Surah Al-An'aam

Chapter 6 · Verse 20 · Revealed in Makkah

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ يَعْرِفُونَهُۥ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَآءَهُمُ ۘ ٱلَّذِينَ خَسِرُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize it as they recognize their [own] sons. Those who will lose themselves [in the Hereafter] do not believe.

Translation: Saheeh International

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Mishary Rashid Alafasy

Reflection — Ibn Kathir

Allah is the Irresistible, Able to Bring Benefit and Protect from Harm

Allah states that He Alone brings benefit or harm, and that He does what He wills with His creatures, none can resist His judgment or prevent what He decrees,

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلاَ كَـشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدُيرٌ

Reflection — Maarif ul Quran

In verse 20, there is a refutation of the saying of those who had said that they had checked with the Jews and the Christians and none of them were ready to attest to his truth as a Messenger of Allah. About that it was said: الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِ‌فُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِ‌فُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمُ ; (That is, as for the Jews and Christians, they recognize Muhammad al-Mustafa as they would recognize their sons.

The reason is that there is, in the Torah and Injil, a full description of the physical features of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، of his home city and then his post-emigration place of residence, and of his habits and morals and achievements - all this in such details that it leaves no room for doubt in the recognition of his identity. In fact, this is not limited to the mention of the Holy Prophet ﷺ the Torah and the Injil carry even the detailed description of his noble Sahabah as well. Therefore, there was no possibility that anyone who recited the Torah and the Injil and believed in them would be unable to recognize the Holy Prophet ﷺ .

What does this verse bring up for you today?

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