Tafsir of Al-Ma'idah 5:43

This is an expression of astonishment at their seeking judgment from one they do not believe in, while the ruling is explicitly stated in their own Book, which they claim to believe in. It is also an alert that such a request for judgment was not for the sake of knowing the truth, but rather for seeking the lighter [verdict].

Even if that [ruling] is the judgment of Allah Almighty according to their own claim:

His saying, "And with them is the Torah," is a circumstantial clause (hal) describing the subject of "make you the judge."

His saying, "In it is the judgment of Allah," is a circumstantial clause describing the Torah, if it is considered to be in the nominative case due to the adverbial phrase (zaraf) preceding it. The claim that this is weak because the adverbial phrase is not "supported" is an oversight, for it is indeed supported—as Al-Samin said—by the noun to which the state (dhu al-hal) refers. However, he also said that making the Torah the subject of the adverbial phrase, when introduced by the connective waw, is open to scrutiny. Perhaps the reason is that it makes it an independent sentence that is not supported, or that it should not be paired with the waw. If it is considered an initial subject (mubtada'), then it is a circumstantial clause describing the hidden pronoun within its predicate, as it is not permissible—according to Sibawayh—for a circumstantial clause to describe an initial subject.

It is said: It is a new beginning (isti’naf) intended to clarify that they possess what renders them independent of seeking judgment [from the Prophet]. The Torah is treated as feminine, as it is treated after its Arabization like the Arabic nouns that parallel it, such as mumat and dudat.

"Then they turn away": This is a conjunction attached to "they make you the judge," falling under the purview of the astonishment. For although seeking judgment while possessing that which contains the truth—which renders judgment [by another] unnecessary—is a place for astonishment and incredulity, the turning away from that [truth] is even more astonishing. The "then" (thumma) here denotes a delay in rank. Al-Ajhuri allowed for the sentence to be a new beginning, not falling under the astonishment—meaning: "Then they turn away," implying that their habit, when the truth becomes clear to them, is to turn aside and retreat. The first [interpretation] is more appropriate.

His saying, "From after that," meaning after they have made you the judge, is an explicit statement of what was already understood, to emphasize the incredulity and astonishment.

"And those are not the believers": A concluding statement confirming the implication of what preceded it. The use of the demonstrative pronoun instead of their personal pronoun is intended to bring them to mind through the repulsive traits described, signaling the cause of the judgment while pointing out that they have distinguished themselves by this, most completely, to the point that they are arrayed among the observable things. That is: those described by what was mentioned are not believers in their own Book—due to their turning away from it, which signals a lack of heartfelt acceptance of it first, and [a lack of acceptance] of your judgment which conforms to it second—or they are not believers in it or in you.

It is said: This is an informing about those Jews that they do not believe in the Prophet (peace be upon him) or his judgment at all.

It is said: The meaning is that those are not believers in the complete sense, as a form of sarcasm towards them.