Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (141)

Tafsir al-SadiAbd al-Rahman al-Sadi’

(98–101) “Say, ‘O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in Allah’s signs when Allah is Witness over all that you do? Say, “O People of the Scripture, why do you turn those who believe away from Allah’s way, seeking to make it crooked, while you yourselves are witnesses? Allah is not unaware of what you do.” O you who believe, if you obey a group of those who were given the Scripture, they will turn you back into disbelievers after you have believed.’”

Allah Most High rebukes the People of the Scripture—the Jews and Christians—for disbelieving in the signs Allah revealed to His messengers. He made these signs a mercy for His servants, through which they are guided to Him and by which they discern every important truth and beneficial branch of knowledge. These disbelievers thus combined disbelief in those signs with turning those who believe in Allah away from them, distorting them, and diverting them from the purpose for which they were given. They did so knowingly, aware that their actions constituted the gravest disbelief and warranted the severest punishment:

“Those who disbelieve and turn others away from Allah’s way—We will add punishment to their punishment because they used to spread corruption.”

For this reason, He threatens them here with His words, “Allah is not unaware of what you do.” Rather, He encompasses your deeds (1), your intentions, and your evil schemes, and He will repay you for them with the worst recompense.

After threatening and rebuking them, He graciously turned—in His mercy, generosity, and beneficence—to warning His believing servants against them, lest they scheme against the believers without their realizing it. He said:

“O you who believe, if you obey a group of those who were given the Scripture, they will turn you back into disbelievers after you have believed.”

This is because of their envy and transgression against you and their intense desire to turn you away from your religion, as Allah Most High says:

“Many of the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back into disbelievers after you have believed, out of envy from within themselves, after the truth has become clear to them.”

(1) The original reads: *bi-a‘mālihim* (“by their deeds”); the reading adopted here is probably correct.

﴿٩٨ - ١٠١﴾ ﴿قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ شَهِيدٌ عَلَى مَا تَعْمَلُونَ * قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَصُدُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ تَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا وَأَنْتُمْ شُهَدَاءُ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ * يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تُطِيعُوا فَرِيقًا مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ يَرُدُّوكُمْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ كَافِرِينَ﴾ . يوبخ تعالى أهل الكتاب من اليهود والنصارى على كفرهم بآيات الله التي أنزلها الله على رسله، التي جعلها رحمة لعباده يهتدون بها إليه، ويستدلون بها على جميع المطالب المهمة والعلوم النافعة، فهؤلاء الكفرة جمعوا بين الكفر بها وصد من آمن بالله عنها وتحريفها وتعويجها عما جعلت له، وهم شاهدون بذلك عالمون بأن ما فعلوه أعظم الكفر الموجب لأعظم العقوبة ﴿الذين كفروا وصدوا عن سبيل الله زدناهم عذابا فوق العذاب بما كانوا يفسدون﴾ فلهذا توعدهم هنا بقوله: ﴿وما الله بغافل عما تعملون﴾ بل محيط بأعمالكم (١) ونياتكم ومكركم السيء، فمجازيكم عليه أشر الجزاء لما توعدهم ووبخهم عطف برحمته وجوده وإحسانه وحذر عباده المؤمنين منهم لئلا يمكروا بهم من حيث لا يشعرون، فقال: ﴿يا أيها الذين آمنوا إن تطيعوا فريقا من الذين أوتوا الكتاب يردوكم بعد إيمانكم كافرين﴾ وذلك لحسدهم وبغيهم عليكم، وشدة حرصهم على ردكم عن دينكم، كما قال تعالى: ﴿ود كثير من أهل الكتاب لو يردونكم من بعد إيمانكم كفارا حسدا من عند أنفسهم من بعد ما تبين لهم الحق﴾ .

(١) في الأصل: بأعمالهم ولعل الصواب ما أثبت.