Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:104

Ra’y (to shepherd/heed) is the guarding of another for their benefit, regardless of whether that other is sentient or not. The reason for the revelation of this verse—as recorded by Abu Nu‘aym in al-Dala’il on the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)—is that the Jews used to say this phrase secretly to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and it is an ugly insult in their language. When they heard the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) saying it, they began to say it openly and would laugh amongst themselves. Thus, Allah the Exalted revealed this verse.

It is reported that Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) heard them say it and remarked: "O enemies of Allah, the curse of Allah be upon you! By Him in whose hand is my soul, if I hear a man among you saying this to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), I will strike off his neck." They replied: "Do you not say it yourselves?" Consequently, the verse was revealed, and the believers were forbidden from using it to close the door [to mischief], cut off the tongues [of the malicious], and distance themselves from any resemblance [to the disbelievers].

‘Ubayd, Ibn Jarir, and al-Nahhas report from ‘Ata’ that he said: “Ra’ina” was a dialect used by the Ansar during the Pre-Islamic period (Jahiliyyah), so Allah the Exalted forbade them from it in Islam. Perhaps the intended meaning is that they used it frequently in their speech, and the Jews utilized it as an insult, so they were forbidden from it. As for the claim that it was a language exclusive to them [the Ansar], it is not evident, for it has been preserved in the language of all Arabs since their inception.

It is said: "Ra’ina" in the language of the Jews (may Allah curse them) means "Listen, may you not hear." Others say: They intended to attribute to him—and far be it from him—ra‘an, deriving it from ra‘unah (idiocy and foolishness). Whenever they wanted to call a person foolish, they would say: "Ra‘ina," meaning "O fool!" The alif in this case is for prolonging the sound, and the vocative particle is omitted. Al-Farra’ has mentioned that the origin of Ya Zayd is Ya Zayda with an alif, so that the one being called falls between two sounds; then they sufficed with Ya while intending the alif. It is also possible that they intended the infinitive, meaning "You have become ra‘in (foolish) with ra‘unah," or that they meant "You have become ra‘ina," dropping the tanwin in consideration of a pause.

Al-Hasan, Ibn Abi Layla, Abu Haywah, and Ibn Muhaysin recited it with tanwin. Many have interpreted this as an adjective for an omitted noun, meaning "a saying: Ra’ina." The fa‘il form here denotes attribution—like laban (milk) or tamir (date seller)—and describing the speech with it serves as an intensifier, just as one says "a foolish word" (kalimah hamqa’).

‘Abdullah and Ubayy recited it as “Ra‘una” (Listen to us), attributing the verb to the plural pronoun for reverence, as al-Farsi established. It is mentioned that in the codex of ‘Abdullah, it is written as “Ar‘una.” Some scholars held that the reason for the prohibition is that the mufa‘ala form generally necessitates mutuality; thus, the meaning would be "Heed us so that there may be heed from you to us, and from us to you," which is detrimental to his reverence (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). It is not hidden how far removed this explanation is from the reason for the revelation.

“And say ‘Unzurna’” (Look at us/Wait for us), meaning: "Wait for us and be patient with us," or "Look toward us," so that it may be more effective in understanding and defining. The original structure of the verb should have been transitive via the particle ila (to), but it was extended to be directly transitive, similar to the saying: "The gazelles look at the Arak trees." It is also said that it refers to the vision of insight (basirah), with the intent being contemplation and reflection upon what improves the state of the one being looked at. The meaning is: "Reflect upon our affair." The best of matters, in my view, are the middle ones. However, one should qualify the "look of the eye" with that which is accompanied by the managing of one’s state, so that this word may replace the former, free from deception.

He began with the prohibition because it belongs to the category of "abandonments," which is easier; then he followed it with the command, which is more difficult, having established familiarity through the preceding prohibition. Ubayy and al-A‘mash recited “Anzirna” with a qat‘ hamza and a kasra under the za’, from the verb inzhar (to grant respite), meaning: "Grant us respite until we learn from you and preserve what we hear from you." This recitation confirms the first meaning regarding the recitation of the masses, though even in its irregularity, it does not reject what we have chosen.

“And listen,” meaning: what I have commanded you and forbidden you from, with seriousness, so that you do not return to what I have forbidden you, nor abandon what I have commanded you. Or, it is a command for "good listening," such that it is done with an attentive heart, emptied of distractions, so that there is no need to ask for explicit consideration (mu‘arat). Thus, it contains a warning regarding negligence in listening, which led them to commit what caused the forbidden state. The intended meaning is the listening of acceptance and obedience; thus, it is an allusion to the Jews who said: "We hear and we disobey." If the intended meaning is listening to this command and prohibition, it serves as a confirmation of what preceded it.

“And for the disbelievers is a painful punishment.” The definite article (the 'al' in al-kafirin) is for reference (‘ahd); thus, the "disbelievers" refers to the Jews who said what they said, disparaging the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), which is known from what preceded based on the context. The usage of the explicit noun instead of the pronoun is to signal that disparaging the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is disbelief that necessitates a painful punishment. It carries within it an emphasis on the prohibition that is evident. Treating it as a generic term—thereby including the Jews, as Abu Hayyan chose—is not apparent, as it has been said: because the speech is directed at the believers, it is not suitable for this to be a concluding tail-piece.