“When you call to prayer, they take it as a mockery and a game. That is because they are a people who do not understand. (58) Say, ‘O People of the Scripture, do you resent us for any reason other than that we believe in Allah, in what has been sent down to us, and in what was sent down before, and because most of you are defiantly disobedient?’ (59)”

Allah, exalted is He, says: “O you who believe, do not take as allies those who make a mockery and a game of your religion.” Ibn Abbas said: Rifa'ah ibn Zayd ibn al-Tabut and Suwayd ibn al-Harith had outwardly professed Islam, then became hypocrites. Some Muslim men were friendly with them, so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse: (1) “O you who believe, do not take as allies those who make a mockery and a game of your religion”—doing so by expressing it verbally while inwardly concealing disbelief.

“From among those who were given the Scripture before you,” meaning the Jews. As for “and the disbelievers,” the people of Basra and al-Kisa'i recited “the disbelievers” with the final r in the genitive case, [meaning: