Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread): (49) And judge between them...

Then the Almighty said: {And judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires} (Al-Ma'idah: 49).

Issues Arising:

The First Issue: If it is asked: What is the word {And judge between them} connected to (conjoined with)?

We reply: It is connected to {the Book} in the phrase {And We have revealed to you the Book} (Al-Ma'idah: 48). It is as if it means: And We revealed to you to judge, and the an (that) is connected to the command because it is a verb, like all other verbs. It is also permissible that it is connected to His saying {with truth} (Al-Ma'idah: 48), meaning: We revealed it with truth and with the command that you judge.

As for His saying {and do not follow their desires}, we have already mentioned that the Jews gathered and intended to lead him (the Prophet, peace be upon him) to distort his religion, so Allah protected him from that.

The Second Issue: They said: This verse abrogates the choice mentioned in the verse {So judge between them or turn away from them} (Al-Ma'idah: 42).

The Third Issue: The mention of the community (Ummah) regarding judgment is repeated after it was mentioned in the first verse, either for emphasis, or because these are two judgments to which he was commanded regarding them. This is because they referred a case to him concerning a married adulterer, and then they referred a case concerning a slain person among them.

Then the Almighty said: {And beware of them lest they tempt you away from some of what Allah has revealed to you}.

Ibn Abbas said: This means lest they return you to their ways (their customs/religions). Indeed, whoever is turned from the truth to falsehood has been tempted (fitnah). From this is His saying {And they almost tempted you away from what We revealed to you} (Al-Isra: 73). The fitnah here refers to their speech that deviates from the truth and leads to falsehood. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say: (I seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death). This means deviating from the path.

The scholars said: This verse indicates that error and forgetfulness are permissible for the Prophet, because Allah Almighty said: {And beware of them lest they tempt you away from some of what Allah has revealed to you}. Intentional deviation in such a matter is not permissible for the Prophet, so nothing remains except error and forgetfulness.

Then the Almighty said: {But if they turn away}, meaning if they do not accept your judgment, {then know that Allah only intends to afflict them with some of their sins}. And in this are two issues:

The First Issue: What is meant is that He will test them with the recompense for some of their sins in this world, which is by empowering you over them and punishing them in this world with killing and exile. Allah Almighty specified some sins because the people were recompensed in this world for some of their sins, and their recompense for a portion was sufficient for their destruction and ruin upon them. And Allah knows best.

The Second Issue: The verse indicates that everything happens by the will of Allah Almighty, because He does not intend to afflict them with some of their sins unless He has willed their sins. This indicates that the Almighty wills both good and evil.

Then the Almighty said: {And indeed, many of the people are defiantly disobedient (Fasiqūn)}, meaning rebellious in disbelief, transgressing therein. This means that turning away from the judgment of Allah Almighty is a great act of rebellion and transgression in disbelief.

{Do they then seek the judgment of the time of ignorance? And who is better than Allah in judgment for a people who are certain [in faith]} (Al-Ma'idah: 50).