“You see many of them”—that is, many of the Jews—“rushing into sin and transgression.” It was said that sin means acts of disobedience, while transgression means wrongdoing. It was also said that sin refers to what they concealed from the Torah, and transgression to what they added to it. “And consuming unlawful gains,” meaning bribes. “How evil is what they have been doing!”

“Why do the religious scholars and rabbis not forbid them from their sinful speech and consuming unlawful gains? How evil is what they do!” “Why do they not” means: why do they not forbid them? The religious scholars and rabbis here mean the learned men. It was said that the religious scholars were the learned men among the Christians, while the rabbis were the learned men among the Jews.

“The Jews say, ‘Allah’s Hand is chained.’ May their own hands be chained, and may they be cursed for what they say. Rather, both His Hands are outstretched; He gives as He wills. Surely that which has been sent down to you from your Lord will increase many of them in defiance and disbelief. And We have cast among them enmity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. Whenever they kindle a fire for war, Allah extinguishes it. They strive throughout the land spreading corruption, and Allah does not love the corrupters.” (64)

“The Jews say, ‘Allah’s Hand is chained.’” Ibn Abbas, Ikrimah, al-Dahhak, and Qatadah said: Allah, exalted is He, had bestowed such abundance upon the Jews that they were among the wealthiest of people and had the most fertile lands. But when they disobeyed Allah concerning Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and denied him, Allah withheld from them the abundance He had granted them. At that point, Phinehas ibn Azura said, “Allah’s Hand is chained”—that is, withheld and restrained from providing. They attributed miserliness to Him. Exalted is Allah above such a claim.

It was said that Phinehas alone made this statement; but because the others did not forbid him and approved of what he said, Allah included them with him in it.

Al-Hasan said: Its meaning is that Allah’s Hand is restrained from punishing us, so He will punish us only to the extent necessary to fulfil His oath—namely, for the period that our forefathers worshipped the calf. The first interpretation is more correct, in view of His saying: “He gives as He wills.”

“May their hands be chained”: that is, [restrained] (1) from good deeds. Al-Zajjaj said: Allah, exalted is He, answered them, saying: I am the Most Generous, whereas they are the miserly ones; it is their hands that are chained and withholding. It was also said that this refers to shackles in the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, as Allah, exalted is He, says: “When shackles will be around their necks, and chains...” (Ghafir, 71).

“And may they be cursed,” that is, punished, “for what they said.” Part of their curse was that they were transformed into apes and swine, and humiliation and poverty were laid upon them in this world, while in the Hereafter they will be punished with the Fire. “Rather, both His Hands are outstretched.” Allah’s Hand is one of [His attributes] (2), like Hearing, Sight, and the Face. And He, exalted, said: