Quran

Quran 5:48, to each a law and a way.

Surah Al-Maidah, ayah 48: "And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them..." Read it in Arabic with transliteration and the Sahih International translation, with the ayah before and after it, and listen to it recited.

5:47Before

وَلْيَحْكُمْ أَهْلُ ٱلْإِنجِيلِ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فِيهِ ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَٰسِقُونَ ﴿٤٧﴾

Walyahkum Ahlul Injeeli bimaaa anzalal laahu feeh; wa mal lam yahkum bimaaa anzalal laahu fa ulaaa'ika humul faasiqoon

And let the People of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed therein. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the defiantly disobedient.

5:48This ayah

وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ ۖ فَٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ ۚ لِكُلٍّۢ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةًۭ وَمِنْهَاجًۭا ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةًۭ وَٰحِدَةًۭ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ ۚ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًۭا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿٤٨﴾

Wa anzalnaa ilaikal Kitaaba bilhaqqi musaddiqallimaa baina yadaihi minal Kitaabi wa muhaiminan 'alaihi fahkum bainahum bimaa anzalal laahu wa laa tattabi ahwaaa'ahum 'ammaa jaaa'aka minal haqq; likullin ja'alnaa minkum shir'atanw wa minhaajaa; wa law shaaa'al laahu laja'alakum ummatanw waahidatanw wa laakil liyabluwakum fee maa aataakum fastabiqul khairaat; ilal laahi arji'ukum jamee'an fayunab bi'ukum bimaa kuntum feehi takhtalifoon

And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.

5:49After

وَأَنِ ٱحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ وَٱحْذَرْهُمْ أَن يَفْتِنُوكَ عَنۢ بَعْضِ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُصِيبَهُم بِبَعْضِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَفَٰسِقُونَ ﴿٤٩﴾

Wa anih kum bainahum bimaaa anzalal laahu wa laa tattabi' ahwaaa'ahum wahzarhum ai yaftinooka 'am ba'di maaa anzalal laahu ilaika fa in tawallaw fa'lam annamaa yureedul laahu ai yuseebahum biba'di zunoobihim; wa inna kaseeram minan naasi lafaasiqoon

And judge, [O Muhammad], between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations and beware of them, lest they tempt you away from some of what Allah has revealed to you. And if they turn away - then know that Allah only intends to afflict them with some of their [own] sins. And indeed, many among the people are defiantly disobedient.

Arabic: Tanzil, Uthmani script. English: Sahih International. Audio: EveryAyah. Transliteration is a learning aid; read from the Arabic when you can.

Meaning and lessons

What Quran 5:48 means, in brief.

Allah tells the Prophet ﷺ that He revealed the Book in truth, confirming the scriptures before it and as a muhaymin over them. Ibn Abbas explained muhaymin as a trusted witness and guardian: the Quran confirms what remains true in them and shows what was changed. He commands judging by what Allah revealed, and says: to each of you We prescribed a law and a way.

Ibn Kathir explains that the prophets were all sent with the same belief in one God, while their laws differed in details. Had Allah willed, He would have made people one community, but He tests them in what He gave them, so race to do good. To Him everyone returns, and He will tell them about what they differed in.

Summarised in our own words from Tafsir Ibn Kathir, on Quran 5:48. Translation of the ayah: Sahih International.

Lessons from this ayah

  • All prophets called to the same tawhid.
  • The Quran is the final measure for the scriptures before it.
  • Differences are a test: compete in doing good rather than in arguing.

Where Quran 5:48 is in the mushaf

Ayah 48 of Surah Al-Maidah (المَائـِدَةِ), "The Table", surah 5 of the Quran, a Medinan surah of 120 ayat revealed in Madinah. It is in juz 6 (para 6), hizb 12, on page 116 of the standard Madinah mushaf. People search for it as 5/48, 5 48 or Quran 5 48.

Questions

Good to know.

What does Quran 5:48 say?

And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ. (Sahih International)

What is Quran 5:48 about?

Allah tells the Prophet ﷺ that He revealed the Book in truth, confirming the scriptures before it and as a muhaymin over them. Ibn Abbas explained muhaymin as a trusted witness and guardian: the Quran confirms what remains true in them and shows what was changed. He commands judging by what Allah revealed, and says: to each of you We prescribed a law and a way.

Which surah and juz is 5:48 in?

It is in Surah Al-Maidah, surah 5 of the Quran, in juz 6 (para 6), on page 116 of the Madinah mushaf.

What comes before and after 5:48?

The ayah before, 5:47, says: "And let the People of the Gospel judge by what Allah has revealed therein. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the defiantly disobedient." The ayah after, 5:49, says: "And judge, [O Muhammad], between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations and beware of them, lest they tempt you away from some of what Allah has revealed to you. And if they turn away - then know that Allah only intends to afflict them with some of their [own] sins. And indeed, many among the people are defiantly disobedient."