Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 90 - Read, Listen, Translation, English : How wretched is that for which they sold themselves -…

Al-Baqarah · 90/286

Translation Transliteration — Al-Baqarah

بِئۡسَمَا ٱشۡتَرَوۡاْ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمۡ أَن يَكۡفُرُواْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بَغۡيًا أَن يُنَزِّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۖ فَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ عَلَىٰ غَضَبٍۚ وَلِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ ۝٩٠

🔤 Transliteration

Bi`samash taraw biheee anfusahum ai yakfuroo bimaaa anzalal laahu baghyan ai yunazzilal laahu min fadlilhee `alaa mai yashaaa`u min ibaadihee fabaaa`oo bighadabin `alaa ghadab; wa lilkaafireena `azaabum muheen

📖 Translation (English Meaning)

📖 English Meaning

How wretched is that for which they sold themselves - that they would disbelieve in what Allah has revealed through [their] outrage that Allah would send down His favor upon whom He wills from among His servants. So they returned having [earned] wrath upon wrath. And for the disbelievers is a humiliating punishment.

🌐 Additional reference in Français

📜

Translation — Tafsir

Key Words and Phrases:

"Bis'ima" (بِئْسَمَا): How evil or terrible is that which...
"Ishtaraw bihi anfusahum" (اشْتَرَوْا بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ): They sold their own souls, i.e., they traded away their share of faith and salvation for something worthless.
"Baghyan" (بَغْيًا): Out of transgression, oppression, and envy.
"Faba'u" (فَبَاءُوا): They returned or brought back upon themselves.
"Ghadab 'ala ghadab" (بِغَضَبٍ عَلَىٰ غَضَبٍ): Wrath upon wrath, meaning a double portion of Allah's anger.
"Muhin" (مُهِينٌ): Humiliating, disgraceful, and degrading.

Tafsir (Explanation):

How terrible is the bargain the Children of Israel made with their own souls! They chose to reject the truth that Allah revealed—the Qur'an and the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)—not out of ignorance, but out of sheer envy and transgression. They could not bear that Allah, in His infinite wisdom and grace, would bestow prophethood and the final revelation upon a servant of His choosing, rather than upon one of their own.

This envy was not a passive feeling; it drove them to actively deny the truth, to distort it, and to oppose the Messenger. In doing so, they incurred a double curse and a double wrath from Allah: the first wrath was for their earlier corruption and alteration of the Torah, and the second was for their stubborn rejection of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Qur'an. They returned from this exchange carrying the heavy burden of Allah's anger upon anger.

For those who persist in this denial, there awaits a humiliating punishment in the Hereafter—a punishment that will disgrace them and expose the vanity of their pride.

A Call to Reflection:

This verse is a timeless warning for every soul: be careful what you trade your life for. Do not let envy, pride, or arrogance blind you to the truth. The door of repentance is always open, and Allah's mercy is vast. Do not be like those who sold their eternal happiness for a fleeting moment of worldly jealousy. Embrace the truth with humility, and you will find peace in this life and honor in the next. The Qur'an is a light; do not shut your eyes to it, for the one who turns away from this light only harms himself, while the one who follows it is guided to the gardens of eternal bliss.

🎧 Listen

📜 Verse 88-92 — Al-Baqarah

88وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلۡفُۢۚ بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ فَقَلِيلًا مَّا يُؤۡمِنُونَ

And they said, "Our hearts are wrapped." But, [in fact], Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is it that they believe.

89وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمۡ كِتَٰبٌ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمۡ وَكَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلُ يَسۡتَفۡتِحُونَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُواْ كَفَرُواْ بِهِۦۚ فَلَعۡنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ

And when there came to them a Book from Allah confirming that which was with them - although before they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved - but [then] when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allah will be upon the disbelievers.

90بِئۡسَمَا ٱشۡتَرَوۡاْ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمۡ أَن يَكۡفُرُواْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بَغۡيًا أَن يُنَزِّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۖ فَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ عَلَىٰ غَضَبٍۚ وَلِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ

91وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمۡ ءَامِنُواْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُواْ نُؤۡمِنُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيۡنَا وَيَكۡفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَآءَهُۥ وَهُوَ ٱلۡحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَهُمۡۗ قُلۡ فَلِمَ تَقۡتُلُونَ أَنۢبِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ مِن قَبۡلُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ

And when it is said to them, "Believe in what Allah has revealed," they say, "We believe [only] in what was revealed to us." And they disbelieve in what came after it, while it is the truth confirming that which is with them. Say, "Then why did you kill the prophets of Allah before, if you are [indeed] believers?"

92۞ وَلَقَدۡ جَآءَكُم مُّوسَىٰ بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذۡتُمُ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمۡ ظَٰلِمُونَ

And Moses had certainly brought you clear proofs. Then you took the calf [in worship] after that, while you were wrongdoers.

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Translation — Al-Baqarah 90

Surah Verse 90/286 — Al-Baqarah البقرة (Medinan). Read Listen Translation (English). Listen: Al-Baqarah Listen, Al-Baqarah Translation, Al-Baqarah mp3, Al-Baqarah pdf. Verse 88–92. English Meaning: Français.

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