Quran Universe
2:146

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ يَعۡرِفُونَهُۥ كَمَا يَعۡرِفُونَ أَبۡنَآءَهُمۡۖ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ لَيَكۡتُمُونَ ٱلۡحَقَّ وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ

Allatheena ataynahumu alkitaba yaAArifoonahu kama yaAArifoona abnaahum wainna fareeqan minhum layaktumoona alhaqqa wahum yaAAlamoona

Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him as they know their own sons. But indeed, a party of them conceal the truth while they know [it].

Word by word
  1. ٱلَّذِينَ(To) those whom
  2. ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمُWe gave [them]
  3. ٱلۡكِتَٰبَthe Book
  4. يَعۡرِفُونَهُۥthey recognize it
  5. كَمَاlike
  6. يَعۡرِفُونَthey recognize
  7. أَبۡنَآءَهُمۡۖtheir sons
  8. وَإِنَّAnd indeed
  9. فَرِيقٗاa group
  10. مِّنۡهُمۡof them
  11. لَيَكۡتُمُونَsurely they conceal
  12. ٱلۡحَقَّthe Truth
  13. وَهُمۡwhile they
  14. يَعۡلَمُونَknow
Al-Baqarah · 2:146Madinah

They knew him like they knew their own sons.

Hiding what you clearly recognize

How well they knew
a fatherknows his own son
that sure
the truthdescribed in their Books
yet some
conceal itwhile they know
The real gap
they did not knowignorance
they knew and hid itconcealment

The Arabs used knowing your own child as a picture of something completely obvious. Ibn Kathir reports that 'Abdullah bin Salam, a scholar of the Israelites who became Muslim, said he recognized the Prophet ﷺ like that and even more. Yet a party hid the truth while knowing it.

At work you know whose idea it really was. In the family you know who was actually wrong in the fight. Staying quiet is easier. Hiding what you clearly know is its own act. Saying it, gently, is the honest choice.

If I stay quiet about what I know, I have done nothing wrong.

Hiding a truth I recognize as clearly as my own child is a choice I will answer for.

Try this

Give credit today to someone whose good work you know went unnoticed.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Those to whom We gave the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognise him (Muhammad ﷺ or the Ka'bah at Makkah) as they recognize their sons. But verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it ـ [i.e., the qualities of Muhammad ﷺ which are written in the Tawrah and the Injil (146)This is) the truth from your Lord. So be you not one of those who doubt (147)

The Jews know that the Prophet (ﷺ) is True, but they hide the Truth

Allah states that the scholars of the People of the Scripture know the truth of what Allah's Messenger ﷺ was sent with, just as one of them knows his own child, which is a parable that the Arabs use to describe what is very apparent. Similarly, in a Hadith, Allah's Messenger ﷺ said to a man who had a youngster with him:

ابْنُكَ هَذَا؟

قَالَ: نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَشْهَدُ بِهِ

(Is this your son?) He said, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah! I testify to this fact." Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:

أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَا يَجْنِي عَلَيْكَ وَلَا تَجْنِي عَلَيْهِ

(Well, you would not transgress against him nor would he transgress against you.)

According to Al-Qurtubi, it was narrated that 'Umar said to 'Abdullah bin Salam (an Israelite scholar who became a Muslim), "Do you recognize Muhammad as you recognize your own son?" He replied, "Yes, and even more. The Honest One descended from heaven on the Honest One on the earth with his (i.e., Muhammad's) description and I recognized him, although I do not know anything about his mother's story."

Allah states next that although they had knowledge and certainty in the Prophet ﷺ, they still:

لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ

(conceal the truth.)

The Ayah indicates that they hide the truth from the people, about the Prophet ﷺ, that they find in their Books,

وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

(while they know it.) Allah then strengthens the resolve of His Prophet ﷺ and the believers and affirms that what the Prophet ﷺ came with is the truth without doubt, saying:

الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ

((This is) the truth from your Lord. So be you not one of those who doubt.)