An-Nisa · Madani · ayah 162 of 176

An-Nisa 4:162

لَّـٰكِنِ ٱلرَّٰسِخُونَ فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ مِنْهُمْ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ ۚ وَٱلْمُقِيمِينَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۚ وَٱلْمُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَنُؤْتِيهِمْ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

“But those firm in knowledge among them and the believers believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], and what was revealed before you. And the establishers of prayer [especially] and the givers of zakāh and the believers in Allāh and the Last Day - those We will give a great reward.”

Saheeh International

Essence

With one word, 'but', the Quran answers any totalising reading: among them are people rooted in knowledge, believing, praying and giving, promised a great reward.

A reflection

The 'but' that answers the whole passage

Nine ayat have recounted grave history: demands, a calf, broken covenants, slander, a boast about Jesus, usury. Then the passage turns on a single word. Lākin: but.

The commentaries are clear about what that word does. One classical commentator calls it an exception, made from among the very People of the Book just described. Allah is telling His servants, he explains: not all the People of the Book are as I have described to you. Another says plainly: not all of them have this description. A third reads it as answering the threat just made: some among them stand in the opposite place, in this world and the next.

The commentaries name some of them. ʿAbd Allah ibn Salam is one; others of that community in Madinah who believed are named with him. The Quran says the same elsewhere. The People of the Book are not all alike (3:113). Among them are those who believe in what was sent to you and to them, humble before Allah (3:199).

This ayah is the passage's own answer to anyone who would read it as a verdict on a whole people. The Quran itself refuses that reading, in the same breath as the history.

Picture a teacher writing her end-of-year report on a difficult class. She records the disruption honestly. Then her last paragraph names three pupils who kept the room decent all year, by name, with gratitude. Anyone who quotes the report without its last paragraph has not quoted the report.

Anyone who quotes 4:153-161 without 4:162 has not quoted the Quran.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.