Source: Ibn Kathir
(75) Do you covet that they will believe in your religion in spite of the fact that a party of them used to hear the Word of Allah, then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it?
(76) 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 tell them what Allah has revealed to you, that they may argue with you about it before your Lord?" Have you then no understanding?
(77) Know they (Jews) not that Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal?
(78) And there are among them (Jews) unlettered people, who know not the Book, but they trust upon false desires and they but guess.
(79) Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, "This is from Allah," to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby.
This is another category of people among the Jews who called to misguidance with falsehood and lies about Allah, thriving on unjustly amassing people's property. `Waylun (woe)' carries meanings of destruction and perishing, and it is a well-known word in the Arabic language.
(80) And they (Jews) say, "The Fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days." Say "Have you taken a covenant from Allah, so that Allah will not break His Covenant? Or is it that you say of Allah what you know not?"
(81) Yes! Whosoever earns evil and his sin has surrounded him, they are dwellers of the Fire (i.e. Hell); they will dwell therein forever.
Allah says, the matter is not as you have wished and hoped it to be. Rather, whoever does an evil deed and abides purposefully in his error, coming on the Day of Resurrection with no good deeds, only evil deeds, then he will be among the people of the Fire.
(82) And those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they will dwell therein forever.
(And those who believe and do righteous good deeds) meaning, "They believe in Allah and His Messenger and perform the good deeds that conform with the Islamic Law. They shall be among the people of Paradise.''
There was little Hope that the Jews Who lived during the Time of the Prophet could have believed
Allah said,
(Do you covet) O believers,
(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 afterward. Allah said next,
(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,
(after they understood it). They understood well, yet they used to defy the truth,
(knowingly), being fully aware of their erroneous interpretations and corruption. This statement is similar to Allah's statement,
(So, because of the 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;
(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,
(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 a bribe, then they enjoin righteousness on him.
The Jews knew the Truth of the Prophet but disbelieved in Him
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn `Abbas commented,
(And when they (Jews) meet those who believe (Muslims), they say, "We believe'') "They believe that Muhammad 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,
(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 is the Prophet that we were waiting for and whose coming we find foretold of in our Book.
(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 about what Allah has foretold in your Book, so that the news (that Muhammad 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,
(Know they (Jews) not that Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal), "Meaning their secret denial and rejection of Muhammad, although they find his coming recorded in their Book.''
(That Allah knows what they conceal), "What they concealed refers to when they were alone with each other away from the Companions of Muhammad. Then they would forbid each other from conveying the news that Allah revealed to them in their Book to the Companions of Muhammad, fearing that the Companions would use this news (about the truth of Muhammad ) against them before their Lord.''
(And what they reveal) meaning, when they said to the Companions of Muhammad,
(We believe), as Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` and Qatadah stated.
The Meaning of `Ummi
Allah said,
(And there are among them Ummyyun people) meaning, among the People of the Book, as Mujahid stated. Ummyyun is plural for Ummi, that is, a person who does not write, as Abu Al-`Aliyah, Ar-Rabi`, Qatadah, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, and others said. This meaning is clarified by Allah's statement,
(Who know not the Book) meaning, are they not aware of what is in it.
Ummi was one of the descriptions of the Prophet because he was unlettered. For instance, Allah said,
(Neither did you (O Muhammad ) read any book before it (this Qur'an) nor did you write any book (whatsoever) with your right hand. In that case, indeed, the followers of falsehood might have doubted) (29:48).
Also, the Prophet said, (We are an Ummi nation, neither writing nor calculating. The (lunar) month is like this, this and this (i.e. thirty or twenty-nine days.)
This Hadith stated that Muslims do not need to rely on books, or calculations to decide the timings of their acts of worship.
| The Explanation of Amani |
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This is another category of people among the Jews who called to misguidance with falsehood and lies about Allah, thriving on unjustly amassing people's property. `Waylun (woe)' carries meanings of destruction and perishing, and it is a well-known word in the Arabic language.
(Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby) means, "Woe to them because of what they have written with their own hands, the lies, falsehood, and alterations. Woe to them because of the property that they unjustly acquired.''
Ad-Dahhak said that Ibn `Abbas commented,
(Woe to them), "Means the torment will be theirs because of the lies that they wrote with their own hands,
(And woe to them for that they earn thereby), which they unjustly acquired from people, be they commoners or otherwise.''
The Jews hope They will only remain in the Fire for a Few Days
Allah mentioned the claim of the Jews, that the Fire will only touch them for a few days, and then they will be saved from it.
Allah refuted this claim by saying,
(Say (O Muhammad to them): "Have you taken a covenant from Allah'). Hence, the Ayah proclaims, `if you had a promise from Allah for that, then Allah will never break His promise. However, such promise never existed. Rather, what you say, about Allah, you have no knowledge of and you thus utter a lie about Him.' Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said about the Ayah,
(And they (Jews) say, "The Fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days.''). "The Jews said, `The Fire will only touch us for forty days.''' Others added that this was the period during which the Jews worshipped the calf.
Allah says, the matter is not as you have wished and hoped it to be. Rather, whoever does an evil deed and abides purposefully in his error, coming on the Day of Resurrection with no good deeds, only evil deeds, then he will be among the people of the Fire.
Also, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Wa'il, `Ata', and Al-Hasan said that,
(And his sin has surrounded him) means, "His Shirk (polytheism) has surrounded him.'' Also, Al-A`mash reported from Abu Razin that Ar-Rabi` bin Khuthaym said,
(And his sin has surrounded him), "Whoever dies before repenting from his wrongs.''
As-Suddi and Abu Razin said similarly. Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said that,
(And his sin has surrounded him) refers to major sins.
All of these statements carry similar meanings, and Allah knows best.
(And those who believe and do righteous good deeds) meaning, "They believe in Allah and His Messenger and perform the good deeds that conform with the Islamic Law. They shall be among the people of Paradise.''
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn `Abbas said that,
(And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they will dwell therein forever) "Whoever believes in what you (Jews) did not believe in and implements what you refrained from implementing of Muhammad's religion, shall acquire Paradise for eternity. Allah stated that the recompense for good or evil works shall remain with its people for eternity. ''
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