Al-An'am: 91
{And they did not appraise Allah with the appraisal due to Him}
They did not know Him with the true knowledge regarding His mercy toward His servants, and His kindness to them, when they denied the sending of messengers and the revelation to them—which is among His greatest and most magnificent blessings: {And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds} (Al-Anbiya: 107).
Or, they did not know Him with the true knowledge regarding His wrath upon the disbelievers and the severity of His retribution against them, and they did not fear Him when they dared to utter that grave statement denying prophethood.
The speakers are the Jews, evidenced by the reading of those who read: "You make it" (taj‘alūnahu) with the tā’ (second person). Likewise: {You display it and conceal [much of] it}. They only said this as an exaggeration in denying the revelation of the Qur’an to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Thus, they were compelled to acknowledge what they could not deny: the revelation of the Torah to Moses (peace be upon him). Included in this compulsion was a rebuke for their profound ignorance of their own scripture, their distortion of it, and their displaying of some parts while concealing others. It was said: {which Moses brought} as a light and guidance for the people, until they altered it, diminished it, and turned it into scattered parchments and separated sheets, so they could achieve what they intended regarding displaying and concealing.
It is narrated that Malik ibn al-Sayf, one of the rabbis and leaders of the Jews, was asked by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): "I adjure you by Him who revealed the Torah to Moses, do you find in it that Allah hates the fat rabbi? For you are the fat rabbi, having grown fat from the wealth that the Jews feed you." The people laughed, and he became angry. He then turned to Umar and said, "Allah has not revealed anything to any human." His people said to him, "Woe to you! What is this that has reached us from you?" He replied, "He angered me." So they removed him and replaced him with Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf.
It is also said that the speakers were the Quraysh, and they were compelled to acknowledge the revelation of the Torah because they used to hear from the Jews in Medina about Moses and the Torah, and they used to say, "If only a book had been revealed to us, we would be more guided than them."
{And you have been taught that which you did not know, neither you nor your fathers}
The address is to the Jews; meaning: You have learned through the tongue of Muhammad (peace be upon him), from what was revealed to him, that which you did not know—even though you are the bearers of the Torah—and which your ancient fathers, who were more knowledgeable than you, did not know. {Indeed, this Qur'an narrates to the Children of Israel most of that over which they differ} (An-Naml: 76).
It is also said the address is to those who believed from the Quraysh, similar to His saying: "That you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned."
{Say, "Allah [revealed it]"}
Meaning: Allah revealed it, for they cannot deny you.
{Then leave them in their amusement}
In their falsehood in which they are wading, and do not concern yourself after the proof has been established against them. It is said to one who is engaged in a useless task: "You are merely playing." {Amusing themselves} (yal‘abūn) is a circumstantial qualifier (ḥāl) for "leave them," or for "their amusement." It is also permissible for {in their amusement} to be a circumstantial qualifier for "amusing themselves," or for it to be a relative clause for them or for "leave them."
{And this is a Book We have revealed, blessed, confirming what was before it, that you may warn the Mother of Cities and those around it. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it, and they are observers of their prayers.}
