Allah’s punishment on his behalf. Al-Walid then returned to polytheism and gave the one who had reproached him part of the money he had promised, withholding the rest. So Allah, exalted is He, revealed: (1) “Have you seen the one who turned away?”—that is, he turned away from faith.
“And gave a little, then withheld. Does he possess knowledge of the unseen, so that he sees? Or has he not been informed of what is contained in the Scrolls of Moses, and of Abraham, who fulfilled his duties?” (34–37)
“And gave”—that is, he gave his companion—“a little, then withheld”: he was miserly with the remainder.
Muqatil said: “He gave,” referring to al-Walid, “a little” of good with his tongue; then “he withheld,” meaning that he cut it off, held back, and did not continue giving.
Al-Suddi said: This was revealed concerning al-‘As ibn Wa’il al-Sahmi, for he would sometimes agree with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in certain matters. (2)
Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi said: ⦗144/b⦘ It was revealed concerning Abu Jahl, who said, “By Allah, Muhammad commands us only to noble character.” (3) This is the meaning of His saying, “And gave a little, then withheld”—that is, he did not believe in him. The meaning of “he withheld” is that he stopped. Its basic sense derives from kudyah (a hard rock), which appears in a well and prevents further digging. The Arabs say that a digger has “struck bedrock and reached a mountain” when, in digging, he reaches hard rock or a mountain.
“Does he possess knowledge of the unseen, so that he sees?” That is, does he see what is hidden from him and know that his companion will bear his punishment on his behalf?
“Or has he not been informed”—that is, has he not been told—“of what is contained in the Scrolls of Moses,” meaning the books of the Torah,
“and of Abraham”—that is, in the Scrolls of Abraham—“who fulfilled his duties”: he completed and fulfilled all that he was commanded to do.
Al-Hasan, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, and Qatadah said: He acted upon what he had been commanded and conveyed the messages of his Lord to His creation. (4)
Mujahid said: He fulfilled what had been made obligatory upon him. (5)