Ali 'Imran Verse 81 | 3:81

وَاِذْ اَخَذَ اللّٰهُ مِيْثَاقَ النَّبِيّٖنَ لَمَآ اٰتَيْتُكُمْ مِّنْ كِتٰبٍ وَّحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَاۤءَكُمْ رَسُوْلٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهٖ وَلَتَنْصُرُنَّهٗ ۗ قَالَ ءَاَقْرَرْتُمْ وَاَخَذْتُمْ عَلٰى ذٰلِكُمْ اِصْرِيْ ۗ قَالُوْٓا اَقْرَرْنَا ۗ قَالَ فَاشْهَدُوْا وَاَنَا۠ مَعَكُمْ مِّنَ الشّٰهِدِيْنَ ( آل عمران: ٨١ )

wa-idh

وَإِذْ

And when

akhadha

أَخَذَ

took

l-lahu

ٱللَّهُ

Allah

mīthāqa

مِيثَٰقَ

covenant

l-nabiyīna

ٱلنَّبِيِّۦنَ

(of) the Prophets

lamā

لَمَآ

"Certainly, whatever

ātaytukum

ءَاتَيْتُكُم

I (have) given you

min

مِّن

kitābin

كِتَٰبٍ

(the) Book

waḥik'matin

وَحِكْمَةٍ

and wisdom

thumma

ثُمَّ

then

jāakum

جَآءَكُمْ

comes to you

rasūlun

رَسُولٌ

a Messenger

muṣaddiqun

مُّصَدِّقٌ

confirming

limā

لِّمَا

that which

maʿakum

مَعَكُمْ

(is) with you

latu'minunna

لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ

you must believe

bihi

بِهِۦ

in him

walatanṣurunnahu

وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُۥۚ

and you must help him"

qāla

قَالَ

He said

a-aqrartum

ءَأَقْرَرْتُمْ

"Do you affirm

wa-akhadhtum

وَأَخَذْتُمْ

and take

ʿalā

عَلَىٰ

dhālikum

ذَٰلِكُمْ

that (condition)

iṣ'rī

إِصْرِىۖ

My Covenant

qālū

قَالُوٓا۟

They said

aqrarnā

أَقْرَرْنَاۚ

"We affirm"

qāla

قَالَ

He said

fa-ish'hadū

فَٱشْهَدُوا۟

"Then bear witness

wa-anā

وَأَنَا۠

and I (am)

maʿakum

مَعَكُم

with you

mina

مِّنَ

among

l-shāhidīna

ٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ

the witnesses"

Wa iz akhazal laahu meesaaqan Nabiyyeena lamaaa aataitukum min Kitaabinw wa Hikmatin summa jaaa'akum Rasoolum musaddiqul limaa ma'akum latu'minunna bihee wa latansurunnah; qaala 'aaqrartum wa akhaztum alaa zaalikum isree qaalooo aqrarnaa; qaala fashhadoo wa ana ma'akum minash shaahideen (ʾĀl ʿImrān 3:81)

Sahih International:

And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him." [Allah] said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?" They said, "We have acknowledged it." He said, "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses." (Ali 'Imran [3] : 81)

1 Mufti Taqi Usmani

When Allah made the prophets enter into a covenant: (saying) “If I give you a book and wisdom, then comes to you a messenger verifying what is with you, you shall have to believe in him, and you shall have to support him.” He said, “Do you affirm and accept my covenant in this respect?” They said, “We affirm.” He said, “Then, bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses.”

2 Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Remember˺ when Allah made a covenant with the prophets, ˹saying,˺ “Now that I have given you the Book and wisdom, if there comes to you a messenger[[ Muḥammad (ﷺ).]] confirming what you have, you must believe in him and support him.” He added, “Do you affirm this covenant and accept this commitment?” They said, “Yes, we do.” Allah said, “Then bear witness, and I too am a Witness.”

3 Ruwwad Translation Center

And [remember] when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], “After I have given you the Book and wisdom, if there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, then you must believe in him and support him.” Allah said, “Do you affirm this covenant and accept this commitment?” They said, “Yes, we do.” He said, “Then bear witness and I am with you among the witnesses.”

4 A. J. Arberry

5 Abdul Haleem

6 Abdul Majid Daryabadi

7 Abdullah Yusuf Ali

8 Abul Ala Maududi

And recall when Allah took a covenant from the Prophets: 'This is the Book and the Wisdom which I have given you. But should a Prophet come to you confirming that which is already with you, you shall believe in him and shall help him. So saying, Allah asked: 'Do you agree and accept to take up the burden of the covenant?' They answered: 'We agree,' He said: 'Then bear wirness; and I will be with you among the witness.

9 Ahmed Ali

10 Ahmed Raza Khan

And remember when Allah took a covenant from the Prophets; “If I give you the Book and knowledge and the (promised) Noble Messenger (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) comes to you, confirming the Books you possess, you shall positively, definitely believe in him and you shall positively, definitely help him”; He said, “Do you agree, and accept My binding responsibility in this matter?” They all answered, “We agree”; He said, “Then bear witness amongst yourselves, and I Myself am a witness with you.”

11 Ali Quli Qarai

When Allah took a compact concerning the prophets, [He said,] ‘Inasmuch as I have given you [the knowledge] of the Book and wisdom, should an apostle come to you thereafter confirming what is with you, you shall believe in him and help him.’ He said, ‘Do you pledge and accept My covenant on this condition?’ They said, ‘We pledge.’ He said, ‘Then be witnesses, and I, too, am among the witnesses along with you.’

12 Ali Ünal

And when God took compact with the Prophets: "That I have given you a Book and Wisdom; then there will come to you a Messenger confirming what (of the Divine Revelations) you already possess – you shall certainly believe in him and you shall certainly help him." So saying, He asked: "Have you affirmed this and agreed to take up My burden (that I lay upon you) in this matter?" They answered: "We have affirmed (it)." He said: "Then bear witness (you and your communities), and I will be with you among the witnesses."

13 Amatul Rahman Omar

(Recall the time) when Allâh bound (the people) to a covenant through the Prophets (saying), `Indeed, whatever I have vouchsafed to you of the Book and the Wisdom, and then there comes to you a Messenger fulfilling that which is with you, you shall surely believe in him and have to help him.´ (The Lord further) said, `Do you agree and do you undertake the heavy responsibility of My covenant on these (terms)?´ They said, `We do agree.´ (God) said, `Bear witness to it and I am with you among the witnesses.´

14 English Literal

And when/if God took the prophets` promise/covenant what/that what (E) I gave/brought you from a Book and wisdom , then a messenger came to you confirming to/for what (is) with you, to believe with him/it (E) and you will give him/it victory/aid (E). He said: "Did you confess/acknowledge and you took/received on that My promise ?" They said: "We confessed/acknowledged ." He said: "So witness/testify and I am with you from the witnessing/testifying/present."

15 Faridul Haque

And remember when Allah took a covenant from the Prophets; “If I give you the Book and knowledge and the (promised) Noble Messenger (Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him) comes to you, confirming the Books you possess, you shall positively, definitely believe in him and you shall positively, definitely help him”; He said, “Do you agree, and accept My binding responsibility in this matter?” They all answered, “We agree”; He said, “Then bear witness amongst yourselves, and I Myself am a witness with you.”

16 Hamid S. Aziz

17 Hilali & Khan

And (remember) when Allah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: "Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of Allah, etc.), and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him." Allah said: "Do you agree (to it) and will you take up My Covenant (which I conclude with you)?" They said: "We agree." He said: "Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses (for this)."

18 Maulana Mohammad Ali

19 Mohammad Habib Shakir

20 Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

When Allah made (His) covenant with the prophets, (He said): Behold that which I have given you of the Scripture and knowledge. And afterward there will come unto you a messenger, confirming that which ye possess. Ye shall believe in him and ye shall help him. He said: Do ye agree, and will ye take up My burden (which I lay upon you) in this (matter)? They answered: We agree. He said: Then bear ye witness. I will be a witness with you.

21 Muhammad Sarwar

22 Qaribullah & Darwish

23 Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

24 Wahiduddin Khan

When God made a covenant with the prophets, He said, "Here is the Book and the wisdom which I have given you. When there comes to you a messenger fulfilling that [predictions about him in their Scripture] which is with you, you must believe in him and help him. Do you then affirm this and accept the responsibility I have laid upon you in these terms?" They said, "We will affirm it." God said, "Then bear witness, and I will bear witness with you."

25 Talal Itani

26 Tafsir jalalayn

And, mention, when God made a covenant with the prophets, `What (if read lam, it would be introducing a subject clause, and emphasising the aspect of the oath in this `making of the covenant'; if it is read lim, it would then be connected to the verb akhadha, `He took'; the m, `what', is a relative particle in both cases, meaning la'lladh [or li'lladh respectively]) I have given you (taytukum, or in a variant reading, taynkum, `We have given you') of the Book and wisdom; then there shall come to you a messenger confirming what is with you, of the Book and wisdom, and that is Muhammad (s) -- you shall believe in him and you shall help him' (this constitutes the response to the oath), if you reach his time and perceive him, and their communities [of descendants] follow them [in what is incumbent upon them]. He, God, exalted be He, said to them, `Do you affirm, this? And do you take, [do you] accept, My load, My covenant, on you on that condition?' They said, `We affirm'. He said, `Then bear witness, to this before your own souls and [those of] your followers, and I shall be with you among the witnesses', before you and them.

27 Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Taking a Pledge From the Prophets to Believe in Our Prophet, Muhammad

Allah states that He took a pledge from every Prophet whom He sent from Adam until `Isa, that when Allah gives them the Book and the Hikmah, thus acquiring whatever high grades they deserve, then a Messenger came afterwards, they would believe in and support him.

Even though Allah has given the Prophets the knowledge and the Prophethood, this fact should not make them refrain from following and supporting the Prophet who comes after them. This is why Allah, the Most High, Most Honored, said,

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللّهُ مِيثَاقَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ لَمَا اتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَابٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ

And (remember) when Allah took the covenant of the Prophets, saying;"Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah."

meaning, if I give you the Book and the Hikmah,

ثُمَّ جَاءكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُوْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُ قَالَ أَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكُمْ إِصْرِي

"and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him."

Allah said, "Do you agree (to it) and will you take up Isri!"

Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Ar-Rabi, Qatadah and As-Suddi said that;

`Isri' means, "My covenant."

Muhammad bin Ishaq said that,
إِصْرِي
(Isri) means,

"The responsibility of My covenant that you took,"

meaning, the ratified pledge that you gave Me.

قَالُواْ أَقْرَرْنَا قَالَ فَاشْهَدُواْ وَأَنَاْ مَعَكُم مِّنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

They said;"We agree."

He said;"Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses."

فَمَن تَوَلَّى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ