TheQuran.com
Linguistic Analysis · argument Classical sources

Al-Mā’idah 5:69

By TheQuran.com research team (original site, 2020–21) · last edited 17 Feb 2021

Share X Facebook WhatsApp Telegram Reddit Email

The verse

5:69
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلصَّٰبِـُٔونَ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحًا فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ٦٩
Lo! those who believe, and those who are Jews, and Sabaeans, and Christians - Whosoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right - there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. — Marmaduke Pickthall

The issue

In the current Arabic Qur’ān, the word Sabaeans is actually written in its plural

nominative form, Sābi’ūn, which should have been in the objective (accusative) form

Sābi’īn, as it is written in other verses: “...those who believe [the Qur’ān], for those who are Jews or Christians or Sabaeans...” (Q 2.62) and “...those who believe [in the Qur’ān], and those who are Jews, and the Sabaeans, and the Christians, and the Magians...” (Q 22.17).

This incorrect conjugation resulted from errors committed by the writers of the Qur’ān.

Arabic text of this item

جاءت مفردة <وَالصَّابِئُونَ> بالرفع بالواو، وحقها النصب، مثلما ورد في آيات أخرى: <إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَالَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَالنَّصَارَى وَالصَّابِئِينَ> (سورة البقرة 2: 62)؛ و<إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالصَّابِئِينَ وَالنَّصَارَى وَالْمَجُوسَ> (سورة الحج 22: 17).

يعوداللحن هنا إلى أخطاء نحوية وقع فيها محررو القرآن. راجع اعترافات العلماء بوجود اللحن في تعليقنا على (سورة طه 20: 63).

Sources cited

Sources added in review (the original item cited none)

  1. al-Qurṭubī, al-Jāmiʿ li-aḥkām al-Qurʾān, on Q 5:69 (p. 182 of that volume) · link checked 2026-10-12