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Al-Ankabut (The Spider)

Verse 46of 69

۞ وَلَا تُجَٰدِلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ إِلَّا بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُنَا وَإِلَٰهُكُمْ وَٰحِدٌۭ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ﴿٤٦﴾

Translation (Sahih International)

And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one; and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."

Word-by-word meaning

۞ وَلَاwalāAnd (do) not
تُجَـٰدِلُوٓا۟tujādilūargue
أَهْلَahla(with the) People of the Book
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِl-kitābi(with the) People of the Book
إِلَّاillāexcept
بِٱلَّتِىbi-allatīby which
هِىَhiya[it]
أَحْسَنُaḥsanu(is) best
إِلَّاillāexcept
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnathose who
ظَلَمُوا۟ẓalamū(do) wrong
مِنْهُمْ ۖmin'humamong them
وَقُولُوٓا۟waqūlūand say
ءَامَنَّاāmannāWe believe
بِٱلَّذِىٓbi-alladhīin that (which)
أُنزِلَunzilahas been revealed
إِلَيْنَاilaynāto us
وَأُنزِلَwa-unzilaand was revealed
إِلَيْكُمْilaykumto you
وَإِلَـٰهُنَاwa-ilāhunāAnd our God
وَإِلَـٰهُكُمْwa-ilāhukumand your God
وَٰحِدٌۭwāḥidun(is) One
وَنَحْنُwanaḥnuand we
لَهُۥlahuto Him
مُسْلِمُونَmus'limūnasubmit

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Arguing with the People of the BookWhat is meant here is that anyone who wants to find out about religion from them should argue with them in a manner that is better, as this will be more effective. Allah says:ادْعُ إِلِى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ(Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching...

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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