Quran Universe
3:99

قُلۡ يَـٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ لِمَ تَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ تَبۡغُونَهَا عِوَجٗا وَأَنتُمۡ شُهَدَآءُۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعۡمَلُونَ

Qul ya ahla alkitabi lima tasuddoona AAan sabeeli Allahi man amana tabghoonaha AAiwajan waantum shuhadao wama Allahu bighafilin AAamma taAAmaloona

Say, "O People of the Scripture, why do you avert from the way of Allah those who believe, seeking to make it [seem] deviant, while you are witnesses [to the truth]? And Allah is not unaware of what you do."

Word by word
  1. قُلۡSay
  2. يَـٰٓأَهۡلَO People
  3. ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ(of) the Book
  4. لِمَWhy
  5. تَصُدُّونَ(do) you hinder
  6. عَنfrom
  7. سَبِيلِ(the) way
  8. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  9. مَنۡ(those) who
  10. ءَامَنَbelieve [d]
  11. تَبۡغُونَهَاseeking (to make) it
  12. عِوَجٗا(seem) crooked
  13. وَأَنتُمۡwhile you
  14. شُهَدَآءُۗ(are) witnesses
  15. وَمَاAnd not
  16. ٱللَّهُAllah
  17. بِغَٰفِلٍ(is) unaware
  18. عَمَّاof what
  19. تَعۡمَلُونَyou do
Ali 'Imran · 3:99Madinah

Why block others from the path and make it look crooked?

Turning people away from good

What they did
someone seekingabout to believe
blocked by
"it's crooked"while they knew it was straight
The double wrong
refusing it yourselfone wrong
pulling others awaya second wrong

The verse continues the address: why turn the believers away from Allah's path, trying to make it seem crooked, while you are witnesses? Ibn Kathir says they knew what the Messenger ﷺ brought was the truth.

Your friend starts praying again and you joke, "Here comes the sheikh." Your sibling wears hijab for the first time and you ask if she is sure. A small laugh can push someone off a path. Be the one who makes it easier.

I'm only joking. It's their choice anyway.

My words can make the straight path look crooked to someone. I want them to make it look beautiful.

Try this

Encourage one person today who is trying to come closer to Allah.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 3:98)

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].