Surah Ali 'Imran 3:99 — translation and meaning

آل عمران · Verse 99 / 200 · Page 62

ۗ قُلْ يَاأَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ تَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا وَأَنتُمْ شُهَدَاءُ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

Word by Word

ۗ
قُلْ
qul
Say
يَاأَهْلَ
yaahla
O People
الْكِتَابِ
al-kitabi
(of) the Book
لِمَ
lima
Why
تَصُدُّونَ
tasudduna
(do) you hinder
عَن
an
from
سَبِيلِ
sabili
(the) way
اللَّهِ
al-lahi
(of) Allah
مَنْ
man
(those) who
آمَنَ
amana
believe[d]
تَبْغُونَهَا
tabghunaha
seeking (to make) it
عِوَجًا
iwajan
(seem) crooked
وَأَنتُمْ
wa-antum
while you
شُهَدَاءُ
shuhadau
(are) witnesses
وَمَا
wama
And not
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
بِغَافِلٍ
bighafilin
(is) unaware
عَمَّا
amma
of what
تَعْمَلُونَ
ta'maluna
you do

Transliteration

Qul yaaa Ahlal Kitaabi lima tusuddoona 'an sabeelil laahi man aamana tabghoonahaa 'iwajanw wa antum shuhadaaa'; wa mallaahu bighaafilin 'ammaa ta'maloon

Translation

Say, "O People of the Scripture, why do you avert from the way of Allah those who believe, seeking to make it [seem] deviant, while you are witnesses [to the truth]? And Allah is not unaware of what you do."

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

O Prophet, ask the People of the Scripture, the Jews and the Christians, why they stop people who have faith from the Religion of Allah, wanting to twist it from the truth to falsehood, and turning its people from guidance to misguidance, when they witness that it is the truth confirming what is in their scriptures. Allah is not unaware of what they do in disbelieving it and preventing people from following it; and they will be repaid accordingly.

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

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