Surah Al-Bayyina 98
سُورَةُ البَيِّنَةِ“The Evidence”8 Ayat
لَمْ يَكُنِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَةُ
Those who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists were not to be parted [from misbelief] until there came to them clear evidence -
رَسُولٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ يَتْلُوا صُحُفًا مُّطَهَّرَةً
A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified scriptures
فِيهَا كُتُبٌ قَيِّمَةٌ
Within which are correct writings.
وَمَا تَفَرَّقَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا ٱلْكِتَٰبَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَةُ
Nor did those who were given the Scripture become divided until after there had come to them clear evidence.
وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُوا ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُوا ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلْقَيِّمَةِ
And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أُولَٰٓئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ ٱلْبَرِيَّةِ
Indeed, they who disbelieved among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, abiding eternally therein. Those are the worst of creatures.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ أُولَٰٓئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ ٱلْبَرِيَّةِ
Indeed, they who have believed and done righteous deeds - those are the best of creatures.
جَزَآؤُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّٰتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِىَ رَبَّهُ
Their reward with Allah will be gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allah being pleased with them and they with Him. That is for whoever has feared his Lord.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited this Surah to Ubayy
Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Ubayy bin Ka'b,
إِنَّ اللهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَقْرَأَ عَلَيْكَ
لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ
(Verily, Allah has commanded me to recite to you (Those who disbelieve from among the People of the Scripture.))
Ubayy said, "He (Allah) mentioned me by name to you?" The Prophet ﷺ replied,
نَعَم
(Yes.) So he (Ubayy) cried. Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i all recorded this Hadith from Shu'bah.
Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — the surah's virtues, naming and revelation context.