Surah Baqarah ayat 175 Tafsir Quran 2:175

﴿أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلَالَةَ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَالْعَذَابَ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ فَمَا أَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ﴾
[ البقرة: 175]

2:175 Those are the ones who have exchanged guidance for error and forgiveness for punishment. How patient they are in pursuit of the Fire!

Those are they that have bought error at the price of guidance taking the former in place of the latter in this world and chastisement at the price of pardon the pardon that would have been prepared for them in the Hereafter had they not concealed this matter; what makes them so patient for the Fire? that is how great is the extent of their patience? This statement is intended to provoke amazement in the believers at the way in which they the disbelievers commit sins that necessitate their punishment in the Fire with complete indifference. In reality they would have no patience whatever to endure the Fire.

These are the ones who have been steered by false beliefs and exchanged Providences guidance to the path of righteousness for the perplexed path in a maze, and forgiveness and mercy for torment and torture; how persistent they are in their struggle to cast themselves to Hell

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.)

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.)

( Those are they who purchase error at the price of guidance ) they purchased disbelief for the price of faith, ( and torment at the price of pardon ) Judaism for the price of Islam; it is also said that this means: they chose that which leads to the Fire instead of that which leads to Paradise. ( How constant are they in their strife to reach the Fire ) how bold are they to delve into the Fire? It is also said that this means: what made them so bold as to enter the Fire? And it is also said: how they indulging indeed in the works of the people of the Fire.

Those are they who have purchased error at the price of Guidance, and torment at the price of Forgiveness. So how bold they are (for evil deeds which will push them) to the Fire.

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