Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread): Verse 13

Then the Almighty said: {So for their breaking of the covenant, We cursed them} (5:12).

There are two issues concerning this:

1. The first is: By their denial of the Messengers and the killing of the Prophets.
2. The second is: By their concealing the description of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
3. The third is: The totality of these matters.

1. `Ata' said: "We cursed them" means We distanced them from Our Mercy.
2. Al-Hasan and Muqatil said: We transformed them until they became apes and pigs.
3. Ibn Abbas said: We imposed the jizyah (poll tax) upon them.

Then the Almighty said: {And We cast hardness into their hearts; they distort the word from its meanings} (5:13).

There are several issues concerning this:

1. Hamzah and Al-Kisā'ī read it as qasiyyah (قسية) with a doubled yā' without an alif, following the pattern of fu'liyyah.
2. The rest of the reciters read it as qāsiyah (قاسية) with an alif and without doubling.

Regarding the word qasiyyah (قسية), there are two interpretations:

1. That qasiyyah means qāsiyah (hard), but qasiyy is more emphatic than qāsī, just as Qadīr is more emphatic than Qādir, Alīm* than *Ālim, and Shahīd than Shāhid. Thus, just as Qadīr is stronger than Qādir, Qasiyy is stronger than Qāsī.
2. It is derived from the saying, dirham qasiyy (درهم قسي) on the pattern of shaqiyy (wretched), meaning corrupt and base. The author of Al-Kashshāf states that this is also related to hardness, because pure gold and silver possess softness, whereas adulterated metal has rigidity and hardness.
3. It was also read as qusiyyah (قسية) with a kasrah on the qāf for phonetic assimilation.

1. Our companions (Ahl al-Sunnah) say: {And We cast hardness into their hearts} means We made them neglectful of accepting the truth and averse to submitting to proofs.
2. The Mu'tazilah say: {And We cast hardness into their hearts} means We informed about them that they became hard, similar to saying, "So-and-so made so-and-so a sinner or righteous."

Then the Almighty mentioned some results of that hardness, saying: {they distort the word from its meanings}.

This distortion (taḥrīf) can mean:

1. False interpretation (ta'wīl bāṭil).
2. Changing the wording.

We have previously explained that the first meaning (false interpretation) is more appropriate, because changing the wording of a text transmitted by mass narration (tawātur) is not feasible.

Then the Almighty said: {And they forgot a portion of what they were reminded with}.

Ibn Abbas said: They abandoned a share of what they were commanded in their Book, which is belief in Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Then the Almighty said: {But you will always find treachery from some of them}.

Regarding the word khā'inah (خائنة), there are two views:

1. That khā'inah is a verbal noun (masdar). Examples similar to this are numerous, such as kāfiyah and āfiyah*. The Almighty said: **{So they were destroyed by the overwhelming calamity}** (Al-Hāqqah: 5), meaning by the overwhelming transgression (*ṭughyān*). He also said: **{There will be no falsehood in it}** (Al-Wāqiah: 2), meaning falsehood (kidhb). And: {You will hear therein no idle talk} (Al-Ghāshiyah: 11), meaning idle talk (laghw). Arabs also say, "I heard the rāghiyah of the camels" and "the thāghiyah of the sheep," meaning their braying and bleating. Al-Zajjāj said: One also says, "May God grant him well-being (āfāh*), a well-being (*āfiyah*)."
2. That khā'inah is an adjective. This means you look upon a treacherous group (firqah khā'inah), a treacherous soul (nafs khā'inah), or an act involving treachery (fi`lah dhāt khīyānah).
3. It is also said that it refers to the treacherous person (al-khā'in), and the tā’ marbūṭah (the 'h' at the end) is for exaggeration, like `allāmah (great scholar) and nassābah (great genealogist). The author of Al-Kashshāf mentioned that it was also read as khīyānah (خيانة) from them.

Then the Almighty said: {Except a few of them}.

These are those who believed, such as `Abdullāh ibn Salām and his companions. It is also suggested that this "few" refers to those among them who remained committed to the covenant and did not betray it.

Then He said: {So pardon them and overlook}.

There are two opinions regarding this:

1. It is abrogated by the Verse of the Sword (Āyat al-Sayf), because it involves pardoning and overlooking disbelievers, which is undoubtedly abrogated by the Verse of the Sword.
2. It is not abrogated. If we hold this view, there are two interpretations:
   • The meaning is: Pardon their sinners and do not hold them accountable for their past deeds.
   • If we apply "the few" to those among the disbelievers who remained in disbelief, then this verse means that God commanded His Messenger to pardon them and overlook their minor slips as long as they remained committed [to their agreement]. This is the view of Abū Muslim.

Then the Almighty said: {Indeed, God loves the doers of good} (al-muḥsinīn).

There are two views concerning this:

1. Ibn Abbas said: If you pardon, then you are a doer of good, and if you are a doer of good, then God loves you.
2. It is meant that these "doers of good" are the ones referred to in {Except a few of them}, who broke God's covenant.

The first view is preferable because, under the first view, the statement {Indeed, God loves the doers of good} refers back to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), as he is the one commanded in this verse to pardon and overlook. Under the second view, it refers to someone other than the Messenger, and the first view is certainly preferable.

Verse 14

{And from those who say, "We are Christians," We took their covenant. But they forgot a portion of what they were reminded with, so We caused enmity and hatred to arise among them until the Day of Resurrection. And God will inform them of what they used to do.}