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Al-Baqarah - 2:86
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وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
أُولَـيِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُاْ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا بِالَاخِرَةِ
And Allah is not unaware of what you do.
Those are they who have bought the life of this world at the price of the Hereafter, meaning, they prefer this life to the Hereafter.
Therefore,
فَلَ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ
Their torment shall not be lightened, not even for an hour.
وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ
Nor shall they be helped. And they shall find no helper who will save them from the eternal torment they will suffer, nor shall they find any to grant them refuge from it.
Al-Baqarah - 2:87
The Arrogance of the Jews who denied and killed Their Prophets
Allah described the insolence of Children of Israel, their rebelliousness, defiance and arrogance towards the Prophets, following their lusts and desires.
Allah says;
وَلَقَدْ اتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَقَفَّيْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِ بِالرُّسُلِ
And indeed, We gave Musa the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers.
Allah mentioned that He gave Musa the Book, the Tawrah, and that the Jews changed, distorted, and defied its commands, as well as altered its meanings.
Allah sent Messengers and Prophets after Musa who followed his law, as Allah stated,
إِنَّأ أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ
الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُواْ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالاٌّحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُواْ مِن كِتَـبِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُواْ عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَاءَ
Verily, We did reveal the Tawrah (to Musa), therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah's will, judged for the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests (too judged for the Jews by the Tawrah after those Prophets), for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's Book, and they were witnesses thereto. (5:44)
This is why Allah said here,
وَقَفَّيْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِ بِالرُّسُلِ
(And Qaffayna him with Messengers).
As-Suddi said that Abu Malik said that; Qaffayna means, "Succeeded", while others said, "Followed".
Both meanings are plausible, since Allah said,
ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا تَتْرَى
Then We sent Our Messengers in succession.
(23:44)
وَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ
And We gave 'Isa, the son of Maryam, clear signs and supported him with Ruh-il-Qudus.
Thereafter, Allah sent the last Prophet among the Children of Israel, 'Isa the son of Mary, who was sent with some laws that differed with some in the Tawrah.
This is why Allah also sent miracles to support 'Isa. These included; bringing the dead back to life, forming the shape of birds from clay and blowing into them, after which they became living birds by Allah's leave, healing the sick and foretelling the Unseen, as Ibn Abbas stated.
Allah also aided him with Ruh Al-Qudus, and that refers to Jibril.
All of these signs testified to the truthfulness of 'Isa and what he was sent with. Yet, the Children of Israel became more defiant and envious of him and did not want to differ with even one part of the Tawrah, as Allah said about 'Isa,
وَلاٌّحِلَّ لَكُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَجِيْتُكُمْ بِأَيَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ
And to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord.
(3:50)
Hence, the Children of Israel treated the Prophets in the worst manner, rejecting some of them and killing some of them.
All of this occurred because the Prophets used to command the Jews with what differed from their desires and opinions. The Prophets also upheld the rulings of the Tawrah that the Jews had changed, and this is why it was difficult for them to believe in these Prophets. Therefore, they rejected the Prophets and killed some of them.
Allah said,
أَفَكُلَّمَا جَاءكُمْ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لا تَهْوَى أَنفُسُكُمُ اسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ
Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with what you yourselves desired not, you grew arrogant!
Jibril is Ruh Al-Qudus
The proof that Jibril is the Ruh Al-Qudus is the statement of Ibn Mas'ud in explanation of this Ayah.
This is also the view of Ibn Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka'b, Ismail bin Khalid, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi bin Anas, Atiyah Al-'Awfi and Qatadah.
Additionally, Allah said,
نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الاٌّمِينُ
عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ
Which the trustworthy Ruh (Jibril) has brought down.
Upon your heart (O Muhammad) that you may be (one) of the warners.
(26:193-194)
Al-Bukhari recorded Aishah saying that; the Messenger of Allah erected a Minbar in the Masjid on which Hassan bin Thabit (the renowned poet) used to defend the Messenger of Allah (with his poems).
The Messenger of Allah said,
اللَّهُمَّ أَيِّدْ حَسَّانَ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ كَمَا نَافَحَ عَنْ نَبِيِّك
O Allah! Aid Hassan with Ruh Al-Qudus, for he defended Your Prophet.
Abu Dawud recorded this Hadith in his Sunan as did At-Tirmidhi who graded it Hasan Sahih.
Further, Ibn Hibban recorded in his Sahih that Ibn Mas'ud said that the Prophet said,
إِنَّ رُوحَ الْقُدُسِ نَفَثَ فِي رُوعِي أَنَّهُ لَنْ تَمُوتَ نَفْسٌ حَتَّى تَسْتَكْمِلَ رِزْقَهَا وَأَجَلَهَا فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ وَأَجْمِلُوا فِي الطَّلَب
Ruh Al-Qudus informed me that no soul shall die until it finishes its set provisions and term limit. Therefore, have Taqwa of Allah and seek your sustenance in the most suitable way.
The Jews tried to kill the Prophet
Allah said,
فَفَرِيقاً كَذَّبْتُمْ وَفَرِيقاً تَقْتُلُونَ
Some you disbelieved and some you kill.
Az-Zamakhshari commented on Allah's statement, "Allah did not say 'killed' here, because the Jews would still try to kill the Prophet in the future, using poison and magic."
During the illness that preceded his death, the Prophet said,
مَا زَالَتْ أَكْلَةُ خَيْبَرَ تُعَاوِدُنِي فَهذَا أَوَانُ انْقِطَاعِ أَبْهَرِي
I kept feeling the effect of what I ate (from the poisoned sheep) during the day of Khyber, until now, when it is the time that the aorta will be cut off (meaning when death is near).
This Hadith was collected by Al-Bukhari and other.
Al-Baqarah - 2:88
Allah says;
وَقَالُواْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ
And they say, "Our hearts are Ghulf."
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn Abbas said that it, means, "Our hearts are screened."
Mujahid also said that it 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 اللَّه بِكُفْرِهِمْ
Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, meaning, "Allah expelled them and deprived them of every type of righteousness."
فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوْمِنُونَ
So little is that which they believe.
Qatadah said that the Ayah 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 اللَّه بِكُفْرِهِمْ
فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوْمِنُونَ
(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 Surah An-Nisa,
وَقَوْلِهِمْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ بَلْ طَبَعَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَ يُوْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً
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.
(4:155)
There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning of Allah's statement,
فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوْمِنُونَ
(So little is that which they believe.) and His statement,
فَلَ يُوْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً
(So they believe not except a few),
(4:155).
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,
فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوْمِنُونَ
(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.
Al-Baqarah - 2:89
The Jews were awaiting the Prophet's coming, but They disbelieved in Him when He was sent
Allah said,
وَلَمَّا جَاءهُمْ
And when there came to them, meaning, the Jews,
كِتَابٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللّهِ
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 جَاءهُمْ كِتَابٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللّهِ 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.
Hence, Allah said,
فَلَمَّا جَاءهُم مَّا عَرَفُواْ كَفَرُواْ بِهِ فَلَعْنَةُ اللَّه عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ
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.
Al-Baqarah - 2:90
Allah said,
بِيْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ أَن يَكْفُرُواْ بِمَا أنَزَلَ اللّهُ بَغْياً
How bad is that for which they have sold their own selves, that they should disbelieve in that which Allah has revealed (the Qur'an),
Mujahid said that the Ayah,
بِيْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ
(How bad is that for which they have sold their own selves), means "The Jews sold the truth for falsehood and hid the truth about Muhammad."
As-Suddi said that the Ayah,
بِيْسَمَا 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 اللّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ عَلَى مَن يَشَاء 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,
فَبَأوُواْ 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,
بَأوُواْ
(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,
وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ 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 الاَْنْيَارِ 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.
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