Translation of the meanings Ayah 117 Surah Al-Mā’idah - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Ayah: 117

مَا قُلۡتُ لَهُمۡ إِلَّا مَآ أَمَرۡتَنِي بِهِۦٓ أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمۡۚ وَكُنتُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ شَهِيدٗا مَّا دُمۡتُ فِيهِمۡۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيۡتَنِي كُنتَ أَنتَ ٱلرَّقِيبَ عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ شَهِيدٌ

(117) “I ˹only˺ said to them what You told me to, that ˹you should˺: “Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord”. I was a witness over them as long as I was among them, But when You brought my term ˹on Earth˺ to an end^[1296], You became ˹the sole˺ Watcher over them^[1297]—You are Witness over everything”.

[1296] “When Allah said: “ʿĪsā, I shall bring your term ˹on Earth˺ to an end, elevate you to Me…” (3: 55).
[1297] Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that: “One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood before us delivering an admonishing sermon. He said: “People, you will be gathered before Allah ˹on the Day of Judgement˺ barefooted, naked and uncircumcised: “As We initiated the first creation, so shall We return it. It is a promise of Ours that We will do this” (21:104)…. A group of men among my nation will be brought and taken to the left flank ˹towards Hellfire˺, and I say: “My Lord, my people!” And it will be said to me: “You do not know what they forged after you”. I will reply to that the very same reply that the righteous servant ˹Jesus (عليه السلام)˺ said: “I was a witness over them as long as I was among them, But when You brought my term ˹on Earth˺ to an end, You became ˹the sole˺ Watcher over them—You are Witness over everything” *“If you Punish them, then they are ˹only˺ Your servants, but if You forgive them, then You are truly the All-Prevailing, All-Wise” (5: 117-118). Then it will be said to me: “They kept on turning on their heels ˹away from your teachings˺ ever since you left them””. (al-Bukhārī: 2447, Muslim: 2860)