Tafsir of An-Nisa' 4:53

The Envy and Miserly Conduct of the Jews Allah says;

أم لهم نصيب من الملك

Or have they a share in the dominion! Allah asked the Jews if they have a share in the dominion. That is merely a statement of rebuke, since they do not have any share in the dominion. Allah then described them as misers,

فٳذا ﻻ يوتون الناس نقيرا

Then in that case they would not give mankind even a Naqir. Meaning, if they had a share in the sovereignty and dominion, they would not give anyone anything, especially Muhammad, even if it was the speck on the back of a date-stone, which is the meaning of Naqir according to Ibn Abbas and the majority of the scholars. This Ayah is similar to another of Allah's statements,

قل لو أنتم تملكون خزآين رحمة ربى إذا ﻻمسكتم خشية اﻻنفاق

Say: "If you possessed the treasure of the mercy of my Lord, then you would surely withhold it out of fear of spending it. (17:100) meaning, for fear that what you have might end, although there is no such possibility here. This only demonstrates their greedy and stingy nature. This is why Allah said,

وكان اﻻنسن قتورا

And man is ever Qatur. (17:100) meaning Bakhil (stingy). Allah then said,