Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread): Verse 67

His statement, the Exalted, {...what was revealed to you from your Lord}

This is a command to the Messenger (peace be upon him) not to concern himself with the small number of the moderate believers versus the large number of the wicked, nor to fear their harm.

He said: {Deliver} (بلغ), meaning: be patient in delivering what has been revealed to you, which includes exposing their secrets and the disgrace of their deeds. For indeed, Allah will protect you from their plotting and guard you from their deceit.

It is narrated from Al-Hasan, from the Prophet (PBUH), who said: "Indeed, Allah sent me with His message, and I felt distressed by it. I knew that people would deny me, and the Jews, Christians, and Quraysh would frighten me. When Allah revealed this verse, the fear completely vanished."

It is also narrated that when the Prophet (PBUH) resided in Mecca, he would proclaim some of the Qur'an openly and conceal some of it out of concern for himself from the haste of the polytheists against him and his companions. When Allah honored Islam and supported it with the believers, He said to him: {O Messenger, deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord} (يا أيها الرسول بلغ ما أنزل إليك من ربك). This means: Do not watch anyone, and do not omit anything that was revealed to you for fear that harm might befall you.

Then the Exalted said: {And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message} (وإن لم تفعل فما بلغت رسالته). In this, there are several issues:

• Nafi' read it as {رسالاته} (plural, risalatihi) in this verse and in Al-An'am (6:124) where it says {يجعل} (He makes), and read it as singular in Al-A'raf (7:144) as {برسالتي} (singular, bi-risalati).
• Hafs from 'Asim read it the opposite way: singular in Al-Ma'idah and Al-An'am, and plural in Al-A'raf.
• Ibn Kathir read it as singular in all instances.
• Ibn 'Amir and Abu Bakr from 'Asim read it as plural in all instances.

The Argument for the Plural: Those who use the plural argue that messengers are sent with various types of messages and different rulings in the Shari'ah. Every verse Allah revealed to His Messenger (PBUH) is a message (risalah), so the plural form is appropriate.

The Argument for the Singular: Those who use the singular say that the entire Qur'an is one single message (risalah). Furthermore, the singular form can imply plurality, as in the verse: {and call for much destruction} (وادعوا ثبورا كثيرا) (Al-Furqan: 14), where the singular noun refers to a multitude. Similarly here, although the word risalah is singular, the intended meaning is plural.

A critic might ask: The statement {And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message} means: If you do not deliver His message, then you have not delivered His message. What is the benefit of this statement?

The majority of commentators answered that the meaning is: If you fail to deliver even one part of it, you are like one who has delivered nothing of it. I find this answer weak, because if someone delivers some but omits some, saying he omitted all would be a lie. Also, equating the magnitude of the sin for omitting a part with the magnitude of the sin for omitting the whole is illogical and impossible. Thus, this answer is rejected.

The sounder view, in my opinion, is that this construction follows the pattern of the saying: "I am Abu al-Najm, and my poetry is my poetry."

The meaning of this saying is that his poetry has reached such a peak of perfection and eloquence that when one says, "It is my poetry," it implies that it has reached the ultimate degree that cannot be surpassed. Thus, this statement conveys absolute emphasis. Similarly here: If you do not deliver it, it implies a warning of the utmost threat and admonition. (And Allah knows best.)

Commentators have mentioned several reasons for the revelation of this verse:

1. It was revealed concerning the issue of stoning and retaliation, as previously mentioned regarding the story of the Jews.
2. It was revealed concerning the Jews' criticism and mockery of the religion, and the Prophet (PBUH) remained silent about them, so this verse was revealed.
3. It was revealed after the verse of choice (concerning the Prophet's wives), which is {O Prophet, say to your wives...} (Al-Ahzab: 28). He did not present it to them for fear that they might choose the worldly life, so this verse was revealed.
4. It was revealed concerning Zayd and Zaynab bint Jahsh. 'A'ishah (RA) said: "Whoever claims that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) concealed any part of the revelation has uttered the greatest falsehood against Allah. Allah the Exalted says: {O Messenger, deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord}. If the Messenger of Allah had concealed any part of the revelation, he would have concealed what is mentioned in: {And you were concealing within yourself what Allah was set to reveal} (Al-Ahzab: 37)..."
5. It was revealed concerning Jihad, as the hypocrites disliked it, and sometimes he would refrain from urging them toward it.
6. When the verse {And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge} (Al-An'am: 108) was revealed, the Messenger remained silent about criticizing their gods. So this verse was revealed, commanding him to {Deliver}, meaning: criticize their gods and do not hide it from them, and Allah will protect you from them.
7. It was revealed concerning the rights of Muslims. This is because during the Farewell Pilgrimage, after explaining the laws and rituals, he asked, "Have I delivered the message?" They replied, "Yes." He said, "O Allah, bear witness!"
8. It is narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) rested under a tree during one of his journeys and hung his sword on it. A Bedouin came while he was sleeping, took his sword, drew it, and said, "O Muhammad, who will prevent you from me?" He replied, "Allah." The Bedouin's hand trembled, the sword fell from his grasp, and he struck his head against the tree until his brain matter spilled out. Then Allah revealed this verse, indicating that He would protect him from the people.
9. He used to fear the Quraysh, the Jews, and the Christians. Allah removed that fear from his heart with this verse.
10. The verse was revealed concerning the virtue of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). When this verse was revealed, he took his hand and said: "Whoever I am his Mawla (master/patron), 'Ali is his Mawla. O Allah, be a friend to those who befriend him and an enemy to those who oppose him." 'Umar (RA) met him afterward and said: "Congratulations to you, O son of Abi Talib! You have become the Mawla of every believing man and woman." This is the view of Ibn 'Abbas, Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib, and Muhammad ibn 'Ali.

Know that although these narrations are numerous, the primary interpretation is that Allah secured him from the plotting of the Jews and Christians and commanded him to manifest the delivery without paying attention to them. This is because the verses preceding and succeeding this one extensively discuss the Jews and Christians, making it unlikely for this single verse to be completely unrelated to what comes before and after it.

There is a question regarding the statement {And Allah will protect you from the people} (والله يعصمك من الناس): How can this be reconciled with what is narrated that his face was wounded on the Day of Uhud and his front teeth were broken?

There are two sound answers:

1. The intended meaning of protection is protection from being killed. This serves as a reminder that he was obligated to endure all afflictions short of death. How severe is the burden placed upon the Prophets (peace be upon them)!
2. This verse was revealed after the Day of Uhud.

Know that the meaning of {the people} (al-nas) here refers to the disbelievers, as evidenced by the statement of the Exalted: {Indeed, Allah does not guide the disbelieving people}.

The meaning is that Allah will prevent them from achieving what they intend. It is narrated from Anas (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was guarded by Sa'd and Hudhayfah until this verse was revealed. Then he emerged from his tent of leather and said: "Depart, O people, for Allah has protected me from the people."

Verse 68

{Say, "O People of the Scripture, you are not upon anything until you establish the Torah and the Gospel and what has been revealed to you from your Lord." And it will surely increase many of them in what has been revealed to you from your Lord in transgression and disbelief. So do not grieve over the disbelieving people.}