VERSE 75
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 75?
Arabic: أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
Translation: Do you (believers) still hope that they (the Jews) will believe in you, when a party of them used to hear the words of Allah and then distort them knowingly after they had understood them?
Q: Who is this verse addressing?
This verse addresses the Muslims, particularly those who were optimistic about the Jews of Medina accepting Islam.
Q: What historical sin does this verse expose?
The verse reveals that their scholars and rabbis would receive the Torah and its teachings but then deliberately distort them after understanding them clearly.
Q: What two types of distortion does Maududi identify?
- Tahrif Lafzi (Distortion of the Text): Altering the actual words of scripture
- Tahrif Ma’nawi (Distortion of Meaning): Misinterpreting clear verses to suit their desires
Q: What is the significance of the word “knowingly” in this verse?
It indicates this was not an error or misunderstanding, but deliberate, culpable corruption. Given this ingrained practice of tampering with revelation, the verse questions how they could be expected to honestly accept the final, uncorrupted revelation (the Quran).
VERSE 76
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 76?
Arabic: وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ قَالُوا أَتُحَدِّثُونَهُم بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُحَاجُّوكُم بِهِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
Translation: And when they meet those who believe, they say, “We believe.” But when they are alone with one another, they say, “Do you inform them of what Allah has revealed to you, so they may argue with you before your Lord? Have you no sense?”
Q: What dual-faced behavior does this verse expose?
Outwardly, they would claim belief to Muslims to avoid conflict. Privately, their scholars warned each other not to reveal prophecies about Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) found in their scriptures.
Q: What was their fear according to this verse?
They feared that Muslims would use these prophecies as evidence against them on the Day of Judgment.
Q: What absurdity does Maududi point out?
They were more concerned about losing an argument in the hereafter than about the truth itself. The rhetorical question “Have you no sense?” condemns this foolish prioritization.
VERSE 77
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 77?
Arabic: أَوَلَا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ
Translation: Do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they declare?
Q: What fundamental principle does this verse remind us of?
Divine omniscience—their secret plots and concealed truths are fully known to God. Their attempt to hide evidence is futile before the One who is the ultimate Witness.
VERSE 78
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 78?
Arabic: وَمِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا أَمَانِيَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ
Translation: And among them are unlettered ones who do not know the Scripture except [empty] wishes, and they are only assuming.
Q: Who are the “unlettered ones” mentioned in this verse?
The common folk who were ignorant of the actual scripture, as distinguished from the corrupt scholars.
Q: What does “wishes” (Amanni) refer to?
Their “knowledge” was merely hearsay, folklore, and baseless traditions passed down by their leaders. Their religion was built on assumptions, not on direct understanding of the divine text.
VERSE 79
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 79?
Arabic: فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتَابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَٰذَا مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۖ فَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ
Translation: So woe to those who write the Scripture with their own hands, then say, “This is from Allah,” in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn.
Q: Who does this verse target?
The rabbis and scribes who physically forged scripture by literally writing things with their own hands.
Q: What three crimes does this verse identify?
- They physically wrote forgeries (adding to or altering texts)
- They attributed these forgeries to God, passing them off as divine revelation
- They did this for worldly gain like wealth, status, and political influence
Q: Why is “Woe” (Wayl) mentioned twice?
The double “Woe” emphasizes the severity of the crime—both for the act of forgery itself and for the ill-gotten gains they acquired through it.
VERSE 80
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 80?
Arabic: وَقَالُوا لَن تَمَسَّنَا النَّارُ إِلَّا أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَةً ۚ قُلْ أَتَّخَذْتُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ عَهْدًا فَلَن يُخْلِفَ اللَّهُ عَهْدَهُ ۖ أَمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
Translation: And they say, “The Fire will never touch us except for a few numbered days.” Say, “Have you taken a covenant from Allah? For Allah will never break His covenant. Or do you say about Allah that which you do not know?”
Q: What false doctrine does this verse expose?
They believed that as descendants of Abraham, any punishment in Hell would be brief (e.g., 40 days).
Q: What logical challenge does the Quran present to this belief?
Two questions: (1) Do you have a covenant from God guaranteeing this? If so, God never breaks His word. (2) If not, then you are inventing lies against God, attributing to Him what you have no knowledge of.
Q: What does this verse condemn?
Religious beliefs based on wishful thinking and tribal chauvinism rather than authentic revelation.
VERSE 81
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 81?
Arabic: بَلَىٰ مَن كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةً وَأَحَاطَتْ بِهِ خَطِيئَتُهُ فَأُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
Translation: Yes [on the contrary], whoever earns an evil deed and is enveloped by his sin – those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.
Q: What false belief does this verse overturn?
Their belief that punishment would be brief. The true criterion is not lineage but deeds.
Q: What does “enveloped by his sin” mean?
According to Maududi, this refers to the ultimate evil—Shirk (associating partners with God) and persistent Kufr (denial of truth). When one’s sin becomes their defining, unchanging state, their fate is eternal Hell.
VERSE 82
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 82?
Arabic: وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
Translation: But those who believe and do righteous deeds – those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally.
Q: What universal condition for salvation does this verse reaffirm?
True faith coupled with righteous action. Together with verse 81, these verses present the only two eternal destinations.
VERSE 83
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 83?
Arabic: وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنكُمْ وَأَنتُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
Translation: And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them], “Do not worship except Allah; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give zakah.” Then you turned away, except a few of you, and you were refusing.
Q: What are the core elements of the covenant mentioned in this verse?
Pure monotheism, social responsibility (kindness to family, orphans, the poor), good speech, prayer, and charity.
Q: How does Maududi characterize this covenant?
As a microcosm of all divine law.
Q: How did the Children of Israel respond to this covenant?
They turned away from this comprehensive covenant, “except a few” righteous individuals. The majority were in a state of active refusal.
VERSE 84
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 84?
Arabic: وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ لَا تَسْفِكُونَ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَلَا تُخْرِجُونَ أَنفُسَكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ ثُمَّ أَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ
Translation: And [recall] when We took your covenant, [saying], “Do not shed your [i.e., each other’s] blood or evict one another from your homes.” Then you acknowledged [this] while you were witnessing.
Q: What specific covenant is recalled in this verse?
The prohibition against internal civil strife, murder, and exile among their own tribes, which they had solemnly agreed to.
VERSE 85
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 85?
Arabic: ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ هَٰؤُلَاءِ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَتُخْرِجُونَ فَرِيقًا مِّنكُم مِّن دِيَارِهِمْ تَظَاهَرُونَ عَلَيْهِم بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَإِن يَأْتُوكُمْ أُسَارَىٰ تُفَادُوهُمْ وَهُوَ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ إِخْرَاجُهُمْ ۚ أَفَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتَابِ وَتَكْفُرُونَ بِبَعْضٍ ۚ فَمَا جَزَاءُ مَن يَفْعَلُ ذَٰلِكَ مِنكُمْ إِلَّا خِزْيٌ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ أَشَدِّ الْعَذَابِ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
Translation: Then, you are those [same ones] who kill one another and evict a party of your people from their homes, cooperating against them in sin and aggression. And if they come to you as captives, you ransom them, although their eviction was forbidden to you. So do you believe in part of the Scripture and disbelieve in part? Then what is the recompense for those who do that among you except disgrace in worldly life; and on the Day of Resurrection they will be sent back to the severest of punishment. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.
Q: What breach of covenant does this verse describe?
They were doing the very things they covenanted against—killing and exiling fellow Jews, likely in tribal conflicts.
Q: What contradictory behavior is exposed?
While unlawfully exiling people, they would later ransom captives from those conflicts, treating the symptom while perpetuating the disease.
Q: What is the core accusation in this verse?
“So do you believe in part of the Scripture and disbelieve in part?” This is the defining sin—accepting laws that suited them (like ransom) but rejecting others (like the prohibition of civil strife).
Q: Why is selective obedience condemned?
Religion cannot be treated like a cafeteria; accepting divine authority must be total, not partial.
Q: What dual punishment does this verse mention?
“Disgrace in worldly life” (the historical humiliation and subjugation they suffered) and “the severest punishment” in the Hereafter.
VERSE 86
Q: What is the Arabic text and translation of verse 86?
Arabic: أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُا الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا بِالْآخِرَةِ ۖ فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ
Translation: Those are the ones who have bought the worldly life [in exchange] for the Hereafter, so the punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be aided.
Q: What “bankrupt trade” does this verse describe?
Choosing the fleeting gains of this world—tribal pride, wealth from forgery, political power—over the eternal rewards of the Hereafter.
Q: What will be their fate on the Day of Judgment?
They have incurred a debt that cannot be reduced. They will find no relief and no helper on the Day of Judgment.
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
Q: What are the main themes of verses 75-86 according to Maududi?
- Corruption of the Source: Deliberate distortion of divine revelation by religious elites for worldly gain
- Hypocrisy and Concealment: Hiding the truth even from themselves
- Invented Doctrines: Creating self-serving theologies based on wishful thinking
- Selective Obedience: Accepting parts of the law while rejecting others
- The Ultimate Loss: Selling eternity for temporary gain
Q: What warning does this passage provide to the Muslim community?
It serves as a grave warning to guard against all these maladies: corrupting revelation, hiding truth, inventing convenient doctrines, and practicing selective obedience to divine law.
VERSES WITH TRANSLATIONS AND TAFSEER
Messages from Quran 