Tafsir of Al-Jumu'ah 62:5

(The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah), meaning: taught it and tasked with acting upon what is within it. "Entrustment" (al-tahmīl) is common here and borders on literal truth, and those meant by it are the Jews.

(Then they did not carry it), meaning: they did not act upon the contents of it, among which are the verses that explicitly speak of the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

(Is like that of a donkey carrying volumes), meaning: large books—as indicated by the indefinite nature of the word asfār (volumes), and the meaning of "uncovering" regarding knowledge which is contained within that word. It tires itself by carrying them, yet derives no benefit from them.

The phrase (carrying) is either a circumstantial qualifier (ḥāl) for the donkey—since it is definite in form, and the operative factor in it is the meaning of the "example"—or it is an adjective for it. This is because its definiteness is mental, effectively rendering it an indefinite noun in meaning, and thus it is described as such according to the most correct view. Abu Hayyan attributed to the verified scholars that the circumstantial interpretation is necessary in such cases.

The connection between this verse and the preceding one lies in the fact that it contains an allusion to the fact that this sent Messenger was sent by Allah, the Exalted, with the qualities described in the Torah and upon the tongues of the prophets of the Children of Israel. It is as if it were said: "He is the one who was sent, the one heralded in the Torah, described therein as the Unlettered Prophet sent to a nation of unlettered people." So, the example of one to whom this description came in the Torah and who knew it, yet did not believe in him, is like that of a donkey.

The verse provides evidence for the wretched state of a scholar who does not act upon his knowledge. The donkey was singled out for this comparison because it is like a sign (science/knowledge) in the realm of ignorance. Among such [sentiments] is the saying of the poet:

Load-bearers of volumes, possessing no knowledge of them, Their knowledge is like the knowledge of beasts of burden. By your life, the beast does not know, when it sets out With its heavy loads, what is inside the saddlebags.

This is based on a report from Ibn Khalawayh that al-ba‘īr is one of the names of the donkey, similar to al-jamal al-bāzil. Yahya bin Ya'mar and Zayd bin Ali read hammalū (carried) in the active voice. Abdullah read himārun (a donkey) in the indefinite form. It was also recited as yuhammalu (is being carried) with a shaddah on the meem, in the passive voice.

(Wretched is the example of the people who denied the verses of Allah), meaning: wretched is the example of the people—the example of those who denied. The genitive construct (the mudāf) has been omitted, which is the specific subject of blame (al-makhsūs bi-al-dhamm), and the noun in the genitive position (the mudāf ilayh) has been elevated to its place. It is also permissible that (the people) is an adjective for the implicit noun, and the specific subject of blame is omitted; meaning: "Wretched is the example of the people who denied the verses of Allah," and the pronoun refers back to [the phrase] "the example of those who were entrusted with the Torah."

The apparent meaning of the Kashshaf is that the specific subject of blame is the aforementioned "example," and the agent (fā'il) is hidden, explained by an omitted discriminator (tamyīz); the estimation being: "Wretched, as an example, is the example of the people..." This was challenged by the fact that Sibawayh established that the discriminator which explains a hidden pronoun in the category of ni'ma (praise) is not allowed to be omitted, and even if its omission were granted, it is rare. It was answered that this is a summary of the resulting meaning, and it is closer to considering the first interpretation. Ibn Atiyyah's statement that the estimation is "Wretched is the example: the example of the people" belongs to that category; otherwise, it would involve the omission of the agent (fā'il), and they have stated that it is not permissible except in places that do not include this one.

(And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people), meaning: those who place denial where affirmation should be, or those who wrong their own souls by exposing them to eternal punishment due to their denial.