ﲩ ﲪ ﲫ ﲬ ﲭ ﲮ ﲯ ﲰ ﲱ ﲲ ﲳ ﲴ ﲵ ﲶ ﲷ ﲸ ﲹ ﲺ ﲻ ﲼ ﲽ ﲾ ﲿ ﳀ ﳁ
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people, "O my people, why do you harm me while you certainly know that I am the messenger of Allah to you?" And when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
Tafsir
Verse range: 61:5
Verse 5:
**"And [mention] when Moses said to his people, 'O my people, why do you harm me while you know that I am the messenger of Allah to you?'"**
Exegesis:
The phrase "And [mention]" (wa-idh qāla) means: Mention this story to your people.
The word "when" (idh) is in the accusative case, implying the verb "mention" (udhkur). This refers to the time when they said to him: "Do you annoy me?" (a-tūdhūnanī).
They used to harm him with various types of annoyance, both in word and deed. For example, they said: "Show us Allah clearly" (An-Nisa: 153), and "We will never be patient with one kind of food" (Al-Baqarah: 61). It is also narrated that they threw stones at him (using adra—a type of missile).
The phrase "while you know that I am the messenger of Allah to you" (wa-qad taʿlamūna annī rasūlu Allāhi) is a circumstantial clause (ḥāl). It means: You harm me while you possess certain knowledge that I am the Messenger of Allah. The implication of your knowledge of this fact necessitates reverence and respect for me.
**"But when they deviated, Allah made their hearts deviate."**
Exegesis:
"But when they deviated" (falammā zāghū) means they inclined away from the truth.
"Allah made their hearts deviate" (azāgha Allāhu qulūbahum) means Allah inclined their hearts away from the truth. This is the view of Ibn Abbas.
Al-Muqatil said: "They deviated" means they physically turned away from the truth, and "Allah made [their hearts] deviate" means Allah inclined their hearts away from the truth and led them astray as a recompense for their actions.
This is supported by the subsequent verse: "And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people" (Wa-Allāhu lā yahdī al-qawma al-fāsiqīn).
Abu Ishaq explained: Allah does not guide those whose actions have already established them as defiantly disobedient (fāsiq).
In this narrative, there is a warning about the severity of harming the Prophet (peace be upon him), as such actions can lead to disbelief and the deviation of hearts from guidance.
The word "indeed" (qad) here serves for emphasis, as if to say: You know this with certain, undeniable knowledge.
Verse 6:
**"And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, 'O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you, confirming what came before me of the Torah, and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.' But when he brought them clear signs, they said, 'This is manifest magic.'"**
Exegesis:
This verse continues the narrative, recounting the story of Jesus, son of Mary.
He confirmed the Torah that preceded him and gave glad tidings of the Prophet Muhammad, whose name would be Ahmad.
When Jesus brought clear proofs (al-bayyināt), they rejected them, claiming: "This is manifest magic" (hādhā siḥrun mubīn).
Verse 7:
**"And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah while he is being invited to Islam? And Allah does not guide the unjust people."**
Exegesis:
"And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah" (Wa-man aẓlamu mimman iftarā ʿalā Allāhi al-kadhiba)—meaning, who is more oppressive or wrongdoer than someone who fabricates falsehoods against God?
"...while he is being invited to Islam?" (wa-huwa yudʿā ilā al-Islām). This highlights the extreme nature of their injustice: they commit this grave sin while the path to truth and submission (Islam) is being clearly presented to them.
"And Allah does not guide the unjust people" (Wa-Allāhu lā yahdī al-qawma al-ẓālimīn). This confirms that those who commit such profound injustice are deprived of divine guidance.
