Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (2/425)

Thus, when the verse is read as “wal-yaḥkuma,” the sense becomes: “We gave him the Gospel for such-and-such purpose, and so that the people of the Gospel might judge by what Allah has revealed therein.” This wording obliges them to rule according to what Allah sent down in the true Gospel; it does not indicate that the Gospel extant in the time of the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was that very same Gospel.

As for the majority recitation, “wal-yaḥkum ahl al-Injīl” [al-Maʾida 47], it is an imperative. Some scholars maintain that the command is addressed to those who still possessed the authentic Gospel, instructing them to judge by what Allah had revealed in it. On that view, His Most High words “wal-yaḥkum” are a directive issued to them before the mission of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Others have said that such a strained interpretation is unnecessary, for the ruling concerning the Gospel is the same as that concerning the Torah, and the Exalted has said:

فَإِذَا قُرِئَ " وَلِيَحْكُمَ " كَانَ الْمَعْنَى وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْإِنْجِيلَ لِكَذَا وَكَذَا وَلِيَحْكُمَ أَهْلُ الْإِنْجِيلِ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ وَهَذَا يُوجِبُ الْحُكْمَ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ الْحَقِّ لَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ الْإِنْجِيلَ الْمَوْجُودَ فِي زَمَنِ الرَّسُولِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - هُوَ ذَلِكَ الْإِنْجِيلُ. وَأَمَّا قِرَاءَةُ الْجُمْهُورِ {وَلْيَحْكُمْ أَهْلُ الْإِنْجِيلِ} [المائدة: ٤٧] فَهُوَ أَمْرٌ بِذَلِكَ، فَمِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ مَنْ قَالَ: هُوَ أَمْرٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ الْإِنْجِيلُ الْحَقُّ مَوْجُودًا عِنْدَهُمْ أَنْ يَحْكُمُوا بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِ وَعَلَى هَذَا يَكُونُ قَوْلُهُ - تَعَالَى -: " وَلْيَحْكُمْ " أَمْرٌ لَهُمْ قَبْلَ مَبْعَثِ مُحَمَّدٍ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - وَقَالَ: آخَرُونَ لَا حَاجَةَ إِلَى هَذَا التَّكَلُّفِ، فَإِنَّ الْقَوْلَ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ كَالْقَوْلِ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَقَدْ قَالَ - تَعَالَى -: