Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread): Verse 41

After Allah (Exalted is He) clarified some of the injunctions and laws, and knowing that some people were hastening toward disbelief, He commanded His Messenger to patiently endure this and not be saddened by it, saying: {O Messenger, let not those who hasten into disbelief grieve you...}

There are several issues in this verse:

Allah (Exalted is He) addressed the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as "O Prophet" in many places. However, He addressed him as "O Messenger" only in two places: here, and in the verse: {O Messenger, convey what has been sent down to you from your Lord} (Al-Ma'idah: 67). This address is undoubtedly one of honor and glorification.

The verse is read with the damma on the yā’ (يُحْزِنُكَ) and with the verb {they hasten} (يُسَارِعُونَ).

The meaning is: Do not be concerned or preoccupied with the hastening of the hypocrites in disbelief. This is due to their scheming to devise ways of deceit and trickery against the Muslims, and their exaggeration in showing allegiance to the polytheists. Indeed, I (Allah) will support you against them and suffice you against their harm.

The phrase "they hasten into disbelief" (يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْكُفْرِ) means they throw themselves into it in the quickest manner whenever they find an opportunity.

The phrase {from those who say, "We believe," with their mouths, but whose hearts have not believed} involves a transposition. The intended meaning is: from those who say with their mouths, "We believe," but whose hearts have not believed. Undoubtedly, these are the hypocrites.

Then Allah (Exalted is He) said: {And from those who are Jews—listeners for the sake of falsehood, listeners for other people who have not come to you...}

There are two issues concerning this part:

Al-Farra’ and Al-Zajjaj mentioned two interpretations here:

1. The sentence is complete at {And from those who are Jews} (وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا). Then a new sentence begins: {listeners for the sake of falsehood, listeners for other people who have not come to you} (سَمَّاعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ سَمَّاعُونَ لِقَوْمٍ آخَرِينَ). The structure would be: "Let not those who hasten into disbelief grieve you—from the hypocrites and from the Jews." Then, all of them are described as being listeners for other people.
2. The sentence is complete at {but whose hearts have not believed} (وَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قُلُوبُهُمْ). Then the statement begins anew: {And from those who are Jews—listeners for the sake of falsehood...} In this case, {listeners} (سَمَّاعُونَ) is an adjective for an omitted noun, meaning: "And from those who are Jews are people who are listeners." Alternatively, it is the predicate of an omitted subject, meaning: "They are listeners."

Al-Zajjaj mentioned two interpretations for {listeners for the sake of falsehood}:

1. It means they are receptive to falsehood (i.e., they accept it). The word sam'a (hearing) is sometimes used to mean acceptance, as in "Do not listen to so-and-so" (meaning, do not accept from him), and as in {Allah hears those who praise Him} (سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ). The falsehood they accept is what their leaders say, which consists of lies about the religion of Allah, distorting the Torah, and slandering the Prophet (peace be upon him).
2. It means actual hearing. The lām (for/to) in {for falsehood} (لِلْكَذِبِ) is the lām of purpose (i.e., li-kay). They listen to you (the Messenger) in order to lie about you.

Regarding {listeners for the sake of falsehood, listeners for other people who have not come to you}: This means they act as eyes and spies for other people who have not come to you to report your news back to them. In this context, {listeners for the sake of falsehood} means they listen to the Messenger of Allah in order to lie about him by mixing what they heard with additions, omissions, alterations, and changes. They listen to the Messenger for the sake of other people (Jews), acting as spies to convey to them what they heard from him.

Then Allah (Exalted is He) described these Jews with another characteristic: {they distort the words from their places} (يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوَاضِعِهِ). This means they distort the words from the places where Allah established them—that is, after Allah had set down His obligations, permitted what is lawful, and prohibited what is unlawful.

The commentators narrated that two noble individuals from the people of Khaybar committed adultery. The prescribed punishment for adultery in the Torah was stoning. The Jews disliked stoning them because of their high status. They sent people to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to ask him about the ruling for adulterers if they were married (muḥṣan). They told their envoys: "If he commands flogging, accept it; but if he commands stoning, beware and do not accept it."

When they asked the Messenger (peace be upon him), Gabriel descended with the ruling of stoning. They refused to accept it. Gabriel (peace be upon him) told the Prophet: "Appoint [Ibn Ṣūriyā] as an arbiter between you and them." The Prophet asked: "Do you know a beardless, white, one-eyed youth residing in Fadak named Ibn Ṣūriyā?" They replied, "Yes, and he is the most knowledgeable Jew on the face of the earth." They agreed to him as an arbiter.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) asked Ibn Ṣūriyā: "I adjure you by Allah, besides Whom there is no god, Who split the sea for Moses, raised the Mount above you, saved you, and drowned the family of Pharaoh, and Who sent down His Book to you containing what is lawful and unlawful: Do you find stoning for one who is married (muḥṣan) in it?" Ibn Ṣūriyā replied, "Yes." The base elements of the Jews then stood up against him. He said: "I feared that if I lied, the punishment would descend upon us."

The Messenger of Allah then asked him about other matters whose signs he knew. Ibn Ṣūriyā then said: "I testify that there is no god but Allah, and that you are the Messenger of Allah, the unlettered, Arab Prophet, whom the messengers foretold." Then the Messenger of Allah commanded that the two adulterers be stoned near the door of his mosque.

Knowing this story, we say: {they distort the words from their places} means they substituted flogging in place of stoning.

And His saying: {saying, "If this is given to you, take it; but if it is not given to you, then beware"} means: "If Muhammad commands you to flog, accept it; but if he commands stoning, do not accept it."

Know that the position of Imam Al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) is that a married Dhimmi (non-Muslim subject) is stoned. He argued that it is authentically reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) commanded the stoning of a married Dhimmi. If this command to stone the married Dhimmi was part of the Prophet's teaching, then the objective is established. If he commanded it based on what was established in the law of Moses (peace be upon him), then it must be legislated in our religion. Two points support this:

1. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) ruled in accordance with the Torah on this issue, following him in that is obligatory, due to the saying: {So follow him} (Al-A'raf: 58).
2. Whatever was established in the law of Moses (peace be upon him) remains the default until a abrogating text appears. No text in our law indicates the abrogation of this ruling, so it must remain. By this same reasoning, scholars agree that His saying: {And We ordained for them therein: a life for a life} (Al-Ma'idah: 45) remains a ruling in our law.

After Allah explained the disgraces of these Jews, He said: {And whoever Allah wills to try [with disbelief], you will never have [power] for him against Allah at all} (وَمَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ فِتْنَتَهُ فَلَنْ تَمْلِكَ لَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا).

The word fitnah (trial/tribulation) can imply all types of corruption. However, since this word is mentioned immediately following the types of disbelief that Allah described, the intended meaning of this fitnah must be those acts of disbelief previously mentioned. Thus, the meaning is: Whoever Allah wills to try with disbelief and misguidance, no one will be able to repel that from him.

Then Allah emphasized this by saying: {Those are the ones whom Allah does not intend to purify their hearts} (أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُطَهِّرَ قُلُوبَهُمْ).

Our companions (the Ash'arites) argued that this verse indicates that Allah does not will the Islam of the disbeliever, and that He does not purify his heart from doubt and polytheism. If He did so, the person would believe. This verse is one of the strongest against the Qadariyyah (who affirm free will in creation).

As for the Mu'tazilah, they offered interpretations for fitnah:

1. Fitnah means punishment, as in: {On the Fire they will be tried [i.e., punished]} (Adh-Dhariyat: 13). Thus, here it means: Allah wills punishment for him due to his disbelief and hypocrisy.
2. Fitnah means disgrace, meaning: whoever Allah wills to disgrace.
3. Fitnah means misguidance. This means Allah decrees his misguidance and names him misguided.
4. Fitnah means testing. Whoever Allah wills to test with obligations, yet he fails to perform them, then you will never possess for him any reward or benefit from Allah.

Regarding {Those are the ones whom Allah does not intend to purify their hearts}, they offered interpretations:

1. Allah does not intend to bestow graces/gentle guidance upon their hearts because Allah knows that those graces would be useless as they would not be effective in their hearts.
2. Allah does not intend to purify their hearts from the distress, sorrow, and loneliness that indicate their disbelief.
3. This is a metaphor for their low standing with Allah, meaning He does not pay attention to them due to the ugliness of their actions and deeds. (The discussion of these points has been repeated many times previously.)

Then Allah (Exalted is He) said: {For them in this world is disgrace} (لَهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا خِزْيٌ).

The disgrace of the hypocrites is the uncovering of their secrets, as the Messenger (peace be upon him) became aware of their lies, and their fear of being killed. The disgrace of the Jews was their public exposure regarding their falsehood in concealing the ruling of Allah concerning stoning and taking the jizyah (poll tax) from them.

{And for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment} (وَلَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ), which is eternal dwelling in the Fire.

Verse 42