Tafsir of Al-Jumu'ah 62:6

"Those who are Jews": If you have become Jews.

"Allies of Allah": They used to say, "We are the children of Allah and His beloved ones."

"Then wish for death": That is, if your claim is true and you are confident, then wish for Allah to cause you to die and transport you quickly to the abode of honor He has prepared for His allies.

"But they will never wish for it": Because of the disbelief they have sent ahead. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to them: "By the One in whose hand is my soul, not one of you will say it without choking on his own saliva."

Had they not been certain of the truthfulness of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), they would have wished for it. But they knew that if they had wished for it, they would have died on the spot and the threat would have overtaken them. Thus, not one of them could bring himself to wish for it; this is one of the miracles.

It has been recited as fatamanawu al-mawta (wish for death) with a kasra on the waw, by analogy to law istaṭaʿnā.

There is no difference between lā and lan in that both negate the future, except that lan contains an emphasis and intensity not found in lā. Thus, He used the term of emphasis once—"But they will never wish for it" (Al-Baqarah: 95)—and once without that term—"But they will never wish for it" (Al-Jumu'ah: 7).

Then it was said to them: "Indeed, the death from which you flee"—and dare not wish for, fearing you would be seized for the consequence of your disbelief—"will meet you"; you cannot escape it, and it will inevitably encounter you. "Then you will be returned" to Allah, and He will recompense you with the punishment you deserve.

Zayd ibn Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) recited: Innahu mulāqīkum (Indeed, it is meeting you). In the recitation of Ibn Mas'ud: tafirrūna minhu mulāqīkum (you flee from it, it is meeting you), which is clear. As for the version with the fa (in fa-innahu), it is because alladhī (the one who) implies the meaning of a conditional. In Zayd’s recitation, "Indeed, the death from which you flee" is treated as a complete statement in itself—meaning: death is the thing from which you flee—then a new sentence begins: "Indeed, it is meeting you."

"O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew. And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed."