5. Al-Maaida

(When they) i.e. the lowly among the Jews; and it is also said this means the hypocrites (come unto you (Muslims), they say: We believe) in your traits and description which we find in our Scripture; (but they came in disbelief) they secretly disbelieve (and they went out in the same) disbelieving inwardly; (and Allah knoweth best what they were hiding) of disbelief.

(And thou seest) O Muhammad (many of them) i.e. the Jews (vying one with another in sin) competing with one another in committing contraventions and indulging in idolatry (and transgression) wrong-doing and violation against other people (and their devouring of illicit gain) bribery and that which is unlawful in return for changing legal rulings. (Verily evil is what they do) of contraventions and violations against others.

(Why do not the rabbis) the recluse in their cloisters (and the priests) the men of knowledge (forbid their evil speaking) their idolatry (and their devouring of illicit gain) bribery and that which unlawful? (Verily evil is their handiwork) their abstention from forbidding them to do so.

(The Jews) Finhas Ibn 'Azura', the Jew (say: Allah's hand is fettered) and cannot give. (Their hands are fettered) they neither do good nor spend in good causes (and they are accursed) they are punished by the imposition of the capitation tax on them (for saying so. Nay, but both His hands are spread out wide in bounty) His hands are wide open for both the righteous and the sinner. (He bestoweth as He will) if He wishes, He gives, and if He wishes, He withholds. (That which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord) i.e. the Qur'an, by Allah it (is certain to increase the contumacy) constancy upon disbelief (and disbelief) firmness in disbelief (of many of them) of the disbelievers, (and We have cast among them) the Jews and Christians (enmity) manifested in killing and destruction (and hatred) in their hearts (till the Day of Resurrection. As often as they light a fire for war) whenever they unite to kill Muhammad out of disobedience, (Allah extinguisheth it) Allah makes them disunite and oppose each other. (Their effort is for corruption in the land) they cause corruption in the land through preventing people from Muhammad and by inviting to other than Allah, (and Allah loveth not corrupters) the Jews and their religion.

(If only the People of the Scripture) the Jews and Christians (would believe) in Muhammad and the Qur'an (and ward off (evil)) repent of Judaism and Christianity, (surely We should remit their sins from them) those which they committed when they were Jews or Christians (and surely We should bring them into Gardens of Delight) in the Hereafter.

(If they had observed the Torah and the Gospel) if they had accepted what is in the Torah and the Gospel and demonstrated the traits and description of Muhammad contained therein (and that which was revealed unto them from their Lord) and had they elucidated that which their Lord had explained to them in the Torah and the Gospel; it is also said that this means: if they had believed that all the scriptures and messengers are from their Lord, (they would surely have been nourished from above them) through rain (and from beneath their feet) through vegetation and fruit. (Among them) among the people of the Book (there are people who are moderate) a group of just and upright people, i.e. 'Abdullah Ibn Salam and his followers, the monk Bahirah, the Negus and his followers, and Salman al-Farisi and his fellows, (but many of them are of evil conduct) evil is what they do in terms of concealing the traits and description of Muhammad. Among such people are Ka'b Ibn al-Ashraf, Ka'b Ibn Asad, Malik Ibn al-Sayf, Sa'id Ibn 'Amr, Abu Yasir, and Judayy Ibn Akhtab.

(Say) O Muhammad: (O People of the Scripture!) i.e. the Jews and Christians. (You have naught) of the religion of Allah (till ye observe the Torah and the Gospel) until you truly believe in what is in the Torah and the Gospel (and that which was revealed unto thee (Muhammad) from your Lord) in all Scriptures given to all messengers. (That which is revealed unto you (Muhammad) from your Lord) the Qur'an (is certain to increase the contumacy) constancy in disbelief (and disbelief) and firmness in disbelief (of many of them) of their disbelievers. (But grieve not for the disbelieving folk) do not be saddened for their destruction in their state of disbelief, if they do not believe.

(Lo! those who believe) in Moses as well as in all the prophets and Scriptures and die in this state, no fear shall come to them nor will they grieve, (and those who are Jews, and Sabaeans) a Christian sect, who are milder than the other Christians, (and Christians) of Najran as well as other Christians (whosoever) of the Jews, Sabaeans or Christians (believeth in Allah and the Last Day) in resurrection after death, and if the Jews repent of Judaism, the Sabaeans of their religion and the Christians of Christianity (and doeth right) sincerely between him and his Lord (there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve) about that which they have left behind; it is also said that this means: they shall not fear when others so fear nor shall they grieve when others do; it is also said that this means: they shall not fear when death is slain nor grieve when the Fire is closed.

(We made a covenant of old with the Children of Israel) in the Torah regarding Muhammad (pbuh) that they shall not associate any partners with Allah (and We sent unto them messengers. As often as a messenger came unto them with that which their souls desired not) that which did not agree with their hearts or their religion: Judaism ((they became rebellious). Some (of them) they denied) they denied Jesus and Muhammad, Allah bless both of them (and some they slew) like Zachariah and John.