Al-Ma'idah: (12) "And Allah had taken..."
When the Children of Israel settled in Egypt after the destruction of Pharaoh, Allah commanded them to march to Jericho, the land of the Levant, which was inhabited by the tyrannical Canaanites. He said to them: "I have written it for you as a permanent dwelling, so go forth to it and struggle against those who are within it, and I am your helper."
Moses (peace be upon him) was commanded to take from every tribe a leader (naqib) who would be a guarantor for his people in fulfilling what they were commanded, as a binding pledge upon them. He chose the leaders, took the covenant from the Children of Israel, and the leaders guaranteed it for them. He marched with them, and when they drew near to the land of Canaan, he sent the leaders to spy. They saw massive bodies, power, and might, so they became afraid. They returned and told their people, even though Moses (peace be upon him) had forbidden them from telling them. They broke the covenant, except for Caleb son of Jephunneh from the tribe of Judah, and Joshua son of Nun from the tribe of Ephraim son of Joseph—both of whom were among the leaders.
A naqib is one who investigates the affairs of a people and inspects them. It is also said he is an arif (informant) because he gains knowledge of them.
"I am with you"
Meaning: I am your helper and supporter.
"And supported them" (wa-'azzartumuhum)
Meaning: You helped them against the hands of the enemy. From this comes ta'zir (chastisement), which is to punish and prevent the repetition of corruption. It is also read with a lightened za ('azartumuhum); it is said "I 'azartu the man" if I supported and defended him. Ta'zir (support/chastisement) and ta'zir (strengthening) are from the same root. From this is "I will surely help you with a mu'azzar (strong) victory," meaning powerful.
It is also said the meaning is: "We took their covenant regarding faith and monotheism, and We sent among them twelve kings who would establish justice among them, command them to do good, and forbid them from evil."
The lam in "If you establish" is a muwatti'ah (preparatory) for an oath, and in "I will surely expiate" is the answer to it. This answer stands in place of both the answer to the oath and the conditional clause.
"After that"
After that confirmed condition, which is linked to the great promise. If you ask: "Whoever disbelieves before that has also strayed from the right path," I say: "Yes, but the straying after it is more manifest and greater, because the ugliness of disbelief is only great due to the greatness of the blessing being denied. So, when the blessing increases, the ugliness of disbelief increases and persists."
"We cursed them"
We drove them away and cast them out of Our mercy. It is also said: We transformed them. It is also said: We imposed the jizya (tribute) upon them.
"And We made their hearts hard"
We abandoned them and withheld Our graces until their hearts hardened. Or, We granted them respite and did not hasten their punishment until they hardened. Abdullah (Ibn Mas'ud) read it as qasiyah (counterfeit/adulterated), from the saying "a qasi dirham," which comes from qaswah (hardness), because pure gold and silver have softness, while the adulterated has dryness and rigidity. Qasi and qasih (with a ha) are siblings in indicating dryness and rigidity. It was also read qasiyah with a kasra on the qaf for assimilation.
"They distort the word"
This is an explanation of the hardness of their hearts, for there is no hardness more severe than fabricating against Allah and changing His revelation.
"And they forgot a portion"
They abandoned a great share and a sufficient portion.
"Of that which they were reminded"
From the Torah. This means their abandonment and turning away from the Torah was a neglect of a great share, or their hearts hardened and corrupted, so they distorted the Torah and things vanished from their memory. From Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him): "A person may forget some knowledge due to sin," and he recited this verse. It is also said: They abandoned their own share of what they were commanded regarding faith in Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the explanation of his attributes.
"And you will still discover"
This is their habit and their constant practice, and it was the way of their predecessors. They used to betray the messengers, and these people betray you, break your covenants, support the polytheists in fighting you, and intend to assassinate you and strike you.
"Of a treachery" ('ala kha'inah)
Meaning: upon a betrayal, or an act of betrayal, or upon a treacherous person or group. It is said "a man is kha'inah" just as they say "a man is rawiyah (a narrator) of poetry" for emphasis. He said: "You promised yourself loyalty, but you were not a treacherous finger for betrayal." It was also read as 'ala khianah.
"Except for a few of them"
They are those among them who believed.
"So pardon them"
This is an incitement to overlook their opposition. It is said this is abrogated by the Verse of the Sword. It is also said: Pardon their believers and do not hold them accountable for what preceded from them.
