It was also said: Jibt is everything that Allah has forbidden, and taghut is everything that causes a person to transgress.

“And they say of those who disbelieve, ‘These are better guided on the way than those who believe.’” The exegetes said: After the Battle of Uhud, Kab ibn al-Ashraf set out with seventy Jewish riders for Mecca to form an alliance with Quraysh against the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and to break the covenant that existed between them ⦗88/b⦘ and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Kab stayed with Abu Sufyan, who treated him generously, while the Jews lodged in the homes of Quraysh.

The people of Mecca said: “You are People of the Scripture, and Muhammad is the bearer of a Scripture. We do not feel secure from the possibility that this is a plot on your part. So, if you wish us to go forth with you, then prostrate yourselves before these two idols and affirm belief in them.” They did so, and this is the meaning of His saying, Exalted is He: “They believe in jibt and taghut.”

Kab then said to the people of Mecca: “Let thirty of you and thirty of us come, and let us press ourselves against the Kabah and make a covenant with the Lord of this House that we will strive our utmost in fighting Muhammad.” So they did.

Then Abu Sufyan said to Kab: “You are a man who reads the Scripture and possesses knowledge, whereas we are unlettered and do not know. So which of us is more rightly guided in his way: us or Muhammad?”

Kab said: “Present your religion to me.”

Abu Sufyan said: “We slaughter well-fed camels for the pilgrims, give them water to drink, entertain the guest, free the captive, maintain ties of kinship, tend the House of our Lord, and circumambulate it; and we are the people of the Sacred Sanctuary. Muhammad, however, has forsaken the religion of his forefathers, severed ties of kinship, and left the Sacred Sanctuary. Our religion is ancient, whereas Muhammad’s religion is new.”

Kab said: “By Allah, you are better guided in the way than what Muhammad follows.” Thereupon Allah, Exalted is He, revealed: “Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture?” (1)—meaning Kab and his companions—“They believe in jibt and taghut”—meaning the two idols—“and they say of those who disbelieve”—namely, Abu Sufyan and his companions—“These are better guided on the way than those who believe”—namely, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them. “On the way,” that is, in religion.