Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:50-51)

Shafaqna – Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:50-51)

By: Mohammad Sobhanie

Miracles of Isa/Jesus (AS)

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

وَمُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَجِئْتُكُم بِآيَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ ‎﴿٥٠﴾‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ ۗ هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ ‎﴿٥١﴾

3:50 “And (I have come) confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so be mindful of Allah (SWT) and obey me.

3:51 Indeed, Allah (SWT) is my Lord and your Lord, so worship God. That is the straight path.”

Commentary: Prophet Isa (AS) delivered a powerful message to the Children of Israel in Verse 3:50, stating: “I (would) confirm the Torah revealed before me” (وَمُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ) “and make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you.”  (وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ) “And I have come to you with a sign (miracles) from your Lord” (وَجِئْتُكُم بِآيَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ). “So be mindful of Allah (SWT) and obey me.” (فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ)

The phrase: “I confirm the Torah revealed before me” (وَمُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ) means that Prophet Isa (AS) acknowledging the prophethood of Musa (AS) and the Divine origin of the Torah.

The phrase: “Make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you” (وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ) refers to a law that forbade the Jews from eating certain foods due to their past wrongful deeds [1]. God graciously removed this restriction to reward their faith in Prophet Isa (AS) [2].

Verse 3:51 indicates that Prophet Isa (AS) was concerned that people might misunderstand the significance of his miraculous birth and consider it as evidence of his divinity. To prevent such speculation, he emphasized that Allah (SWT) is his Lord and the Lord of all (إِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ) and urged people to worship God alone. (فَاعْبُدُوهُ) The only straight path is to worship Allah (SWT) alone (هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ).

[1] فَبِظُلْمٍ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا حَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ طَيِّبَاتٍ أُحِلَّتْ لَهُمْ وَبِصَدِّهِمْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا ‎﴿١٦٠﴾

[2] Tafseer-e-Namoona,