يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَتِ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ وَٱلْإِنجِيلُ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦٓ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
O People of the Book! Why do you argue concerning Abraham? Neither the Torah nor the Evangel were sent down until [long] after him. Do you not exercise your reason?
هَٰٓأَنتُمْ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ حَٰجَجْتُمْ فِيمَا لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ فَلِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِيمَا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
Ah! You are the very ones who argue about that of which you have knowledge. But why do you argue about that of which you have no knowledge? And Allah knows and you do not know.
مَا كَانَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّۭا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّۭا وَلَٰكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًۭا مُّسْلِمًۭا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian. Rather, he was a Hanif, a Muslim, and he was not one of the polytheists.
إِنَّ أَوْلَى ٱلنَّاسِ بِإِبْرَٰهِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ وَهَٰذَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Indeed the nearest of all people to Abraham are those who follow him and this prophet and those who have faith, and Allah is the guardian of the faithful.
وَدَّت طَّآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَوْ يُضِلُّونَكُمْ وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ إِلَّآ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ
A group of the People of the Book were eager to lead you astray; yet they lead no one astray except themselves, but they are not aware.
يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لِمَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَنتُمْ تَشْهَدُونَ
O People of the Book! Why do you deny Allah’s signs while you testify [to their truth]?
يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لِمَ تَلْبِسُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
O People of the Book! Why do you mix the truth with falsehood, and conceal the truth while you know [it]?
وَقَالَت طَّآئِفَةٌۭ مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَجْهَ ٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱكْفُرُوٓا۟ ءَاخِرَهُۥ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
A group of the People of the Book say, ‘Believe in what has been sent down to the faithful at the beginning of the day, and disbelieve at its end, so that they may turn back [from their religion].’
وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِمَن تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْهُدَىٰ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ أَن يُؤْتَىٰٓ أَحَدٌۭ مِّثْلَ مَآ أُوتِيتُمْ أَوْ يُحَآجُّوكُمْ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ
And [they say,] ‘Do not believe anyone except him who follows your religion.’ Say, ‘Indeed [true] guidance is the guidance of Allah.’ [They also say.] ‘[Do not believe] that anyone may be given the like of what you were given, or that he may argue with you before your Lord.’ Say, ‘Indeed all grace is in Allah’s hand; He grants it to whomever He wishes, and Allah is all-bounteous, all-knowing.
يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
He singles out for His mercy whomever He wishes, and Allah is dispenser of a great grace.’
۞ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مَنْ إِن تَأْمَنْهُ بِقِنطَارٍۢ يُؤَدِّهِۦٓ إِلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ إِن تَأْمَنْهُ بِدِينَارٍۢ لَّا يُؤَدِّهِۦٓ إِلَيْكَ إِلَّا مَا دُمْتَ عَلَيْهِ قَآئِمًۭا ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ لَيْسَ عَلَيْنَا فِى ٱلْأُمِّيِّۦنَ سَبِيلٌۭ وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
Among the People of the Book is he who if you entrust him with a quintal will repay it to you, and among them is he who, if you entrust him with a dinar will not repay it to you unless you stand persistently over him. That is because they say, ‘We have no obligation to the non-Jews.’ But they attribute lies to Allah, and they know [it].
بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِعَهْدِهِۦ وَٱتَّقَىٰ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
Yes, whoever fulfills his commitments and is wary of Allah—Allah indeed loves the Godwary.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَيْمَٰنِهِمْ ثَمَنًۭا قَلِيلًا أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَا خَلَٰقَ لَهُمْ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ وَلَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَلَا يَنظُرُ إِلَيْهِمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ وَلَا يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ
There shall be no share in the Hereafter for those who sell Allah’s covenant and their oaths for a paltry gain, and on the Day of Resurrection Allah will not speak to them nor will He [so much as] look at them, nor will He purify them, and there is a painful punishment for them.
وَإِنَّ مِنْهُمْ لَفَرِيقًۭا يَلْوُۥنَ أَلْسِنَتَهُم بِٱلْكِتَٰبِ لِتَحْسَبُوهُ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
There is a group of them who alter their voice while reading out a text [that they have themselves authored], so that you may suppose it to be from the Book, though it is not from the Book, and they say, ‘It is from Allah,’ though it is not from Allah, and they attribute lies to Allah, and they know [it].
مَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُؤْتِيَهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحُكْمَ وَٱلنُّبُوَّةَ ثُمَّ يَقُولَ لِلنَّاسِ كُونُوا۟ عِبَادًۭا لِّى مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِن كُونُوا۟ رَبَّٰنِيِّۦنَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ
It does not behoove any human that Allah should give him the Book, judgement and prophethood, and then he should say to the people, ‘Be my servants instead of Allah.’ Rather [he would say], ‘Be a godly people, because of your teaching the Book and because of your studying it.’
وَلَا يَأْمُرَكُمْ أَن تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ وَٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ أَرْبَابًا ۗ أَيَأْمُرُكُم بِٱلْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ
And he would not command you to take the angels and the prophets for lords. Would he call you to unfaith after you have submitted [to Allah]?
English translation: Ali Quli Qarai
Sources: Ṭabarsī [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan]; Ṭūsī [tusi_al_tibyan]; Baḥrānī, al-Burhān [bahrani_al_burhan]; al-Qummī [qummi]; Ṭabāṭabāʾī, al-Mīzān [tabatabai_al_mizan]; An Enlightening Commentary [enlightening_commentary]. All six present.
The passage rebuts the People of the Book's claim on Abraham — he was "neither Jew nor Christian, but a ḥanīf, a Muslim" (vv.65–67) — names "the closest of people to Abraham" (v.68), exposes their wish to mislead and their concealment of the truth (vv.69–71), their dawn-faith/dusk-unbelief scheme (v.72), their deeming the Gentiles' property lawful and their false oaths (vv.75–78), and affirms that no prophet calls people to worship himself (vv.79–80).
1. Abraham was a Muslim, not theirs (vv.65–67). All agree the Torah and Gospel came after Abraham, so neither sect can claim him; he was a ḥanīf, a Muslim. [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] [tusi_al_tibyan] [qummi] al-Burhān adds the ʿAlī gloss ("not a Jew praying west nor a Christian praying east, but on Muhammad's religion"); al-Qummī and al-Burhān read "what you have no knowledge of" as the scrolls of Abraham. [bahrani_al_burhan] [qummi]
2. Concealment and the dawn/dusk scheme (vv.71–72). All read v.71 as the People of the Book concealing Muhammad's description in their scriptures; the v.72 scheme is variously the Khaybar rabbis' "believe at dawn, disbelieve at dusk" (Ṭabarsī, Ṭūsī) or, via Abū al-Jārūd, the qibla-change (al-Burhān, al-Qummī). [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] [tusi_al_tibyan] [bahrani_al_burhan] [qummi]
3. The Gentiles' property and false oaths (vv.75–77). All agree the treacherous among them say "we have no obligation regarding the ummiyyīn," deeming the Arabs' property lawful; and that "those who sell God's covenant for a small price… God will not speak to, nor look at, nor purify." [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] [tusi_al_tibyan] [bahrani_al_burhan] [qummi] Both Ṭabarsī and al-Burhān adduce the Prophetic "three God will not speak to" ḥadīth (incl. the false-oath seller), and the Ashʿath/Imruʾ al-Qays land-dispute occasion. [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] [bahrani_al_burhan]
4. No prophet claims worship (vv.79–80). All read "be rabbāniyyīn" as "be learned/godly," and agree no prophet says "worship me"; al-Qummī and al-Burhān add that the angel-worshippers, the Christians (Jesus as lord) and the Jews ("Ezra is God's son") are meant in v.80. [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] [tusi_al_tibyan] [bahrani_al_burhan] [qummi]
1. "The closest of people to Abraham" (v.68) — the Imāmī reading. al-Burhān and al-Qummī carry a dense cluster reading the verse as the Imams and their followers: al-Ṣādiq (thrice, to ʿUmar b. Yazīd) "you, by God, are of the Family of Muhammad, of their very selves"; al-Bāqir "they are the Imams and those who follow them." [bahrani_al_burhan] [qummi] Ṭabarsī cites the same al-Ṣādiq narration and ʿAlī's "the closest are those most knowing of what they brought… the friend of Muhammad is whoever obeys God though distant in kin" — but frames it as proof that walāya is by religion, not kinship. [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] [tusi_al_tibyan]
2. al-Burhān's Imāmī extension of the threat-verse (v.77). Uniquely, al-Burhān layers onto the "three God will not look at" ḥadīth the gloss (al-Ṣādiq, Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn): the three are "whoever claims a false imamate, whoever denies a God-given imam, and whoever grants the first two caliphs a share in Islam." [bahrani_al_burhan] Absent from the philologists, who keep the false-oath sense. [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] [tusi_al_tibyan]
3. The lexicon of rabbānī (v.79). Ṭabarsī and Ṭūsī give the full lexical range — learned jurists, the wise, the pious, governors of affairs, teachers — deriving it from rabba (to govern and reform), with Ibn ʿAbbās named "the rabbānī of this community." [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] [tusi_al_tibyan] al-Qummī and al-Burhān keep the terse "scholars (ʿulamāʾ)." [qummi] [bahrani_al_burhan]
4. Prophethood is not earned (v.73). Ṭabarsī turns "bounty is in God's hand" into a proof that prophethood — and the imamate — is not deserved but tied to God's will; al-Burhān instead reads v.73–74 through the ʿAlī/Kumayl "ark" ḥadīth ("on what do they envy us?"). [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] [bahrani_al_burhan]
5. Anti-Jabrite proof (v.78). Ṭabarsī and Ṭūsī read "it is not from God" as proof that sins are not God's act. [tabarsi_majma_al_bayan] [tusi_al_tibyan]
The anti-People-of-the-Book polemic — Abraham was a Muslim and so theirs only by usurpation; their concealment of Muhammad's description; their schemes and false oaths; their fiction that no obligation binds them toward the Gentiles; and the principle that no prophet summons people to worship himself — is held in common by all six, often in the same words and with shared Prophetic ḥadīth (the "three God will not speak to," the trust rendered "to the righteous and the wicked"). The divergence is the familiar one of register and overlay. The narration-collections (al-Qummī, al-Burhān) read v.68 thoroughly through the Imāmī lens — "the closest to Abraham" are the Imams and their Shīʿa, "of the very selves" of the Family of Muhammad — and al-Burhān boldly extends the v.77 threat to those who deny the imamate or exalt the first caliphs; yet, tellingly, Ṭabarsī transmits the same al-Ṣādiq and ʿAlī reports, so here the Imāmī reading is not confined to the ḥadīth-sources but is shared, the philologists merely generalising it (walāya by religion, not blood) and adding their lexical and theological apparatus (the rabbānī etymology, the anti-Jabrite and "prophethood-is-not-earned" proofs). al-Mīzān and the Enlightening Commentary supply the systematic and didactic frame. The most strongly cross-attested point is the rebuttal of the People of the Book's claim on Abraham; the sharpest divergence is al-Burhān's polemical reading of the v.77 threat. A specialist should note that al-Burhān's large "three God will not speak to" cluster and the v.68 narration-set were rendered representatively, and the qirāʾāt/grammar of Ṭabarsī and Ṭūsī for sense.