Quran Universe
2:89

وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمۡ كِتَٰبٞ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٞ لِّمَا مَعَهُمۡ وَكَانُواْ مِن قَبۡلُ يَسۡتَفۡتِحُونَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُواْ كَفَرُواْ بِهِۦۚ فَلَعۡنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ

Walamma jaahum kitabun min AAindi Allahi musaddiqun lima maAAahum wakanoo min qablu yastaftihoona AAala allatheena kafaroo falamma jaahum ma AAarafoo kafaroo bihi falaAAnatu Allahi AAala alkafireena

And when there came to them a Book from Allah confirming that which was with them - although before they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved - but [then] when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allah will be upon the disbelievers.

Word by word
  1. وَلَمَّاAnd when
  2. جَآءَهُمۡcame to them
  3. كِتَٰبٞa Book
  4. مِّنۡof
  5. عِندِfrom
  6. ٱللَّهِAllah
  7. مُصَدِّقٞconfirming
  8. لِّمَاwhat (was)
  9. مَعَهُمۡwith them
  10. وَكَانُواْthough they used to
  11. مِنfrom
  12. قَبۡلُbefore
  13. يَسۡتَفۡتِحُونَ(that),pray for victory
  14. عَلَىover
  15. ٱلَّذِينَthose who
  16. كَفَرُواْdisbelieved
  17. فَلَمَّاthen when
  18. جَآءَهُمcame to them
  19. مَّاwhat
  20. عَرَفُواْthey recognized
  21. كَفَرُواْthey disbelieved
  22. بِهِۦۚin it
  23. فَلَعۡنَةُSo (the) curse
  24. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  25. عَلَى(is) on
  26. ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَthe disbelievers
Al-Baqarah · 2:89Madinah

They prayed for him to come. When he came, they refused.

Recognising the truth and still saying no

Before and after
beforea prophet will comewe will win with him
then
he cameconfirming their Book
and
they disbelievedthough they recognised him
What changed
the evidence
he was not from them

Before the Prophet ﷺ came, some of them told the Arabs of Madinah: a prophet is coming and with him we will defeat you. Ibn Abbas said Muadh bin Jabal later reminded them of this. Abu Al-Aliyah said when they saw he was not one of them, they rejected him though they knew.

You pray for a good husband for your daughter. One comes, kind and devout, but from a family or background you did not picture. You prayed for a job, and it came through someone you dislike. Sometimes the answer arrives in a form we did not order.

I will accept the answer if it comes the way I expected.

When what I asked for arrives, I should not reject it for the wrapper it came in.

Try this

Think of one prayer that was answered in an unexpected form. Thank Allah for it today.

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

And when there came to them (the Jews), a Book (this Qur'an) from Allah confirming what is with them (the Tawrah) and the Injil (Gospel), although aforetime they had invoked Allah (for the coming of Muhammad ﷺ) in order to gain victory over those who disbelieved, then when there came to them that which they had recognised, they disbelieved in it. So let the curse of Allah be on the disbelievers (89)

The Jews were awaiting the Prophet's coming, but They disbelieved in Him when He was sent

Allah said,

وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ

(And when there came to them) meaning, the Jews,

كِتَابٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ 

(a Book from Allah) meaning, the Qur'an that Allah sent down to Muhammad,

مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ

(confirming what is with them) meaning, the Tawrah. Further, Allah said,

وَكَانُوا مِن قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا

(although aforetime they had invoked Allah (for coming of Muhammad ﷺ) in order to gain victory over those who disbelieved) meaning, before this Messenger came to them, they used to ask Allah to aid them by his arrival, against their polytheistic enemies in war. They used to say to the polytheists, "A Prophet shall be sent just before the end of this world and we, along with him, shall exterminate you, just as the nations of 'Ad and Iram were exterminated." Also, Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said, "The Jews used to invoke Allah (for the coming of Muhammad ﷺ) in order to gain victory over the Aws and Khazraj, before the Prophet ﷺ was sent. When Allah sent him to the Arabs, they rejected him and denied what they used to say about him. Hence, Mu'adh bin Jabal and Bishr bin Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur, from Bani Salamah, said to them, 'O Jews! Fear Allah and embrace Islam. You used to invoke Allah for the coming of Muhammad ﷺ when we were still disbelievers and you used to tell us that he would come and describe him to us,' Salam bin Mushkim from Bani An-Nadir replied, 'He did not bring anything that we recognize. He is not the Prophet we told you about.' Allah then revealed this Ayah about their statement,

وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ كِتَابٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ 

(And when there came to them (the Jews), a Book (this Qur'an) from Allah confirming what is with them (the Tawrah) and the Injil (Gospel))."

Abu Al-'Aliyah said, "The Jews used to ask Allah to send Muhammad ﷺ so that they would gain victory over the Arab disbelievers. They used to say, 'O Allah! Send the Prophet that we read about - in the Tawrah - so that we can torment and kill the disbelievers alongside him.' When Allah sent Muhammad ﷺ and they saw that he was not one of them, they rejected him and envied the Arabs, even though they knew that he was the Messenger of Allah. Hence, Allah said,

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُوا كَفَرُوا بِهِ فَلَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ

(Then when there came to them that which they had recognized, they disbelieved in it. So let the curse of Allah be on the disbelievers). "