Surah Nisa ayat 60 Tafsir Quran 4:60

﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَن يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا﴾
[ النساء: 60]

4:60 Have you not seen those who claim to have believed in what was revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you? They wish to refer legislation to Taghut, while they were commanded to reject it; and Satan wishes to lead them far astray.

The following verse was revealed when a Jew and a hypocrite fell into a dispute. The hypocrite called on Ka‘b b. al-Ashraf to arbitrate between them while the Jew called on the Prophet s. When they came to him the Prophet ruled in favour of the Jew. But the hypocrite was not satisfied and so they went before ‘Umar. The Jew told him what had happened whereupon he ‘Umar turned to the hypocrite and asked him ‘Is this true?’ and when he replied ‘Yes’ he ‘Umar killed him. Have you not seen those who claim that they believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you desiring to take their disputes to a false deity tāghūt one excessive in tempting others to falsehood tughyān namely Ka‘b b. al-Ashraf when they have been commanded to renounce him? and not to associate with him. But Satan desires to mislead them far astray from the truth.

Have you seen O Muhammad into the irreverent disposition of those who allege that they have given credence to all that has been revealed to you and to all that has been revealed to Messengers before you, how they wish to resort to the Devil and to false deities for judgement of their disputes! Yet they have been commanded to reject and renounce every deity besides Allah. But AL-Shaytan and those with characteristics befitting him intend to lead them by the nose into the maze of error

Referring to Other than the Qur'an and Sunnah for Judgment is Characteristic of Non-Muslims Allah chastises those who claim to believe in what Allah has sent down to His Messenger and to the earlier Prophets, yet they refer to other than the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger for judgment in various disputes.
It was reported that the reason behind revealing this Ayah was that a man from the Ansar and a Jew had a dispute, and the Jew said, "Let us refer to Muhammad to judge between us." However, the Muslim man said, "Let us refer to Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf ( a Jew ) to judge between us." It was also reported that the Ayah was revealed about some hypocrites who pretended to be Muslims, yet they sought to refer to the judgment of Jahiliyyah.
Other reasons were also reported behind the revelation of the Ayah.
However, the Ayah has a general meaning, as it chastises all those who refrain from referring to the Qur'an and Sunnah for judgment and prefer the judgment of whatever they chose of falsehood, which befits the description of Taghut here.
This is why Allah said, يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّـغُوتِ ( and they wish to go for judgment to the Taghut ) until the end of the Ayah.
Allah's statement, يَصُدُّونَ عَنكَ صُدُوداً ( turn away from you with aversion ) means, they turn away from you in arrogance, just as Allah described the polytheists, وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُواْ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَا ( When it is said to them: "Follow what Allah has sent down." They say: "Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following." ) This is different from the conduct of the faithful believers, whom Allah describes as, إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ( The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger, to judge between them, is that they say: "We hear and we obey." ) Chastising the Hypocrites Chastising the hypocrites, Allah said, فَكَيْفَ إِذَآ أَصَـبَتْهُمْ مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ( How then, when a catastrophe befalls them because of what their hands have sent forth, ) meaning, how about it if they feel compelled to join you because of disasters that they suffer due to their sins, then they will be in need of you. ثُمَّ جَآءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلاَّ إِحْسَاناً وَتَوْفِيقاً ( They come to you swearing by Allah, "We meant no more than goodwill and conciliation!" ) apologizing and swearing that they only sought goodwill and reconciliation when they referred to other than the Prophet for judgment, not that they believe in such alternative judgment, as they claim.
Allah describes these people to us further in His statement, فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يُسَـرِعُونَ فِيهِمْ يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَى ( And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease (of hypocrisy ), they hurry to their friendship, saying: "We fear"), until, فَيُصْبِحُواْ عَلَى مَآ أَسَرُّواْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ نَـدِمِينَ ( Then they will become regretful for what they have been keeping as a secret in themselves ).
At-Tabarani recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "Abu Barzah Al-Aslami used to be a soothsayer who judged between the Jews in their disputes.
When some Muslims came to him to judge between them, Allah sent down, أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ ءَامَنُواْ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ ( Have you not seen those (hyprocrites ) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you), until, إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلاَّ إِحْسَاناً وَتَوْفِيقاً ( "We meant no more than goodwill and conciliation!" ) Allah then said, أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ مَا فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ ( They (hypocrites ) are those of whom Allah knows what is in their hearts;) These people are hypocrites, and Allah knows what is in their hearts and will punish them accordingly, for nothing escapes Allah's watch.
Consequently, O Muhammad! Let Allah be sufficient for you in this regard, because He has perfect knowledge of their apparent and hidden affairs.
This is why Allah said, فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ ( so turn aside from them (do not punish them )) meaning, do not punish them because of what is in their hearts. وَعِظْهُمْ ( but admonish them ) means, advise them against the hypocrisy and evil that reside in their hearts, وَقُل لَّهُمْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلاً بَلِيغاً ( and speak to them an effective word to reach their inner selves ) advise them, between you and them, using effective words that might benefit them.

(4:60) (O Messenger!) Have you not seen those who claim to believe in the Book which has been revealed to you and in the Books revealed before you, and yet desire to submit their disputes to the judgement of taghut (the Satanic authorities who decide independently of the Law of Allah), whereas they had been asked to reject it. *91 And Satan seeks to make them drift far away from the right way.

Have you not seen those who claim meaning

*91).
Taghut clearly signifies here a sovereign who judges things according to criteria other than the law of God.
It also stands for a legal and judicial system which acknowledges neither the sovereignty of God nor the paramount authority of the Book of God.
This verse categorically proclaims that to refer disputes to the judgement of a court of law which is essentially taghut contravenes the dictates of a believer's faith.
In fact, true faith in God and His Book necessarily requires that a man should refuse to recognize the legitimacy of such courts.
According to the Qur'an, belief in God necessitates repudiation of the authority of taghut.
To try to submit both to God and to taghut at the same time is hypocrisy.

 

Referring to Other than the Qur'an and Sunnah for Judgment is Characteristic of Non-Muslims Allah chastises those who claim to believe in what Allah has sent down to His Messenger and to the earlier Prophets, yet they refer to other than the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger for judgment in various disputes.
It was reported that the reason behind revealing this Ayah was that a man from the Ansar and a Jew had a dispute, and the Jew said, "Let us refer to Muhammad to judge between us." However, the Muslim man said, "Let us refer to Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf ( a Jew ) to judge between us." It was also reported that the Ayah was revealed about some hypocrites who pretended to be Muslims, yet they sought to refer to the judgment of Jahiliyyah.
Other reasons were also reported behind the revelation of the Ayah.
However, the Ayah has a general meaning, as it chastises all those who refrain from referring to the Qur'an and Sunnah for judgment and prefer the judgment of whatever they chose of falsehood, which befits the description of Taghut here.
This is why Allah said, يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُواْ إِلَى الطَّـغُوتِ ( and they wish to go for judgment to the Taghut ) until the end of the Ayah.
Allah's statement, يَصُدُّونَ عَنكَ صُدُوداً ( turn away from you with aversion ) means, they turn away from you in arrogance, just as Allah described the polytheists, وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُواْ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَا ( When it is said to them: "Follow what Allah has sent down." They say: "Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following." ) This is different from the conduct of the faithful believers, whom Allah describes as, إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُواْ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ( The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger, to judge between them, is that they say: "We hear and we obey." ) Chastising the Hypocrites Chastising the hypocrites, Allah said, فَكَيْفَ إِذَآ أَصَـبَتْهُمْ مُّصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ( How then, when a catastrophe befalls them because of what their hands have sent forth, ) meaning, how about it if they feel compelled to join you because of disasters that they suffer due to their sins, then they will be in need of you. ثُمَّ جَآءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلاَّ إِحْسَاناً وَتَوْفِيقاً ( They come to you swearing by Allah, "We meant no more than goodwill and conciliation!" ) apologizing and swearing that they only sought goodwill and reconciliation when they referred to other than the Prophet for judgment, not that they believe in such alternative judgment, as they claim.
Allah describes these people to us further in His statement, فَتَرَى الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يُسَـرِعُونَ فِيهِمْ يَقُولُونَ نَخْشَى ( And you see those in whose hearts there is a disease (of hypocrisy ), they hurry to their friendship, saying: "We fear"), until, فَيُصْبِحُواْ عَلَى مَآ أَسَرُّواْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ نَـدِمِينَ ( Then they will become regretful for what they have been keeping as a secret in themselves ).
At-Tabarani recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "Abu Barzah Al-Aslami used to be a soothsayer who judged between the Jews in their disputes.
When some Muslims came to him to judge between them, Allah sent down, أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ ءَامَنُواْ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ ( Have you not seen those (hyprocrites ) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you), until, إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلاَّ إِحْسَاناً وَتَوْفِيقاً ( "We meant no more than goodwill and conciliation!" ) Allah then said, أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ مَا فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ ( They (hypocrites ) are those of whom Allah knows what is in their hearts;) These people are hypocrites, and Allah knows what is in their hearts and will punish them accordingly, for nothing escapes Allah's watch.
Consequently, O Muhammad! Let Allah be sufficient for you in this regard, because He has perfect knowledge of their apparent and hidden affairs.
This is why Allah said, فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ ( so turn aside from them (do not punish them )) meaning, do not punish them because of what is in their hearts. وَعِظْهُمْ ( but admonish them ) means, advise them against the hypocrisy and evil that reside in their hearts, وَقُل لَّهُمْ فِى أَنفُسِهِمْ قَوْلاً بَلِيغاً ( and speak to them an effective word to reach their inner selves ) advise them, between you and them, using effective words that might benefit them.

( Hast thou not seen ) have you not been informed, O Muhammad, about ( those who pretend that they believe in that which is revealed unto thee ) i.e. the Qur’an ( and that which was revealed before thee ) i.e. the Torah, ( how they would go for judgement (in their disputes ) to false deities) Ka’b Ibn al-Ashraf ( when they have been ordered ) in the Qur’an ( to abjure them? ) to disavow them. ( Satan would mislead them far astray ) from the Truth and guidance. This verse was revealed about a hypocrite by the name of Bishr whom ’Umar Ibn al-Khattab had killed. This hypocrite had a dispute with a Jewish man.

Have you seen those (hyprocrites) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you, and they wish to go for judgement (in their disputes) to the Taghut (false judges, etc.) while they have been ordered to reject them. But Shaitan (Satan) wishes to lead them far astray.

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