Tafsir of Ghafir 40:56

"There is naught in their breasts save pride." Inna serves as a particle of emphasis for the nominal sentence, and the in is negative. By "breasts" is meant the hearts; they are referred to by this term due to their proximity and association. Kibr (pride) signifies arrogance and haughtiness. In other words, there is nothing in their hearts except arrogance toward the truth and haughtiness that prevents them from reflection and learning. Alternatively, it is a metaphor for the desire for leadership and absolute advancement, or the desire that prophethood be granted to them. That is to say: there is nothing in their hearts but a craving for leadership, or that prophethood might be theirs rather than yours, born of envy and transgression, as they said: "Why was this Quran not sent down to a great man from the two towns?" and "If it were good, they would not have preceded us to it."

Because of this, they argue against the signs of Allah—not that there is any basis for argumentation within those signs, nor that they possess anything that could be considered a valid premise for their disputation.

His saying, "They will not attain it," is an attribute of the pride. That is, they will not attain that which their pride necessitates and requires—namely, that which they seek to achieve by repelling the signs, or by attaining leadership or prophethood. Al-Zajjaj said: The meaning is, "Nothing compels them to deny you except the pride they harbor against you in their hearts, and they will never attain the requirements of that pride because Allah has humiliated them."

It has been said that the sentence is a new beginning (musta'nafah), and the pronoun in balighihi (attain it) refers to the repelling of the signs, which is understood from the context of the disputation. The previous interpretation is more apparent.

Muqatil stated: The disputers regarding whom the verse was revealed were the Jews, who exalted the affair of the Dajjal, and so it was revealed. Abu al-'Aliyah held this view as well. 'Abd ibn Humayd and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded with a sahih chain of narration from him that he said: The Jews came to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and said: "The Dajjal will come from among us at the end of time, and such-and-such will occur through him." They exalted his affair, saying he would do this and that. Thereupon, Allah the Almighty revealed, "Indeed, those who dispute..." until the end of the verse. This is akin to explicit text that the affair of the Jews was the cause of its revelation; thus, the verse would be Medinan. The discussion regarding this has already passed, so remember it.

In another narration, the Jews used to say: "Our master, the Messiah son of David, will emerge"—meaning the Dajjal—"his authority will reach the land and the sea, rivers will flow with him, and he will be a sign among the signs of Allah, and sovereignty will return to us." Al-Kashshaf recounted this and then said: Allah the Almighty termed their wishing for that as "pride," and He, Glorified be He, denied that they would ever attain what they hoped for.

It occurs to me regarding this view that the Jews intended, by exalting the affair of the Dajjal, nothing more than to deny that our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is the Prophet sent at the end of time whom their prophets foretold, claiming instead that the one promised is that accursed one. In some narrations, they said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "You are not our master," meaning the Prophet foretold by their scriptures. The attribution is based on the closest association. Rather, they claimed it was the Messiah son of David, whose authority would reach land and sea, and with whom rivers would flow. In this, according to their claim, they sought to repel the signs indicating the prophethood of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and the motive for this was pride, envy, and the desire that prophethood not depart from the Children of Israel. Thus, the meaning of the verse according to this view is similar to its meaning according to the view that the disputers were the polytheists of Mecca.

Furthermore, the Jews—may they be cursed—lied first by saying to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): "You are not our master," and second by saying: "Rather, he is the Messiah son of David," meaning the Dajjal. As for the first lie, it is obvious. As for the second, it is because no prophet was ever sent without warning his nation of the Dajjal and cautioning them against him, as the reports have clearly stated. Yet they said: "He is our master," referring to the one whose mission at the end of time was promised. All of this is part of the disputation against the signs of Allah without any authority.

"So seek refuge in Allah"—that is, take refuge in Him, the Almighty, from the deception of those who envy you and act insolently toward you. Therein is an allusion that this is among the promptings of the devils. Abu al-'Aliyah said: This is a command for the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to seek refuge in Allah the Almighty from the tribulation of the Dajjal.

"Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing"—that is, of your words and your deeds. This sentence provides the rationale for the command preceding it.