Al-Ma'idah: 44
"In it is guidance"
It guides to the truth and justice.
"And light"
It clarifies that which was obscure regarding the rulings.
"Those who submitted"
This is an attribute applied to the prophets by way of praise, similar to the attributes applied to the Almighty—not for the sake of distinction or clarification. By applying it, the intent is to expose the Jews, showing that they are distant from the religion of Islam, which is the religion of all prophets, both ancient and modern, and that Judaism is isolated from it.
His saying:
"Those who submitted to those who are Jews"
This is a proclamation of that fact.
"And the Rabbis and the scholars"
The ascetics and the learned among the descendants of Aaron who adhered to the way of the prophets and distanced themselves from the religion of the Jews.
"By that which they were entrusted with of the Book of Allah"
By that which their prophets asked them to preserve of the Torah; meaning, because of their prophets' request that they preserve it from alteration and substitution. The "min" (of) in "of the Book of Allah" is for clarification.
"And they were witnesses over it"
Watchers, so that it would not be altered.
The meaning is: The prophets between Moses and Jesus—and there were a thousand prophets between them—and Jesus, would judge among the Jews according to the rulings of the Torah. They would compel them to follow the rulings of the Torah and would not let them deviate from them, just as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did by compelling them to follow the ruling of stoning, forcing their noses into the dust, and refusing what they desired of [substituting it with] flogging.
Likewise, the Rabbis, the scholars, and the Muslims judged by the rulings of the Book of Allah because their prophets entrusted them with it, and because they were witnesses over it.
It is also possible that the pronoun in "entrusted" refers to the prophets, the Rabbis, and the scholars collectively, and that the entrusting was from Allah—meaning Allah charged them with its preservation and with being witnesses over it.
"So do not fear the people"
A prohibition for those in authority against fearing anyone other than Allah in their judgments, or being sycophantic in them, or executing them contrary to the justice they were commanded to uphold out of fear of an oppressive ruler or fear of harming relatives or friends.
"And do not exchange"
Do not substitute or take in return.
"My verses"
And My rulings.
"For a small price"
Which is bribery, seeking status, or the pleasure of people, just as the Jewish scholars distorted the Book of Allah and changed its rulings out of desire for the world and a quest for leadership, and thus they perished.
"And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed"
While holding it in contempt.
"Then it is those who are the disbelievers"
And the wrongdoers and the defiantly disobedient. This is a description of their insolence in their disbelief, as they wronged the verses of Allah by holding them in contempt and rebelled by judging by other than them.
- Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The disbelievers, the wrongdoers, and the defiantly disobedient are the People of the Book.
- Also from him: "You are an excellent people; whatever is sweet is for you, and whatever is bitter is for the People of the Book." Whoever denies the ruling of Allah is a disbeliever, and whoever does not judge by it while acknowledging it is a wrongdoer and a defiantly disobedient person.
- Al-Sha'bi said: This refers to the people of Islam; the "wrongdoers" refers to the Jews, and the "defiantly disobedient" refers to the Christians.
- Ibn Mas'ud said: It is general, applying to the Jews and others.
- Hudhayfah said: "You are the nation most similar in conduct to the Children of Israel; you will surely follow their path, step by step, like a sandal to a sandal and an arrow feather to an arrow feather, except that I do not know if you will worship the calf or not."
