disobedient to Allah)."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He said: My Lord, I have control of none but my own self and my brother; so distinguish between us and the transgressing people.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He said: So it shall surely be forbidden to them for forty years, they shall wander about in the land, therefore do not grieve for the nation of transgressors.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

(Their Lord) said: For this the land will surely be forbidden them for forty years that they will wander in the earth, bewildered. So grieve not over the wrongdoing folk.

Muhammad Sarwar

The Lord said, "The land will be prohibited to them for forty years (during all such time) they will wander in the land. Do not feel sad for the evil-doing people."

Qaribullah & Darwish

He said: 'They shall be forbidden this land for forty years, during which time they shall wander (homeless) on the earth. Do not grieve for these wicked people.'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

(Allah) said: "Therefore it is forbidden to them for forty years; in distraction they will wander through the land. So do not greive for the rebellious people."

Wahiduddin Khan

God said, "The land is forbidden to them for forty years, while they wander around the earth, bewildered; do not grieve over these wicked people."

Talal Itani

He said, “It is forbidden for them for forty years. They will wander aimlessly in the land. So do not grieve over the defiant people.”

Tafsir jalalayn

He, God, exalted be He, said, to him; `Then it, the Holy Land, shall be forbidden them, to enter, for forty years; they shall wander lost, bewildered, in the land -- according to Ibn `Abbs this [land] was about nine parasangs [sc. 30 miles]; so do not grieve for the wicked folk'. It is reported that they would travel throughout the night earnestly, but in the morning would find themselves back where they had started. And they would travel all day, with the same result, until they all perished, except those under twenty years of age. It is said that they numbered 600,000. Moses and Aaron died in the wilderness, and this was a mercy for them, and a chastisement for those others. When Moses was on the verge of death, he asked his Lord to bring him close to the Holy Land, to within a stone's throw, and He did, as related in hadth. Joshua became a prophet sometime after his fortieth year and he was commanded to fight against the giants. So he sallied forth with those that remained by his side and he fought against them; it was a Friday and the sun stopped for him for an hour, until he had finished with fighting them. Ahmad [b. Hanbal] reported in his Musnad the [following] hadth, `The sun was never detained for any human, except for Joshua during those days in which he marched towards the Holy House [of Jerusalem]'.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً يَتِيهُونَ فِي الَارْضِ

Therefore it is forbidden to them for forty years; in distraction they will wander through the land.

When Musa supplicated against the Jews for refusing to fight in Jihad, Allah forbade them from entering the land for forty years. They wandered about lost in the land of At-Tih, unable to find their way out.

During this time, tremendous miracles occurred, such as the clouds that shaded them and the manna and quails Allah sent down for them. Allah brought forth water springs from solid rock, and the other miracles that He aided Musa bin Imran with.

During this time, the Tawrah was revealed and the Law was established for the Children of Israel and the Tabernacle of the Covenant was erected.
Conquering Jerusalem

Allah's statement,
أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً
(for forty years),

defines,
يَتِيهُونَ فِي الَارْضِ
(in distraction they will wander through the land).

When these years ended, Yuwsha bin Nun led those who remained among them and the second generation, and laid siege to Jerusalem, conquering it on a Friday afternoon. When the sun was about to set and Yuwsha feared that the Sabbath would begin, he said (to the sun),

"You are commanded and I am commanded, as well. O Allah! Make it stop setting for me."

Allah made the sun stop setting until Yuwsha bin Nun conquered Jerusalem.

Next, Allah commanded Yuwsha to order the Children of Israel to enter Jerusalem from its gate while bowing and saying Hittah, meaning, `remove our sins.' Yet, they changed what they were commanded and entered it while dragging themselves on their behinds and saying, `Habbah (a seed) in Sha`rah (a hair)."

We mentioned all of this in the Tafsir of Surah Al-Baqarah.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn Abbas commented,
قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً يَتِيهُونَ فِي الَارْضِ
(Therefore it is forbidden to them for forty years; in distraction they will wander through the land).

"They wandered in the land for forty years, during which Musa and Harun died, as well as everyone above forty years of age. When the forty years ended, Yuwsha son of Nun assumed their leadership and later conquered Jerusalem.

When Yuwsha was reminded that the day was Friday and the sun was about to set, while they were still attacking Jerusalem, he feared that the Sabbath might begin. Therefore, he said to the sun, `I am commanded and you are commanded.'

Allah made the sun stop setting and the Jews conquered Jerusalem and found wealth unseen before. They wanted to let the fire consume the booty, but the fire would not do that. Yuwsha said, `Some of you have committed theft from the booty.' So he summoned the twelve leaders of the twelve tribes and took the pledge from them. Then, the hand of one of them became stuck to the hand of Yuwsha and Yuwsha said, `You committed the theft, so bring it forth.' So, that man brought a cow's head made of gold with two eyes made of precious stones and a set of teeth made of pearls. When Yuwsha added it to the booty, the fire consumed it, as they were prohibited to keep the booty."

There is evidence supporting all of this in the Sahih.
Allah Comforts Musa

Comforting Musa, Allah said

فَلَ تَأْسَ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْفَاسِقِينَ



So do not grieve for the rebellious people.

Allah said;Do not feel sorrow or sadness over My judgment against them, for they deserve such judgment. This story chastises the Jews, exposes their defiance of Allah and His Messenger, and their refusal to obey the order for Jihad. They were weak and could not bear the thought of fighting their enemy, being patient, and enduring this way.

This occurred although they had the Messenger of Allah and the one whom He spoke to among them, the best of Allah's creation that time. Their Prophet promised them triumph and victory against their enemies.

They also witnessed the torment and punishment of drowning with which Allah punished their enemy Fir`awn and his soldiers, so that their eyes were pleased and comforted. All this did not happen too long ago, yet they refused to perform Jihad against people who had less than a tenth of the power and strength than the people of Egypt had. Therefore, the evil works of the Jews were exposed to everyone, and the exposure was such an enormous one that the night, or the tail, can never cover its tracks.

They were also blinded by their ignorance and transgression. Thus, they became hated by Allah, and they became His enemies. Yet, they claim that they are Allah's children and His loved ones! May Allah curse their faces that were transformed to the shape of swine and apes, and may Allah's curse accompany them to the raging Fire. May Allah make them abide in the Fire for eternity, and He did; all thanks are due to Him