Children of Israel, Yahud, and Hadu: A Quranic Distinction
One of the most frequently addressed groups in the Quran is the Children of Israel. Very early in the text, God calls upon them directly, reminding them of the covenant they made and the blessings they received.
[2:40] O Children of Israel, remember My favor, which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your part of the covenant, that I fulfill My part of the covenant, and reverence Me.
[2:41] You shall believe in what I have revealed herein, confirming what you have; do not be the first to reject it. Do not trade away My revelations for a cheap price, and observe Me.
[2:42] Do not confound the truth with falsehood, nor shall you conceal the truth, knowingly.
[2:43] You shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and bow down with those who bow down.
[2:44] Do you exhort the people to be righteous, while forgetting yourselves, though you read the scripture? Do you not understand?
[2:45] You shall seek help through steadfastness and the Contact Prayers (Salat). This is difficult indeed, but not so for the reverent,
[2:46] who believe that they will meet their Lord; that to Him they ultimately return.
[2:47] O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I bestowed upon you, and that I blessed you more than any other people.
[2:48] Beware of the day when no soul can avail another soul, no intercession will be accepted, no ransom can be paid, nor can anyone be helped.
[2:49] Recall that we saved you from Pharaoh’s people who inflicted upon you the worst persecution, slaying your sons and sparing your daughters. That was an exacting test from your Lord.
[2:50] Recall that we parted the sea for you; we saved you and drowned Pharaoh’s people before your eyes.
[2:51] Yet, when we summoned Moses for forty nights, you worshiped the calf in his absence, and turned wicked.
[2:52] Still, we pardoned you thereafter that you may be appreciative.
A common mistake made by many readers of the Quran is to assume that the Children of Israel are synonymous with the Jews. However, the Quran draws a careful distinction. When referring specifically to the religious group known as the Jews, the Quran uses two different terms: “Yahūd” ( ٱلْيَهُودُ ) and “hādū” ( هَادُوا۟ ). Understanding these distinctions is crucial for properly grasping the Quranic narrative regarding the legacy of the Children of Israel, the evolution of religious communities, and the lessons intended for all believers.
Yahūd in the Quran
In the Quran, the term Yahūd ( ٱلْيَهُود ) appears in nine instances, and in each case, it portrays a group that relies on their identity as “the Jews” to claim special status with God while falling short in actual religious commitment.
In 2:113 and 2:120, the Yahūd are shown as sectarian, disputing religious truth with others and unwilling to accept anything outside their own tradition. In 3:67, it is clarified that Abraham was neither a Yahūdī nor a Christian, rejecting their attempts to claim lineage or exclusive inheritance of faith. In 5:18, the Yahūd are described as boasting that they are God’s beloved and chosen people, a claim the Quran rebukes by challenging them to seek death if they are truthful.
In 5:51, believers are warned against taking the Yahūd as allies, portraying them as bonded together against the truth. In 5:64, the Yahūd are accused of saying that God’s “hand is tied,” implying stinginess or limitation, a statement sharply condemned as blasphemous. In 5:82, the Yahūd are identified as among the most hostile toward the believers. Finally, in 9:30, the Quran condemns the Yahūd for claiming that Uzayr (Ezra) is the son of God, a major theological deviation.
Across all these verses, the Yahūd are characterized by arrogance, theological error, sectarianism, and enmity toward God’s true message. Their repeated error is not simply disbelief, but a false confidence based on ethnic or sectarian identity rather than sincere submission to God. They appear to be less concerned with the actual religion and its doctrine and more focused on their sense of entitlement as a people.
Grammatical Use of Yahūd
In every instance where the Quran uses the word Yahūd ( ٱلْيَهُودُ ) across these verses, it appears with the definite article “al-” ( ٱلْـ ), meaning “the Jews”, treating them collectively as a specific, defined group — the Yahūd — with shared characteristics, claims, and behaviors. They are referred to as a corporate body, not as isolated individuals. Their portrayal revolves around collective claims (e.g., that they are God’s beloved in 5:18), collective actions (e.g., disputing with Christians in 2:113), or collective attitudes (e.g., hostility toward believers in 5:82). This consistent use of the definite article emphasizes that the Quran is speaking about a recognized, communal identity, not merely random individuals who happen to be Jewish.
The only exception is in 3:67, where the word appears in the indefinite adjectival form yahūdiyyan ( يَهُودِيًّا ), meaning “a Jew” rather than “the Jews.” In this verse, the Quran states that Abraham was not “a Jew” nor “a Christian,” but rather a pure monotheist (ḥanīf). Here, the usage shifts from describing a collective group (as in all other instances) to describing a religious label that did not exist during Abraham’s time. It rebukes the later communities’ retrospective attempt to claim Abraham under their sectarian banners. Therefore, the form yahūdiyyan in 3:67 functions differently: it critiques the historical anachronism of applying later group identities to a time before such divisions even existed.
All the Verses Where Yahūd is Used in Quran
| l-yahūdu | ٱلْيَهُودُ | the Jews, | 2:113:2 |
| l-yahūdu | ٱلْيَهُودُ | the Jews | 2:113:10 |
| l-yahūdu | ٱلْيَهُودُ | the Jews | 2:120:4 |
| yahūdiyyan | يَهُودِيًّا | Jewish | 3:67:4 |
| l-yahūdu | ٱلْيَهُودُ | the Jews | 5:18:2 |
| l-yahūda | ٱلْيَهُودَ | the Jews | 5:51:6 |
| l-yahūdu | ٱلْيَهُودُ | the Jews | 5:64:2 |
| l-yahūda | ٱلْيَهُودَ | (are) the Jews | 5:82:7 |
| l-yahūdu | ٱلْيَهُودُ | the Jews, | 9:30:2 |
[2:113] The Jews (l-yahūdu) said, “The Christians have no basis,” while the Christians said, “The Jews (l-yahūdu) have no basis.” Yet, both of them read the scripture. Such are the utterances of those who possess no knowledge. GOD will judge them on the Day of Resurrection, regarding their disputes.
وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ لَيْسَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ فَٱللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ
[2:120] Neither the Jews (l-yahūdu), nor the Christians, will accept you, unless you follow their religion. Say, “GOD’s guidance is the true guidance.” If you acquiesce to their wishes, despite the knowledge you have received, you will find no ally or supporter to help you against GOD.
وَلَن تَرْضَىٰ عَنكَ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَلَا ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ هُوَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم بَعْدَ ٱلَّذِى جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ
[3:67] Abraham was neither Jewish (yahūdiyyan), nor Christian; he was a monotheist submitter. He never was an idol worshiper.
مَا كَانَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَـٰكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُّسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
[5:18] The Jews (l-yahūdu) and the Christians said, “We are GOD’s children and His beloved.” Say, “Why then does He punish you for your sins? You are just humans like the other humans He created.” He forgives whomever He wills and punishes whomever He wills. To GOD belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and everything between them, and to Him is the final destiny.
وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ نَحْنُ أَبْنَـٰٓؤُا۟ ٱللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّـٰٓؤُهُۥ قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُم بِذُنُوبِكُم بَلْ أَنتُم بَشَرٌ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقَ يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
[5:51] O you who believe, do not take certain Jews (l-yahūda) and Christians as allies; these are allies of one another. Those among you who ally themselves with these belong with them. GOD does not guide the transgressors.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ ٱلْيَهُودَ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
[5:64] The Jews (l-yahūdu) even said, “GOD’s hand is tied down!” It is their hands that are tied down. They are condemned for uttering such a blasphemy. Instead, His hands are wide open, spending as He wills. For certain, your Lord’s revelations to you will cause many of them to plunge deeper into transgression and disbelief. Consequently, we have committed them to animosity and hatred among themselves until the Day of Resurrection. Whenever they ignite the flames of war, GOD puts them out. They roam the earth wickedly, and GOD dislikes the evildoers.
وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ يَدُ ٱللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُوا۟ بِمَا قَالُوا۟ بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم مَّآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَـٰنًا وَكُفْرًا وَأَلْقَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةَ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءَ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ كُلَّمَآ أَوْقَدُوا۟ نَارًا لِّلْحَرْبِ أَطْفَأَهَا ٱللَّهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
[5:82] You will find that the worst enemies of the believers are the Jews (l-yahūda) and the idol worshipers. And you will find that the closest people in friendship to the believers are those who say, “We are Christian.” This is because they have priests and monks among them, and they are not arrogant.
لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ ٱلنَّاسِ عَدَٰوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلْيَهُودَ وَٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُم مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا نَصَـٰرَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
[9:30] The Jews (l-yahūdu) said, “Ezra is the son of GOD,” while the Christians said, “Jesus is the son of GOD!” These are blasphemies uttered by their mouths. They thus match the blasphemies of those who have disbelieved in the past. GOD condemns them. They have surely deviated.
وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَى ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ يُضَـٰهِـُٔونَ قَوْلَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ قَـٰتَلَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ
Hādū in the Quran
The term “hādū” (هَادُوا) appears thirteen times in the Quran. Linguistically, hādū comes from the verb hāda (هَادَ), meaning “to turn,” “repent,” or “return.” This root meaning is illustrated in the following verse where Moses pleads with God for forgiveness on behalf of the Children of Israel after they were misled into worshiping the calf.
[7:156] “And decree for us righteousness in this world, and in the Hereafter. We have repented to You. He said, “My retribution befalls whomever I will. But My mercy encompasses all things. However, I will specify it for those who (1) lead a righteous life, (2) give the obligatory charity (Zakat), (3) believe in our revelations, and
وَٱكْتُبْ لَنَا فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَآ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ عَذَابِىٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنْ أَشَآءُ وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
This understanding of repentance and turning back to God frames how the Quran employs the term hādū when referencing a particular group of Jews. In the Quran, hādū describes those who “became Jewish” or “professed to be Jewish,” often highlighting a historical transformation or self-adopted religious claim. The pattern across all these verses is consistent: hādū is used when speaking about religious groups in the past tense, referring to people who identified themselves with being Jewish, particularly in the context of salvation, divine law, and judgment.
In 2:62 and 5:69, the hādū are listed alongside other religious groups (such as Christians and converts), emphasizing that salvation is not tied to identity but to belief in God, the Last Day, and righteous conduct. The use of hādū here is significant because each group mentioned had, at some point, turned from their previous ways in an effort to draw closer to God.
In 2:111, 2:135, and 2:140, the hādū appear making exclusivist claims about salvation, asserting that only certain identities will inherit Paradise—a claim the Quran categorically rejects. In 4:46, 5:41, and 5:44, the Quran accuses some among the hādū of distorting scripture or breaking covenants, illustrating that merely professing a religious identity did not shield them from error. Unlike the portrayal of the Yahūd, the hādū seem to have made some effort to practice the religion, yet they still fell short in crucial ways.
Additionally, 6:146 and 16:118 refer to specific legal restrictions imposed on those who “became Jewish” due to their own transgressions, reinforcing the notion that divine favor is conditional upon righteousness, not upon inherited or claimed identity.
Throughout these verses, hādū points less to a permanent ethnic category and more to a religious transformation—people who initially turned in repentance, as reflected in 7:156, but whose later conduct failed to fully uphold the covenant they professed. Thus, the Quran uses hādū to address historical choices, theological deviations, and the essential truth that religion is not a matter of label or ancestry, but of sincere obedience to God.
Grammatical Use of Hādū in Quran
In every case where the Quran uses the term hādū ( هَادُوا ) to refer to Jews, it is joined with either ٱلَّذِينَ (alladhīna, meaning “those who”) or كَانُوا۟ (kānū, meaning “they were”). This pattern signals something crucial: the Quran treats them not as a permanent, inherent group, but as people who became or professed to be Jewish at some point in history. Their religious identity is presented as the result of a choice, a turning or claiming, rather than as an eternal status.
This grammatical structure parallels how the Quran addresses other groups through action-based descriptors. For example, believers are often called يٰأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا (O you who believed), highlighting that their identity is rooted in an action — belief — rather than ethnicity or lineage. However, the key difference lies in the moral and spiritual outcome. While those who “believed” are praised for their sincere faith and righteous deeds, those who “became Jewish” are frequently shown falling into theological error, legal distortion, and broken covenants. Their initial turning toward God, suggested by the root meaning of hāda (to repent, return), is not consistently upheld, and their professed identity does not shield them from divine criticism or judgment.
This stands in sharp contrast to how the Quran refers to the Yahūd ( ٱلْيَهُودُ ). The Yahūd are spoken of with the definite article ( ٱلْـ ), as an already-existing, defined sectarian group during the Prophet’s time. Unlike hādū, the Yahūd are not described through action-based forms like “those who…” or “they were…”; they are treated as a current, established community, criticized for their arrogance, corruption, and theological deviations.
Thus, the Quran distinguishes between action-based identities — such as those who believed ( آمَنُوا ) or those who became Jewish ( هَادُوا ) — and fixed, self-proclaimed sectarian identities like the Yahūd. In doing so, it teaches that true religious standing is not inherited, ethnic, or claimed by name alone, but must be continually lived out through sincere faith, obedience, and righteous deeds.
All Verses Where Hādū is Used in Quran
| hādū | هَادُوا۟ | [they] were Jewish | 2:62:5 |
| hūdan | هُودًا | Jewish | 2:111:8 |
| hūdan | هُودًا | Jewish | 2:135:3 |
| hūdan | هُودًا | Jewish | 2:140:10 |
| hādū | هَادُوا۟ | they were Jewish, | 4:46:3 |
| hādū | هَادُوا۟ | they were Jewish, | 4:160:4 |
| hādū | هَادُوا۟ | they were Jewish, | 5:41:19 |
| hādū | هَادُوا۟ | they were Jewish, | 5:44:13 |
| hādū | هَادُوا۟ | they were Jewish | 5:69:5 |
| hādū | هَادُوا۟ | they were Jewish | 6:146:3 |
| hādū | هَادُوا۟ | they were Jewish | 16:118:3 |
| hādū | هَادُوا۟ | they were Jewish | 22:17:5 |
| hādū | هَادُوٓا۟ | they were Jewish! | 62:6:4 |
[2:62] Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish (hādū), the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in GOD, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
[5:69] Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish (hādū), the converts, and the Christians; any of them who (1) believe in GOD and (2) believe in the Last Day, and (3) lead a righteous life, have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـُٔونَ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحًا فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
[2:111] Some have said, “No one will enter Paradise except Jews (hūdan) or Christians!” Such is their wishful thinking. Say, “Show us your proof, if you are right.”
وَقَالُوا۟ لَن يَدْخُلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَن كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَـٰرَىٰ تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ قُلْ هَاتُوا۟ بُرْهَـٰنَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
[2:135] They said, “You have to be Jewish (hūdan) or Christian, to be guided.” Say, “We follow the religion of Abraham—monotheism—he never was an idol worshiper.”
وَقَالُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَـٰرَىٰ تَهْتَدُوا۟ قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
[2:140] Do you say that Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Patriarchs were Jewish (hūdan) or Christian? Say, “Do you know better than GOD? Who is more evil than one who conceals a testimony he has learned from GOD? GOD is never unaware of anything you do.”
أَمْ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطَ كَانُوا۟ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَـٰرَىٰ قُلْ ءَأَنتُمْ أَعْلَمُ أَمِ ٱللَّهُ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهَـٰدَةً عِندَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
[4:46] Among those who are Jewish (hādū), some distort the words beyond the truth, and they say, “We hear, but we disobey,” and “Your words are falling on deaf ears,” and “Raa’ena (be our shepherd),” as they twist their tongues to mock the religion. Had they said, “We hear, and we obey,” and “We hear you,” and “Unzurna (watch over us),” it would have been better for them, and more righteous. Instead, they have incurred condemnation from GOD due to their disbelief. Consequently, the majority of them cannot believe.
مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَٰعِنَا لَيًّۢا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ وَٱنظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَـٰكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
[5:41] O you messenger, do not be saddened by those who hasten to disbelieve among those who say, “We believe,” with their mouths, while their hearts do not believe. Among the Jews (hādū), some listened to lies. They listened to people who never met you, and who distorted the words out of context, then said, “If you are given this, accept it, but if you are given anything different, beware.” Whomever GOD wills to divert, you can do nothing to help him against GOD. GOD does not wish to cleanse their hearts. They have incurred humiliation in this world, and in the Hereafter, they will suffer a terrible retribution.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرَّسُولُ لَا يَحْزُنكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْكُفْرِ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قُلُوبُهُمْ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ سَمَّـٰعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ سَمَّـٰعُونَ لِقَوْمٍ ءَاخَرِينَ لَمْ يَأْتُوكَ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَوَاضِعِهِۦ يَقُولُونَ إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَـٰذَا فَخُذُوهُ وَإِن لَّمْ تُؤْتَوْهُ فَٱحْذَرُوا۟ وَمَن يُرِدِ ٱللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُۥ فَلَن تَمْلِكَ لَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يُرِدِ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ لَهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا خِزْىٌ وَلَهُمْ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
[5:44] We have sent down the Torah, containing guidance and light. Ruling in accordance with it were the Jewish (hādū) prophets, as well as the rabbis and the priests, as dictated to them in GOD’s scripture, and as witnessed by them. Therefore, do not reverence human beings; you shall reverence Me instead. And do not trade away My revelations for a cheap price. Those who do not rule in accordance with GOD’s revelations, are the disbelievers.
إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلرَّبَّـٰنِيُّونَ وَٱلْأَحْبَارُ بِمَا ٱسْتُحْفِظُوا۟ مِن كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَانُوا۟ عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَآءَ فَلَا تَخْشَوُا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱخْشَوْنِ وَلَا تَشْتَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِى ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
[6:146] For those who are Jewish (hādū) we prohibited animals with undivided hoofs; and of the cattle and sheep we prohibited the fat, except that which is carried on their backs, or in the viscera, or mixed with bones. That was a retribution for their transgressions, and we are truthful.
وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ حَرَّمْنَا كُلَّ ذِى ظُفُرٍ وَمِنَ ٱلْبَقَرِ وَٱلْغَنَمِ حَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ شُحُومَهُمَآ إِلَّا مَا حَمَلَتْ ظُهُورُهُمَآ أَوِ ٱلْحَوَايَآ أَوْ مَا ٱخْتَلَطَ بِعَظْمٍ ذَٰلِكَ جَزَيْنَـٰهُم بِبَغْيِهِمْ وَإِنَّا لَصَـٰدِقُونَ
[16:118] For the Jews (hādū), we prohibited what we narrated to you previously.* It was not us who wronged them; they are the ones who wronged their own souls.
وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ حَرَّمْنَا مَا قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ مِن قَبْلُ وَمَا ظَلَمْنَـٰهُمْ وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ
[22:17] Those who believe, those who are Jewish (hādū), the converts, the Christians, the Zoroastrians, and the idol worshipers, GOD is the One who will judge among them on the Day of Resurrection. GOD witnesses all things.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلْمَجُوسَ وَٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
[62:6] Say, “O you who are Jewish (hādū), if you claim that you are GOD’s chosen, to the exclusion of all other people, then you should long for death if you are truthful!”
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوٓا۟ إِن زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ لِلَّهِ مِن دُونِ ٱلنَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا۟ ٱلْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
The Children of Israel (Banî Israel) in the Quran
The term “Children of Israel” (Banî Israel / بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ ) is used 28 times in 27 verses of the Quran, while the term “Israel” in isolation is only used twice: once in 3:93, which appears to be used for the collective group, and the other in 19:58 as one from whom prophets descended.
[3:93] All food used to be lawful for the Children of Israel, until Israel imposed certain prohibitions on themselves before the Torah was sent down. Say, “Bring the Torah and read it, if you are truthful.”
كُلُّ الطَّعامِ كانَ حِلًّا لِبَنى إِسرٰءيلَ إِلّا ما حَرَّمَ إِسرٰءيلُ عَلىٰ نَفسِهِ مِن قَبلِ أَن تُنَزَّلَ التَّورىٰةُ قُل فَأتوا بِالتَّورىٰةِ فَاتلوها إِن كُنتُم صٰدِقينَ
[19:58] These are some of the prophets whom God blessed. They were chosen from among the descendants of Adam, and the descendants of those whom we carried with Noah, and the descendants of Abraham and Israel, and from among those whom we guided and selected. When the revelations of the Most Gracious are recited to them, they fall prostrate, weeping.
أُولٰئِكَ الَّذينَ أَنعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيهِم مِنَ النَّبِيّـۧنَ مِن ذُرِّيَّةِ ءادَمَ وَمِمَّن حَمَلنا مَعَ نوحٍ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّةِ إِبرٰهيمَ وَإِسرٰءيلَ وَمِمَّن هَدَينا وَاجتَبَينا إِذا تُتلىٰ عَلَيهِم ءايٰتُ الرَّحمٰنِ خَرّوا سُجَّدًا وَبُكِيًّا
The Quran never explicitly states that Jacob’s other name is Israel, as the Bible does, though it does not contradict this understanding either. Additionally, the root of the word “Israel” in the Quran is the same root used for the term “captives” (e.g., 2:85, 8:67, 8:70, 33:62, 76:8), which may correspond to the Children of Israel’s captivity in Egypt. There is also one instance where the root appears in reference to “joints” (76:28), which could connect to the Biblical account in Genesis 32:32, where Jacob wrestles with an angel and, as a result, refrains from eating the sinew of the hip — an event tied to his receiving the name Israel.
22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” 29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” 31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.
In the Quran, the term “Children of Israel” ( بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ) consistently refers to a historical, ethnic, and covenantal community. Unlike the sectarian usage of Yahūd or the action-based description of Hādū, the phrase “Children of Israel” carries a tone that is often dignified, though sometimes cautionary. Across the verses, they are repeatedly reminded of the special favors and blessings God bestowed upon them (e.g., 2:47, 2:122, 17:104, 20:80), highlighting their privileged status among nations due to the covenant made with their forefathers and the prophets and scriptures that they received. For this, they are urged to remember God’s favors, fulfill their covenant, and reverence God.
At the same time, the Quran does not idealize them blindly. It points out how they often broke the covenant (2:83, 5:12, 5:70), distorted revelation (5:13), disobeyed messengers, and fell into sectarian disputes even after receiving knowledge (10:93). Their repeated experiences with miracles — and their subsequent ingratitude or rebellion — are cited as examples (2:211, 2:246, 7:137–138). The Quran reminds them — and by extension, all believers — that being chosen once does not guarantee permanent favor without continued obedience and righteousness.
Notably, the Children of Israel are presented in relation to prophets sent among them, including Moses (17:2, 17:101), Jesus (3:49, 5:72, 5:110), and others. These prophets came with clear signs, yet the pattern of rejection and selective belief persisted. Even when deliverance came, such as during the Exodus from captivity in Egypt (7:137, 7:138, 10:90–93, 20:80), the community repeatedly struggled with faithfulness, seeking idols (7:138) or breaking promises. Still, the Children of Israel are never stripped of their historical honor; rather, they are used as a living example of how blessings demand responsibility, and how deviation after knowledge leads to downfall.
Thus, in the Quran, the Children of Israel represent a real, historical community, honored by God’s favor but repeatedly warned and corrected for their betrayals of trust. Their story serves both as a reminder of divine generosity and a cautionary tale about human ingratitude, illustrating that lineage alone does not secure salvation — only faithful adherence to God’s guidance does.
All Verses Where “Children of Israel” is Used in the Quran
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel! | 2:40:2 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel! | 2:47:2 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel, | 2:83:5 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel! | 2:122:2 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel, | 2:211:3 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel | 2:246:7 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel. | 3:49:4 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel | 3:93:6 |
| is’rāīlu | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلُ | Israel* | 3:93:10* |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel | 5:12:6 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel | 5:32:7 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel | 5:70:5 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel! | 5:72:14 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel | 5:78:6 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel | 5:110:50 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel.” | 7:105:18 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel.” | 7:134:22 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel | 7:137:18 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel | 7:138:3 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel – | 10:90:3 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel, | 10:90:24 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel | 10:93:4 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel, | 17:2:7 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel | 17:4:4 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel. | 17:101:9 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel, | 17:104:5 |
| wa-is’rāīla | وَإِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | and Israel* | 19:58:18* |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel | 20:47:9 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel! | 20:80:2 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel | 20:94:15 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel.’ “ | 26:17:5 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel.” | 26:22:8 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel. | 26:59:4 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel? | 26:197:9 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | (of) Israel, | 27:76:7 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel. | 32:23:14 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel | 40:53:7 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel. | 43:59:10 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel | 44:30:4 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel | 45:16:4 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel | 46:10:14 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel! | 61:6:7 |
| is’rāīla | إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ | Israel | 61:14:26 |
[2:47] O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I bestowed upon you, and that I blessed you more than any other people.
يٰبَنى إِسرٰءيلَ اذكُروا نِعمَتِىَ الَّتى أَنعَمتُ عَلَيكُم وَأَنّى فَضَّلتُكُم عَلَى العٰلَمينَ
[2:83] We made a covenant with the Children of Israel: “You shall not worship except God. You shall honor your parents and regard the relatives, the orphans, and the poor. You shall treat the people amicably. You shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat).” But you turned away, except a few of you, and you became averse.
وَإِذ أَخَذنا ميثٰقَ بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ لا تَعبُدونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَبِالوٰلِدَينِ إِحسانًا وَذِى القُربىٰ وَاليَتٰمىٰ وَالمَسٰكينِ وَقولوا لِلنّاسِ حُسنًا وَأَقيمُوا الصَّلوٰةَ وَءاتُوا الزَّكوٰةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيتُم إِلّا قَليلًا مِنكُم وَأَنتُم مُعرِضونَ
[2:122] O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I bestowed upon you, and that I blessed you more than any other people.
يٰبَنى إِسرٰءيلَ اذكُروا نِعمَتِىَ الَّتى أَنعَمتُ عَلَيكُم وَأَنّى فَضَّلتُكُم عَلَى العٰلَمينَ
[2:211] Ask the Children of Israel how many profound miracles have we shown them! For those who disregard the blessings bestowed upon them by God, God is most strict in retribution.
سَل بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ كَم ءاتَينٰهُم مِن ءايَةٍ بَيِّنَةٍ وَمَن يُبَدِّل نِعمَةَ اللَّهِ مِن بَعدِ ما جاءَتهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَديدُ العِقابِ
[2:246] Have you noted the leaders of the [Children of] Israel after Moses? They said to their prophet, “If you appoint a king to lead us, we will fight in the cause of GOD.” He said, “Is it your intention that, if fighting is decreed for you, you will not fight?” They said, “Why should we not fight in the cause of GOD, when we have been deprived of our homes, and our children?” Yet, when fighting was decreed for them, they turned away, except a few. GOD is aware of the transgressors.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلْمَلَإِ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ لِنَبِىٍّ لَّهُمُ ٱبْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُّقَـٰتِلْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ قَالَ هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ أَلَّا تُقَـٰتِلُوا۟ قَالُوا۟ وَمَا لَنَآ أَلَّا نُقَـٰتِلَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَدْ أُخْرِجْنَا مِن دِيَـٰرِنَا وَأَبْنَآئِنَا فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ تَوَلَّوْا۟ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
[3:49] As a messenger to the Children of Israel: “I come to you with a sign from your Lord – I create for you from clay the shape of a bird, then I blow into it, and it becomes a live bird by God’s leave. I restore vision to the blind, heal the leprous, and I revive the dead by God’s leave. I can tell you what you eat, and what you store in your homes. This should be a proof for you, if you are believers.
وَرَسولًا إِلىٰ بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ أَنّى قَد جِئتُكُم بِـٔايَةٍ مِن رَبِّكُم أَنّى أَخلُقُ لَكُم مِنَ الطّينِ كَهَيـَٔةِ الطَّيرِ فَأَنفُخُ فيهِ فَيَكونُ طَيرًا بِإِذنِ اللَّهِ وَأُبرِئُ الأَكمَهَ وَالأَبرَصَ وَأُحىِ المَوتىٰ بِإِذنِ اللَّهِ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِما تَأكُلونَ وَما تَدَّخِرونَ فى بُيوتِكُم إِنَّ فى ذٰلِكَ لَـٔايَةً لَكُم إِن كُنتُم مُؤمِنينَ
[3:93] All food used to be lawful for the Children of Israel, until Israel imposed certain prohibitions on themselves before the Torah was sent down. Say, “Bring the Torah and read it, if you are truthful.”
كُلُّ الطَّعامِ كانَ حِلًّا لِبَنى إِسرٰءيلَ إِلّا ما حَرَّمَ إِسرٰءيلُ عَلىٰ نَفسِهِ مِن قَبلِ أَن تُنَزَّلَ التَّورىٰةُ قُل فَأتوا بِالتَّورىٰةِ فَاتلوها إِن كُنتُم صٰدِقينَ
[5:12] God had taken a covenant from the Children of Israel, and we raised among them twelve patriarchs. And God said, “I am with you, so long as you observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and believe in My messengers and respect them, and continue to lend God a loan of righteousness. I will then remit your sins, and admit you into gardens with flowing streams. Anyone who disbelieves after this, has indeed strayed off the right path.”
وَلَقَد أَخَذَ اللَّهُ ميثٰقَ بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ وَبَعَثنا مِنهُمُ اثنَى عَشَرَ نَقيبًا وَقالَ اللَّهُ إِنّى مَعَكُم لَئِن أَقَمتُمُ الصَّلوٰةَ وَءاتَيتُمُ الزَّكوٰةَ وَءامَنتُم بِرُسُلى وَعَزَّرتُموهُم وَأَقرَضتُمُ اللَّهَ قَرضًا حَسَنًا لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنكُم سَيِّـٔاتِكُم وَلَأُدخِلَنَّكُم جَنّٰتٍ تَجرى مِن تَحتِهَا الأَنهٰرُ فَمَن كَفَرَ بَعدَ ذٰلِكَ مِنكُم فَقَد ضَلَّ سَواءَ السَّبيلِ
[5:32] Because of this, we decreed for the Children of Israel that anyone who murders any person who had not committed murder or horrendous crimes, it shall be as if he murdered all the people. And anyone who spares a life, it shall be as if he spared the lives of all the people. Our messengers went to them with clear proofs and revelations, but most of them, after all this, are still transgressing.
مِن أَجلِ ذٰلِكَ كَتَبنا عَلىٰ بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ أَنَّهُ مَن قَتَلَ نَفسًا بِغَيرِ نَفسٍ أَو فَسادٍ فِى الأَرضِ فَكَأَنَّما قَتَلَ النّاسَ جَميعًا وَمَن أَحياها فَكَأَنَّما أَحيَا النّاسَ جَميعًا وَلَقَد جاءَتهُم رُسُلُنا بِالبَيِّنٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثيرًا مِنهُم بَعدَ ذٰلِكَ فِى الأَرضِ لَمُسرِفونَ
[5:70] We have taken a covenant from the Children of Israel, and we sent to them messengers. Whenever a messenger went to them with anything they disliked, some of them they rejected, and some they killed.
٧لَقَد أَخَذنا ميثٰقَ بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ وَأَرسَلنا إِلَيهِم رُسُلًا كُلَّما جاءَهُم رَسولٌ بِما لا تَهوىٰ أَنفُسُهُم فَريقًا كَذَّبوا وَفَريقًا يَقتُلونَ
[5:72] Pagans indeed are those who say that God is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah himself said, “O Children of Israel, you shall worship God; my Lord and your Lord.” Anyone who sets up any idol beside God, God has forbidden Paradise for him, and his destiny is Hell. The wicked have no helpers.
لَقَد كَفَرَ الَّذينَ قالوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ المَسيحُ ابنُ مَريَمَ وَقالَ المَسيحُ يٰبَنى إِسرٰءيلَ اعبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبّى وَرَبَّكُم إِنَّهُ مَن يُشرِك بِاللَّهِ فَقَد حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيهِ الجَنَّةَ وَمَأوىٰهُ النّارُ وَما لِلظّٰلِمينَ مِن أَنصارٍ
[5:78] Condemned are those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel, by the tongue of David and Jesus, the son of Mary. This is because they disobeyed and transgressed.
لُعِنَ الَّذينَ كَفَروا مِن بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ عَلىٰ لِسانِ داوۥدَ وَعيسَى ابنِ مَريَمَ ذٰلِكَ بِما عَصَوا وَكانوا يَعتَدونَ
[5:110] God will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary, remember My blessings upon you and your mother. I supported you with the Holy Spirit, to enable you to speak to the people from the crib, as well as an adult. I taught you the scripture, wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel. Recall that you created from clay the shape of a bird by My leave, then blew into it, and it became a live bird by My leave. You healed the blind and the leprous by My leave, and revived the dead by My leave. Recall that I protected you from the Children of Israel who wanted to hurt you, despite the profound miracles you had shown them. The disbelievers among them said, `This is obviously magic.’
إِذ قالَ اللَّهُ يٰعيسَى ابنَ مَريَمَ اذكُر نِعمَتى عَلَيكَ وَعَلىٰ وٰلِدَتِكَ إِذ أَيَّدتُكَ بِروحِ القُدُسِ تُكَلِّمُ النّاسَ فِى المَهدِ وَكَهلًا وَإِذ عَلَّمتُكَ الكِتٰبَ وَالحِكمَةَ وَالتَّورىٰةَ وَالإِنجيلَ وَإِذ تَخلُقُ مِنَ الطّينِ كَهَيـَٔةِ الطَّيرِ بِإِذنى فَتَنفُخُ فيها فَتَكونُ طَيرًا بِإِذنى وَتُبرِئُ الأَكمَهَ وَالأَبرَصَ بِإِذنى وَإِذ تُخرِجُ المَوتىٰ بِإِذنى وَإِذ كَفَفتُ بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ عَنكَ إِذ جِئتَهُم بِالبَيِّنٰتِ فَقالَ الَّذينَ كَفَروا مِنهُم إِن هٰذا إِلّا سِحرٌ مُبينٌ
[7:105] “It is incumbent upon me that I do not say about God except the truth. I come to you with a sign from your Lord; let the Children of Israel go.”
حَقيقٌ عَلىٰ أَن لا أَقولَ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الحَقَّ قَد جِئتُكُم بِبَيِّنَةٍ مِن رَبِّكُم فَأَرسِل مَعِىَ بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ
[17:104] O Children of Israel, remember My favor, which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your part of the covenant, that I fulfill My part of the covenant, and reverence Me.
يٰبَنى إِسرٰءيلَ اذكُروا نِعمَتِىَ الَّتى أَنعَمتُ عَلَيكُم وَأَوفوا بِعَهدى أوفِ بِعَهدِكُم وَإِيّٰىَ فَارهَبونِ
[7:134] Whenever a plague afflicted them, they said, “O Moses, implore your Lord – you are close to Him. If you relieve this plague, we will believe with you, and will send the Children of Israel with you.”
وَلَمّا وَقَعَ عَلَيهِمُ الرِّجزُ قالوا يٰموسَى ادعُ لَنا رَبَّكَ بِما عَهِدَ عِندَكَ لَئِن كَشَفتَ عَنَّا الرِّجزَ لَنُؤمِنَنَّ لَكَ وَلَنُرسِلَنَّ مَعَكَ بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ
[7:137] We let the oppressed people inherit the land, east and west, and we blessed it. The blessed commands of your Lord were thus fulfilled for the Children of Israel, to reward them for their steadfastness, and we annihilated the works of Pharaoh and his people and everything they harvested.
وَأَورَثنَا القَومَ الَّذينَ كانوا يُستَضعَفونَ مَشٰرِقَ الأَرضِ وَمَغٰرِبَهَا الَّتى بٰرَكنا فيها وَتَمَّت كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ الحُسنىٰ عَلىٰ بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ بِما صَبَروا وَدَمَّرنا ما كانَ يَصنَعُ فِرعَونُ وَقَومُهُ وَما كانوا يَعرِشونَ
[7:138] We delivered the Children of Israel across the sea. When they passed by people who were worshiping statues, they said, “O Moses, make a god for us, like the gods they have.” He said, “Indeed, you are ignorant people.
وَجٰوَزنا بِبَنى إِسرٰءيلَ البَحرَ فَأَتَوا عَلىٰ قَومٍ يَعكُفونَ عَلىٰ أَصنامٍ لَهُم قالوا يٰموسَى اجعَل لَنا إِلٰهًا كَما لَهُم ءالِهَةٌ قالَ إِنَّكُم قَومٌ تَجهَلونَ
[10:90] We delivered the Children of Israel across the sea. Pharaoh and his troops pursued them, aggressively and sinfully. When drowning became a reality for him, he said, “I believe that there is no god except the One in whom the Children of Israel have believed; I am a submitter.”
وَجٰوَزنا بِبَنى إِسرٰءيلَ البَحرَ فَأَتبَعَهُم فِرعَونُ وَجُنودُهُ بَغيًا وَعَدوًا حَتّىٰ إِذا أَدرَكَهُ الغَرَقُ قالَ ءامَنتُ أَنَّهُ لا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا الَّذى ءامَنَت بِهِ بَنوا إِسرٰءيلَ وَأَنا۠ مِنَ المُسلِمينَ
[10:93] We have endowed the Children of Israel with a position of honor, and blessed them with good provisions. Yet, they disputed when this knowledge came to them. Your Lord will judge them on the Day of Resurrection regarding everything they disputed.
وَلَقَد بَوَّأنا بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ مُبَوَّأَ صِدقٍ وَرَزَقنٰهُم مِنَ الطَّيِّبٰتِ فَمَا اختَلَفوا حَتّىٰ جاءَهُمُ العِلمُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقضى بَينَهُم يَومَ القِيٰمَةِ فيما كانوا فيهِ يَختَلِفونَ
[17:2] Similarly, we gave Moses the scripture, and rendered it a beacon for the Children of Israel that: “You shall not set up any idol as a Lord and Master beside Me.”
وَءاتَينا موسَى الكِتٰبَ وَجَعَلنٰهُ هُدًى لِبَنى إِسرٰءيلَ أَلّا تَتَّخِذوا مِن دونى وَكيلًا
[17:4] We addressed the Children of Israel in the scripture: “You will commit gross evil on earth, twice. You are destined to fall into great heights of arrogance.
وَقَضَينا إِلىٰ بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ فِى الكِتٰبِ لَتُفسِدُنَّ فِى الأَرضِ مَرَّتَينِ وَلَتَعلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبيرًا
[17:101] We supported Moses with nine profound miracles – ask the Children of Israel. When he went to them, Pharaoh said to him, “I think that you, Moses, are bewitched.”
وَلَقَد ءاتَينا موسىٰ تِسعَ ءايٰتٍ بَيِّنٰتٍ فَسـَٔل بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ إِذ جاءَهُم فَقالَ لَهُ فِرعَونُ إِنّى لَأَظُنُّكَ يٰموسىٰ مَسحورًا
[17:104] And we said to the Children of Israel afterwards, “Go live in this land. When the final prophecy comes to pass, we will summon you all in one group.”
وَقُلنا مِن بَعدِهِ لِبَنى إِسرٰءيلَ اسكُنُوا الأَرضَ فَإِذا جاءَ وَعدُ الـٔاخِرَةِ جِئنا بِكُم لَفيفًا
[20:47] “Go to him and say, `We are two messengers from your Lord. Let the Children of Israel go. You must refrain from persecuting them. We bring a sign from your Lord, and peace is the lot of those who heed the guidance.
فَأتِياهُ فَقولا إِنّا رَسولا رَبِّكَ فَأَرسِل مَعَنا بَنى إِسرٰءيلَ وَلا تُعَذِّبهُم قَد جِئنٰكَ بِـٔايَةٍ مِن رَبِّكَ وَالسَّلٰمُ عَلىٰ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الهُدىٰ
[20:80] O Children of Israel, we delivered you from your enemy, summoned you to the right side of Mount Sinai, and we sent down to you manna and quails.
يٰبَنى إِسرٰءيلَ قَد أَنجَينٰكُم مِن عَدُوِّكُم وَوٰعَدنٰكُم جانِبَ الطّورِ الأَيمَنَ وَنَزَّلنا عَلَيكُمُ المَنَّ وَالسَّلوىٰ
Summary
In the Quran, the Children of Israel ( بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ ) represent a broader and deeper category than either the Yahūd ( ٱلْيَهُودُ ) or those who hādū ( هَادُوا ). The Children of Israel are defined primarily by their lineage — they are the descendants of Jacob (Israel) — and by their historical covenant with God. This group spans centuries, covering all the descendants of Israel from the time of the patriarchs through Moses, David, Solomon, and beyond. Their identity is ethnic, historical, and covenantal: they are a people whom God favored, delivered, and entrusted with His revelations, irrespective of the later religious divisions that arose among them.
In contrast, Yahūd refers to a specific, narrower religious group — the Jews as they existed at the time of the Prophet Muhammad — and the term carries a critical tone in the Quran, often highlighting their lack of concern for theology, emphasis towards sectarian pride, and hostility towards messengers. Similarly, hādū describes those who “became Jewish” or professed Judaism, emphasizing a religious claim or historical transformation rather than an ancestral or ethnic reality. Hādū is used grammatically with expressions like “those who” ( ٱلَّذِينَ ) or “they were” ( كَانُوا۟ ), indicating that becoming Jewish was an adopted religious identity, not an intrinsic, unchanging one.
Thus, while the Yahūd and those who hādū refer to specific religious communities associated with later Judaism, often viewed critically for their failures to uphold God’s guidance, the Children of Israel encompass the entire lineage, including those among them who were faithful and those who strayed. The Quran praises the Children of Israel for receiving God’s favor, miracles, and prophets, but also warns them against arrogance and forgetfulness. Importantly, the Children of Israel are not described purely in sectarian terms; their story serves as a universal lesson for all humanity about the blessings of divine favor and the responsibilities that come with it.
In short, the Children of Israel constitute a wider, deeper ethnic category that includes both the righteous and the corrupt among their ranks, whereas Yahūd and hādū refer to narrower, religiously defined subgroups associated with particular claims, behaviors, and theological deviations.
