Surah Al-Jumu'ah 62:6
سُورَةُ الجُمُعَةِ · Medinan · Verse 6 of 11
قُلْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوٓا۟ إِن زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ لِلَّهِ مِن دُونِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا۟ ٱلْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ
Translation
Say [Prophet], ‘You who follow the Jewish faith, if you truly claim that out of all people you alone are friends of God, then you should be hoping for death.’
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Qur'anic Worlds
This verse opens with a direct command from Allah to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him: "Say" (قُلْ). This instruction establishes the World of Revelation, where Allah is guiding His Messenger on how to address a specific group. The addressees are "those who are Jews" (يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ هَادُوا), referring to the Jewish community present during the Prophet's time in Medina, who adhered to their modified religious tradition.
A Challenged Claim
The core of the verse addresses a profound claim made by the Jews, placing us squarely in the Worlds of Past Nations. They asserted that they were "the friends of Allah to the exclusion of all other people" (أَوْلِيَاءُ لِلَّهِ مِن دُونِ النَّاسِ). This wasn't a new claim; as scholars like Mufti Shafi and al-Razi point out, they also believed themselves to be "the sons of Allah and His favourites" (نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّـهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ) and that "no one shall ever enter Paradise unless he is a Jew." They felt they were uniquely beloved by God and immune from punishment in the Hereafter.
The Test of Sincerity
Allah's challenge to this exclusive claim is striking: "then express your desire for death, if you are true" (فَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ). Why death? As several scholars explain, if one truly believes they are Allah's beloved, assured of Paradise and bliss, then death would be a joyful gateway to that eternal reward, a swift meeting with their Lord in His "abode of grace" (دار كرامته), as al-Razi puts it. If they were truly confident in their claims, death would be longed for, not feared. Mufti Shafi explains that a wise person, believing in countless blessings after death, would naturally wish to be free from worldly miseries and reach that eternal comfort sooner.
The Revelation's Message
This divine challenge, revealed to the Prophet, served to expose the inner doubts of those who made such claims. Sayyid Qutb highlights that their fear of death revealed their true assessment of their deeds. They knew what they had "sent forth" (بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ) in terms of disbelief, altering scriptures, and rebellion, as al-Razi mentions. Their reluctance to wish for death, therefore, was a clear sign that their outward boasts did not match their inner conviction about their standing with Allah. The revelation of this verse solidified the truth for the believers and served as a powerful argument against the false claims of the Jews.
Sources: al-Baghawi (Maalim al-Tanzil), Ma'arif al-Quran (Mufti Shafi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Sayyid Qutb (Fi Zilal al-Quran), Ibn Kathir
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Jumu'ah 62:6 is discussed in 5 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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