Surah Maidah ayat 41 Tafsir Quran 5:41

﴿۞ يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لَا يَحْزُنكَ الَّذِينَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْكُفْرِ مِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قُلُوبُهُمْ ۛ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا ۛ سَمَّاعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ سَمَّاعُونَ لِقَوْمٍ آخَرِينَ لَمْ يَأْتُوكَ ۖ يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ مِن بَعْدِ مَوَاضِعِهِ ۖ يَقُولُونَ إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَٰذَا فَخُذُوهُ وَإِن لَّمْ تُؤْتَوْهُ فَاحْذَرُوا ۚ وَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَن تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَن يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ ۚ لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا خِزْيٌ ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾
[ المائدة: 41]

5:41 O Messenger, let them not grieve you who hasten into disbelief of those who say, "We believe" with their mouths, but their hearts believe not, and from among the Jews. [They are] avid listeners to falsehood, listening to another people who have not come to you. They distort words beyond their [proper] usages, saying "If you are given this, take it; but if you are not given it, then beware." But he for whom Allah intends fitnah - never will you possess [power to do] for him a thing against Allah. Those are the ones for whom Allah does not intend to purify their hearts. For them in this world is disgrace, and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment.

O Messenger let them not grieve you the actions of those who vie with one another in disbelief falling headlong into it in other words they who manifest it at every opportunity of min here is explicative such as say with their mouths with their tongues bi-alsinatihim is semantically connected to qālū ‘such as say’ ‘We believe’ but their hearts do not believe and these are the hypocrites; and from among those of Jewry there is a folk who listen to calumny fabricated by their rabbis listening acceptingly listening to you on behalf of some other folk from among the Jews who have not come to you these were the inhabitants of Khaybar among whom two married persons committed adultery but whom they did not want to stone. And so they dispatched men from Qurayza to ask the Prophet s about the ruling concerning the two; perverting words that are in the Torah such as the ‘stoning’ verse from their contexts the contexts in which God had placed them that is to say substituting them saying to the ones they dispatched ‘If you are given this distorted ruling that is flogging which Muhammad (s) has pronounced for you as a ruling then take it accept it; but if you are not given it and he pronounces some other ruling for you then beware!’ of accepting it! Whomever God desires to try to lead astray you cannot avail him anything against God by preventing such a trial. Those are they whose hearts God did not desire to purify of unbelief for had He desired it you would have been able to do something for them; theirs shall be degradation in this world humiliation by being disgraced and subjected to the jizya and in the Hereafter theirs shall be a great chastisement.

O you, the Messenger: Let not those hypocrites who impel themselves heedlessly to infidelity grieve you at heart; their words and thoughts do not together accord. They declare they have conformed to Islam when in fact their hearts entertain positive unbelief. Nor should you grieve over those of the Jews who are attentive hearers to falsehood which the demagogic rabbins had purposed that they know. Furthermore, they lend their ears to those among them who never had audience of you, who translocation the words of the Sacred Scriptures to alter the intended sense of Allah’s words, and they use their authority to instruct their listeners to accept only the Scriptural passages they discoursed them, and to reject and beware of all else. But the fact is that he whom Allah has justly intended to close his heart’s ears and his mind’s eyes; you shall not be able to provide him with an alternative of Allah’s decision. These and such persons are they whom Allah has declined to cleanse their hearts and minds from moral and spiritual defilement. They must expect disgrace and humiliation here below, and unremitting punishment hereafter

Do Not Feel Sad Because of the Behavior of the Jews and Hypocrites These honorable Ayat were revealed about those who rush into disbelief, deviating from the obedience of Allah, His Messenger, prefering their opinions and lusts to what Allah has legislated, مِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِأَفْوَهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قُلُوبُهُمْ ( of such who say, "We believe" with their mouths but their hearts have no faith. ) These people pretend to be faithful with their words, but their hearts are empty from faith, and they are the hypocrites. مِّنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُواْ ( And of the Jews... ) the enemies of Islam and its people, they and the hypocrites all, سَمَّـعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ ( listen much and eagerly to lies... ) and they accept and react to it positively, سَمَّـعُونَ لِقَوْمٍ ءَاخَرِينَ لَمْ يَأْتُوكَ ( listening to others who have not come to you, ) meaning, they listen to some people who do not attend your meetings, O Muhammad.
Or, the Ayah might mean, they listen to what you say and convey it to your enemies who do not attend your audience. The Jews Alter and Change the Law, Such As Stoning the Adulterer يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ مِن بَعْدِ مَوَضِعِهِ ( They change the words from their places: ) by altering their meanings and knowingly distorting them after they comprehended them, يَقُولُونَ إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَـذَا فَخُذُوهُ وَإِن لَّمْ تُؤْتَوْهُ فَاحْذَرُواْ ( they say, "If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!" ) It was reported that this part of the Ayah was revealed about some Jews who committed murder and who said to each other, "Let us ask Muhammad ﷺ to judge between us, and if he decides that we pay the Diyah, accept his judgement.
If he decides on capital punishment, do not accept his judgement." The correct opinion is that this Ayah was revealed about the two Jews who committed adultery.
The Jews changed the law they had in their Book from Allah on the matter of punishment for adultery, from stoning to death, to a hundred flogs and making the offenders ride a donkey facing the back of the donkey.
When this incident of adultery occurred after the Hijrah, they said to each other, "Let us go to Muhammad ﷺ and seek his judgement.
If he gives a ruling of flogging, then implement his decision and make it a proof for you with Allah.
This way, one of Allah's Prophets will have upheld this ruling amongst you.
But if he decides that the punishment should be stoning to death, then do not accept his decision." There are several Hadiths mentioning this story.
Malik reported that Nafi` said that `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "The Jews came to Allah's Messenger ﷺ and mentioned that a man and a woman from them committed adultery.
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said to them,
«مَا تَجِدُونَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ فِي شَأْنِ الرَّجْمِ؟»
( What do find of the ruling about stoning in the Tawrah ) They said, `We only find that they should be exposed and flogged.' `Abdullah bin Salam said, `You lie.
The Tawrah mentions stoning, so bring the Tawrah.' They brought the Tawrah and opened it but one of them hid the verse about stoning with his hand and recited what is before and after that verse.
`Abdullah bin Salam said to him, `Remove your hand,' and he removed it, thus uncovering the verse about stoning.
So they said, He ( `Abdullah bin Salam ) has said the truth, O Muhammad! It is the verse about stoning.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ decided that the adulterers be stoned to death and his command was carried out.
I saw that man shading the woman from the stones with his body." Al-Bukhari and Muslim also collected this Hadith and this is the wording collected by Al-Bukhari.
In another narration by Al-Bukhari, the Prophet said to the Jews,
«مَا تَصْنَعُون بِهِمَا؟»
( What would you do in this case ) They said, "We would humiliate and expose them." The Prophet recited, قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِن كُنتُمْ ( Bring here the Tawrah and recite it, if you are truthful. ) So they brought a man who was blind in one eye and who was respected among them and said to him, "Read ( from the Tawrah )." So he read until he reached a certain verse and then covered it with his hand.
He was told, "Remove your hand," and it was the verse about stoning.
So that man said, "O Muhammad! This is the verse about stoning, and we had hid its knowledge among us." So the Messenger ﷺ ordered that the two adulterers be stoned, and they were stoned.
Muslim recorded that a Jewish man and a Jewish woman were brought before Allah's Messenger ﷺ because they committed adultery.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to the Jews and asked them,
«مَا تَجِدُونَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ عَلى مَنْ زَنَى؟»
( What is the ruling that you find in the Tawrah for adultery ) hThey said, "We expose them, carry them ( on donkeys ) backwards and parade them in public." The Prophet recited; قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِن كُنتُمْ ( Bring here the Tawrah and recite it, if you are truthful. ) So they brought the Tawrah and read from it until the reader reached the verse about stoning.
Then he placed his hand on that verse and read what was before and after it.
`Abdullah bin Salam, who was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said, "Order him to remove his hand," and he removed his hand and under it was the verse about stoning.
So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded that the adulterers be stoned, and they were stoned.
`Abdullah bin `Umar said, "I was among those who stoned them and I saw the man shading the woman from the stones with his body." Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "Some Jews came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and invited him to go to the Quff area.
So he went to the house of Al-Midras and they said, `O Abu Al-Qasim! A man from us committed adultery with a woman, so decide on their matter.' They arranged a pillow for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he sat on it and said,
«ائْتُونِي بِالتَّوْرَاة»
( Bring the Tawrah to me. ) He was brought the Tawrah and he removed the pillow from under him and placed the Tawrah on it, saying,
«آمَنْتُ بِكِ وَبِمَنْ أَنْزَلَك»
( I trust you and He Who revealed it to you. ) He then said,
«ائْتُونِي بِأَعْلَمِكُم»
( Bring me your most knowledgeable person. ) So he was brought a young man...
" and then he mentioned the rest of the story that Malik narrated from Nafi`.
These Hadiths state that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ issued a decision that conforms with the ruling in the Tawrah, not to honor the Jews in what they believe in, for the Jews were commanded to follow the Law of Muhammad ﷺ only.
Rather, the Prophet did this because Allah commanded him to do so.
He asked them about the ruling of stoning in the Tawrah to make them admit to what the Tawrah contains and what they collaborated to hide, deny and exclude from implementing for all that time.
They had to admit to what they did, although they did it while having knowledge of the correct ruling.
What made them go to the Prophet for judgement in this matter was their lusts and desires, hoping that the Prophet would agree with their opinion, not that they believed in the correctness of his judgment.
This is why they said, إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَـذَا ( If you are given this, ) referring to flogging, then take it, وَإِن لَّمْ تُؤْتَوْهُ فَاحْذَرُواْ ( but if you are not given this, then beware! ) and do not accept or implement it.
Allah said next, وَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَن تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَن يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ لَهُمْ فِى الدُّنْيَا خِزْىٌ وَلَهُمْ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌسَمَّـعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ أَكَّـلُونَ لِلسُّحْتِ ( And whomsoever Allah wants to put in Fitnah, you can do nothing for him against Allah.
Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not want to purify; for them there is a disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a great torment.
They (like to ) listen to falsehood, to devour Suht) `Suht' refers to bribes, as Ibn Mas`ud and others stated.
The Ayah states that if one is like this, how can Allah cleanse his heart and accept his supplication Allah said to His Prophet , فَإِن جَآءُوكَ ( So if they come to you... ) so that you judge between them, فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَإِن تُعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ فَلَن يَضُرُّوكَ شَيْئاً ( either judge between them, or turn away from them.
If you turn away from them, they cannot hurt you in the least. ) meaning, there is no harm if you do not judge between them.
This is because when they came to you to judge between them, they did not seek to follow the truth, but only what conformed to their lusts.
We should mention here that Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Zayd bin Aslam, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, and several others said that this part of the Ayah was abrogated by Allah's statement, وَأَنِ احْكُم بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ ( And so judge among them by what Allah has revealed. ) وَإِنْ حَكَمْتَ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِالْقِسْطِ ( And if you judge, judge with justice between them. ) and with fairness, even if the Jews were unjust and outcasts from the path of fairness, إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ ( Verily, Allah loves those who act justly. ) Chastising the Jews for Their Evil Lusts and Desires, While Praising the Tawrah Allah then chastises the Jews for their false ideas and deviant desires to abandon what they believe is true in their Book, and which they claim is their eternal Law that they are always commanded to adhere to.
Yet, they do not adhere to the Tawrah, but they prefer other laws over it, although they believe that these other laws are not correct and do not apply to them.
Allah said, وَكَيْفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِندَهُمُ التَّوْرَاةُ فِيهَا حُكْمُ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ مِن بَعْدِ ذلِكَ وَمَآ أُوْلَـئِكَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( But how do they come to you for decision while they have the Tawrah, in which is the decision of Allah; yet even after that they turn away.
For they are not believers. ) Allah next praises the Tawrah that He sent down to His servant and Messenger Musa, son of `Imran, إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُواْ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ ( Verily, We did send down the Tawrah to Musa, therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets who submitted themselves to Allah's will, judged the Jews. ) and these Prophets did not deviate from the law of the Tawrah, change or alter it, وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالاٌّحْبَارُ ( And (also ) the Rabbaniyyun and the Ahbar...) wherein Rabbaniyyun refers to the worshippers who are learned and religious, and Ahbar refers to the scholars, بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُواْ مِن كِتَـبِ اللَّهِ ( for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's Book, ) meaning, they were entrusted with the Book of Allah, and they were commanded to adhere to it and not hide any part of, وَكَانُواْ عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَآءَ فَلاَ تَخْشَوُاْ النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِ وَلاَ تَشْتَرُواْ بِـَايَـتِى ثَمَناً قَلِيلاً وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ ( and they were witnesses thereto.
Therefore fear not men but fear Me and sell not My verses for a miserable price.
And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers. ) There are two ways to explain this Ayah and we will mention the later. Another Reason Behind Revealing these Honorable Ayat Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah sent down the Ayat, وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ ( And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers, ) فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الظَّـلِمُونَ ( Such are the unjust, ) and, فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْفَـسِقُونَ ( Such are the rebellious. ) about two groups among the Jews.
During the time of Jahiliyyah, one of them had defeated the other.
As a result, they made a treaty that they would pay blood money totaling fifty Wasaq of gold ( each Wasaq approx.
3 kg ) for every dead person from the defeated group killed by the victors, and a hundred Wasaq for every dead person the defeated group killed from the victors.
This treaty remained in effect until the Prophet came to Al-Madinah and both of these groups became subservient under the Prophet .
Yet, when the mighty group once suffered a casualty at the hands of the weaker group, the mighty group sent a delegation demanding the hundred Wasaq.
The weaker group said, `How can two groups who have the same religion, one ancestral lineage and a common land, have a Diyah that for some of them is half of that of the others We only agreed to this because you oppressed us and because we feared you.
Now that Muhammad ﷺ has come, we will not give you what you asked.' So war was almost rekindled between them, but they agreed to seek Muhammad's ﷺ judgement in their dispute.
The mighty group among them said among themselves, `By Allah! Muhammad ﷺ will never give you double the Diyah that you pay to them compared to what they pay to you.
They have said the truth anyway, for they only gave us this amount because we oppressed and overpowered them.
Therefore, send someone to Muhammad ﷺ who will sense what his judgement will be.
If he agrees to give you what you demand, accept his judgment, and if he does not give you what you seek, do not refer to him for judgement.' So they sent some hypocrites to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to try and find out the Messenger's ﷺ judgement.
When they came to the Messenger , Allah informed him of their matter and of their plot.
Allah sent down, يأَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لاَ يَحْزُنكَ الَّذِينَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِى الْكُفْرِ ( O Messenger! Let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you, ) until, الْفَـسِقُونَ ( Such are the rebellious. ) By Allah! It is because of their problem that Allah sent down these verses and it is they whom Allah meant." Abu Dawud collected a similar narration for this Hadith.
Abu Ja`far Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah in Surat Al-Ma'idah, فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ ( either judge between them, or turn away from them... ) until, الْمُقْسِطِينَ ( Those who act justly. ) was revealed concerning the problem of blood money between Bani An-Nadir and Bani Qurayzah.
The dead of Bani An-Nadir were being honored more and they received the full amount of Diyah, while Qurayzah received half the Diyah for their dead.
So they referred to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for judgement and Allah sent down these verses about them.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ compelled them to adhere to the true judgement in this matter and made the Diyah the same for both groups and Allah knows best about that matter." Ahmad, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i also recorded this Hadith from Abu Ishaq.
Al-`Awfi and `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that these Ayat were revealed about the two Jews who committed adultery, and we mentioned the Hadiths about this story before.
It appears that both of these were the reasons behind revealing these Ayat, and Allah knows best.
This is why Allah said afterwards, وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَآ أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ ( And We ordained therein for them: Life for life, eye for eye ) until the end of the Ayah, which strengthens the opinion that the story of the Diyah was behind revealing the Ayat as we explained above.
Allah knows best.
Allah said, وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ ( And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers. ) Al-Bara' bin `Azib, Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, Ibn `Abbas, Abu Mijlaz, Abu Raja' Al-`Utaridi, `Ikrimah, `Ubaydullah bin `Abdullah, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and others said that this Ayah was revealed about the People of the Book.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri added that this Ayah also applies to us.
`Abdur-Razzaq said that Ath-Thawri said that Mansur said that Ibrahim said that these Ayat, "Were revealed about the Children of Israel, and Allah accepted them for this Ummah." Ibn Jarir recorded this statement.
`Ali bin Abi Talhah also stated that Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement, وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ ( And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers, ) "Whoever rejects what Allah has revealed, will have committed Kufr, and whoever accepts what Allah has revealed, but did not rule by it, is a Zalim ( unjust ) and a Fasiq ( rebellious ) and a sinner." Ibn Jarir recorded this statement.
`Abdur-Razzaq said, "Ma`mar narrated to us that Tawus said that Ibn `Abbas was asked about Allah's statement, وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم ( And whosoever does not judge... ) He said, `It is an act of Kufr.' Ibn Tawus added, `It is not like those who disbelieve in Allah, His angels, His Books and His Messengers.' Ath-Thawri narrated that Ibn Jurayj said that `Ata' said, `There is Kufr and Kufr less than Kufr, Zulm and Zulm less than Zulm, Fisq and Fisq less than Fisq."' Waki` said that Sa`id Al-Makki said that Tawus said that, وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ ( And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers, ) "This is not the Kufr that annuls one's religion."

(5:41) O Messenger! Do not be grieved on account of those who vie with one another in disbelieving: *62 even though they be those who say with their mouths: 'We believe' even though their hearts have no faith; or they be Jews who have their ears eagerly turned to falsehood *63 and spy for other people who did not chance to come to you, *64 who pervert the words of Allah, taking them out of their proper context in order to distort their meaning. *65
They say to people: 'If such and such teaching is given to you, accept it; if you are not given that, then beware! *66 You can be of no avail to him whom Allah wills to fall into error. *67 Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not want to purify. *68 For them there is degradation in this world and a mighty chastisement in the Next.

O Messenger, let them not grieve you meaning

*62).
This verse refers to those who devoted all their capacities and efforts to ensure that the status quo ante of Jahiliyah remained intact, and that the reformative mission of Islam should fail to set right the corruption that had come down to them from the past.
Disregarding all moral scruples, these people used the vilest methods against the Prophet ( peace be on him ).
They deliberately suppressed the truth and resorted to lying, deceit, treachery and low cunning in order to frustrate the mission of the Prophet ( peace be on him ) who was engaged in a tireless struggle actuated by absolute selflessness and benevolence, and who sought the welfare of all human beings, including that of his opponents.
All this naturally hurt the Prophet ( peace be on him ).
A sincere person must feel heartbroken when he sees men of low moral character, driven by ignorance, blind selfishness and bigotry, resort to vile methods in opposition to his mission, which is actuated by charity and goodwill towards all men.
Hence the purpose of God's directive here is not to ask the Prophet ( peace be on him ) to abstain from this natural feeling of grief but rather that he should not allow such feelings to undermine his morale and that he should persevere in his task.
As for the opponents of the Prophet ( peace be on him ), in view of their low morals, their mean conduct was not at all contrary to expectations.

*63).
This has two meanings.
First, that since such people are slaves to their desires they cannot have the least interest in the Truth, falsehood alone gratifies them.
It is with falsehood alone that they like to fill their ears, for nothing else quenches the thirst of their souls.
Second, it is the same love of falsehood which motivates them when they come and spend some time in the company of the Prophet ( peace be on him ) and the Muslims.
They want to distort whatever they see or hear, to taint the facts with their fabrications, and then circulate them among those who have had no contact with the Prophet ( peace be on him ) and the Muslims in order to scandalize them.

*64).
This also has two meanings.
First, that they socialized with the Prophet ( peace be on him ) and the Muslims in order to pry into their affairs and communicate them to the enemy.
Second, that they went about collecting information to try to slander them.
Their objective was to create misgivings about the Prophet ( peace be on him ) and the Muslims among those who were unacquainted with them.

*65).
They deliberately tamper with those injunctions of the Torah that do not accord with their desires, and by altering the meanings of the words occurring in the text they deduce laws that suit their interests.

*66).
This refers to the Jews who went about telling the ignorant masses that they should follow the teachings of the Prophet ( peace be on him ) only if they conformed to the teachings of the Jews.

*67).God's will to put someone to the test means that God confronts one in whom He sees the growth of evil with the opportunities of doing just that, so that he experiences the struggle between good and evil.
If the person is not yet fully inclined towards evil, his moral health improves and his latent potentialities for resisting evil are revived.
But if he has become excessively inclined towards evil, and goodness has been totally crushed from within his being, then every such test is bound to entangle him still more tightly in evil.
The well-wisher is now powerless to rescue him.
It might be added that not only individuals but also nations are put to this kind of test.

*68).
God did not will that their hearts be purified for they themselves did not want them to be purified.
It is not God's way to deprive of purity those who love it and strive for it; but God does not wish to purify those who do not seek their own purification.

 

Do Not Feel Sad Because of the Behavior of the Jews and Hypocrites These honorable Ayat were revealed about those who rush into disbelief, deviating from the obedience of Allah, His Messenger, prefering their opinions and lusts to what Allah has legislated, مِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا بِأَفْوَهِهِمْ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قُلُوبُهُمْ ( of such who say, "We believe" with their mouths but their hearts have no faith. ) These people pretend to be faithful with their words, but their hearts are empty from faith, and they are the hypocrites. مِّنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُواْ ( And of the Jews... ) the enemies of Islam and its people, they and the hypocrites all, سَمَّـعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ ( listen much and eagerly to lies... ) and they accept and react to it positively, سَمَّـعُونَ لِقَوْمٍ ءَاخَرِينَ لَمْ يَأْتُوكَ ( listening to others who have not come to you, ) meaning, they listen to some people who do not attend your meetings, O Muhammad.
Or, the Ayah might mean, they listen to what you say and convey it to your enemies who do not attend your audience. The Jews Alter and Change the Law, Such As Stoning the Adulterer يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ مِن بَعْدِ مَوَضِعِهِ ( They change the words from their places: ) by altering their meanings and knowingly distorting them after they comprehended them, يَقُولُونَ إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَـذَا فَخُذُوهُ وَإِن لَّمْ تُؤْتَوْهُ فَاحْذَرُواْ ( they say, "If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!" ) It was reported that this part of the Ayah was revealed about some Jews who committed murder and who said to each other, "Let us ask Muhammad ﷺ to judge between us, and if he decides that we pay the Diyah, accept his judgement.
If he decides on capital punishment, do not accept his judgement." The correct opinion is that this Ayah was revealed about the two Jews who committed adultery.
The Jews changed the law they had in their Book from Allah on the matter of punishment for adultery, from stoning to death, to a hundred flogs and making the offenders ride a donkey facing the back of the donkey.
When this incident of adultery occurred after the Hijrah, they said to each other, "Let us go to Muhammad ﷺ and seek his judgement.
If he gives a ruling of flogging, then implement his decision and make it a proof for you with Allah.
This way, one of Allah's Prophets will have upheld this ruling amongst you.
But if he decides that the punishment should be stoning to death, then do not accept his decision." There are several Hadiths mentioning this story.
Malik reported that Nafi` said that `Abdullah bin `Umar said, "The Jews came to Allah's Messenger ﷺ and mentioned that a man and a woman from them committed adultery.
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said to them, «مَا تَجِدُونَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ فِي شَأْنِ الرَّجْمِ؟» ( What do find of the ruling about stoning in the Tawrah ) They said, `We only find that they should be exposed and flogged.' `Abdullah bin Salam said, `You lie.
The Tawrah mentions stoning, so bring the Tawrah.' They brought the Tawrah and opened it but one of them hid the verse about stoning with his hand and recited what is before and after that verse.
`Abdullah bin Salam said to him, `Remove your hand,' and he removed it, thus uncovering the verse about stoning.
So they said, He ( `Abdullah bin Salam ) has said the truth, O Muhammad! It is the verse about stoning.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ decided that the adulterers be stoned to death and his command was carried out.
I saw that man shading the woman from the stones with his body." Al-Bukhari and Muslim also collected this Hadith and this is the wording collected by Al-Bukhari.
In another narration by Al-Bukhari, the Prophet said to the Jews, «مَا تَصْنَعُون بِهِمَا؟» ( What would you do in this case ) They said, "We would humiliate and expose them." The Prophet recited, قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِن كُنتُمْ ( Bring here the Tawrah and recite it, if you are truthful. ) So they brought a man who was blind in one eye and who was respected among them and said to him, "Read ( from the Tawrah )." So he read until he reached a certain verse and then covered it with his hand.
He was told, "Remove your hand," and it was the verse about stoning.
So that man said, "O Muhammad! This is the verse about stoning, and we had hid its knowledge among us." So the Messenger ﷺ ordered that the two adulterers be stoned, and they were stoned.
Muslim recorded that a Jewish man and a Jewish woman were brought before Allah's Messenger ﷺ because they committed adultery.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to the Jews and asked them, «مَا تَجِدُونَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ عَلى مَنْ زَنَى؟» ( What is the ruling that you find in the Tawrah for adultery ) hThey said, "We expose them, carry them ( on donkeys ) backwards and parade them in public." The Prophet recited; قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِن كُنتُمْ ( Bring here the Tawrah and recite it, if you are truthful. ) So they brought the Tawrah and read from it until the reader reached the verse about stoning.
Then he placed his hand on that verse and read what was before and after it.
`Abdullah bin Salam, who was with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said, "Order him to remove his hand," and he removed his hand and under it was the verse about stoning.
So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded that the adulterers be stoned, and they were stoned.
`Abdullah bin `Umar said, "I was among those who stoned them and I saw the man shading the woman from the stones with his body." Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn `Umar said, "Some Jews came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and invited him to go to the Quff area.
So he went to the house of Al-Midras and they said, `O Abu Al-Qasim! A man from us committed adultery with a woman, so decide on their matter.' They arranged a pillow for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he sat on it and said, «ائْتُونِي بِالتَّوْرَاة» ( Bring the Tawrah to me. ) He was brought the Tawrah and he removed the pillow from under him and placed the Tawrah on it, saying, «آمَنْتُ بِكِ وَبِمَنْ أَنْزَلَك» ( I trust you and He Who revealed it to you. ) He then said, «ائْتُونِي بِأَعْلَمِكُم» ( Bring me your most knowledgeable person. ) So he was brought a young man...
" and then he mentioned the rest of the story that Malik narrated from Nafi`.
These Hadiths state that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ issued a decision that conforms with the ruling in the Tawrah, not to honor the Jews in what they believe in, for the Jews were commanded to follow the Law of Muhammad ﷺ only.
Rather, the Prophet did this because Allah commanded him to do so.
He asked them about the ruling of stoning in the Tawrah to make them admit to what the Tawrah contains and what they collaborated to hide, deny and exclude from implementing for all that time.
They had to admit to what they did, although they did it while having knowledge of the correct ruling.
What made them go to the Prophet for judgement in this matter was their lusts and desires, hoping that the Prophet would agree with their opinion, not that they believed in the correctness of his judgment.
This is why they said, إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَـذَا ( If you are given this, ) referring to flogging, then take it, وَإِن لَّمْ تُؤْتَوْهُ فَاحْذَرُواْ ( but if you are not given this, then beware! ) and do not accept or implement it.
Allah said next, وَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَن تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَن يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ لَهُمْ فِى الدُّنْيَا خِزْىٌ وَلَهُمْ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌسَمَّـعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ أَكَّـلُونَ لِلسُّحْتِ ( And whomsoever Allah wants to put in Fitnah, you can do nothing for him against Allah.
Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not want to purify; for them there is a disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a great torment.
They (like to ) listen to falsehood, to devour Suht) `Suht' refers to bribes, as Ibn Mas`ud and others stated.
The Ayah states that if one is like this, how can Allah cleanse his heart and accept his supplication Allah said to His Prophet , فَإِن جَآءُوكَ ( So if they come to you... ) so that you judge between them, فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَإِن تُعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ فَلَن يَضُرُّوكَ شَيْئاً ( either judge between them, or turn away from them.
If you turn away from them, they cannot hurt you in the least. ) meaning, there is no harm if you do not judge between them.
This is because when they came to you to judge between them, they did not seek to follow the truth, but only what conformed to their lusts.
We should mention here that Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Zayd bin Aslam, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, and several others said that this part of the Ayah was abrogated by Allah's statement, وَأَنِ احْكُم بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ ( And so judge among them by what Allah has revealed. ) وَإِنْ حَكَمْتَ فَاحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِالْقِسْطِ ( And if you judge, judge with justice between them. ) and with fairness, even if the Jews were unjust and outcasts from the path of fairness, إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ ( Verily, Allah loves those who act justly. ) Chastising the Jews for Their Evil Lusts and Desires, While Praising the Tawrah Allah then chastises the Jews for their false ideas and deviant desires to abandon what they believe is true in their Book, and which they claim is their eternal Law that they are always commanded to adhere to.
Yet, they do not adhere to the Tawrah, but they prefer other laws over it, although they believe that these other laws are not correct and do not apply to them.
Allah said, وَكَيْفَ يُحَكِّمُونَكَ وَعِندَهُمُ التَّوْرَاةُ فِيهَا حُكْمُ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ مِن بَعْدِ ذلِكَ وَمَآ أُوْلَـئِكَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( But how do they come to you for decision while they have the Tawrah, in which is the decision of Allah; yet even after that they turn away.
For they are not believers. ) Allah next praises the Tawrah that He sent down to His servant and Messenger Musa, son of `Imran, إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُواْ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ ( Verily, We did send down the Tawrah to Musa, therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets who submitted themselves to Allah's will, judged the Jews. ) and these Prophets did not deviate from the law of the Tawrah, change or alter it, وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالاٌّحْبَارُ ( And (also ) the Rabbaniyyun and the Ahbar...) wherein Rabbaniyyun refers to the worshippers who are learned and religious, and Ahbar refers to the scholars, بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُواْ مِن كِتَـبِ اللَّهِ ( for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's Book, ) meaning, they were entrusted with the Book of Allah, and they were commanded to adhere to it and not hide any part of, وَكَانُواْ عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَآءَ فَلاَ تَخْشَوُاْ النَّاسَ وَاخْشَوْنِ وَلاَ تَشْتَرُواْ بِـَايَـتِى ثَمَناً قَلِيلاً وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ ( and they were witnesses thereto.
Therefore fear not men but fear Me and sell not My verses for a miserable price.
And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers. ) There are two ways to explain this Ayah and we will mention the later. Another Reason Behind Revealing these Honorable Ayat Imam Ahmad recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah sent down the Ayat, وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ ( And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers, ) فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الظَّـلِمُونَ ( Such are the unjust, ) and, فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْفَـسِقُونَ ( Such are the rebellious. ) about two groups among the Jews.
During the time of Jahiliyyah, one of them had defeated the other.
As a result, they made a treaty that they would pay blood money totaling fifty Wasaq of gold ( each Wasaq approx.
3 kg ) for every dead person from the defeated group killed by the victors, and a hundred Wasaq for every dead person the defeated group killed from the victors.
This treaty remained in effect until the Prophet came to Al-Madinah and both of these groups became subservient under the Prophet .
Yet, when the mighty group once suffered a casualty at the hands of the weaker group, the mighty group sent a delegation demanding the hundred Wasaq.
The weaker group said, `How can two groups who have the same religion, one ancestral lineage and a common land, have a Diyah that for some of them is half of that of the others We only agreed to this because you oppressed us and because we feared you.
Now that Muhammad ﷺ has come, we will not give you what you asked.' So war was almost rekindled between them, but they agreed to seek Muhammad's ﷺ judgement in their dispute.
The mighty group among them said among themselves, `By Allah! Muhammad ﷺ will never give you double the Diyah that you pay to them compared to what they pay to you.
They have said the truth anyway, for they only gave us this amount because we oppressed and overpowered them.
Therefore, send someone to Muhammad ﷺ who will sense what his judgement will be.
If he agrees to give you what you demand, accept his judgment, and if he does not give you what you seek, do not refer to him for judgement.' So they sent some hypocrites to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to try and find out the Messenger's ﷺ judgement.
When they came to the Messenger , Allah informed him of their matter and of their plot.
Allah sent down, يأَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ لاَ يَحْزُنكَ الَّذِينَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِى الْكُفْرِ ( O Messenger! Let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you, ) until, الْفَـسِقُونَ ( Such are the rebellious. ) By Allah! It is because of their problem that Allah sent down these verses and it is they whom Allah meant." Abu Dawud collected a similar narration for this Hadith.
Abu Ja`far Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah in Surat Al-Ma'idah, فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ أَوْ أَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ ( either judge between them, or turn away from them... ) until, الْمُقْسِطِينَ ( Those who act justly. ) was revealed concerning the problem of blood money between Bani An-Nadir and Bani Qurayzah.
The dead of Bani An-Nadir were being honored more and they received the full amount of Diyah, while Qurayzah received half the Diyah for their dead.
So they referred to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for judgement and Allah sent down these verses about them.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ compelled them to adhere to the true judgement in this matter and made the Diyah the same for both groups and Allah knows best about that matter." Ahmad, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i also recorded this Hadith from Abu Ishaq.
Al-`Awfi and `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that these Ayat were revealed about the two Jews who committed adultery, and we mentioned the Hadiths about this story before.
It appears that both of these were the reasons behind revealing these Ayat, and Allah knows best.
This is why Allah said afterwards, وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَآ أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ ( And We ordained therein for them: Life for life, eye for eye ) until the end of the Ayah, which strengthens the opinion that the story of the Diyah was behind revealing the Ayat as we explained above.
Allah knows best.
Allah said, وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ ( And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers. ) Al-Bara' bin `Azib, Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, Ibn `Abbas, Abu Mijlaz, Abu Raja' Al-`Utaridi, `Ikrimah, `Ubaydullah bin `Abdullah, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and others said that this Ayah was revealed about the People of the Book.
Al-Hasan Al-Basri added that this Ayah also applies to us.
`Abdur-Razzaq said that Ath-Thawri said that Mansur said that Ibrahim said that these Ayat, "Were revealed about the Children of Israel, and Allah accepted them for this Ummah." Ibn Jarir recorded this statement.
`Ali bin Abi Talhah also stated that Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement, وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ ( And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers, ) "Whoever rejects what Allah has revealed, will have committed Kufr, and whoever accepts what Allah has revealed, but did not rule by it, is a Zalim ( unjust ) and a Fasiq ( rebellious ) and a sinner." Ibn Jarir recorded this statement.
`Abdur-Razzaq said, "Ma`mar narrated to us that Tawus said that Ibn `Abbas was asked about Allah's statement, وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم ( And whosoever does not judge... ) He said, `It is an act of Kufr.' Ibn Tawus added, `It is not like those who disbelieve in Allah, His angels, His Books and His Messengers.' Ath-Thawri narrated that Ibn Jurayj said that `Ata' said, `There is Kufr and Kufr less than Kufr, Zulm and Zulm less than Zulm, Fisq and Fisq less than Fisq."' Waki` said that Sa`id Al-Makki said that Tawus said that, وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ ( And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers, ) "This is not the Kufr that annuls one's religion."

( O Messenger! ) O Muhammad ( Let not them grieve you who vie one with another in the race to disbelief ) in allying themselves with the disbelievers in this world and in the Hereafter, ( of such as say with their mouths ) with their tongues: ( We believe, ) in our hearts ( but their hearts believe not ) i.e. the hearts of the hypocrites, ’Abdullah Ibn Ubayy and his followers, ( and of the Jews ) i.e. the Jews of the Banu Qurayzah, Ka’b and his followers: ( listeners for the sake of falsehood ) listeners of untruth, ( listeners on behalf of other folk ) the people of Khaybar ( who come not unto thee ) regarding what happened among them, but Banu Qurayzah asked about them, ( changing words ) changing the traits and description of Muhammad and the legal ruling on the stoning of married people who commit adultery ( from their context ) after being exposited in the Torah ( and saying ) i.e. the leaders to their followers; it is also said: the hypocrites ’Abdullah Ibn Ubayy and his followers: ( If this be given unto you ) if Muhammad ( pbuh ) command you to whip [ married people who committed adultery ], ( receive it ) accept it from him and act according to it ( but if this be not given unto you ) if Muhammad does not command you to whip them and instead commands you to stone them, ( then beware! ) i.e. beware of following him if does not command you to whip them and, instead, commands you to stone them. Allah said: ( He whom Allah doometh unto sin ) he whom Allah wants to persist in his disbelief and idolatry; it is also said: he whom Allah wants to expose; and it is also said that this means: he whom Allah wants to test, ( thou (by thine efforts ) will avail him naught against Allah) against Allah’s punishment. ( Those are ) the Jews and the hypocrites ( they for whom the will of Allah is that He cleanse not their hearts ) from scheming, treachery and persistence in disbelief. ( Theirs in the world will be ignominy ) punishment through killing and expulsion, ( and in the Hereafter an awful doom ) more severe than the punishment they suffer in this world;

O Messenger (Muhammad SAW)! Let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you, of such who say: "We believe" with their mouths but their hearts have no faith. And of the Jews are men who listen much and eagerly to lies - listen to others who have not come to you. They change the words from their places; they say, "If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!" And whomsoever Allah wants to put in Al-Fitnah [error, because of his rejecting the Faith], you can do nothing for him against Allah. Those are the ones whose hearts Allah does not want to purify (from disbelief and hypocrisy); for them there is a disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a great torment.

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