This verse highlights the disagreements between different religious groups, specifically Jews and Christians, who both claim to have the true understanding of the Scriptures. Despite their differences, they both recite from the same divine source. The verse also mentions those without knowledge who make similar claims. Ultimately, the verse emphasizes that it is Allah who will judge between them on the Day of Judgment, settling their disputes. It serves as a reminder that human understanding is limited, and only Allah has the ultimate authority to judge the truth of these matters.
Al Baqarah ayat 113 in Arabic and English:
Arabic: وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍۢ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ لَيْسَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍۢ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ۗ كَذَـٰلِكَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ ۚ فَٱللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
English Translation: “The Jews say, ‘The Christians have nothing to stand on,’ and the Christians say, ‘The Jews have nothing to stand on,’ although both recite the Scriptures. And those ˹pagans˺ who have no knowledge say the same about people of faith˺. Surely Allah will judge between them on the Day of Judgment regarding their dispute.”
Surah Al Baqarah Ayat 113: Tafsir Ibn Kathir:
وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ النَّصَـرَى عَلَى شَىْءٍ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَـرَى لَيْسَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى شَىْءٍ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ الْكِتَـبَ
2:113 The Jews said that the Christians follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); and the Christians said that the Jews follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); though they both recite the Scripture.
كَذَلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ
Like unto their word, said those (the pagans) who know not.
فَاللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُواْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection about that wherein they have been differing.
The Hopes of the People of the Book
Allah tells;
وَقَالُواْ لَن يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلاَّ مَن كَانَ هُوداً أَوْ نَصَارَى تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ …
And they say, “None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.” These are their own desires.
Allah made the confusion of the Jews and the Christians clear, since they claim that no one will enter Paradise, unless he is a Jew or a Christian.
Similarly, Allah mentioned their claims in Surah Al-Ma’idah:
نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ
We are the children of Allah and His loved ones. (5:18)
Allah refuted this false claim and informed them that they will be punished because of their sins.
Explore the profound meanings and insights of Al-Baqarah 113-118 in the Quran, emphasizing faith, guidance, and divine revelation
Previously we mentioned their claim that the Fire would not touch them for more than a few days, after which they would be put in Paradise. Allah rebuked this claim, and He said about this baseless claim, تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ (These are their own desires).
Abu Al-Aliyah commented,
“These are wishes that they wished Allah would answer, without basis.”
Similar was stated by Qatadah and Ar-Rabi bin Anas.
Allah then said,
… قُلْ …
Say,
meaning, “Say O Muhammad:”
… هَاتُواْ بُرْهَانَكُمْ …
“Produce your Burhan…”
Abu Al-Aliyah, Mujahid, As-Suddi and Ar-Rabi bin Anas stated,
meaning, “Your proof.”
Qatadah said that the Ayah means,
“Bring the evidence that supports your statement.
… إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ﴿١١١﴾
if you are truthful, (in your claim).”
Allah then said,
بَلَى مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ …
Yes! But whoever submits his face (himself) to Allah (i.e. follows Allah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism) and he is a Muhsin.
meaning, “Whoever performs deeds in sincerity, for Allah alone without partners.”
In a similar statement, Allah said,
فَإنْ حَآجُّوكَ فَقُلْ أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِىَ للَّهِ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِ
So if they dispute with you (Muhammad) say: “I have submitted myself to Allah (in Islam), and (so have) those who follow me.” (3:20)
Abu Al-Aliyah and Ar-Rabi said that, بَلَى مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلّهِ (Yes! But whoever submits his face (himself) to Allah) means,
“Whoever is sincere with Allah.”
Also, Sa`id bin Jubayr said that,
بَلَى مَنْ أَسْلَمَ (Yes! But whoever submits) means, he is sincere.
وَجْهَهُ (his face (himself)) meaning, in his religion.
وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ (and he is a Muhsin) following the Messenger.
For there are two conditions for deeds to be accepted;
the deed must be performed for Allah’s sake alone and
conform to the Shariah.
When the deed is sincere, but does not conform to the Shariah, then it will not be accepted.
The Messenger of Allah said,
مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَد
Whoever performs a deed that does not conform with our matter (religion), then it will be rejected.
This Hadith was recorded by Muslim.
Therefore, the good deeds of the priests and rabbis will not be accepted, even if they are sincerely for Allah alone, because these deeds do not conform with the method of the Messenger, who was sent for all mankind.
Allah said regarding such cases,
وَقَدِمْنَآ إِلَى مَا عَمِلُواْ مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَآءً مَّنثُوراً
And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust. (25:23)
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ أَعْمَـلُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍ بِقِيعَةٍ يَحْسَبُهُ الظَّمْآنُ مَآءً حَتَّى إِذَا جَآءَهُ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْئاً
As for those who disbelieved, their deeds are like a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water, until he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing. (24:39)
and,
وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَـشِعَةٌ
عَامِلَةٌ نَّاصِبَةٌ
تَصْلَى نَاراً حَامِيَةً
تُسْقَى مِنْ عَيْنٍ ءَانِيَةٍ
Some faces, that Day will be humiliated. Laboring, weary. They will enter in the hot blazing Fire. They will be given to drink from a boiling spring. (88:2-5)
When the deed conforms to the Shariah outwardly, but the person did not perform it sincerely for Allah alone, the deed will also be rejected, as in the case of the hypocrites and those who do their deeds to show off.
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Similarly, Allah said,
إِنَّ الْمُنَـفِقِينَ يُخَـدِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُواْ إِلَى الصَّلَوةِ قَامُواْ كُسَالَى يُرَآءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلاَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salah (the prayer), they stand with laziness to be seen by people, and they do not remember Allah but little. (4:142)
and,
َوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ
الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَـتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ
الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَآءُونَ
وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ
So woe unto those performers of Salah (prayers) (hypocrites). Those who delay their Salah (from their stated fixed times). Those who do good deeds only to be seen (of men). And withhold Al-Ma`un (small kindnesses). (107:4-7)
This is why Allah said,
فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَآءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلاً صَـلِحاً وَلاَ يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدَا
So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord. (18:110)
He also said in this Ayah,
بَلَى مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ …
Yes, but whoever submits his face (himself) to Allah (follows Allah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism) and he is a Muhsin.
Allah’s statement,
… فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ﴿١١٢﴾
Shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve,
guaranteed them the rewards and safety from what they fear and should avoid.
وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ (There shall be no fear on them) in the future,
وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ (nor shall they grieve) about what they abandoned in the past.
Moreover, Sa`id bin Jubayr said,
وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ” (There shall be no fear on them) in the Hereafter, and وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ (nor shall they grieve) about their imminent death.”
The Jews and Christians dispute among Themselves out of Disbelief and Stubbornness
Allah said,
وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَىَ شَيْءٍ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى لَيْسَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ …
The Jews said that the Christians follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); and the Christians said that the Jews follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); though they both recite the Scripture.
Allah explained the disputes, hatred and stubbornness that the People of the Book have towards each other.
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn Abbas said,
“When a delegation of Christians from Najran came to the Messenger of Allah, the Jewish rabbis came and began arguing with them before the Messenger of Allah. Rafi bin Huraymilah said, You do not follow anything,’ and he reiterated his disbelief in Jesus and the Injil. Then a Christian man from Najran’s delegation said to the Jews,Rather, you do not follow anything,’ and he reiterated his rejection of Musa’s Prophethood and his disbelief in the Torah. So Allah revealed the Ayah,
وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَىَ شَيْءٍ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى لَيْسَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ…
The Jews said that the Christians follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); and the Christians said that the Jews follow nothing (i.e. are not on the right religion); though they both recite the Scripture.”
Allah made it clear that each party read the affirmation of what they claimed to reject in their Book. Consequently, the Jews disbelieve in Jesus, even though they have the Torah in which Allah took their Covenant by the tongue of Moses to believe in Jesus.
Also, the Gospel contains Jesus’ assertion that Moses’ Prophethood and the Torah came from Allah. Yet, each party disbelieved in what the other party had.
Allah said,
… كَذَلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ …
Like unto their word, said those who know not,
thus exposing the ignorance displayed by the Jews and the Christians concerning their statements that we mentioned.
There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning of Allah’s statement, الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (who know not),
For instance, Ar-Rabi bin Anas and Qatadah said that, كَذَلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (Like unto their word, said those said those who know not) means,
“The Christians said similar statements to the Jews.”
Ibn Jurayj asked Ata “Who are those `who know not?”’
Ata said, “Nations that existed before the Jews and the Christians and before the Torah and the Gospel.”
Also, As-Suddi said that,
قَالَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ (said those who know not) is in reference to the Arabs who said that Muhammad was not following anything (i. e. did not follow a true or existing religion).
Abu Jafar bin Jarir chose the view that;
this Ayah is general and that there is no evidence that specifically supports any of these explanations. So interpreting the Ayah in a general way is better.
Allah knows best.
For a deeper understanding of the Islamic faith and practice, I recommend reading the Surah Al Baqarah Translation. You can also find Quran translations of all the other surahs online.
