Surah Ali 'Imran, Ayah 78
Quran 3:78 · Family of Imran · Madani · Para 3 · Page 60
وَاِنَّ مِنْهُمْ لَفَرِیْقًا یَّلْوٗنَ اَلْسِنَتَهُمْ بِالْكِتٰبِ لِتَحْسَبُوْهُ مِنَ الْكِتٰبِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنَ الْكِتٰبِ ۚ وَیَقُوْلُوْنَ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللّٰهِ ۚ وَیَقُوْلُوْنَ عَلَی اللّٰهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ یَعْلَمُوْنَ ۟
Transliteration
Wa-inna minhum lafareeqan yalwoonaalsinatahum bilkitabi litahsaboohu minaalkitabi wama huwa mina alkitabiwayaqooloona huwa min AAindi Allahi wama huwa minAAindi Allahi wayaqooloona AAala Allahi alkathibawahum yaAAlamoon
Saheeh International
And indeed, there is among them a party who alter the Scripture with their tongues so you may think it is from the Scripture, but it is not from the Scripture. And they say, "This is from Allāh," but it is not from Allāh. And they speak untruth about Allāh while they know.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
There is a group of Jews who twist their tongues when reciting the Torah that was revealed by Allah, so that you think that they are reciting from the Torah, whereas it is not from the Torah. Instead, it is their lies and fabrications against Allah. They say: What we recite has been revealed by Allah – whereas it was not revealed by Allah. They tell lies about Allah when they know they are lying against Allah and His messengers.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
And verily, among them is a party who distort the Book with their tongues, so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book, and they say: This is from Allah, but it is not from Allah; and they speak a lie against Allah while they know it (78)
The Jews Alter Allah's Words
Allah states that some Jews, may Allah's curses descend on them, distort Allah's Words with their tongues, change them from their appropriate places, and alter their intended meanings. They do this to deceive the ignorant people by making it appear that their words are in the Book of Allah. They attribute their own lies to Allah, even though they know that they have lied and invented falsehood. Therefore, Allah said,
وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
(and they speak a lie against Allah while they know it.)
Mujahid, Ash-Sha'bi, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi' bin Anas said that,
يَلْوُونَ أَلْسِنَتَهُم بِالْكِتَابِ
(who distort the Book with their tongues,) means, "They alter them (Allah's Words)."
Al-Bukhari reported that Ibn 'Abbas said that the Ayah means they alter and add although none among Allah's creation can remove the Words of Allah from His Books, they alter and distort their apparent meanings. Wahb bin Munabbih said, "The Tawrah and the Injil remain as Allah revealed them, and no letter in them was removed. However, the people misguide others by addition and false interpretation, relying on books that they wrote themselves. Then,
وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ
(they say: "This is from Allah," but it is not from Allah;)
As for Allah's Books, they are still preserved and cannot be changed." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this statement. However, if Wahb meant the books that are currently in the hands of the People of the Book, then we should state that there is no doubt that they altered, distorted, added to and deleted from them. For instance, the Arabic versions of these books contain tremendous error, many additions and deletions and enormous misinterpretation. Those who rendered these translations have incorrect comprehension in most, rather, all of these translations. If Wahb meant the Books of Allah that He has with Him, then indeed, these Books are preserved and were never changed.