Surah Al-Ma'ida 5:48 — translation and meaning

المائدة · Verse 48 / 120 · Page 116

ۚ ۖ ۚ ۚ ۖ ۖ وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ

Word by Word

ۚ
ۖ
ۚ
ۚ
ۖ
ۖ
وَأَنزَلْنَا
wa-anzalna
And We revealed
إِلَيْكَ
ilayka
to you
الْكِتَابَ
al-kitaba
the Book
بِالْحَقِّ
bil-haqi
in [the] truth
مُصَدِّقًا
musaddiqan
confirming
لِّمَا
lima
what
بَيْنَ
bayna
(was) before
يَدَيْهِ
yadayhi
his hands
مِنَ
mina
of
الْكِتَابِ
al-kitabi
the Book
وَمُهَيْمِنًا
wamuhayminan
and a guardian
عَلَيْهِ
alayhi
over it
فَاحْكُم
fa-uh'kum
So judge
بَيْنَهُم
baynahum
between them
بِمَا
bima
by what
أَنزَلَ
anzala
has revealed
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
وَلَا
wala
and (do) not
تَتَّبِعْ
tattabi'
follow
أَهْوَاءَهُمْ
ahwaahum
their vain desires
عَمَّا
amma
when
جَاءَكَ
jaaka
has come to you
مِنَ
mina
of
الْحَقِّ
al-haqi
the truth
لِكُلٍّ
likullin
For each
جَعَلْنَا
ja'alna
We have made
مِنكُمْ
minkum
for you
شِرْعَةً
shir'atan
a law
وَمِنْهَاجًا
wamin'hajan
and a clear way
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
شَاءَ
shaa
(had) willed
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
لَجَعَلَكُمْ
laja'alakum
He (would have) made you
أُمَّةً
ummatan
a community
وَاحِدَةً
wahidatan
one
وَلَكِن
walakin
[and] but
لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ
liyabluwakum
to test you
فِي
fi
in
مَا
ma
what
آتَاكُمْ
atakum
He (has) given you
فَاسْتَبِقُوا
fa-is'tabiqu
so race
الْخَيْرَاتِ
al-khayrati
(to) the good
إِلَى
ila
To
اللَّهِ
al-lahi
Allah
مَرْجِعُكُمْ
marji'ukum
you will return
جَمِيعًا
jami'an
all
فَيُنَبِّئُكُم
fayunabbi-ukum
then He will inform you
بِمَا
bima
of what
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you were
فِيهِ
fihi
concerning it
تَخْتَلِفُونَ
takhtalifuna
differing

Transliteration

Wa anzalnaa ilaikal Kitaaba bilhaqqi musaddiqallimaa baina yadaihi minal Kitaabi wa muhaiminan 'alaihi fahkum bainahum bimaa anzalal laahu wa laa tattabi ahwaaa'ahum 'ammaa jaaa'aka minal haqq; likullin ja'alnaa minkum shir'atanw wa minhaajaa; wa law shaaa'al laahu laja'alakum ummatanw waahidatanw wa laakil liyabluwakum fee maa aataakum fastabiqul khairaat; ilal laahi arji'ukum jamee'an fayunab bi'ukum bimaa kuntum feehi takhtalifoon

Translation

And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

I sent down to you, O Messenger, the Qur’ān with the truth about which there is no doubt that it is from Allah. It is a confirmation and guardian for the revealed books that came before it. Whatever in those books conforms to it is the truth, and whatever does not is false. So judge between people according to what I have revealed to you in it and do not follow their desires which they have adopted in leaving the truth that has been revealed to you about which there is no doubt. I have made a sacred law and clear path for every nation. If I willed to make all the laws one, I would have done so. But I made a separate law for every nation in order to test them all and to see who follows and who does not. So rush towards doing good actions and leave evil ones. Your return on the Day of Judgement is to Me alone. I will inform you about that which you used to differ in and will repay you for the actions you did.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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