Surah Ali 'Imran 3:23
سُورَةُ آلِ عِمۡرَانَ · Medinan · Verse 23 of 200
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ نَصِيبًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَىٰ كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّىٰ فَرِيقٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ وَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
Translation
Have you considered those who were given a share of the Scripture? When they are asked to accept judgement from God’s Scripture, some of them turn their backs and walk away, all because they declare,
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This powerful verse, Surah 3:23, invites us to ponder a striking scene, beginning with Allah's question to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ نَصِيبًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ" (Did you not see those who were given a portion of the Book?). This isn't just a question; it's an expression of wonder and amazement at a peculiar human contradiction.
A Call to Marvel
The phrase "أَلَمْ تَرَ" (Did you not see) acts as a rhetorical question, used to draw attention to something truly astonishing, as Ibn Ashur explains. It implies certainty of observation and encourages us to marvel at the behavior described. The verse then describes "الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيبًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ" (those who were given a portion of the Book), referring to the Jewish scholars of the time. The use of the word "نصيبًا" (a portion) is significant. It hints that while they possessed knowledge from their scripture, the Torah, it was perhaps only a limited amount or they acted upon it partially, despite its importance, as Ibn Ashur points out. This immediately sets a tone of irony: those who should know better are the subject of amazement.
The Invitation and the Rejection
These scholars, who had divine guidance, were "يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَىٰ كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ" (called to the Book of Allah to judge between them). "كتاب الله" here could refer to the Quran, which they were invited to accept, or even their own Torah, as in the incidents where the Prophet challenged them to refer to their scripture. Regardless of which Book is intended, the invitation was clear: let divine revelation settle disputes and guide to truth.
Yet, what follows is the profound and disheartening twist: "ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّىٰ فَرِيقٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ وَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ" (then a faction among them turns away, and they are averse). The conjunction "ثُمَّ" (then) suggests not just a temporal sequence, but a rhetorical one, heightening the sense of wonder and disappointment that such a rejection would occur *after* the invitation to clear guidance, as Ibn Ashur highlights.
The Enduring Aversion
The choice of words in "يَتَوَلَّىٰ فَرِيقٌۭ" (a faction turns away) and "وَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ" (and they are averse) is particularly poignant. "يتولى" is an imperfect verb (mudhari') in Arabic, which can convey continuity and recurrence, implying this wasn't a one-time oversight but a repeated pattern of turning away, as Mahmud Safi notes. This turning away is then powerfully reinforced by the phrase "وهم مُعْرِضُونَ". While "turning away" describes the action, "averse" describes their deep-seated condition and ongoing disposition. Ibn Ashur explains that "التولي" (turning away) and "الإعراض" (aversion) are essentially the same, making this a strong affirmation of their stubborn rejection, a state of deep, continuous aversion to the truth. It suggests their rejection wasn't accidental, but a fundamental characteristic.
This verse, through its precise wording, compels us to reflect on the nature of guidance and rejection, reminding us that possessing knowledge is one thing, but being open to its truth and allowing it to judge our lives is another entirely.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn, al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Ali 'Imran 3:23 is discussed in 6 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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