Surah Al Imran ayat 81 Tafsir Quran 3:81

﴿وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَمَا آتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَابٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُ ۚ قَالَ أَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُمْ إِصْرِي ۖ قَالُوا أَقْرَرْنَا ۚ قَالَ فَاشْهَدُوا وَأَنَا مَعَكُم مِّنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ﴾
[ آل عمران: 81]

3:81 And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him." [Allah] said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?" They said, "We have acknowledged it." He said, "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses."

And mention when God made a covenant with the prophets ‘What if read lamā it would be introducing a subject clause and emphasising the aspect of the oath in this ‘making of the covenant’; if it is read limā it would then be connected to the verb akhadha ‘He took’; the mā ‘what’ is a relative particle in both cases meaning la’lladhī or li’lladhī respectively I have given you ātaytukum or in a variant reading ātaynākum ‘We have given you’ of the Book and wisdom; then there shall come to you a messenger confirming what is with you of the Book and wisdom and that is Muhammad (s) — you shall believe in him and you shall help him’ this constitutes the response to the oath if you reach his time and perceive him and their communities of descendants follow them in what is incumbent upon them. He God exalted be He said to them ‘Do you affirm this? And do you take do you accept My load My covenant on you on that condition?’ They said ‘We affirm’. He said ‘Then bear witness to this before your own souls and those of your followers and I shall be with you among the witnesses’ before you and them.

Allah entered into a covenant with the Prophets, expressing the obligation to which they are bound. I have given you the Book, He said, and acquainted your hearts with wisdom. So when there comes a Messenger with a Book that corroborates and authoritatively validates the Authentic Books you hold in possession, you shall faithfully recognize him, uphold him and help him accomplish his mission. Now do you all subscribe to this allegiance and shall you pledge yourselves before Me to keep the vow! They said: We pray the prayer and vow the vow. Then, Allah said, you bear witness to this obligation which you shall relate to your people, and here do I subscribe to be also a witness to this course of action

Taking a Pledge From the Prophets to Believe in Our Prophet, Muhammad ﷺ Allah states that He took a pledge from every Prophet whom He sent from Adam until `Isa, that when Allah gives them the Book and the Hikmah, thus acquiring whatever high grades they deserve, then a Messenger came afterwards, they would believe in and support him.
Even though Allah has given the Prophets the knowledge and the prophethood, this fact should not make them refrain from following and supporting the Prophet who comes after them.
This is why Allah, the Most High, Most Honored, said وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَـقَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ لَمَآ ءَاتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَـبٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ( And (remember ) when Allah took the covenant of the Prophets, saying: "Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah.") meaning, if I give you the Book and the Hikmah, ثُمَّ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُ قَالَ ءَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَى ذلِكُمْ إِصْرِى ( "and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him." Allah said, "Do you agree (to it ) and will you take up Isri") Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ar-Rabi`, Qatadah and As-Suddi said that `Isri' means, "My covenant." Muhammad bin Ishaq said that, إِصْرِى ( Isri ) means, "The responsibility of My covenant that you took," meaning, the ratified pledge that you gave Me. قَالُواْ أَقْرَرْنَا قَالَ فَاشْهَدُواْ وَأَنَاْ مَعَكُمْ مِّنَ الشَّـهِدِينَفَمَنْ تَوَلَّى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ( They said: "We agree." He said: "Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses." then whoever turns away after this," ) from fulfilling this pledge and covenant, c فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْفَـسِقُونَ ( they are the rebellious. ) `Ali bin Abi Talib and his cousin `Abdullah bin `Abbas said, "Allah never sent a Prophet but after taking his pledge that if Muhammad ﷺ were sent in his lifetime, he would believe in and support him." Allah commanded each Prophet to take a pledge from his nation that if Muhammad were sent in their time, they would believe in and support him.
Tawus, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qatadah said, "Allah took the pledge from the Prophets that they would believe in each other", and this statement does not contradict what `Ali and Ibn `Abbas stated. Therefore, Muhammad ﷺ is the Final Prophet until the Day of Resurrection.
He is the greatest Imam, who if he existed in any time period, deserves to be obeyed, rather than all other Prophets.
This is why Muhammad ﷺ led the Prophets in prayer during the night of Isra' when they gathered in Bayt Al-Maqdis ( Jerusalem ).
He is the intercessor on the Day of Gathering, when the Lord comes to judge between His servants.
This is Al-Maqam Al-Mahmud ( the praised station ) refer to 17:79 that only Muhammad ﷺ deserves, a responsibility which the mighty Prophets and Messengers will decline to assume.
However, Muhammad ﷺ will carry the task of intercession, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him.

(3:81) And recall when Allah took a covenant from the Prophets: 'This is the Book and the Wisdom which I have given you. But should a Prophet come to you confirming that which is already with you, you shall believe in him and shall help him. *69 So saying, Allah asked: 'Do you agree and accept to take up the burden of the covenant?' They answered: 'We agree,' He said: 'Then bear wirness; and I will be with you among the witness.

And [recall, O People of the Scripture], meaning

*69).
A party of the People of the Book would fain lead you astray, whereas in truth they lead none astray except themselves, but they do not realize it.

 

Taking a Pledge From the Prophets to Believe in Our Prophet, Muhammad ﷺ Allah states that He took a pledge from every Prophet whom He sent from Adam until `Isa, that when Allah gives them the Book and the Hikmah, thus acquiring whatever high grades they deserve, then a Messenger came afterwards, they would believe in and support him.
Even though Allah has given the Prophets the knowledge and the prophethood, this fact should not make them refrain from following and supporting the Prophet who comes after them.
This is why Allah, the Most High, Most Honored, said وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَـقَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ لَمَآ ءَاتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَـبٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ( And (remember ) when Allah took the covenant of the Prophets, saying: "Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah.") meaning, if I give you the Book and the Hikmah, ثُمَّ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُ قَالَ ءَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَى ذلِكُمْ إِصْرِى ( "and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him." Allah said, "Do you agree (to it ) and will you take up Isri") Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ar-Rabi`, Qatadah and As-Suddi said that `Isri' means, "My covenant." Muhammad bin Ishaq said that, إِصْرِى ( Isri ) means, "The responsibility of My covenant that you took," meaning, the ratified pledge that you gave Me. قَالُواْ أَقْرَرْنَا قَالَ فَاشْهَدُواْ وَأَنَاْ مَعَكُمْ مِّنَ الشَّـهِدِينَفَمَنْ تَوَلَّى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ( They said: "We agree." He said: "Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses." then whoever turns away after this," ) from fulfilling this pledge and covenant, c فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْفَـسِقُونَ ( they are the rebellious. ) `Ali bin Abi Talib and his cousin `Abdullah bin `Abbas said, "Allah never sent a Prophet but after taking his pledge that if Muhammad ﷺ were sent in his lifetime, he would believe in and support him." Allah commanded each Prophet to take a pledge from his nation that if Muhammad were sent in their time, they would believe in and support him.
Tawus, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qatadah said, "Allah took the pledge from the Prophets that they would believe in each other", and this statement does not contradict what `Ali and Ibn `Abbas stated. Therefore, Muhammad ﷺ is the Final Prophet until the Day of Resurrection.
He is the greatest Imam, who if he existed in any time period, deserves to be obeyed, rather than all other Prophets.
This is why Muhammad ﷺ led the Prophets in prayer during the night of Isra' when they gathered in Bayt Al-Maqdis ( Jerusalem ).
He is the intercessor on the Day of Gathering, when the Lord comes to judge between His servants.
This is Al-Maqam Al-Mahmud ( the praised station ) refer to 17:79 that only Muhammad ﷺ deserves, a responsibility which the mighty Prophets and Messengers will decline to assume.
However, Muhammad ﷺ will carry the task of intercession, may Allah's peace and blessings be on him.

Allah then explained His covenant with the prophets on the day of Yes, indeed! regarding Muhammad’s traits and description, saying: ( When Allah made (His ) covenant with the Prophets) He says: Allah made a covenant with the prophets that they will show to one another the traits, description and merit of Muhammad, ( (He said ): Behold that which I have given ye) when I did give you ( of the Scripture and knowledge ) containing details of the lawful and the unlawful. ( And ) you also made a covenant with your nation that ( afterward there will come unto you a messenger, confirming ) by calling to Allah’s divine Oneness ( that which ye possess ) of Scripture. ( Ye shall believe in him ) He says: you shall acknowledge him and his virtue ( and ye shall help him ) with the sword against his enemies and also by expositing his trait. ( He said: Do ye agree? ) Allah asked them whether they accepted ( and will you take My burden ) My covenant ( in this ) what I said? ( They ) the prophets ( answered: We agree ) we accept. ( He ) Allah ( said: Then bear ye witness ) of this. ( I will be a witness with you ) of this also. Allah thus made them witnesses of one another and He Himself is a witness. And so each prophet explained this to his nation, and each prophet made the members of his nation witnesses for each other, just as each prophet bore witness to it.

And (remember) when Allah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: "Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of Allah, etc.), and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him." Allah said: "Do you agree (to it) and will you take up My Covenant (which I conclude with you)?" They said: "We agree." He said: "Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses (for this)."

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