Tafsir of Al Imran 3:81-83

There are several interpretations regarding this:

1. Literal: It is taken at its face value, meaning God took a covenant from the prophets themselves regarding this.
2. Attribution to the Prophets: The covenant is attributed to the prophets as the ones who secured it, not the ones who gave it. It is like saying "the covenant of God" (meaning the covenant God established). It is as if it were said: "And when God took the covenant that the prophets secured from their nations."
3. The Descendants: It refers to the covenant of the descendants of the prophets—the Children of Israel—with the added term omitted.
4. The People of the Book: It refers to the People of the Book, used as a mockery of their claims. They used to say, "We are more entitled to prophethood than Muhammad, for we are the People of the Book and the prophets came from us." The reading of Ubayy and Ibn Mas‘ud supports this: "And when God took the covenant of those who were given the Book."

The lam in lamā is a "preparatory" (tawṭi'ah) particle, because taking a covenant is synonymous with swearing an oath. The lam in la-tu'minunna (you shall surely believe) is the lam of the response to an oath.

• "Ma" (what): It may be conditional, with la-tu'minunna serving as the response to both the oath and the condition. Or, it may be a relative pronoun meaning "for that which I have given you, you shall surely believe in it."
• Variants: It is read as lamā ātaynākum (what We have given you). Hamza read it as lamā ātaytukum with a kasra on the lam, meaning: "Because of my giving you a portion of the Book and Wisdom, and then the coming of a Messenger confirming what is with you, you shall surely believe in him."
• The lam as causal: The lam is causal, meaning God took their covenant that they would believe in the Messenger and support him because He gave them Wisdom, and because the Messenger whom He commands them to believe in and support is in agreement with them, not in opposition.

If you ask: "How can ma be a relative pronoun when it is followed by thumma jā'akum (then there came to you)?" One cannot say "to the one who came to you is a messenger confirming what is with you." I reply: Yes, you can, because "what is with you" is synonymous with "what I have given you." It is as if it were said: "To the one whom I have given [the Book] and to whom a messenger has come confirming it."

Sa‘id ibn Jubayr read lammā with a shadda, meaning "at the time when I gave you a portion of the Book and Wisdom, and then a messenger came to you confirming it, it became incumbent upon you to believe in him and support him."

It means "My covenant." It is called iṣr because it is something that is "bound" (yu'ṣar), meaning tightened and fastened. From this comes the iṣār (the rope) with which things are tied.

Let some of you bear witness against others by acknowledging this.

...among the witnesses. This is a confirmation for them and a warning against turning back, once they know of God’s witness and the witness of one another. Some say the address here is directed at the angels.

...after that covenant and confirmation.

Meaning the rebellious ones among the disbelievers. The interrogative hamza (of denial) is prefixed to the fa (conjunction) that connects one sentence to another. The meaning is: "Are they the defiantly disobedient, seeking a religion other than God's?"

The object—"other than the religion of God"—is placed before the verb because it is the most important element, as the denial (the meaning of the hamza) is directed toward the worship of falsehood.

It is reported that the People of the Book disputed before the Messenger of God (ﷺ) regarding their differences over the religion of Abraham. Each party claimed to be more entitled to him. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Both parties are innocent of the religion of Abraham." They replied, "We are not satisfied with your judgment, nor will we accept your religion," and so this verse was revealed.

• Willingly: By looking at the evidence and being fair to oneself.
• Unwillingly: By the sword, or by witnessing that which compels one to Islam, such as the mountain being raised over the Children of Israel, Pharaoh witnessing the drowning, or the approach of death.

These are in the accusative case as a state (ḥāl), meaning "while they are willing or unwilling."