Quran Universe
3:98

قُلۡ يَـٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ لِمَ تَكۡفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ شَهِيدٌ عَلَىٰ مَا تَعۡمَلُونَ

Qul ya ahla alkitabi lima takfuroona biayati Allahi waAllahu shaheedun AAala ma taAAmaloona

Say, "O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allah while Allah is Witness over what you do?"

Word by word
  1. قُلۡSay
  2. يَـٰٓأَهۡلَO People
  3. ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ(of) the Book
  4. لِمَWhy
  5. تَكۡفُرُونَ(do) you disbelieve
  6. بِـَٔايَٰتِin (the) Verses
  7. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  8. وَٱللَّهُwhile Allah
  9. شَهِيدٌ(is) a Witness
  10. عَلَىٰover
  11. مَاwhat
  12. تَعۡمَلُونَyou do
Ali 'Imran · 3:98Madinah

Why reject the signs while Allah is Witness?

Knowing, refusing, and being seen

What they had
the glad tidingsfrom their own prophets
yet
rejectedthe very Messenger foretold
seen by
AllahWitness over all
Who is watching
no one sees thisit's private
Allah is Witnessto what you do

Ibn Kathir notes that earlier prophets had brought good news of the coming Prophet ﷺ. Those who knew this still rejected him. Allah reminds them that He witnesses all they do.

You read the verse, you know it applies to you, and you scroll past. No one in the room noticed. Someone did.

If no one sees me ignore what I know, it doesn't matter.

Allah witnesses what I do with what I know, even in a quiet room.

Try this

Act on one thing you already know you should do, today, simply because He sees.

Related26:88
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Say: "O People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Why do you reject the Ayat of Allah, while Allah is Witness to what you do? (98)Say: "O People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Why do you stop those who have believed, from the path of Allah, seeking to make it seem crooked, while you (yourselves) are witnesses? And Allah is not unaware of what you do. (99)

Chastising the People of the Book for Their Disbelief and Blocking the Path of Allah

In this Ayah Allah criticizes the disbelieving People of the Book for refusing the truth, rejecting Allah's Ayat and hindering those who seek to believe from His path, although they know that what the Messenger ﷺ was sent with is the truth from Allah. They learned this from the previous Prophets and honorable Messengers, may Allah's peace and blessings be on them all. They all brought the glad tidings and the good news of the coming of the unlettered, Arab, Hashimi Prophet ﷺ from Makkah, the master of the Children of Adam, the Final Prophet and the Messenger of the Lord of heavens and earth. Allah has warned the People of the Book against this behavior, stating that He is Witness over what they do, indicating their defiance of the knowledge conveyed to them by the Prophets. They rejected, denied and refused the very Messenger whom they were ordered to convey the glad tidings about his coming. Allah states that He is never unaware of what they do, and He will hold them responsible for their actions,

يَوْمَ لَا يَنفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ

(The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail)[26:88].