Tafseer Verse number 88
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn `Abbas said that,
وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ
(And they say, “Our hearts are Ghulf.”), means, “Our hearts are screened.” Mujahid also said that,
وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ
(And they say, “Our hearts are Ghulf.”), means, “They are covered.”`Ikrimah said, “There is a stamp on them.” Abu Al-`Aliyah said, “They do not comprehend.” Mujahid and Qatadah said that Ibn `Abbas read the Ayah in a way that means, “Our hearts contain every type of knowledge and do not need the knowledge that you (O Muhammad) have.” This is the opinion of `Ata’ and Ibn `Abbas.
بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ
(Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief) meaning, “Allah expelled them and deprived them of every type of righteousness.” Qatadah said that the Ayah,
فَقَلِيلاً مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ
(So little is that which they believe.) means, “Only a few of them believe.” Allah’s statement,
وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ
(And they say, “Our hearts are Ghulf.”) is similar to His statement,
وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا فِى أَكِنَّةٍ مِمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ
(And they say: “Our hearts are under coverings (screened) from that to which you invite us) (41:5).
This is why Allah said here,
بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلِيلاً مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ
(Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is that which they believe.) meaning, “It is not as they claim. Rather, their hearts are cursed and stamped,” just as Allah said in Surat An-Nisa’ (4:155),
وَقَوْلِهِمْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ بَلْ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
(And of their saying: “Our hearts are wrapped (with coverings, i.e. we do not understand what the Messengers say) ـ nay, Allah has set a seal upon their hearts because of their disbelief, so they believe not but a little.)
There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning of Allah’s statement,
فَقَلِيلاً مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ
(So little is that which they believe.) and His statement,
فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
(So they believe not except a few). Some scholars said that the Ayat indicate that a few of them would believe, or that their faith is minute, because they believe in Resurrection and in Allah’s reward and punishment that Musa foretold. Yet, this faith will not benefit them since it is overshadowed by their disbelief in what Muhammad brought them. Some scholars said that the Jews did not actually believe in anything and that Allah said,
فَقَلِيلاً مَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ
(So little is that which they believe), meaning, they do not believe. This meaning is similar to the Arabic expression, “Hardly have I seen anything like this,” meaning, “I have never seen anything like this.”
Tafseer Verse number 89
The Jews were awaiting the Prophet’s coming, but They disbelieved in Him when He was sent
Allah said,
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمُ
(And when there came to them) meaning, the Jews,
كِتَـبٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ
(a Book from Allah) meaning, the Qur’an that Allah sent down to Muhammad,
مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ
(confirming what is with them) meaning, the Tawrah. Further, Allah said,
وَكَانُواْ مِن قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ
(although aforetime they had invoked Allah (for coming of Muhammad ) in order to gain victory over those who disbelieved) meaning, before this Messenger came to them, they used to ask Allah to aid them by his arrival, against their polytheistic enemies in war. They used to say to the polytheists, “A Prophet shall be sent just before the end of this world and we, along with him, shall exterminate you, just as the nations of `Ad and Iram were exterminated.” Also, Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, “The Jews used to invoke Allah (for the coming of Muhammad ) in order to gain victory over the Aws and Khazraj, before the Prophet was sent. When Allah sent him to the Arabs, they rejected him and denied what they used to say about him. Hence, Mu`adh bin Jabal and Bishr bin Al-Bara’ bin Ma`rur, from Bani Salamah, said to them, `O Jews! Fear Allah and embrace Islam. You used to invoke Allah for the coming of Muhammad when we were still disbelievers and you used to tell us that he would come and describe him to us,’ Salam bin Mushkim from Bani An-Nadir replied, `He did not bring anything that we recognize. He is not the Prophet we told you about.’ Allah then revealed this Ayah about their statement,
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ كِتَـبٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ
(And when there came to them (the Jews), a Book (this Qur’an) from Allah confirming what is with them (the Tawrah) and the Injil (Gospel)).”‘
Abu Al-`Aliyah said, “The Jews used to ask Allah to send Muhammad so that they would gain victory over the Arab disbelievers. They used to say, `O Allah! Send the Prophet that we read about – in the Tawrah – so that we can torment and kill the disbelievers alongside him.’ When Allah sent Muhammad and they saw that he was not one of them, they rejected him and envied the Arabs, even though they knew that he was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Hence, Allah said,
فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُواْ كَفَرُواْ بِهِ فَلَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَـفِرِينَ
(Then when there came to them that which they had recognized, they disbelieved in it. So let the curse of Allah be on the disbelievers). “
Tafseer Verse number 90
Mujahid said,
بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ
(How bad is that for which they have sold their own selves), “The Jews sold the truth for falsehood and hid the truth about Muhammad .” As-Suddi said that the Ayah,
بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ
(How bad is that for which they have sold their own selves) means, “The Jews sold themselves.” meaning, what is worse is what they chose for themselves by disbelieving in what Allah revealed to Muhammad instead of believing, aiding and supporting him. This behavior of theirs is the result of their injustice, envy and hatred,
أَن يُنَزِّلُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ
(grudging that Allah should reveal of His grace unto whom He wills of His servants). ” There is no envy worse than this. Therefore,
فَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ عَلَى غَضَبٍ
(So they have drawn on themselves wrath upon wrath). Ibn `Abbas commented on this Ayah, “Allah became angry with them because they ignored some of the Tawrah and disbelieved in the Prophet that He sent to them.” I (Ibn Kathir) say that the meaning of,
بَاءُوا
(And they drew on themselves) is that they deserved and acquired multiplied anger. Also, Abu Al-`Aliyah said, “Allah became angry with them, because of their disbelief in the Injil and `Isa and He became angry with them again, because they disbelieved in Muhammad and the Qur’an.” Similar was said by `Ikrimah and Qatadah. Allah said,
وَلِلْكَـفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
(And for the disbelievers, there is disgracing torment). Since their disbelief was a result of their transgression and envy, which was caused by arrogance, they were punished with disgrace and humiliation in this world and the Hereafter. Similarly, Allah said,
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَخِرِينَ
(Verily, those who scorn My worship (i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness) they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!”) (40:60) meaning, “Disgraced, degraded and humiliated.” Imam Ahmad narrated that `Amr bin Shu`ayb said that his father said that his grandfather said that the Prophet said,
«يُحْشَرُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَمْثَالَ الذَّرِّ فِي صُوَرِ النَّاسِ، يَعْلُوهُمْ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ مِنَ الصِّغَارِ حَتَّى يَدْخُلُوا سِجْنًا فِي جَهَنَّمَ يُقَالُ لَهُ. بَوْلَسُ تَعْلُوهُمْ نَارُ الْأَنْيَارِ يُسْقَونَ مِنْ طِينَةِ الْخَبَالِ عُصَارَةِ أَهْلِ النَّار»
(The arrogant people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection in the size of ants, but in the shape of men. Everything shall be above them, because of the humiliation placed on them, until they enter a prison in Jahannam called `Bawlas’ where the fire will surround them from above. They shall drink from the puss of the people of the Fire.)