Aal-i-Imraan 3:183

"[They are] those who said, "Indeed, Allāh has taken our promise not to believe any messenger until he brings us an offering which fire [from heaven] will consume." Say, "There have already come to you messengers before me with clear proofs and [even] that of which you speak. So why did you kill them, if you should be truthful?""

Allah Warns the Idolators

Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn `Abbas said, "When Allah's statement,

مَّن ذَا الَّذِى يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً

(Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times) 2:245 was revealed, the Jews said, `O Muhammad! Has your Lord become poor so that He asks His servants to give Him a loan' Allah sent down,

لَّقَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ فَقِيرٌ وَنَحْنُ أَغْنِيَآءُ

(Indeed, Allah has heard the statement of those (Jews) who say: "Truly, Allah is poor and we are rich!") 3:181."

This Hadith was collected by Ibn Marduwyah and Ibn Abi Hatim.

Allah's statement,

سَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَالُواْ

(We shall record what they have said) contains a threat and a warning that Allah followed with His statement,

وَقَتْلِهِمُ الاٌّنْبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ

(and their killing of the Prophets unjustly,)

This is what they say about Allah and this is how they treat His Messengers. Allah will punish them for these deeds in the worst manner,

لَّقَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ فَقِيرٌ وَنَحْنُ أَغْنِيَآءُ سَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَالُواْ وَقَتْلَهُمُ الاٌّنبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَنَقُولُ ذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ - ذلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّـمٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ

(and We shall say: "Taste you the torment of the burning (Fire)." This is because of that which your hands have sent before you. And certainly, Allah is never unjust to (His) servants.)

They will be addressed like this as a way of chastising, criticism, disgrace and humiliation.

Allah said,

الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَهِدَ إِلَيْنَا أَلاَّ نُؤْمِنَ لِرَسُولٍ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَنَا بِقُرْبَانٍ تَأْكُلُهُ النَّارُ

(Those (Jews) who said: "Verily, Allah has taken our promise not to believe in any Messenger unless he brings to us an offering which the fire (from heaven) shall devour.")

Allah refuted their claim that in their Books, Allah took a covenant from them to only believe in the Messenger whose miracles include fire coming down from the sky that consumes the charity offered by a member of the Messenger's nation, as Ibn `Abbas and Al-Hasan stated. Allah replied,

قُلْ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِى بِالْبَيِّنَـتِ

(Say: "Verily, there came to you Messengers before me, with Al-Bayinat...") with proofs and evidence,

وَبِالَّذِى قُلْتُمْ

(and even with what you speak of) a fire that consumes the accepted charity, as you asked,

فَلِمَ قَتَلْتُمُوهُمْ

(why then did you kill them) Why did you meet these Prophets with denial, defiance, stubbornness and even murder,

إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ

(if you are truthful), if you follow the truth and obey the Messengers.

Allah then comforts His Prophet Muhammad ,

فَإِن كَذَّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كُذِّبَ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ جَآءُوا بِالْبَيِّنَـتِ وَالزُّبُرِ وَالْكِتَـبِ الْمُنِيرِ

(Then if they reject you, so were Messengers rejected before you, who came with Al-Baiyyinat and the Scripture, and the Book of Enlightenment.) meaning, do not be sad because they deny you, for you have an example in the Messengers who came before you. These Messengers were rejected although they brought clear proofs, plain evidence and unequivocal signs,

وَالزُّبُرِ

(and the Zubur), the divinely revealed Books that were sent down to the Messengers,

وَالْكِتَـبِ الْمُنِيرِ

(and the Book of Enlightenment) meaning the clarification and best explanation.

Всевышний сообщил о лжецах, измысливших великую ложь о том, что Аллах взял с них обещание и заповедал им не верить ни одному посланнику, пока тот не принесет им жертву, которую будет пожирать огонь. Они возвели навет на Аллаха и своей чудовищной клеветой ограничили круг пророческих знамений. Они отказывались уверовать в посланников, пока не увидят жертву, которую пожирает огонь, и утверждали, что так они покоряются своему Господу и выполняют данное Ему обещание. Хорошо известно, что Аллах одарял всех Своих посланников знамениями и чудесами, каждого из которых было достаточно, чтобы люди обратились в правую веру, и эти знамения не ограничивались тем, что говорили нечестивцы. Вместе с тем, беззаконники не руководствовались ложью, которую они же придумали, и поэтому Аллах велел Своему посланнику, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует, сказать: «До меня к вам приходили посланники с ясными знамениями, подтверждавшими их правдивость. Среди них вы видели жертву, которую пожирал огонь. Почему же вы убили этих посланников, если вы действительно согласны уверовать в того, кто покажет вам жертву, которую пожирает огонь? Это лишь изобличает вашу лживость, ваше упрямство и вашу непоследовательность».

The fourth verse (183) takes up the case of a false accusation made by these very Jews who came up with an excuse in order to reject the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah. Their contention was that, during the period of past prophets, there used to be a method under which charities and offerings were placed in the centre of an open ground or on top of a hill where heavenly fire came and burnt these to ashes. This used to symbolize that offerings were accepted. But, to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and to his community, Allah Almighty had given the unique distinction that charities were not left to be consumed by heavenly fire. They were given to the poor and needy among Muslims. Since the later method was contrary to the former, the disbelievers found an excuse to say: If you were a prophet, you too would have been given the miracle whereby the heavenly fire would have consumed the offerings and charities. They, not resting at that, became audacious enough to fabricate lies against Allah Almighty claiming that 'He has taken pledge from them to the effect that they are not to believe in a person who is unable to cause the miracle of the coming of a heavenly fire which burns the charitable offerings.

Since this claim of the Jews that Allah had taken a pledge from them was false, there was really no need to counter it. So, to disarm them through their very proven saying, Allah Almighty said: If you are true in saying that Allah has taken such a pledge from you, then, the past prophets who had obliged you by showing the miracle of your choice whereby the heavenly fire consumed the offerings certainly deserved that you should have at least believed in them! But, what actually happened is that you did not spare them either. You still falsi-fied them. In fact, you went to the extreme of transgression by killing them.

Let no one have any doubt here despite the fact that while this claim of the Jews was absolutely false, may be, if this miracle did come to pass at the hand of the Holy Prophet ﷺ chances were that they would probably have come to believe. Such a doubt is unfounded 'because Allah Almighty knew that these people were saying such things simply out of hostility and obstinacy. Thus, even if the miracle they demanded came to pass, they would have still not believed.

Other English translations

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Allah Warns the Idolators