Surah Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread): Verse 61

Issues Discussed Here:

This verse was revealed concerning a group of the Jews who used to enter upon the Prophet (peace be upon him), feigning faith (hypocritically). Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, informed him of their true state: that they leave his gathering exactly as they entered, without any of his proofs, clarifications, admonitions, or reminders having affected their hearts.

The letter Bā' (بـ) in His saying, {they entered with disbelief and left with it} (dekhū bi-l-kufr wa kharajū bihi), signifies the persistence of their disbelief during both entering and leaving, without any reduction or change whatsoever. It is like saying, "Zayd entered with his garment and left with it," meaning his garment remained with him upon leaving just as it was upon entering.

1. 'Qad' (قد) is mentioned at the time of entering: {Indeed, they had entered with disbelief} (wa qad dakhalū bi-l-kufr).
2. 'Hum' (هم) is mentioned at the time of leaving: {and they left with it} (wa hum qad kharajū bihi).

The benefit of mentioning 'Qad' is to bring the past action closer to the present (implying immediacy or certainty regarding the past state).

The benefit of mentioning 'Hum' (the pronoun 'they') is for emphasis, affirming the attribution of the disbelief to them, and negating that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had any role in causing their disbelief during their sitting with him. In other words, they did not hear anything from you, O Muhammad, during their sitting that would necessitate disbelief, making you the one who cast them into disbelief. Rather, they left with disbelief by their own choice.

The Mu'tazilah argue that since Allah attributed the disbelief to them both upon entering and leaving, and emphasized this attribution by saying {and they left with it}, this proves that the action (disbelief) originates from the servant, not from Allah.

The Refutation: This is countered by considering Allah's Knowledge and the Call/Inducement (al-'Ilm wa al-Dā'ī). (Meaning, Allah knew their state, and He sent the Messenger to call them, yet they chose disbelief.)

Then, Allah, the Exalted, says:

{And Allah is most knowing of what they were concealing.}

The purpose of this statement is to emphasize the intensity of their scheming, their eagerness in plotting against the Muslims, their malice, and their enmity toward them.

Then, Allah, the Exalted, says:

{And you see many of them hastening into sin and aggression and consuming the unlawful. Evil indeed is that which they have been doing.}