Surah Baqarah ayat 174 Tafsir Quran 2:174

﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَشْتَرُونَ بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ إِلَّا النَّارَ وَلَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلَا يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴾
[ البقرة: 174]

2:174 Indeed, they who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book and exchange it for a small price - those consume not into their bellies except the Fire. And Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. And they will have a painful punishment.

Those who conceal what God has revealed of the Scripture comprising all the descriptions of Muhammad (s) meaning the Jews and sell it for a little price in this world taking this little price in its place from the debased ones among them for fear of losing out if they were to manifest it sc. the truth of Muhammad (s) — they shall consume nothing in their bellies but the Fire because that is their journey’s end; God shall not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection out of anger with them neither purify them from the filth of sin; and theirs is a painful chastisement that is the Fire.

Those who keep others from the knowledge of Allah’s clear revelations in AL-Tawrah and exchange the truth for the worthless vanity of the ephemeral world, simply consume nothing but fire in their bellies. Allah shall ignore them in Day of Judgement, He shall not absolve them from guilt nor from notorious crimes and they shall be put to torment

Criticizing the Jews for concealing what Allah revealed Allah said: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْكِتَـبِ ( Verily, those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book. ) Meaning the Jews who concealed their Book's descriptions of Muhammad ﷺ, all of which testify to his truth as a Messenger and a Prophet.
They concealed this information so that they would not lose authority and the position that they had with the Arabs, where they would bring them gifts, and honor them.
The cursed Jews feared that if they announced what they know about Muhammad ﷺ, then the people would abandon them and follow him.
So they hid the truth so that they may retain the little that they were getting, and they sold their souls for this little profit.
They preferred the little that they gained over guidance and following the truth, believing in the Messenger and having faith in what Allah was sent him with.
Therefore, they have profited failure and loss in this life and the Hereafter. As for this world, Allah made the truth about His Messenger known anyway, by the clear signs and the unequivocal proofs.
Thereafter, those whom the Jews feared would follow the Prophet , believed in him and followed him anyway, and so they became his supporters against them.
Thus, the Jews earned anger on top of the wrath that they already had earned before, and Allah criticized them again many times in His Book.
For instance, Allah said in this Ayah ( 2:174 above ): إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْكِتَـبِ وَيَشْتَرُونَ بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيًلا ( Verily, those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book, and purchase a small gain therewith (of worldly things ).) meaning, the joys and delights of this earthly life.
Allah said: أُولَـئِكَ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ إِلاَّ النَّارَ ( ...they eat into their bellies nothing but fire, ) meaning, whatever they eat in return for hiding the truth, will turn into a raging fire in their stomachs on the Day of Resurrection. Similarly, Allah said: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَلَ الْيَتَـمَى ظُلْماً إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِى بُطُونِهِمْ نَاراً وَسَيَصْلَوْنَ سَعِيراً ( Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire! ) ( 4:10 ) Also, reported in an authentic Hadith is that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:
«الَّذِي يَأْكُلُ أَوْ يَشْرَبُ فِي آنِيةِ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ إنَّمَا يُجَرْجِرُ فِي بَطْنِهِ نَارَ جَهَنَّم»
( Those who eat or drink in golden or silver plates are filling their stomachs with the fire of Jahannam (Hell ).) Allah said: وَلاَ يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ وَلاَ يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ( Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them, and theirs will be a painful torment. ) This is because Allah is furious with them for concealing the truth.
They thus deserve Allah's anger, so Allah will not look at them or purify them, meaning that He will not praise them but will cause them to taste a severe torment.
Then, Allah said about them: أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُاْ الضَّلَـلَةَ بِالْهُدَى ( Those are they who have purchased error for guidance. ) Hence, they opposed the guidance, that is, not announcing the Prophet's description they find in their Books, the news about his prophecy and the good news of his coming which the previous Prophets proclaimed, as well as following and believing in him.
Instead, they preferred misguidance by denying him, rejecting him and concealing his descriptions that were mentioned in their Books.
Allah said: وَالْعَذَابَ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ ( ...and torment at the price of forgiveness, ) meaning, they preferred torment over forgiveness due to the sins they have committed.
Allah then said: فَمَآ أَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ ( So how bold they are (for evil deeds which will push them ) to the Fire.) Allah states that they will suffer such severe, painful torment that those who see them will be amazed at how they could bear the tremendous punishment, torture and pain that they will suffer.
We seek refuge with Allah from this evil end.
RAllah's Statement: ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ نَزَّلَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ ( That is because Allah has sent down the Book (the Qur'an ) in truth.
) means, they deserve this painful torment because Allah has revealed Books to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, and the Prophets before him, and these revelations bring about truth and expose falsehood.
Yet, they took Allah's signs for mockery.
Their Books ordered them to announce the truth and to spread the knowledge, but instead, they defied the knowledge and rejected it.
This Final Messenger ـ Muhammad ـ called them to Allah, commanded them to work righteousness and forbade them from committing evil.
Yet, they rejected, denied and defied him and hid the truth that they knew about him.
They, thus, mocked the Ayat that Allah revealed to His Messengers, and this is why they deserved the torment and the punishment.
This is why Allah said here ( 2:176 ): ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ نَزَّلَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُواْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ لَفِى شِقَاقٍ بَعِيدٍ ( That is because Allah has sent down the Book (the Qur'an ) in truth.
And verily, those who disputed about the Book are far away in opposition.)

(2:174) Indeed those, who conceal the Commands that Allah has sent down in His Book and barter them away for paltry worldly gains, fill their bellies with fire. *173 Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He regard them as pure; *174 "a there is a painful torment for them.

Indeed, they who conceal what Allah has meaning

*173).
This means that the blame for the growth of whole new codes consisting of superstitions, perverted customs, and unjustifiable taboos lay squarely on the shoulders of those religious scholars who had knowledge of the Scriptures but failed to transmit their knowledge to the common people.
Moreover, later, when erroneous practices began to spread among them they remained mute spectators of this drama.
Indeed, some of them kept wilfully silent about these matters thinking that their interests would be better served if the Scripture remained a sealed book and its injunctions were kept beyond the access of the common people.

*174).
This is a refutation of the false claims made by their religious leaders and a clarification of the misconceptions regarding their positions and privileges which these leaders had been spreading among the common people.
They spared no efforts to give the impression that they were sacred beings and that anyone who attached himself to them would necessarily earn God's forgiveness through their intercession.
Here God is telling them that He takes no notice of people who are unworthy to intercede for themselves, let alone able to intercede for others.

 

Criticizing the Jews for concealing what Allah revealed Allah said: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْكِتَـبِ ( Verily, those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book. ) Meaning the Jews who concealed their Book's descriptions of Muhammad ﷺ, all of which testify to his truth as a Messenger and a Prophet.
They concealed this information so that they would not lose authority and the position that they had with the Arabs, where they would bring them gifts, and honor them.
The cursed Jews feared that if they announced what they know about Muhammad ﷺ, then the people would abandon them and follow him.
So they hid the truth so that they may retain the little that they were getting, and they sold their souls for this little profit.
They preferred the little that they gained over guidance and following the truth, believing in the Messenger and having faith in what Allah was sent him with.
Therefore, they have profited failure and loss in this life and the Hereafter. As for this world, Allah made the truth about His Messenger known anyway, by the clear signs and the unequivocal proofs.
Thereafter, those whom the Jews feared would follow the Prophet , believed in him and followed him anyway, and so they became his supporters against them.
Thus, the Jews earned anger on top of the wrath that they already had earned before, and Allah criticized them again many times in His Book.
For instance, Allah said in this Ayah ( 2:174 above ): إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْكِتَـبِ وَيَشْتَرُونَ بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيًلا ( Verily, those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book, and purchase a small gain therewith (of worldly things ).) meaning, the joys and delights of this earthly life.
Allah said: أُولَـئِكَ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ إِلاَّ النَّارَ ( ...they eat into their bellies nothing but fire, ) meaning, whatever they eat in return for hiding the truth, will turn into a raging fire in their stomachs on the Day of Resurrection. Similarly, Allah said: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَلَ الْيَتَـمَى ظُلْماً إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِى بُطُونِهِمْ نَاراً وَسَيَصْلَوْنَ سَعِيراً ( Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire! ) ( 4:10 ) Also, reported in an authentic Hadith is that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: «الَّذِي يَأْكُلُ أَوْ يَشْرَبُ فِي آنِيةِ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ إنَّمَا يُجَرْجِرُ فِي بَطْنِهِ نَارَ جَهَنَّم» ( Those who eat or drink in golden or silver plates are filling their stomachs with the fire of Jahannam (Hell ).) Allah said: وَلاَ يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ وَلاَ يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ( Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them, and theirs will be a painful torment. ) This is because Allah is furious with them for concealing the truth.
They thus deserve Allah's anger, so Allah will not look at them or purify them, meaning that He will not praise them but will cause them to taste a severe torment.
Then, Allah said about them: أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُاْ الضَّلَـلَةَ بِالْهُدَى ( Those are they who have purchased error for guidance. ) Hence, they opposed the guidance, that is, not announcing the Prophet's description they find in their Books, the news about his prophecy and the good news of his coming which the previous Prophets proclaimed, as well as following and believing in him.
Instead, they preferred misguidance by denying him, rejecting him and concealing his descriptions that were mentioned in their Books.
Allah said: وَالْعَذَابَ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ ( ...and torment at the price of forgiveness, ) meaning, they preferred torment over forgiveness due to the sins they have committed.
Allah then said: فَمَآ أَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ ( So how bold they are (for evil deeds which will push them ) to the Fire.) Allah states that they will suffer such severe, painful torment that those who see them will be amazed at how they could bear the tremendous punishment, torture and pain that they will suffer.
We seek refuge with Allah from this evil end.
RAllah's Statement: ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ نَزَّلَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ ( That is because Allah has sent down the Book (the Qur'an ) in truth.
) means, they deserve this painful torment because Allah has revealed Books to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ, and the Prophets before him, and these revelations bring about truth and expose falsehood.
Yet, they took Allah's signs for mockery.
Their Books ordered them to announce the truth and to spread the knowledge, but instead, they defied the knowledge and rejected it.
This Final Messenger ـ Muhammad ـ called them to Allah, commanded them to work righteousness and forbade them from committing evil.
Yet, they rejected, denied and defied him and hid the truth that they knew about him.
They, thus, mocked the Ayat that Allah revealed to His Messengers, and this is why they deserved the torment and the punishment.
This is why Allah said here ( 2:176 ): ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ نَزَّلَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُواْ فِى الْكِتَـبِ لَفِى شِقَاقٍ بَعِيدٍ ( That is because Allah has sent down the Book (the Qur'an ) in truth.
And verily, those who disputed about the Book are far away in opposition.)

( Lo! Those who hide anything of the Scripture which Allah hath revealed ) what Allah has exposited in the Torah regarding the description and traits of Muhammad, ( and purchase ) by concealing this ( a small gain therewith ) a small profit, this was revealed about Ka’b Ibn al-Ashraf, Huyayy Ibn Akhtab and Judayy Ibn Akhtab ( they eat into their bellies ) they put into their bellies ( nothing else than fire ) except the unlawful; and it is also said that this means: they eat nothing except that which will turn into fire in their bellies on the Day of Judgement. ( And Allah will not speak to them ) nicely ( on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He make them pure ) He will not absolve them of their transgressions; it is also said that this means: He will not commend them in any good way. ( Theirs will be a painful doom ) a painful torment that will extend to their hearts.

Verily, those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book, and purchase a small gain therewith (of worldly things), they eat into their bellies nothing but fire. Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them, and theirs will be a painful torment.

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