Surah Nisa ayat 46 Tafsir Quran 4:46

﴿مِّنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَاسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَاعِنَا لَيًّا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِي الدِّينِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاسْمَعْ وَانظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَٰكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا﴾
[ النساء: 46]

4:46 Among the Jews are those who distort words from their [proper] usages and say, "We hear and disobey" and "Hear but be not heard" and "Ra'ina," twisting their tongues and defaming the religion. And if they had said [instead], "We hear and obey" and "Wait for us [to understand]," it would have been better for them and more suitable. But Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few.

Some group from among the Jews distort alter the words that God revealed in the Torah pertaining to the descriptions of Muhammad (s) from their contexts those contexts in which they were placed and they say to the Prophet s when he commands them something ‘We have heard your words and we disobey your command; and hear as one who does not hear’ wa’sma‘ ghayr musma‘in is a circumstantial qualifier functioning as an invocation in other words ‘And may you not hear!’ and they say to him ‘Mind us’ rā‘inā a term with which it had been forbidden to address him being a curse word in their language; twisting distorting with their tongues and slandering defaming religion Islam. If they had said ‘We have heard and obey’ instead of ‘And we disobey’ and only ‘Hear’ and ‘Consider us’ unzur ilaynā instead of rā‘inā it would have been better for them than what they said and more upright more just than that but God has cursed them removing them from His mercy for their unbelief so they believe not except a few among them such as ‘Abd Allāh b. Salām and his companions.

Among those who are imbued with Judaism are some who translocation the words of the Sacred Scriptures to alter the intended sense of Allahs words. And they interpret their thoughts in words and in deeds; they say to you O Muhammad: We have opened our hearts’ ears but their actions in fact to their words do not accord, featuring disobedience to which they give voice and insolently say: We disobey. And they direct to you the words superficially denoting politeness and deep respect that you think they are saying: We need you to apply your mind and your ears to us, and you are excused if you do not listen, but please attend to us. In point of fact the way they pronounce the words with their tongues in their cheeks (or in Hebrew) admits of secondary bad meaning and insult of the religion, thus: Listen, may you never hear and be afflicted with deafness, you are a thoughtless bad one. But had they said: We open to you our hearts ears and we obey, please listen to us and “unzurna” and direct your intellectual eye upon us; it would have been much better for them and indeed honourable. But Allah has cursed them for their disobedience and their infidelity; how greatly shaken is their faith in Allah

Chastising the Jews for Choosing Misguidance, Altering Allah's Words, and Mocking Islam Allah states that the Jews, may Allah's continued curse fall on them until the Day of Resurrection, have purchased the wrong path instead of guidance, and ignored what Allah sent down to His Messenger Muhammad .
They also ignored the knowledge that they inherited from previous Prophets, about the description of Muhammad ﷺ, so that they may have a small amount of the delights of this life. وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن تَضِلُّواْ السَّبِيلَ ( and wishing that you should go astray from the right path. ) for they would like that you disbelieve in what was sent down to you, O believers, and that you abandon the guidance and beneficial knowledge that you have. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِأَعْدَائِكُمْ ( Allah has full knowledge of your enemies ) meaning, Allah has better knowledge of your enemies, and He warns you against them. وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَلِيّاً وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ نَصِيراً ( and Allah is sufficient as a Wali (Protector ), and Allah is Sufficient as a Helper) He is a Sufficient Protector for those who seek refuge with Him and a Sufficient Supporter for those who seek His help.
Allah then said, يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ ( there are some who displace words from (their ) right places) meaning, they intentionally and falsely alter the meanings of the Words of Allah and explain them in a different manner than what Allah meant, وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا ( And say: "We hear your word and disobey ) saying, "We hear what you say, O Muhammad, but we do not obey you in it," as Mujahid and Ibn Zayd explained.
This is the implied meaning of the Ayah, and it demonstrates the Jews' disbelief, stubbornness and disregard for Allah's Book after they understood it, all the while aware of the sin and punishment that this behavior will earn for them.
Allah's statement, وَاسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ ( And "Hear and let you hear nothing." ) means, hear our words, may you never hear anything, as Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas.
This is the Jews' way of mocking and jesting, may Allah's curse descend on them. وَرَعِنَا لَيّاً بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْناً فِى الدِّينِ ( And Ra`ina, with a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion. ) meaning, they pretend to say, `Hear us,' when they say, Ra`ina ( an insult in Hebrew, but in Arabic it means `Listen to us.' ).' Yet, their true aim is to curse the Prophet .
We mentioned this subject when we explained Allah's statement, يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ تَقُولُواْ رَعِنَا وَقُولُواْ انظُرْنَا ( O you who believe! Say not Ra`ina but say Unzurna (make us understand )).
Therefore, Allah said about them, while they pretend to say other than what they truly mean, لَيّاً بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْناً فِى الدِّينِ ( With a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion ) because of their cursing the Prophet .
Allah then said, وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاسْمَعْ وَانْظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ( And if only they had said: "We hear and obey", and "Do make us understand," it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not except a few. ) meaning, their hearts are cast away from the path of righteousness and therefore, no beneficial part of faith enters it.
Earlier, when we explained, فَقَلِيلاً مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ ( so little is that which they believe ) which means they do not have beneficial faith.

(4:46) Among those who have become Jews *72 there are some who alter the words from their context, *73 and make a malicious play with their tongues and seek to revile the true faith. They say: 'We have heard and we disobey' (sami'na wa 'asayna), *74 'Do hear us, may you turn dumb' (isma' ghayr musma') *75 and 'Hearken to us' (ra'ina). It would indeed have been better for them and more upright if they had said: 'We have heard and we obey' (sami'na wa ata'na) *76 and: 'Do listen to us, and look at us (with kindness)' (wa isma' wa unzurna). But Allah has cursed them because of their disbelief. Scarcely do they believe.

Among the Jews are those who distort meaning

*72).
It is to be noted that this expression means 'they became Jews', rather than 'they were Jews'.
For, originally, they were nothing but Muslims, just as the followers of every Prophet are Muslims.
Only later on did they become merely 'Jews'.

*73).
This signifies three things.
First, that they tampered with the text of the Scripture.
Second, that they misinterpreted the Scripture and thereby distorted the meanings of the verses of the Book.
Third, that they came and stayed in the company of the Prophet ( peace be on him ) and his Companions and listened to the conversations which took place there, then went among other people and misreported what they had heard.
They did this with the malicious intent of bringing the Muslims into disrepute and thereby preventing people from embracing Islam.

*74).
When the ordinances of God are announced to them, they loudly proclaim: 'Yes, we have heard', ( sami'na ), but then they whisper: 'And we disobeyed' ( 'asayna ).
Or else they pronounce ata'na ( 'we obey' ) with such a twist of the tongue that it becomes indistinguishable from 'asayna.

*75).
Whenever they wanted to say something to the Prophet ( peace be on him ) they would say, 'isma" ( listen ), but added to this the expression, 'ghayr musma " which had several meanings.
It could either be a polite expression, meaning that he was worthy of such deep respect that one should say nothing to his dislike or it could have a malicious implication, meaning that he did not deserve to be addressed by anybody.
It also meant the imprecation: 'May God turn you deaf.'
*76).
For an explanation of this see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol.
I, Surah 2, n.
108.

 

Chastising the Jews for Choosing Misguidance, Altering Allah's Words, and Mocking Islam Allah states that the Jews, may Allah's continued curse fall on them until the Day of Resurrection, have purchased the wrong path instead of guidance, and ignored what Allah sent down to His Messenger Muhammad .
They also ignored the knowledge that they inherited from previous Prophets, about the description of Muhammad ﷺ, so that they may have a small amount of the delights of this life. وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن تَضِلُّواْ السَّبِيلَ ( and wishing that you should go astray from the right path. ) for they would like that you disbelieve in what was sent down to you, O believers, and that you abandon the guidance and beneficial knowledge that you have. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِأَعْدَائِكُمْ ( Allah has full knowledge of your enemies ) meaning, Allah has better knowledge of your enemies, and He warns you against them. وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَلِيّاً وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ نَصِيراً ( and Allah is sufficient as a Wali (Protector ), and Allah is Sufficient as a Helper) He is a Sufficient Protector for those who seek refuge with Him and a Sufficient Supporter for those who seek His help.
Allah then said, يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ ( there are some who displace words from (their ) right places) meaning, they intentionally and falsely alter the meanings of the Words of Allah and explain them in a different manner than what Allah meant, وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا ( And say: "We hear your word and disobey ) saying, "We hear what you say, O Muhammad, but we do not obey you in it," as Mujahid and Ibn Zayd explained.
This is the implied meaning of the Ayah, and it demonstrates the Jews' disbelief, stubbornness and disregard for Allah's Book after they understood it, all the while aware of the sin and punishment that this behavior will earn for them.
Allah's statement, وَاسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ ( And "Hear and let you hear nothing." ) means, hear our words, may you never hear anything, as Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas.
This is the Jews' way of mocking and jesting, may Allah's curse descend on them. وَرَعِنَا لَيّاً بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْناً فِى الدِّينِ ( And Ra`ina, with a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion. ) meaning, they pretend to say, `Hear us,' when they say, Ra`ina ( an insult in Hebrew, but in Arabic it means `Listen to us.' ).' Yet, their true aim is to curse the Prophet .
We mentioned this subject when we explained Allah's statement, يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لاَ تَقُولُواْ رَعِنَا وَقُولُواْ انظُرْنَا ( O you who believe! Say not Ra`ina but say Unzurna (make us understand )).
Therefore, Allah said about them, while they pretend to say other than what they truly mean, لَيّاً بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْناً فِى الدِّينِ ( With a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion ) because of their cursing the Prophet .
Allah then said, وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاسْمَعْ وَانْظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ( And if only they had said: "We hear and obey", and "Do make us understand," it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not except a few. ) meaning, their hearts are cast away from the path of righteousness and therefore, no beneficial part of faith enters it.
Earlier, when we explained, فَقَلِيلاً مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ ( so little is that which they believe ) which means they do not have beneficial faith.

( Some of those who are Jews ) Malik Ibn al-Sayf and his friends ( change words from their context ) they change the traits and description of Muhammad after these were exposited upon in the Torah, and then come to Muhammad ( and say: We hear ) your words, O Muhammad ( and disobey ) your command, when he is not around them; and we ( hear thou ) O Muhammad ( as one who heareth not and Listen to us! distorting with their tongues and slandering religion. If they had said: We hear ) your saying, O Muhammad ( and we obey ) your command; ( hear you ) hear from us, ( and look at us it had been better for them ) than their insults and defamation, ( and more upright ) and more correct. ( But Allah hath cursed them ) punishes them by making them pay the capitation tax ( for their disbelief ) as a punishment for their disbelief, ( so they believe not, save a few ) among them who have accepted Islam such as ’Abdullah Ibn Salam and his friends.

Among those who are Jews, there are some who displace words from (their) right places and say: "We hear your word (O Muhammad SAW) and disobey," and "Hear and let you (O Muhammad SAW) hear nothing." And Ra'ina with a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion (Islam). And if only they had said: "We hear and obey", and "Do make us understand," it would have been better for them, and more proper, but Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not except a few.

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