Surah Baqarah ayat 75 Tafsir Quran 2:75

﴿۞ أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾
[ البقرة: 75]

2:75 Do you covet [the hope, O believers], that they would believe for you while a party of them used to hear the words of Allah and then distort the Torah after they had understood it while they were knowing?

Are you then so eager O believers that they the Jews should believe you seeing there is a party of them a group of their rabbis that heard God’s word in the Torah and then tampered with it changing it and that after they had comprehended it after they had understood it knowingly? knowing full well that they were indulging in mendacity the hamza at the beginning of the verb a-fa-tatma‘ūn is an interrogative for rejection in other words ‘Do not be so eager for they have disbelieved before’.

O Muslims do you really expect that Ahl al-Kitab (the Jews) would accept or believe or fall in line with you when some of them (the rabbi) comprehended the word of Allah and His precepts represented in AL-Tawrah and perverted the truth with falsehood

There was little Hope that the Jews Who lived during the Time of the Prophet could have believed Allah said, أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ ( Do you covet ) O believers, أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ لَكُمْ ( That they will believe in your religion ) meaning, that these people would obey you They are the deviant sect of Jews whose fathers witnessed the clear signs but their hearts became hard afterwards.
Allah said next, وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَـمَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ ( Inspite of the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis ) used to hear the Word of Allah ( the Tawrah ), then they used to change it) meaning, distort its meaning, مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ ( after they understood it ).
They understood well, yet they used to defy the truth, وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ( knowingly ), being fully aware of their erroneous interpretations and corruption.
This statement is similar to Allah's statement, فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـقَهُمْ لَعنَّـهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَضِعِهِ ( So, because of their violation of their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard.
They change the words from their (right ) places) ( 5:13 ). Qatadah commented that Allah's statement; ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ( Then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it ) "They are the Jews who used to hear Allah's Words and then alter them after they understood and comprehended them." Also, Mujahid said, "Those who used to alter it and conceal its truths; they were their scholars." Also, Ibn Wahb said that Ibn Zayd commented, يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَـمَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ ( used to hear the Word of Allah (the Tawrah ), then they used to change it) "They altered the Tawrah that Allah revealed to them, making it say that the lawful is unlawful and the prohibited is allowed, and that what is right is false and that what is false is right.
So when a person seeking the truth comes to them with a bribe, they judge his case by the Book of Allah, but when a person comes to them seeking to do evil with a bribe, they take out the other ( distorted ) book, in which it is stated that he is in the right.
When someone comes to them who is not seeking what is right, nor offering them bribe, then they enjoin righteousness on him.
This is why Allah said to them, أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَـبَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ ( Enjoin you Al-Birr (piety and righteousness and every act of obedience to Allah ) on the people and you forget ( to practise it ) yourselves, while you recite the Scripture ( the Tawrah )! Have you then no sense) ( 2:44 )" The Jews knew the Truth of the Prophet , but disbelieved in Him Allah said next, وَإِذَا لَقُواْ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلاَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ ( And when they (Jews ) meet those who believe ( Muslims ), they say, "We believe", but when they meet one another in private..).
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn `Abbas commented, وَإِذَا لَقُواْ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قَالُوا ءَامَنَّا ( And when they (Jews ) meet those who believe ( Muslims ), they say, "We believe") "They believe that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah, `But he was only sent for you ( Arabs )"' However, when they meet each other they say, "Do not convey the news about this Prophet to the Arabs, because you used to ask Allah to grant you victory over them when he came, but he was sent to them ( not to you )." Allah then revealed, وَإِذَا لَقُواْ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلاَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ قَالُواْ أَتُحَدِّثُونَهُم بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُحَآجُّوكُم بِهِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ ( And when they (Jews ) meet those who believe ( Muslims ), they say, "We believe," but when they meet one another in private, they say, "Shall you ( Jews ) tell them ( Muslims ) what Allah has revealed to you, that they ( Muslims ) may argue with you ( Jews ) about it before your Lord") meaning, "If you admit to them that he is a Prophet, knowing that Allah took the covenant from you to follow him, they will know that Muhammad ﷺ is the Prophet that we were waiting for and whose coming we find foretold of in our Book.
Therefore, do not believe in him and deny him." Allah said, أَوَلاَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ( Know they (Jews ) not that Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal). Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "When the Jews met the believers they used to say, `We believe.' When they met each other, some of them would say, `Do not talk to the companions of Muhammad ﷺ about what Allah has foretold in your Book, so that the news ( that Muhammad ﷺ is the Final Messenger ) does not become a proof for them against you with your Lord, and, thus, you will win the dispute."' Further, Abu Al-`Aliyah said about Allah's statement, أَوَلاَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ( Know they (Jews ) not that Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal), "Meaning their secret denial and rejection of Muhammad ﷺ, although they find his coming recorded in their Book." This is also the Tafsir of Qatadah.
Al-Hasan commented on, أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ ( That Allah knows what they conceal ), "What they concealed refers to when they were alone with each other away from the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ .
Then they would forbid each other from conveying the news that Allah revealed to them in their Book to the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, fearing that the Companions would use this news ( about the truth of Muhammad ) against them before their Lord." وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ( And what they reveal ) meaning, when they said to the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, ءَامَنَّا ( We believe ), as Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` and Qatadah stated. وَمِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ الْكِتَـبَ إِلاَّ أَمَانِىَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلاَّ يَظُنُّونَ

(2:75) O Muslims, do you then expect that these people will accept your invitation and become believers? *86 whereas there have always been among them some who have been hearing the Word of God, understanding it well and then perverting and tampering with it knowingly. *87

Do you covet [the hope, O believers], meaning

*86).
This is addressed to the converts of Madina, who had then lately embraced the faith of the Arabian Prophet.
These people had some vague notions about Prophethood, Heavenly Scriptures, Angels, the After-life, Divine Law and so on, and for this they were indebted to their Jewish neighbours.
It was from these same Jewish neighbours that they had heard that another Prophet was about to appear, and that his followers would prevail over the rest of the world.

It was partly because of this background that when the people of Madina heard about the Prophet, they readily turned towards him and embraced Islam in large numbers.
They naturally expected that those who already followed Prophets and Divine Scriptures, and who, by introducing them to these ideas had contributed to their embracing the true faith, would not only join the ranks of the true believers, but would even be amongst their vanguard.
As a result of these expectations the enthusiastic Muslim converts approached their Jewish friends and neighbours and invited them to embrace Islam.
When the Jews flatly declined to do so, this negative reply was exploited by the hypocrites and other enemies of Islam as an argument for creating doubts about the truth of Islam.

If Muhammad was the true Prophet, they argued, how was it conceivable that the Jewish scholars and divines would deliberately turn away from him since, if he was a true Prophet, such a behaviour would be tantamount to ruining their After-life? Here the simple-hearted Muslims learn of the historical record of the Jews, a record which is replete with perversion and corruption.
This was designed to make them realize that they ought not to expect too much of a people with so dark a past, for if they were not realistic in their expectations about them they would be utterly disappointed when their call failed to penetrate their hardened and stony hearts.
Their chronic decadence had a history of several centuries.
For a long time they had treated those verses of the Scriptures which made sincere believers tremble in awe as objects of jest and play.
They had tailored religion to suit their base desires and it was around such a perverted view of religion that all their hopes of salvation were centred.
It was futile to hope that such people would flock to the call of Truth the moment it was proclaimed.

*87).
'A party of them' refers to the scholars and religious doctors of the Jewish community.
The'Word of God' here signifies the Torah, the Psalms ( Zabur ) and other Scriptures which the Jews had received through the Prophets.
'Distortion' denotes the attempt to twist a text in such a manner as to make it signify something different from its real meaning, and may also denote tampering with the text of the Scriptures.
The Israelite scholars had subjected the Scriptures to distortions of both kinds.

 

There was little Hope that the Jews Who lived during the Time of the Prophet could have believed Allah said, أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ ( Do you covet ) O believers, أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ لَكُمْ ( That they will believe in your religion ) meaning, that these people would obey you They are the deviant sect of Jews whose fathers witnessed the clear signs but their hearts became hard afterwards.
Allah said next, وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَـمَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ ( Inspite of the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis ) used to hear the Word of Allah ( the Tawrah ), then they used to change it) meaning, distort its meaning, مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ ( after they understood it ).
They understood well, yet they used to defy the truth, وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ( knowingly ), being fully aware of their erroneous interpretations and corruption.
This statement is similar to Allah's statement, فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـقَهُمْ لَعنَّـهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَضِعِهِ ( So, because of their violation of their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard.
They change the words from their (right ) places) ( 5:13 ). Qatadah commented that Allah's statement; ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ( Then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it ) "They are the Jews who used to hear Allah's Words and then alter them after they understood and comprehended them." Also, Mujahid said, "Those who used to alter it and conceal its truths; they were their scholars." Also, Ibn Wahb said that Ibn Zayd commented, يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَـمَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ ( used to hear the Word of Allah (the Tawrah ), then they used to change it) "They altered the Tawrah that Allah revealed to them, making it say that the lawful is unlawful and the prohibited is allowed, and that what is right is false and that what is false is right.
So when a person seeking the truth comes to them with a bribe, they judge his case by the Book of Allah, but when a person comes to them seeking to do evil with a bribe, they take out the other ( distorted ) book, in which it is stated that he is in the right.
When someone comes to them who is not seeking what is right, nor offering them bribe, then they enjoin righteousness on him.
This is why Allah said to them, أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَـبَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ ( Enjoin you Al-Birr (piety and righteousness and every act of obedience to Allah ) on the people and you forget ( to practise it ) yourselves, while you recite the Scripture ( the Tawrah )! Have you then no sense) ( 2:44 )" The Jews knew the Truth of the Prophet , but disbelieved in Him Allah said next, وَإِذَا لَقُواْ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلاَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ ( And when they (Jews ) meet those who believe ( Muslims ), they say, "We believe", but when they meet one another in private..).
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn `Abbas commented, وَإِذَا لَقُواْ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قَالُوا ءَامَنَّا ( And when they (Jews ) meet those who believe ( Muslims ), they say, "We believe") "They believe that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah, `But he was only sent for you ( Arabs )"' However, when they meet each other they say, "Do not convey the news about this Prophet to the Arabs, because you used to ask Allah to grant you victory over them when he came, but he was sent to them ( not to you )." Allah then revealed, وَإِذَا لَقُواْ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قَالُواْ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلاَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ قَالُواْ أَتُحَدِّثُونَهُم بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُحَآجُّوكُم بِهِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ ( And when they (Jews ) meet those who believe ( Muslims ), they say, "We believe," but when they meet one another in private, they say, "Shall you ( Jews ) tell them ( Muslims ) what Allah has revealed to you, that they ( Muslims ) may argue with you ( Jews ) about it before your Lord") meaning, "If you admit to them that he is a Prophet, knowing that Allah took the covenant from you to follow him, they will know that Muhammad ﷺ is the Prophet that we were waiting for and whose coming we find foretold of in our Book.
Therefore, do not believe in him and deny him." Allah said, أَوَلاَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ( Know they (Jews ) not that Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal). Al-Hasan Al-Basri said, "When the Jews met the believers they used to say, `We believe.' When they met each other, some of them would say, `Do not talk to the companions of Muhammad ﷺ about what Allah has foretold in your Book, so that the news ( that Muhammad ﷺ is the Final Messenger ) does not become a proof for them against you with your Lord, and, thus, you will win the dispute."' Further, Abu Al-`Aliyah said about Allah's statement, أَوَلاَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ( Know they (Jews ) not that Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal), "Meaning their secret denial and rejection of Muhammad ﷺ, although they find his coming recorded in their Book." This is also the Tafsir of Qatadah.
Al-Hasan commented on, أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ ( That Allah knows what they conceal ), "What they concealed refers to when they were alone with each other away from the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ .
Then they would forbid each other from conveying the news that Allah revealed to them in their Book to the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, fearing that the Companions would use this news ( about the truth of Muhammad ) against them before their Lord." وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ( And what they reveal ) meaning, when they said to the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, ءَامَنَّا ( We believe ), as Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` and Qatadah stated. وَمِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ الْكِتَـبَ إِلاَّ أَمَانِىَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلاَّ يَظُنُّونَ

( Have ye any hope that they will be true to you ) do you hope, O Muhammad, that the Jews will believe in you ( when a party of them ) the 70 men who were with Moses ( used to listen to the Word of Allah ) used to listen to Moses reciting the Word of Allah, ( then used to change it ) alter it, ( after they had understood it ) after knowing it and fully understanding it ( knowingly? ) while knowing that they were altering it?

Do you (faithful believers) covet that they will believe in your religion inspite of the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis) used to hear the Word of Allah [the Taurat (Torah)], then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it?

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