Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'idah Verse 41

Mufti Taqi Usmani

O Messenger, those who race towards disbelief should not be a cause of grief for you, be they from those who say with their mouths, “We believe”, while their hearts do not believe, or from those who are (pronounced) Jews. They are listeners to the fallacy, listeners to other people who did not come to you. They distort the words after they had been properly placed. They say, “If you are given this, take it, and if you are not given this, then avoid it.” The one whom Allah wills to put to trial, you cannot do anything for him against Allah. They are the ones whose hearts Allah did not intend to purify. For them there is humiliation in this world, and for them there is a great punishment in the Hereafter.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

O Messenger! Do not grieve for those who race to disbelieve—those who say, “We believe” with their tongues, but their hearts are in disbelief. Nor those among the Jews who eagerly listen to lies, attentive to those who are too arrogant to come to you. They distort the Scripture, taking rulings out of context, then say, “If this is the ruling you get ˹from Muḥammad˺, accept it. If not, beware!” Whoever Allah allows to be deluded, you can never be of any help to them against Allah. It is not Allah’s Will to purify their hearts. For them is disgrace in this world, and they will suffer a tremendous punishment in the Hereafter.

Ruwwad Translation Center

O Messenger, do not grieve for those who rush to disbelief – those who say with their mouths, “We believe”, but their hearts have no faith, nor those Jews who eagerly listen to falsehood and to those who have not yet come to you. They distort the words [of Allah] out of their context saying, “If you are given this [ruling] accept it, but if you are not given, then beware.” Whoever Allah wills to be misguided, there is nothing you can do to avail him against Allah. They are those whose hearts Allah did not will to purify. For them there is disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter they will suffer a great punishment.

A. J. Arberry

O Messenger, let them not grieve thee that vie with one another in unbelief, such men as say with their mouths 'We believe' but their hearts believe not; and the Jews who listen to falsehood, listen to other folk, who have not come to thee, perverting words from their meanings, saying, 'If you are given this, then take it; if you are not given it, beware!' Whomsoever God desires to try, thou canst not avail him anything with God. Those are they whose hearts God desired not to purify; for them is degradation in this world; and in the world to come awaits them a mighty chastisement;

Abdul Haleem

Messenger, do not be grieved by those who race to surpass one another in disbelief- those who say with their mouths, ‘We believe,’ but have no faith in their hearts, and the Jews who listen eagerly to lies and to those who have not even met you, who distort the meanings of [revealed] words and say [to each other], ‘If you are given this ruling, accept it, but if you are not, then beware!’––if God intends some people to be so misguided, you will be powerless against God on their behalf. These are the ones whose hearts God does not intend to cleanse- a disgrace for them in this world, and then a heavy punishment in the Hereafter-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

O apostle! let not those grieve thee that hasten after infidelity from among these who say with their mouths: we believe, yet their hearts believe not, and from among those who are Judaised: listeners to falsehoods, listeners to anot her people who come not unto thee; they pervert the words after they have been set in their places, saying: if that which is given you be this accept it, but if that is not given you, beware. And whosesoever temptation Allah Willeth, thou shalt not avail him against Allah in aught. These are they whose hearts Allah would not cleanse; theirs is humiliation in this world and theirs shall be in the Hereafter a mighty torment.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

O Messenger! let not those grieve thee, who race each other into unbelief; (whether it be) among those who say "We believe" with their lips but whose hearts have no faith; or it be among the Jews,- men who will listen to any lie,- will listen even to others who have never so much as come to thee. They change the words from their (right) times and places; they say, "If ye are given this, take it, but if not, beware!" If any one's trial is intended by Allah, thou hast no authority in the least for him against Allah. For such - it is not Allah's will to purify their hearts. For them there is disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a heavy punishment.

Abul Ala Maududi

O Messenger! Do not be grieved on account of those who vie with one another in disbelieving: even though they be those who say with their mouths: 'We believe' even though their hearts have no faith; or they be Jews who have their ears eagerly turned to falsehood and spy for other people who did not chance to come to you, who pervert the words of Allah, taking them out of their proper context in order to distort their meaning. They say to people: 'If such and such teaching is given to you, accept it; if you are not given that, then beware! You can be of no avail to him whom Allah wills to fall into error. Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not want to purify. For them there is degradation in this world and a mighty chastisement in the Next.

Ahmed Ali

Be not grieved, O Apostle, by those who hasten to outrace others in denial, and say with their tongues: "We believe," but do not believe in their hearts. And those of the Jews who listen to tell lies, and spy on behalf of others who do not come to you, and who distort the words (of the Torah) out of context, and say: "If you are given (what we say is true) accept it; but if you are not given it, beware." You cannot intercede with God for him whom God would not show the way. These are the people whose hearts God does not wish to purify. For them is ignominy in this world and punishment untold in the next --

Ahmed Raza Khan

O Noble Messenger (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him)! Do not let yourself be aggrieved by the people who rush towards disbelief – those who say with their mouths, “We believe” but whose hearts are not Muslims; and some Jews; they listen a great deal to falsehood, and to other people who do not come to you; shifting Allah’s Words from their correct places; and say, “If this command is given to you, obey it, but if this is not given to you, then refrain”; and the one whom Allah wills to send astray, you will never be able to help him in the least against Allah; they are those whose hearts Allah did not will to cleanse; for them is disgrace in this world, and for them is a great punishment in the Hereafter.

Ali Quli Qarai

O Apostle! Do not grieve for those who are active in [promoting] unfaith, such as those who say, ‘We believe’ with their mouths, but whose hearts have no faith, and the Jews who eavesdrop with the aim of [telling] lies [against you] and eavesdrop for other people who do not come to you. They pervert words from their meanings, [and] say, ‘If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, beware!’ Yet whomever Allah wishes to mislead, you cannot avail him anything against Allah. They are the ones whose hearts Allah did not desire to purify. For them is disgrace in this world, and there is a great punishment for them in the Hereafter.

Ali Ünal

O Messenger! Let them not grieve you who would rush in unbelief, as if competing with one another in a race, such of them as say with their mouths, "We believe," but their hearts do not believe, and those of them who are Jews. They are eagerly listening out for falsehoods (especially about you) and eagerly listening out (spying) on behalf of other people who have never come to you (even to learn the essence of your Message); altering any words (whether pertaining to God or not) from their contexts to distort their meanings. They say (about matters referred to you for judgment): "If such and such judgment is given to you, accept it; but if it is not given to you, then beware!" Whoever God has willed to put to a trial (to prove his nature, and has failed in this trial), you have no power in anything on his behalf against God. Such are those whose hearts (because of their rushing in unbelief) God does not will to purify. For them is disgrace in the world, and in the Hereafter a tremendous punishment.

Amatul Rahman Omar

O Messenger! let not those who vie with one another in (- spreading) disbelief,- those of them who say with their mouths, `we believe´, but their hearts believe not, and those of them who judaised, grieve you. They are the acceptors of falsehood and are those who listen for conveying to other people who have not yet come to you. They tear the words (of God) from their proper places (and pervert the meanings thereof and) say, `If you are given this (sort of commandment) accept it and if you are not given this, then be careful.´ And he (on) whom Allâh desires (to inflict) His punishment, you can do nothing to save him from (the punishment of) Allâh. It is these whose hearts Allâh has not been pleased to purify. Ignominy is their lot in this world, and there awaits them in the Hereafter a great punishment.

English Literal

You, you the messenger, do not be saddened (by) those who quicken/speed in the disbelief, from those who said: "We believed" with their mouths, and their hearts/minds did not believe, and from those who repented/Jews (who are) often listening/hearing to the lie/falsehood, (and) often listening/hearing to other nations (that) they did not come to you, they alter/distort the words/expressions from after its places, they71say: "If you were given that, so take it , and if you were not given it, so be warned ." And whom God wants testing him , so you will never own/possess for him from God a thing, those are those who God did not want that to purify their hearts/minds , for them in the present world (is) shame/scandal/ disgrace, and for them in the end (other life is) a great torture.

Faridul Haque

O Noble Messenger (Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him)! Do not let yourself be aggrieved by the people who rush towards disbelief - those who say with their mouths, “We believe” but whose hearts are not Muslims; and some Jews; they listen a great deal to falsehood, and to other people who do not come to you; shifting Allah’s Words from their correct places; and say, “If this command is given to you, obey it, but if this is not given to you, then refrain”; and the one whom Allah wills to send astray, you will never be able to help him in the least against Allah; they are those whose hearts Allah did not will to cleanse; for them is disgrace in this world, and for them is a great punishment in the Hereafter.

Hamid S. Aziz

They are listeners to falsehood, eaters of unlawful things! But if they come to you, then judge between them or ignore them. If you turn aside from them they shall not harm you at all, but if you judge, then judge between them with justice, for verily, Allah loves the just.

Hilali & Khan

O Messenger (Muhammad SAW)! Let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you, of such who say: "We believe" with their mouths but their hearts have no faith. And of the Jews are men who listen much and eagerly to lies - listen to others who have not come to you. They change the words from their places; they say, "If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!" And whomsoever Allah wants to put in Al-Fitnah [error, because of his rejecting the Faith], you can do nothing for him against Allah. Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not want to purify (from disbelief and hypocrisy); for them there is a disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a great torment.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Knowest thou not that Allah is He to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth? He chastises whom He pleases, and forgives whom He pleases. And Allah is Possessor over power over all things.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

O Apostle! let not those grieve you who strive together in hastening to unbelief from among those who say with their mouths: We believe, and their hearts do not believe, and from among those who are Jews; they are listeners for the sake of a lie, listeners for another people who have not come to you; they alter the words from their places, saying: If you are given this, take it, and if you are not given this, be cautious; and as for him whose temptation Allah desires, you cannot control anything for him with Allah. Those are they for whom Allah does not desire that He should purify their hearts; they shall have disgrace in this world, and they shall have a grievous chastisement in the hereafter.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

O Messenger! Let not them grieve thee who vie one with another in the race to disbelief, of such as say with their mouths: "We believe," but their hearts believe not, and of the Jews: listeners for the sake of falsehood, listeners on behalf of other folk who come not unto thee, changing words from their context and saying: If this be given unto you, receive it, but if this be not given unto you, then beware! He whom Allah doometh unto sin, thou (by thine efforts) wilt avail him naught against Allah. Those are they for whom the Will of Allah is that He cleanse not their hearts. Theirs in the world will be ignominy, and in the Hereafter an awful doom;

Muhammad Sarwar

Messenger, do not be grieved about the people who run back to disbelief. They only say that they believe but, in fact, they have no faith in their hearts. Some Jews knowingly listen to lies and accept the lies which come from others, (Jews), who have no relation with you and who distort certain words of the Bible and say to the people, "Accept only those words which are the same as what We have told you. If you do not, then beware!" You can not help those whom God wants to try. God does not want to cleanse the hearts of such people. They lead a disgraceful life in this world and in the life hereafter they will suffer a great torment.

Qaribullah & Darwish

O Messenger, do not grieve for those who race into disbelief; those who say with their mouth: 'We believe' yet their hearts did not believe, and the Jews who listen to lies and listen to other nations who have not come to you. They pervert the words in their places and say: 'If you are given this, accept it; if not, then beware' Whomsoever Allah wishes to try, you will not own anything with Allah concerning him. For those whose hearts Allah does not will to purify shall be disgrace in this world and a grievous punishment in the Everlasting Life.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

O Messenger! Let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you, of such who say, "We believe" with their mouths but their hearts have no faith. And of the Jews are men who listen much and eagerly to lies, listening to others who have not come to you. They change the words from their places; they say, "If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!" And whomsoever Allah wants to put in Fitnah, you can do nothing for him against Allah. Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not want to purify; for them there is a disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a great torment.

Wahiduddin Khan

Messenger, do not be grieved by those who vie with one another in denying the truth; those who say with their tongues, "We believe," but have no faith in their hearts; from among the Jews also, there are those who listen eagerly to any lies. They listen to you to convey to others [religious leaders] who do not come to you [out of pride and conceit]. They [these leaders] take words out of their context and say, "If this be given to you, receive it, but if not, then beware!" If anyone's trial is intended by God, you cannot in the least prevail against God on his behalf. Those whose hearts God does not intend to purify shall be subjected to disgrace in this world and a severe punishment in the Hereafter.

Talal Itani

O Messenger! Do not let those who are quick to disbelief grieve you—from among those who say with their mouths, “We believe,” but their hearts do not believe; and from among the Jews—listeners to lies, listeners to other people who did not come to you. They distort words from their places, and they say, “If you are given this, accept it; but if you are not given it, beware.” Whomever God has willed to divert, you have nothing for him from God. Those are they whose hearts God does not intend to purify. For them is disgrace in this world, and for them is a great punishment in the Hereafter.

Tafsir jalalayn

O Messenger, let them not grieve you, the actions of, those who vie with one another in disbelief, falling headlong into it, in other words, they [who] manifest it at every opportunity, of (min here is explicative) such as say with their mouths, with their tongues (bi-alsinatihim is semantically connected to ql, `[such] as say'), `We believe' but their hearts do not believe, and these are the hypocrites; and from among those of Jewry, there is a folk, who listen to calumny, fabricated by their rabbis, listening acceptingly, listening to, you, on behalf of some, other folk, from among the Jews, who have not come to you; these were the inhabitants of Khaybar, among whom two married persons committed adultery, but whom they did not want to stone. And so they dispatched [men from] Qurayza to ask the Prophet (s) about the ruling concerning the two; perverting words, that are in the Torah, such as the `stoning' verse, from their contexts, [the contexts] in which God had placed them, that is to say, substituting them, saying, to the ones they dispatched; `If you are given this, distorted ruling, that is, flogging, which Muhammad (s) has pronounced for you as a ruling, then take it, accept it; but if you are not given it, and he pronounces some other ruling for you, then beware!', of accepting it! Whomever God desires to try, to lead astray, you cannot avail him anything against God, by preventing such [a trial]. Those are they whose hearts God did not desire to purify, of unbelief, for had He desired it, you would have [been able to do something for them]; theirs shall be degradation in this world, humiliation, by being disgraced and subjected to the jizya, and in the Hereafter theirs shall be a great chastisement.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Do Not Feel Sad Because of the Behavior of the Jews and Hypocrites

Allah says;

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لَا يَحْزُنكَ الَّذِينَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْكُفْرِ

O Messenger! Let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you,

These honorable Ayat were revealed about those who rush into disbelief, deviating from the obedience of Allah, His Messenger, preferring their opinions and lusts to what Allah has legislated.

مِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ امَنَّا بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُوْمِن قُلُوبُهُمْ

of such who say, "We believe" with their mouths but their hearts have no faith.

These people pretend to be faithful with their words, but their hearts are empty from faith, and they are the hypocrites.

وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ هِادُواْ

And of the Jews...,

the enemies of Islam and its people, they and the hypocrites all.

سَمَّاعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ

listen much and eagerly to lies...,

and they accept and react to it positively.


سَمَّاعُونَ لِقَوْمٍ اخَرِينَ لَمْ يَأْتُوكَ

listening to others who have not come to you,

meaning, they listen to some people who do not attend your meetings, O Muhammad.

Or, the Ayah might mean, they listen to what you say and convey it to your enemies who do not attend your audience.
The Jews Alter and Change the Law, Such As Stoning the Adulterer

Allah says;

يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ مِن بَعْدِ مَوَاضِعِهِ

They change the words from their places;

by altering their meanings and knowingly distorting them after they comprehended them.

يَقُولُونَ إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَـذَا فَخُذُوهُ وَإِن لَّمْ تُوْتَوْهُ فَاحْذَرُواْ

they say, "If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!"

It was reported that;

this part of the Ayah was revealed about some Jews who committed murder and who said to each other, "Let us ask Muhammad to judge between us, and if he decides that we pay the Diyah, accept his judgment. If he decides on capital punishment, do not accept his judgment."

The correct opinion is that;

this Ayah was revealed about the two Jews who committed adultery. The Jews changed the law they had in their Book from Allah on the matter of punishment for adultery, from stoning to death, to a hundred flogs and making the offenders ride a donkey facing the back of the donkey.

When this incident of adultery occurred after the Hijrah, they said to each other, "Let us go to Muhammad and seek his judgment. If he gives a ruling of flogging, then implement his decision and make it a proof for you with Allah. This way, one of Allah's Prophets will have upheld this ruling amongst you. But if he decides that the punishment should be stoning to death, then do not accept his decision."

There are several Hadiths mentioning this story.

Malik reported that Nafi said that Abdullah bin Umar said,

"The Jews came to Allah's Messenger and mentioned that a man and a woman from them committed adultery. Allah's Messenger said to them,

مَا تَجِدُونَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ فِي شَأْنِ الرَّجْمِ


What do find of the ruling about stoning in the Tawrah?

They said, `We only find that they should be exposed and flogged.'

Abdullah bin Salam said, `You lie. The Tawrah mentions stoning, so bring the Tawrah.'

They brought the Tawrah and opened it but one of them hid the verse about stoning with his hand and recited what is before and after that verse.

Abdullah bin Salam said to him, `Remove your hand,' and he removed it, thus uncovering the verse about stoning. So they said, He (Abdullah bin Salam) has said the truth, O Muhammad! It is the verse about stoning.'

The Messenger of Allah decided that the adulterers be stoned to death and his command was carried out.

I saw that man shading the woman from the stones with his body."

Al-Bukhari and Muslim also collected this Hadith and this is the wording collected by Al-Bukhari.

In another narration by Al-Bukhari, the Prophet said to the Jews,

مَا تَصْنَعُون بِهِمَا



What would you do in this case?

They said, "We would humiliate and expose them."

The Prophet recited,

قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ


Bring here the Tawrah and recite it, if you are truthful. (3;93)

So they brought a man who was blind in one eye and who was respected among them and said to him, "Read (from the Tawrah)."

So he read until he reached a certain verse and then covered it with his hand. He was told, "Remove your hand," and it was the verse about stoning.

So that man said, "O Muhammad! This is the verse about stoning, and we had hid its knowledge among us."

So the Messenger ordered that the two adulterers be stoned, and they were stoned.

Muslim recorded that;

a Jewish man and a Jewish woman were brought before Allah's Messenger because they committed adultery. The Messenger of Allah went to the Jews and asked them,

مَا تَجِدُونَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ عَلى مَنْ زَنَى



What is the ruling that you find in the Tawrah for adultery?

They said, "We expose them, carry them (on donkeys) backwards and parade them in public."

The Prophet recited;

قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ


Bring here the Tawrah and recite it, if you are truthful. (3;93)

So they brought the Tawrah and read from it until the reader reached the verse about stoning. Then he placed his hand on that verse and read what was before and after it.

Abdullah bin Salam, who was with the Messenger of Allah, said, "Order him to remove his hand," and he removed his hand and under it was the verse about stoning.

So the Messenger of Allah commanded that the adulterers be stoned, and they were stoned.

Abdullah bin Umar said, "I was among those who stoned them and I saw the man shading the woman from the stones with his body."

Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn Umar said,

"Some Jews came to the Messenger of Allah and invited him to go to the Quff area. So he went to the house of Al-Midras and they said, `O Abu Al-Qasim! A man from us committed adultery with a woman, so decide on their matter.'

They arranged a pillow for the Messenger of Allah and he sat on it and said,

ايْتُونِي بِالتَّوْرَاة

Bring the Tawrah to me.

He was brought the Tawrah and he removed the pillow from under him and placed the Tawrah on it, saying,

امَنْتُ بِكِ وَبِمَنْ أَنْزَلَك

I trust you and He Who revealed it to you.

He then said,

ايْتُونِي بِأَعْلَمِكُم

Bring me your most knowledgeable person.

So he was brought a young man... "

and then he mentioned the rest of the story that Malik narrated from Nafi.

These Hadiths state that the Messenger of Allah issued a decision that conforms with the ruling in the Tawrah, not to honor the Jews in what they believe in, for the Jews were commanded to follow the Law of Muhammad only. Rather, the Prophet did this because Allah commanded him to do so. He asked them about the ruling of stoning in the Tawrah to make them admit to what the Tawrah contains and what they collaborated to hide, deny and exclude from implementing for all that time. They had to admit to what they did, although they did it while having knowledge of the correct ruling.

What made them go to the Prophet for judgment in this matter was their lusts and desires, hoping that the Prophet would agree with their opinion, not that they believed in the correctness of his judgment. This is why they said,
إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَـذَا
(If you are given this), referring to flogging, then take it,
وَإِن لَّمْ تُوْتَوْهُ فَاحْذَرُواْ
(but if you are not given this, then beware!) and do not accept or implement it.

Allah said next,

وَمَن يُرِدِ اللّهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَن تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنَ اللّهِ شَيْيًا أُوْلَـيِكَ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُرِدِ اللّهُ أَن يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا خِزْيٌ وَلَهُمْ فِي الاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ