And this may be understood in two ways. Either he means that some of what the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—explained is concealed from everyone. This is outright concealment, which Allah has condemned. Such is the condition of the People of the Book. He censured those who conceal the clear proofs and guidance He explained to people, after making them clear to people in the Book. He said:

“And who is more unjust than one who conceals a testimony he has from Allah?”

Such is the condition of the People of the Book in concealing passages in their scripture: some interpret them figuratively, while others declare their meanings indeterminate. These passages contain proofs of Muhammad’s prophethood—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and other matters. For they cannot deny the wording of the Torah, the Gospel, and the other books of the prophets—which, among the People of the Book, number twenty-odd books. Rather, they distort it through false interpretation and conceal its correct meanings from their ordinary people, as Allah Most High said:

“And among them are unlettered people who know nothing of the Scripture except its recitation.”

Whoever treats the people of the Quran in the same way, instructing them to remain unlettered concerning it, knowing nothing of the Book except its recitation, has instructed them to do the very thing for which Allah condemned the People of the Book.

ʿUmar only beat Subaygh ibn ʿUsayl al-Tamīmī because, by pursuing the ambiguous passages, he sought to stir up discord and sought their interpretation. These are the people whom Allah censured in His Book, because they