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Al-Jumu'ah (Friday)

Verse 5of 11

مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا۟ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ ٱلْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًۢا ۚ بِئْسَ مَثَلُ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ﴿٥

Translation (Sahih International)

The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. Wretched is the example of the people who deny the signs of Allah. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

Word-by-word meaning

مَثَلُmathalu(The) likeness
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīna(of) those who
حُمِّلُوا۟ḥummilūwere entrusted
ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَl-tawrāta(with) the Taurat
ثُمَّthummathen
لَمْlamnot
يَحْمِلُوهَاyaḥmilūhāthey bore it
كَمَثَلِkamathali(is) like
ٱلْحِمَارِl-ḥimārithe donkey
يَحْمِلُyaḥmiluwho carries
أَسْفَارًۢا ۚasfāranbooks
بِئْسَbi'saWretched is
مَثَلُmathalu(the) example
ٱلْقَوْمِl-qawmi(of) the people
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnawho
كَذَّبُوا۟kadhabūdeny
بِـَٔايَـٰتِbiāyāti(the) Signs
ٱللَّهِ ۚl-lahi(of) Allah
وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuAnd Allah
لَا(does) not
يَهْدِىyahdīguide
ٱلْقَوْمَl-qawmathe people
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَl-ẓālimīnathe wrongdoers

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Admonishing the Jews and challenging Them to wish for DeathAllah the Exalted admonishes the Jews who were entrusted with the Tawrah and were ordered to abide by it. However, they did not abide by it, and this is why Allah resembled them to the donkey that carries volumes of books. Surely, when the donkey carries books, it will not understand what these books contain because it is only carrying these books using its strength.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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