Tafseer Verse 53-55
The Envy and Miserly Conduct of the Jews
Allah asked the Jews if they have a share in the dominion. That is merely a statement of rebuke, since they do not have any share in the dominion. Allah then described them as misers,
فَإِذاً لاَّ يُؤْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيراً
(Then in that case they would not give mankind even a Naqir.) Meaning, if they had a share in the sovereignty and dominion, they would not give anyone anything, especially Muhammad , even if it was the speck on the back of a date-stone, which is the meaning of Naqir according to Ibn `Abbas and the majority of the scholars. This Ayah is similar to another of Allah’s statements,
قُل لَّوْ أَنتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَآئِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّى إِذًا لأمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ الإِنفَاقِ
(Say: “If you possessed the treasure of the mercy of my Lord, then you would surely withold it out of fear of spending it.) meaning, for fear that what you have might end, although there is no such possibility here. This only demonstrates their greedy and stingy nature. This is why Allah said,
وَكَانَ الإنْسَـنُ قَتُورًا
(And man is ever Qatur) meaning Bakhil (stingy). Allah then said,
أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَآ ءَاتَـهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ
(Or do they envy men for what Allah has given them of His Bounty) referring to their envy of the Prophet for the great prophethood that Allah entrusted him with. Their envy made them reject him, because he was an Arab and not from the Children of Israel. At-Tabarani recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that,
أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ
(Or do they envy men) means, “We are the worthy people, rather than the rest of the people.” Allah said,
فَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ ءَالَ إِبْرَهِيمَ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَءَاتَيْنَـهُمْ مُّلْكاً عَظِيماً
(Then, We have already given the family of Ibrahim the Book and Al-Hikmah, and conferred upon them a great kingdom.) meaning, We gave the prophethood to the tribes of the Children of Israel, who are among the offspring of Ibrahim and sent down the Books to them. These Prophets ruled the Jews with the prophetic tradition, and We made kings among them. Yet,
فَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ ءَامَنَ بِهِ
(Of them were (some) who believed in it;) referring to Allah’s favor and bounty (Prophets, Books, kingship),
وَمِنْهُمْ مَّن صَدَّ عَنْهُ
(and of them were (some) who rejected it) by disbelieving in it, ignoring it, and hindering the people from its path, although this bounty was from and for them, the Children of Israel. They disputed with their own Prophets; so what about you, O Muhammad , especially since you are not from the Children of Israel Mujahid said,
فَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ ءَامَنَ بِهِ
(Of them were (some) who believed in him,) “Muhammad ,
وَمِنْهُمْ مَّن صَدَّ عَنْهُ
(and of them were (some) who rejected him.)” Therefore, O Muhammad, the rejection of you because of their disbelief is even more severe and they are even further from the truth that you brought them. This is why Allah threatened them,
وَكَفَى بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيراً
(and enough is Hell for burning (them).), meaning, the Fire is a just punishment for them because of their disbelief, rebellion and defiance of Allah’s Books and Messengers.
Tafseer Verse 56-57
The Punishment of Those Who Disbelieve in Allah’s Books and Messengers
Allah describes the torment in the Fire of Jahannam for those who disbelieve in His Ayat and hinder from the path of His Messengers. Allah said,
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَايَـتِنَا
(Surely, those who disbelieved in Our Ayat ,) meaning, We will place them in the Fire which will encompass every part of their bodies. Allah then states that their punishment and torment are everlasting,
كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُمْ بَدَّلْنَـهُمْ جُلُوداً غَيْرَهَا لِيَذُوقُواْ الْعَذَابَ
(We shall burn them in Fire. As often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them for other skins that they may taste the punishment). Al-A`mash said that Ibn `Umar said, “When their skin are burned, they will be given another skin in replacement, and this skin will be as white as paper.” This was collected by Ibn Abi Hatim, who also recorded that Al-Hasan said,
كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُمْ
(As often as their skins are roasted through,) “Their skin will be roasted through, seventy thousand times every day.” Husayn said; Fudayl added that Hisham said that Al-Hasan also said that,
كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُمْ
(As often as their skins are roasted through, ) means, “Whenever the Fire has roasted them through and consumed their flesh, they will be told, `Go back as you were before,’ and they will.”
The Wealth of the Righteous; Paradise and its Joy
Allah said,
وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَداً
(But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, We shall admit them to Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), abiding therein forever.) describing the destination of the happy ones in the gardens of Eden, beneath which rivers flow in all of its areas, spaces and corners, wherever they desire and wish. They will reside in it for eternity, and they will not be transferred or removed from it, nor would they want to move from it. Allah said,
لَّهُمْ فِيهَآ أَزْوَجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ
(Therein they shall have Azwajun Mutahharatun (purified mates),) free of menstruation, postnatal bleeding, filth, bad manners and shortcomings. Ibn `Abbas said that the Ayah means, “They are purified of filth and foul things.” Similar was said by `Ata’, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, An-Nakha`i, Abu Salih, `Atiyah, and As-Suddi. Mujahid said that they are, free of urine, menstruation, spit, mucous and pregnancies.” Allah’s statement,
وَنُدْخِلُهُمْ ظِـلاًّ ظَلِيلاً
(And We shall admit them to shades, wide and ever deepening (Paradise).) means, wide, extensive, pure and elegant shade. Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said,
«إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَشَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِائَةَ عَامٍ لَا يَقْطَعُهَا: شَجَرَةَ الْخُلْد»
(There is a tree in Paradise, that if a rider travels under its shade for a hundred years, he will not cross it. It is the Tree of Everlasting Life.)