Al Baqarah, 2:146 & 2:147
Translation:
Yusuf Ali: The people of the Book know this as they know their own sons; but some of them conceal the truth which they themselves know.
Yusuf Ali: The truth is from thy Lord so be not at all in doubt.
Dr. Mohsin: Those to whom We gave the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognise him (Muhammad SAW or the Ka'bah at Makkah) as they recongise their sons. But verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it - [i.e. the qualities of Muhammad SAW which are written in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)]
Dr. Mohsin: (This is) the truth from your Lord. So be you not one of those who doubt.
Arabic:
Transliteration:
Al-Ladhīna 'Ātaynāhumu Al-Kitāba Ya`rifūnahu Kamā Ya`rifūna 'Abnā'ahum Wa 'Inna Farīqāan Minhum Layaktumūna Al-Ĥaqqa Wa Hum Ya`lamūna
Al-Ĥaqqu Min Rabbika Falā Takūnanna Mina Al-Mumtarīna
Tafsir al-Jalalayn:
Those to whom We have given the Scripture, they recognise him, Muhammad (s), as they recognise their sons, because of the descriptions of him in their Scripture: [‘Abd Allāh] Ibn Salām said, ‘I recognised him the moment I saw him, as I would my own son; but my recognition of Muhammad (s) was more intense’; even though there is a party of them that conceal the truth, that is, his description, while they know, this [truth] which you [Muhammad (s)] follow.
The truth comes from your Lord; then be not among the doubters, who doubt it, that is to say, ‘[be not] of such a disposition’, which is more eloquent than merely saying, ‘do not waver’.
Tafsir ibn Kathir:
(146. Those to whom We gave the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognise him (Muhammad or the Ka`bah at Makkah) as they recognize their sons. But verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it ـ ﴿i.e., the qualities of Muhammad which are written in the Tawrah and the Injil).
(147. This is) the truth from your Lord. So be you not one of those who doubt).
The Jews know that the Prophet is True, but they hide the Truth
Allah states that the scholars of the People of the Scripture know the truth of what Allah's Messenger was sent with, just as one of them knows his own child, which is a parable that the Arabs use to describe what is very apparent. Similarly, in a Hadith, Allah's Messenger said to a man who had a youngster with him:
«ابْنُكَ هَذَا»
؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَشْهَدُ بِهِ
(Is this your son) He said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah! I testify to this fact.'' Allah's Messenger said:
«أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَا يَجْنِي عَلَيْكَ وَلَا تَجْنِي عَلَيْه»
(Well, you would not transgress against him nor would he transgress against you.)
According to Al-Qurtubi, it was narrated that `Umar said to `Abdullah bin Salam (an Israelite scholar who became a Muslim), "Do you recognize Muhammad as you recognize your own son'' He replied, "Yes, and even more. The Honest One descended from heaven on the Honest One on the earth with his (i.e., Muhammad's) description and I recognized him, although I do not know anything about his mother's story.''
Allah states next that although they had knowledge and certainty in the Prophet , they still:
﴿لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ﴾
(conceal the truth.)
The Ayah indicates that they hide the truth from the people, about the Prophet , that they find in their Books,
﴿وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾
(while they know it. ) Allah then strengthens the resolve of His Prophet and the believers and affirms that what the Prophet came with is the truth without doubt, saying:
﴿الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ ﴾
((This is) the truth from your Lord. So be you not one of those who doubt.)
Translation:
Yusuf Ali: The people of the Book know this as they know their own sons; but some of them conceal the truth which they themselves know.
Yusuf Ali: The truth is from thy Lord so be not at all in doubt.
Dr. Mohsin: Those to whom We gave the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognise him (Muhammad SAW or the Ka'bah at Makkah) as they recongise their sons. But verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it - [i.e. the qualities of Muhammad SAW which are written in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)]
Dr. Mohsin: (This is) the truth from your Lord. So be you not one of those who doubt.
Arabic:
ٱلَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ ٱلْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقاً مِّنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُمْتَرِينَ
ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُمْتَرِينَ
Transliteration:
Al-Ladhīna 'Ātaynāhumu Al-Kitāba Ya`rifūnahu Kamā Ya`rifūna 'Abnā'ahum Wa 'Inna Farīqāan Minhum Layaktumūna Al-Ĥaqqa Wa Hum Ya`lamūna
Al-Ĥaqqu Min Rabbika Falā Takūnanna Mina Al-Mumtarīna
Tafsir al-Jalalayn:
Those to whom We have given the Scripture, they recognise him, Muhammad (s), as they recognise their sons, because of the descriptions of him in their Scripture: [‘Abd Allāh] Ibn Salām said, ‘I recognised him the moment I saw him, as I would my own son; but my recognition of Muhammad (s) was more intense’; even though there is a party of them that conceal the truth, that is, his description, while they know, this [truth] which you [Muhammad (s)] follow.
The truth comes from your Lord; then be not among the doubters, who doubt it, that is to say, ‘[be not] of such a disposition’, which is more eloquent than merely saying, ‘do not waver’.
Tafsir ibn Kathir:
(146. Those to whom We gave the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognise him (Muhammad or the Ka`bah at Makkah) as they recognize their sons. But verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it ـ ﴿i.e., the qualities of Muhammad which are written in the Tawrah and the Injil).
(147. This is) the truth from your Lord. So be you not one of those who doubt).
The Jews know that the Prophet is True, but they hide the Truth
Allah states that the scholars of the People of the Scripture know the truth of what Allah's Messenger was sent with, just as one of them knows his own child, which is a parable that the Arabs use to describe what is very apparent. Similarly, in a Hadith, Allah's Messenger said to a man who had a youngster with him:
«ابْنُكَ هَذَا»
؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَشْهَدُ بِهِ
(Is this your son) He said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah! I testify to this fact.'' Allah's Messenger said:
«أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَا يَجْنِي عَلَيْكَ وَلَا تَجْنِي عَلَيْه»
(Well, you would not transgress against him nor would he transgress against you.)
According to Al-Qurtubi, it was narrated that `Umar said to `Abdullah bin Salam (an Israelite scholar who became a Muslim), "Do you recognize Muhammad as you recognize your own son'' He replied, "Yes, and even more. The Honest One descended from heaven on the Honest One on the earth with his (i.e., Muhammad's) description and I recognized him, although I do not know anything about his mother's story.''
Allah states next that although they had knowledge and certainty in the Prophet , they still:
﴿لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ﴾
(conceal the truth.)
The Ayah indicates that they hide the truth from the people, about the Prophet , that they find in their Books,
﴿وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾
(while they know it. ) Allah then strengthens the resolve of His Prophet and the believers and affirms that what the Prophet came with is the truth without doubt, saying:
﴿الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ ﴾
((This is) the truth from your Lord. So be you not one of those who doubt.)