Tafsir of Al Imran 3:73

(And believe not) except in one who follows your religion. (Say: Verily, the guidance is the guidance of Allah, that anyone should be given the like of what you have been given, or that they should argue with you before your Lord.)

Regarding the structure and meaning of this verse, there are several views summarized by Al-Shihab from the words of some investigators.

The first view: The implied meaning is: "And do not believe in [the fact] that anyone should be given the like of what you have been given"—meaning the Muslims, who were given a celestial book like the Torah and a sent prophet like Moses—"and [do not believe] that they will argue with you and overcome you with proof on the Day of Resurrection, except for your followers." The essence of this is that they forbade them from manifesting these two matters to the Muslims, lest they become more steadfast, and to the Arab polytheists, lest it move them toward Islam. The use of "or" (aw) is in the vein of [the verse]: "And do not obey among them a sinner or a disbeliever," which is more eloquent. Carrying it over the meaning of "until" (hatta) is correct but weaker.

The statement, "Say: Verily, the guidance is the guidance of Allah," is an interjection between the verb and its object. The benefit of this interjection is to indicate that their plot is not harmful to one whom Allah has favored by entering into Islam or by increasing in steadfastness within it. It also conveys that guidance is His, and He is the One who oversees its manifestation: "They wish to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light." Thus, "believing" (al-iman) means manifesting it, as Al-Zamakhshari mentioned, or verbal acknowledgment, as Al-Wahidi mentioned. The intended "followers" are those who are steadfast among them, for otherwise, what they fled from would occur.

The second view: The meaning of "And believe not" is this outward faith that you manifested at the start of the day, except for those who were followers of your religion first—meaning those among them who converted to Islam. This is because their returning [to Judaism] was more important, more significant, and more desired and coveted by them. At this point, the sentence concludes. Then it is said: "Verily, the guidance is the guidance of Allah," meaning: whoever Allah guides, there is none to lead him astray. In this interpretation, His saying, "that anyone should be given," etc., acts as a causal justification for something omitted; that is: "It is because anyone should be given the like of what you have been given, and because of what is attached to it—the victory by argument on the Day of Resurrection—that you have plotted what you plotted."

The essence is that their call for you to join them is nothing but envy, and the use of "or" is a warning of the independence of each of these two matters in provoking their rage and driving them toward envy, leading them to plot what they plotted. If "and" (waw) had been used, it would not have occupied this position, because the second is necessarily implied by the first; for if what they were given was the truth, their opponents would inevitably be overcome on the Day of Resurrection, rendering [the addition] void of extra benefit. As for "or," it senses that each is an independent factor in the jealousy and the mobilization of their planning. While interpreting it as "until" is an apparent perspective, it lacks a striking impact on the listener. This view is supported by Ibn Kathir’s reading: A'an yu'ta (adding the interrogative hamza) to indicate its detachment from the verb and its independence in denial. It includes restricting the "believing" to that which was issued at the beginning of the day, by the context of the speech, and specifying the "followers" as their Muslims, by the context of the past; for others are currently followers of their religion as well.

Al-Zamakhshari stated that "that anyone should be given..." is part of what is to be spoken, as if it were said: "Say to them these two statements." Its meaning is: Emphasize to them that the guidance is the act of Allah in giving the Book to others, and rebuke them for being distressed that anyone should be given the like of it. It is as if it were said: "Say: Verily, the guidance is the guidance of Allah, and say: Because anyone should be given the like of what you have been given, you said what you said and plotted what you plotted."

The third view: "And believe not" is affirmed as it was in the second view, and "that anyone should be given" is made the predicate of inna, while "the guidance of Allah" is an appositive to its subject. "Or" here means "until," in the sense of a causal limit (ghayah sababiyyah). In this case, "before your Lord" should not be restricted to the Day of Resurrection, but rather to the true argumentation, as hinted at in [Surah] Al-Baqarah. If it were taken as a conjunction, the speech would not cohere.

The fourth view: "And believe not except to one who..." remains in its absolute sense, meaning: "Persist in the Judaism you were upon, and do not acknowledge anyone except for those who are on your religion." This is part of the speech of that group. "Say: Verily, the guidance is the guidance of Allah" is a command for the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to say that in response to them, meaning: "Say: Verily, the guidance is the guidance of Allah, so do not deny that anyone should be given [the Book], until you are argued against." The evidence for this omission is that "And believe not" is an affirmation of Judaism and that no other religion equals it. Thus, when the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was commanded to answer them, it became known that what they denied was not actually deniable, but rather something that would occur. Interpreting "or" in its original sense is also sound here, as it is a confirmation of the giving and a subtle hint that those who were given what they were given are the victors.

"Say: Verily, the bounty is in the hand of Allah" is a refutation and invalidation of what they claimed with the clearest proof. The "bounty" refers to Islam, as Ibn Jurayj said. Others said: Prophethood. It is also said: The arguments given to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and the believers. And it is said: The blessings of the religion and the worldly life; and what suits the context enters into this primarily. "He gives it to whom He wills" of His servants. "And Allah is All-Encompassing" in mercy. It is also said: All-Encompassing in power, doing what He wills, "All-Knowing" of the interests of the servants. It is also said: He knows where He places His message.