Surah Baqarah ayat 76 Tafsir Quran 2:76

﴿وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ قَالُوا أَتُحَدِّثُونَهُم بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُحَاجُّوكُم بِهِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ﴾
[ البقرة: 76]

2:76 And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We have believed"; but when they are alone with one another, they say, "Do you talk to them about what Allah has revealed to you so they can argue with you about it before your Lord?" Then will you not reason?

And when they the hypocrites from among the Jews meet those who believe they say ‘We believe’ that Muhammad (s) is a prophet and that he is the one of whom we have been given good tidings in our Book; but when they go in private one to another they their leaders the ones not involved in the hypocrisy say to those hypocrites ‘Do you speak to them the believers of what God has disclosed to you that is what He has made known to you of Muhammad’s s description in the Torah so that they may thereby dispute the lām of li-yuhājjūkum ‘that they may dispute with you’ is the lām of ‘becoming’ with you before your Lord? in the Hereafter and hold the proof against you for not following him Muhammad (s) despite your knowledge of his sincerity? Have you no understanding?’ of the fact that they will contend with you if you speak to them in this way? So beware.

When they meet the true believers face to face they declare that they have conformed their will to Allah’s. And when they are with their like-minded companions they are reprehended for conversing with the Muslims on Muhammads mission documented in AL-Tawrah previously when assenting to this truth is against their interest; They say to them: Do you reveal to the Muslims knowledge Allah entrusted to us so that they use it against us in the venerable, Majestic presence of Allah, your Creator; Have you no sense as to exercise the faculty of reason

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

(2:76) When they meet those who believe in Muhammad, they say, "We also believe in him." But when they meet one another in private, they say, "Have you got no sense that you disclose to them those things which Allah has revealed to you so that they might bring them as a proof against you before your Lord? *88

And when they meet those who believe, meaning

*88).
When the Jews talked among themselves they asked their co-religionists to disclose to the Muslims neither the prophesies about the Prophet, nor those verses of the Scriptures on the basis of which they could be reproached for their evil conduct; they thought that the Muslims would make use of scriptural arguments against them before God, and would thus have them pronounced guilty.
These were the depths to which Jewish relivious decadence had sunk.
They were convinced that if they could succeed in concealing their guilt in this world, they would be saved from censure in the Next.
For this reason they were asked if they considered God to be unaware of their deeds, either apparent or hidden.

 

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

Then Allah mentioned the hypocrites of the people of the Book, and it is also said that the reference here is to the lowly from among the people of the Book, saying: ( And when they fall with those who believe ) Abu Bakr and his companions, ( they say: We believe ) in your Prophet, and his description and traits are mentioned in our Book. ( But when they go apart one with another ) when these lowly people return to their leaders ( they say ) the leaders say to the lowly: ( Prate ye to them ) i.e. Muhammad and his Companions ( of that which Allah hath disclosed to you ) about that which Allah has shown you regarding the description and traits of Muhammad in your Book ( so that they may contend with you ) argue against you ( before your Lord concerning it? Have ye then no sense? ) do you not have any common sense?

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 [Jews, about the description and the qualities of Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him, that which are written in the Taurat (Torah)], that they (Muslims) may argue with you (Jews) about it before your Lord?" Have you (Jews) then no understanding?

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