Which Surah and Juz is Quran 5:21 from?

This ayah is from Surah Al-Maaida (The Table), the 5th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 6.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 5:21?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sunan Abu Dawud, Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah.

What tafsir is available for Quran 5:21?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Kathir, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 5:21 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Allah, Divine Command, Jihad, Divine Favor.

Ayah 20

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱذْكُرُ...

5:21Al-Maaida

Q: What does Quran 5:21 mean?

Quran 5:21 (Surah Al-Maaida, Ayah 21) translates to: "O my people, enter the Holy Land which Allah has assigned to you and do not turn back [from fighting in Allah 's cause] and [thus] become losers.""

Ayah 22

قَالُوا۟ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّ فِيهَا قَوْمًۭا جَبَّار...

يَٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا۟ خَٰسِرِينَ

Yaa qawmid khulul Ardal MMuqaddasatal latee katabal laahu lakum wa laa tartaddoo 'alaaa adbaarikum fatanqaliboo khaasireen

O my people, enter the Holy Land which Allah has assigned to you and do not turn back [from fighting in Allah 's cause] and [thus] become losers."

Themes in this ayah

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Striving in Allah's way93 True success & loss87 Lessons from past peoples85 Patience55

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

12 other themes with weak connections

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5:21Ayah 1120

4 ayahs in Al-Maaida are strongly about striving in Allah's way. This is one of them.

Next on Striving in Allah's way →5:23Said two men from those who feared [to disobey] upon whom Allah had bestowed favor, "Enter upon them through the gate, for when you have entered it,

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 5:21→

O my people enter the Holy the purified Land which God has ordained for you which He commanded you to enter and this is Syria al-shām and do not turn back in flight do not retreat in fear of the enemy or you will end up as losers’ in your efforts.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: It will turn out that you will be armed troops, one is Syria, one in the Yemen and one in Iraq. Ibn Hawalah said: Choose for me, Messenger of Allah, if I reach that time. He replied: Go to Syria, for it is Allah's chosen land, to which his best servants will be gathered, but if you are unwilling, go to your Yemen, and draw water from your tanks, for Allah has on my account taken special charge of Syria and its people.

Jami` at-Tirmidhi #2304Ibn 'Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said:Sahih

"You shall fight the Jews. You will gain such control over them, that a rock will say: 'O Muslim! This Jew is behind me so kill him!'"

Sunan Ibn Majah #3681It was narrated from Sunabih Al-Ahmasi that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:Sahih

“I shall reach the Cistern (Haud) before you, and I will boast of your great numbers before the nations, so do not fight one another after I am gone.’”

Sunan Ibn Majah #2529It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said:Sahih

“I was present in a war, and ‘Abdullah bin Rawahah said: O soul of mine! I see that you do Not want to go to Paradise. I swear by Allah that you surely Will enter it, willingly or Unwillingly.’”

Sunan Abu Dawud #3924Yahya ibn Abdullah ibn Buhayr said that he was informed by one who had heard Farwah ibn Musayk tell that he said:Sahih

Messenger of Allah! we have land called Abyan, which is the land where we have our fields and grow our crops, but it is very unhealthy. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Leave it, for destruction comes from being near disease.