Surah 17

Surah 17:107

"Say: ‘Believe in it, or do not believe. Surely those who were given the knowledge before it – when it is recited to them, they fall down on their chins in prostration,"
Those Who were given Knowledge before truly admit the Qur'an Verses 17:107-109
Show Full Scripture Context (17:107-109) — 3 Verses
Verse 107

قُلۡ ءَامِنُواْ بِهِۦٓ أَوۡ لَا تُؤۡمِنُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦٓ إِذَا يُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ يَخِرُّونَۤ لِلۡأَذۡقَانِۤ سُجَّدٗاۤ

Say: ‘Believe in it, or do not believe. Surely those who were given the knowledge before it – when it is recited to them, they fall down on their chins in prostration,

Verse 108

وَيَقُولُونَ سُبۡحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِن كَانَ وَعۡدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفۡعُولٗا

and say, “Glory to our Lord! Surely our Lord’s promise has been fulfilled indeed.”

Verse 109

وَيَخِرُّونَ لِلۡأَذۡقَانِ يَبۡكُونَ وَيَزِيدُهُمۡ خُشُوعٗا۩

They fall down on their chins weeping, and it increases them in humility.’

Allah says to His Prophet Muhammad:

{Say} O Muhammad to these disbelievers concerning what you have brought to them of this Glorious Qur'an:

Quoted Scripture
""Believe in it (the Qur'an) or do not believe (in it)."

meaning, it is all the same whether you believe in it or not, for it is true in and of itself. It was revealed by Allah, Who mentioned it previously in the Books that He revealed to other Messengers. Hence He says:

Quoted Scripture
"Verily, those who were given knowledge before it,"

meaning righteous people among the People of the Book, who adhered to their Books and appreciated them without distorting them.

{when it is recited to them} means, when this Qur'an is recited to them,

Quoted Scripture
"fall down on their chins (faces) in humble prostration"

means, to Allah, in gratitude for the blessing He has bestowed on them by considering them fit to live until they met this Messenger to whom this Book was revealed. Hence they say:

{Glory be to our Lord!}, meaning, they extol and glorify their Lord for His perfect power and for not delaying the fulfillment of the promise which He made through His earlier Prophets, that He would send Muhammad. Hence they said:

Quoted Scripture
"Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord must be fulfilled."

"And they fall down on their chins (faces) weeping"

means, in submission to Allah, may He be glorified, and in expression of their belief and faith in His Book and His Messenger

{and it increases their humility.} means, it increases them in faith and submission. As Allah says:

{While as for those who accept guidance, He increases their guidance and bestows on them their Taqwa.} (47:17).

{And they fall down} is a description rather than an action (i.e., this is a further description of their humility as referred to in Ayah 107; it does not imply that they prostrate twice).

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Page 102-104)

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.