Al-Ma'idah: (57) "O you who have believed..."

(O you who have believed, do not take those who have taken your religion in ridicule and amusement...)

Ibn Ishaq and a group [of scholars] narrated from Ibn Abbas—may Allah be pleased with them both—that he said: Rifa'ah ibn Zayd ibn at-Tabut and Suwayd ibn al-Harith had manifested Islam while being hypocrites, and there were men among the Muslims who felt affection for them. Then, Allah the Exalted revealed this verse. He, the Glorified, structured the prohibition upon a description that encompasses them and others, as a generalization of the ruling, an indication of the cause, and a warning that whoever is of this state is worthy of enmity, so how then [could one consider] alliance?

Al-Haz'u (ridicule), as stated in the Sahih lexicons, is mockery. You say: "I mocked him" (hazi'tu minhu) and "I mocked at him" (hazi'tu bihi), according to al-Akhfash; also istahza'tu bihi, tahazza'tu, and haza'tu bihi—using the forms huz'an and mahza'atan, according to Abu Zayd. A man is called a huz'ah (with the za sukun) if he is mocked, and a huz'ah (with the za fatha) if he mocks people.

Al-Zajjaj mentioned that four forms are permissible for the word huzwan:

1. Huz'an: with a damma on the za followed by a hamza—this is the original and the best form.
2. Huzwan: with a damma on the za and the hamza replaced by a waw due to the damma preceding it.
3. Haz'an: with a sukun on the za followed by a hamza.
4. Huzan: like hudan. It is permissible to read with any of these except the last.

Al-La'ib (amusement) is written with a fatha on the first letter and a kasra on the second, like al-la'ib and al-li'b (with a fatha or kasra on the lam and a sukun on the ayn). Al-tal'ab is an infinitive derived from la'iba (as in sami'a). It is the opposite of seriousness, as stated in al-Qamus. In Majma' al-Bayan, it is described as engaging in something not in the way of seriousness, and likewise is al-'abath (play). Its root comes from the saliva of a child; it is said: "He played" (la'iba—as in sami'a and mana'a) when his saliva flowed and he deviated from the intended direction. These two infinitives are either used to mean the passive participle, or the speech implies a deleted noun, or they are used for intensification.

His saying, the Exalted, (from those who were given the Scripture before you) is in the position of a state (hal) for the "those" preceding it, or it is the agent of "took." Addressing the title of being "given the Scripture" is to clarify the magnitude of their atrocity and the depth of their misguidance, for being given the Scripture should have been a deterrent for them against taking the religion of the believers—who believed in their Scripture—in ridicule and amusement.

(And the disbelievers)—that is, the polytheists. This meaning has appeared in places throughout the Quran. They are specifically mentioned because of their multiplied disbelief. This is a conjunction to the first relative noun; according to this [interpretation], there is no explicit mention of their mocking here, even if it is proven for them in the verse, "Indeed, We are sufficient for you against the mockers," for the ones intended there are the Arab polytheists. The prohibition, in this case, is not reasoned by their mockery but is rather a prohibition against befriending them initially.

Al-Kisa'i and the people of Basra read wa al-kuffari with a jar (genitive case) as a conjunction to the last relative noun. This is supported by the reading of Ubayy: "and from the disbelievers," and the reading of Abdullah: "and from those who associated." Thus, they are also explicitly among the mockers.

His saying, the Exalted, (as allies) is the second object of "do not take." The intention is: avoid them entirely.

(And fear Allah) in that matter by abandoning their alliance, or by abandoning all prohibitions in general; thus, abandoning their alliance enters into this by way of priority.

(If you are believers) in truth, for the essence of faith necessitates fearing [Allah] inevitably.