Surah Al Imran ayat 188 Tafsir Quran 3:188

﴿لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَا أَتَوا وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُوا بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُوا فَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّهُم بِمَفَازَةٍ مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴾
[ آل عمران: 188]

3:188 And never think that those who rejoice in what they have perpetrated and like to be praised for what they did not do - never think them [to be] in safety from the punishment, and for them is a painful punishment.

Do not reckon that lā tahsabanna or read lā yahsabanna ‘let them not reckon’ those who rejoice in what they have brought that is in what they have done by leading people astray and who love to be praised for what they have not done in the way of adherence to the truth being themselves misguided — do not reckon them fa-lā tahsabannahum is for emphasis in the case of both readings above secure in a place where they can escape from the chastisement in the Hereafter; but instead they shall be in a place of wherein they shall be tortured and that is Hell; there shall be a painful chastisement for them in it alīm means mu’lim ‘painful’. If one reads yahsabanna ‘let them not reckon’ the two direct objects of the first h-s-b verb would be indicated by the two direct objects of the second h-s-b verb; but if one reads tahsabanna ‘do not reckon’ then only second direct object would be omitted.

Do not think, O Muhammad; that those who rejoice at their successful perversion of their own Scriptures from its original purity to what accords with their own desire, and love to be credited with theological virtues which they do not possess, that they shall escape torment!. They shall in fact be put to the torture

Chastising the People of the Scriptures for Breaking the Covenant and Hiding the Truth In this Ayah, Allah chastises the People of the Scriptures, from whom Allah took the covenant by the words of their Prophets, that they would believe in Muhammad ﷺ and describe him to the people, so that they would recognize and follow him when Allah sent him.
However, they hid this truth and preferred the the small amounts and the material gains instead of the rewards of this life and the Hereafter that they were promised.
This is a losing deal and a failing trade, indeed. These Ayat also contain a warning for the scholars not to imitate their behavior, so that they do not suffer the same fate and become like them.
Therefore, the scholars are required to spread the beneficial knowledge that they have, encouraging the various righteous good deeds.
They are also warned against hiding any part of their knowledge.
A Hadith states that the Prophet said,
«مَنْ سُئِلَ عَنْ عِلْمٍ فَكَتَمَهُ، أُلْجِمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِلِجَامٍ مِنْ نَار»
( Whoever was asked about knowledge that he knew but did not disclose it, will be tied with a bridle made of fire on the Day of Resurrection. ) Chastising Those Who Love to be Praised for What They Have not Done Allah's statement, لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَآ أَتَوْاْ وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُواْ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُواْ ( Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done ), refers to those who show off, rejoice in what they do and claim to do what they have not done.
The Two Sahihs recorded that the Prophet said,
«مَنِ ادَّعَى دَعْوَةً كَاذِبَةً لِيَتَكَثَّرَ بِهَا، لَمْ يَزِدْهُ اللهُ إِلَّا قِلَّة»
( Whoever issues a false claim to acquire some type of gain, then Allah will only grant him decrease. ) The Sahih also recorded;
«الْمُتَشَبِّعُ بِمَا لَمْ يُعْطَ، كَلَابِسِ ثَوْبَيْ زُور»
( He who claims to do what he has not done, is just like a person who wears two robes made of falsehood. ) Imam Ahmad recorded that Marwan told his guard Rafi` to go to Ibn `Abbas and proclaim to him, "If every person among us who rejoices with what he has done and loves to be praised for what he has not done will be tormented, we all will be tormented." Ibn `Abbas said, "This Ayah was revealed about the People of the Scriptures." He then recited the Ayah, وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَـقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلاَ تَكْتُمُونَهُ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ وَاشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ ثَمَناً قَلِيلاً فَبِئْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُونَ ( (And remember ) when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture ( Jews and Christians ) to make it ( the truth ) known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it, but they threw it away behind their backs, and purchased with it some miserable gain! And indeed worst is that which they bought.) then the Ayah, لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَآ أَتَوْاْ وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُواْ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُواْ ( Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done ) Ibn `Abbas said, "The Prophet asked them about something, and they hid its knowledge, giving him an incorrect answer.
They parted after showing off and rejoicing in front of him because they answered him, so they pretended, and they were delighted that they hid the correct news about what he had asked them." This was recorded by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i. Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said, "During the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when the Messenger would go to battle, some hypocrite men would remain behind and rejoice because they did not accompany the Prophet in battle.
When the Messenger would come back, they would ask him to excuse them swearing to having some excuse, and wanting to be praised for that which they did not do.
So Allah revealed, لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَآ أَتَوْاْ وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُواْ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُواْ ( Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done )," to the end of the Ayah." And Muslim recorded similarly. Allah said; فَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّهُمْ بِمَفَازَةٍ مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ ( think not that they are rescued from the torment, ) Do not think that they will be saved from punishment, rather it will certainly strike them.
So Allah said; وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ( and for them is a painful torment. ) Allah then said, وَللَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ( And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Allah has power over all things. ) He is the Owner of everything, able to do all things and nothing escapes His might.
Therefore, fear Him, never defy Him and beware of His anger and revenge.
He is the Most Great, none is greater than Him, and the Most Able, none is more able than He is.

(3:188) Do not think that those who exult in their misdeeds and love to be praised for what indeed they have not done, *133 do not think that they are secure from chastisement. A painful chastisement awaits them.

And never think that those who rejoice meaning

*133).
Such people expected praises to be lavished upon them for being God-fearing, devout and pious, for being sincere servants of the true faith, for being defenders of God's Law and for having reformed and purified the lives of people, even though none of this might be true.
They wanted people to go about trumpeting that such and such a person had made great sacrifices in the cause of God and had sincerely guided people to the right way even though the facts might be the reverse of what they claimed.

 

Chastising the People of the Scriptures for Breaking the Covenant and Hiding the Truth In this Ayah, Allah chastises the People of the Scriptures, from whom Allah took the covenant by the words of their Prophets, that they would believe in Muhammad ﷺ and describe him to the people, so that they would recognize and follow him when Allah sent him.
However, they hid this truth and preferred the the small amounts and the material gains instead of the rewards of this life and the Hereafter that they were promised.
This is a losing deal and a failing trade, indeed. These Ayat also contain a warning for the scholars not to imitate their behavior, so that they do not suffer the same fate and become like them.
Therefore, the scholars are required to spread the beneficial knowledge that they have, encouraging the various righteous good deeds.
They are also warned against hiding any part of their knowledge.
A Hadith states that the Prophet said, «مَنْ سُئِلَ عَنْ عِلْمٍ فَكَتَمَهُ، أُلْجِمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِلِجَامٍ مِنْ نَار» ( Whoever was asked about knowledge that he knew but did not disclose it, will be tied with a bridle made of fire on the Day of Resurrection. ) Chastising Those Who Love to be Praised for What They Have not Done Allah's statement, لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَآ أَتَوْاْ وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُواْ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُواْ ( Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done ), refers to those who show off, rejoice in what they do and claim to do what they have not done.
The Two Sahihs recorded that the Prophet said, «مَنِ ادَّعَى دَعْوَةً كَاذِبَةً لِيَتَكَثَّرَ بِهَا، لَمْ يَزِدْهُ اللهُ إِلَّا قِلَّة» ( Whoever issues a false claim to acquire some type of gain, then Allah will only grant him decrease. ) The Sahih also recorded; «الْمُتَشَبِّعُ بِمَا لَمْ يُعْطَ، كَلَابِسِ ثَوْبَيْ زُور» ( He who claims to do what he has not done, is just like a person who wears two robes made of falsehood. ) Imam Ahmad recorded that Marwan told his guard Rafi` to go to Ibn `Abbas and proclaim to him, "If every person among us who rejoices with what he has done and loves to be praised for what he has not done will be tormented, we all will be tormented." Ibn `Abbas said, "This Ayah was revealed about the People of the Scriptures." He then recited the Ayah, وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَـقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلاَ تَكْتُمُونَهُ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ وَاشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ ثَمَناً قَلِيلاً فَبِئْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُونَ ( (And remember ) when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture ( Jews and Christians ) to make it ( the truth ) known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it, but they threw it away behind their backs, and purchased with it some miserable gain! And indeed worst is that which they bought.) then the Ayah, لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَآ أَتَوْاْ وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُواْ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُواْ ( Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done ) Ibn `Abbas said, "The Prophet asked them about something, and they hid its knowledge, giving him an incorrect answer.
They parted after showing off and rejoicing in front of him because they answered him, so they pretended, and they were delighted that they hid the correct news about what he had asked them." This was recorded by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i. Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said, "During the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when the Messenger would go to battle, some hypocrite men would remain behind and rejoice because they did not accompany the Prophet in battle.
When the Messenger would come back, they would ask him to excuse them swearing to having some excuse, and wanting to be praised for that which they did not do.
So Allah revealed, لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَآ أَتَوْاْ وَّيُحِبُّونَ أَن يُحْمَدُواْ بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُواْ ( Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what they have not done )," to the end of the Ayah." And Muslim recorded similarly. Allah said; فَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّهُمْ بِمَفَازَةٍ مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ ( think not that they are rescued from the torment, ) Do not think that they will be saved from punishment, rather it will certainly strike them.
So Allah said; وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ( and for them is a painful torment. ) Allah then said, وَللَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ( And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Allah has power over all things. ) He is the Owner of everything, able to do all things and nothing escapes His might.
Therefore, fear Him, never defy Him and beware of His anger and revenge.
He is the Most Great, none is greater than Him, and the Most Able, none is more able than He is.

Allah then mentioned their longing for praise and credit for that which they-the Jews-did not have, saying: ( Think not ) suppose not, O Muhammad ( that those who exult in what they have given ) whereby they changed the traits and description of Muhammad in their Scripture, ( and love to be praised for what they have not done ) they like that people say they have good in them when they do not. They like that people say that they are follower of the Religion of Abraham and that they are good to the poor. ( Think not ) O Muhammad, ( they are in safety from the doom. A painful doom is theirs ) a severe torment shall be theirs.

Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done (or brought about), and love to be praised for what they have not done,- think not you that they are rescued from the torment, and for them is a painful torment.

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