Al-Ma'idah (5:68)

Say: O People of the Book...

Know that when the Almighty commanded him (the Prophet) to deliver the message, whether it was pleasing or difficult for the listeners to accept, He commanded him to say this to the People of the Book:

{Say: O People of the Book}—meaning the Jews and the Christians—{you are not upon anything} of true religion, nor do you hold anything of truth and correctness in your hands. This is like saying, "This is nothing," when one intends to belittle and diminish something.

And His saying: {until you establish the Torah and the Gospel and what has been revealed to you from your Lord.} And certainly, much of what has been revealed to you from your Lord will increase many of them in transgression and disbelief.

This has been mentioned previously; the repetition is for emphasis.

Then the Almighty said: {So do not grieve over the disbelieving people.} There are two interpretations for this:

1. Do not grieve over them because of the increase in their transgression and disbelief, as the harm of that returns to them, not to you or the believers.
2. Do not grieve over the descent of the curse and punishment upon them, as they are among the disbelievers who deserve that.

It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that a group of Jews came and said: "O Muhammad, do you not affirm that the Torah is the truth from Allah Almighty?" He replied, "Yes." They said: "Then we believe in it and do not believe in anything other than it." Then this verse was revealed.