Tafsir of Al-An'am 6:20

(Those to whom We have given the Scripture) This is a response to what preceded in the first narration regarding their saying: "We asked the Jews and the Christians," etc. It is a postponement of designating the witness, hastening instead to answer their arbitrariness in saying: "Show us someone who will testify for you."

The intent behind the relative pronoun [in "those"] is that which encompasses both categories: the Jews and the Christians. "The Scripture" refers to its genus, which truthfully applies to both the Torah and the Gospel. Bringing them forth under the title of "having been given the Scripture" is to signal the basis for what is attributed to them in His, the Exalted’s, saying: (They recognize him)—meaning, they recognize the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) by his features and descriptions mentioned therein. In this, there is a shift in address (iltifat). It is said that the pronoun refers to "the Scripture," a view favored by Abu al-Baqa’, but the first is what the narrations support, as you shall soon know.

(As they recognize their own sons) by their features, having no doubt whatsoever in that regard. Abu Hamzah and others narrated that when the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) came to Medina, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Abdullah ibn Salam: "Allah, the Exalted, revealed to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that the People of the Scripture recognize him as they recognize their own sons. How is this recognition?" Ibn Salam replied: "We recognize the Prophet of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) by the description with which Allah, the Exalted, has described him. When I see him among you, I recognize him just as one of us recognizes his son if he sees him among boys. And by Allah, by whom Ibn Salam swears, I have a greater knowledge of Muhammad than I have of my own son, for I do not know what his mother might have brought forth." Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You have been guided and you have spoken the truth."

Some have claimed that what is meant by "recognition" here is that which comes through observation and deduction, because regarding the details of his noble features (peace and blessings be upon him), they are either preserved at the time of the revelation of the verse or they are not; rather, they are distorted and altered. The former is invalid, as it is impossible for them to conceal that, for concealing what has become widespread across the horizons is impossible. The same applies to the latter, because they were not, at that time, aware of his noble features (peace and blessings be upon him) as they were aware of the features of their own sons.

The answer to this is that concealment is explicitly stated in the Quran, as in His saying: (You make it into parchments, showing some of it and concealing much). Its concealment is not a concealment of the texts themselves, but rather through misinterpretation and by their saying: "He is another man who will yet emerge." This is the meaning of His, the Glorified’s, saying: (And they rejected them, while their inner selves were convinced of them).

(Those who have lost their own souls) among the people of the two scriptures and the polytheists, (so they do not believe) in what is obligatory to believe. The discussion regarding this structure has already preceded just now.