Tafseer of The Family of Imraan · Aal-i-Imraan · 3:196
Be not deceived by the [uninhibited] movement of the disbelievers throughout the land.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His word: لا يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي الْبِلادِ (196) ("Let not the going to and fro of those who disbelieve throughout the lands deceive you").
Abū Jaʿfar said: By His word, exalted is His praise, "Let it not deceive you" — O Muḥammad (the Prophet ﷺ) — تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي الْبِلادِ He means: their roaming about in the land and their travelling therein, as in:
8371 - Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to me, saying: Aḥmad related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي الْبِلادِ — he says: their travelling through the lands.
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Thus Allah, exalted is His mention, forbade His Prophet ﷺ to be deceived by their travelling in the lands and by Allah's reprieve granted to them, despite their ascribing partners (shirk), their denial of His favours, and their worship of other than Him. The address was thereby directed to the Prophet ﷺ, while another was thereby intended, namely his followers and Companions, as we have already expounded earlier concerning the affair of Allah. But he, by the command of Allah, was proclaiming and calling to the truth.
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In agreement with what we have said about this, Qatāda has spoken.
8372 - Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: لا يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي الْبِلادِ — By Allah, they did not deceive the Prophet of Allah, and He entrusted to them nothing of the affair of Allah, until Allah took him (in that state) unto Himself.
