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Ayah
Word by Word
وَقَالُواْ
And they said
قُلُوبُنَا
Our hearts
غُلۡفُۢۚ
(are) wrapped
بَل
Nay
لَّعَنَهُمُ
has cursed them
ٱللَّهُ
Allah
بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ
for their disbelief
فَقَلِيلٗا
so little
مَّا
(is) what
يُؤۡمِنُونَ
they believe
وَقَالُواْ
And they said
قُلُوبُنَا
Our hearts
غُلۡفُۢۚ
(are) wrapped
بَل
Nay
لَّعَنَهُمُ
has cursed them
ٱللَّهُ
Allah
بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ
for their disbelief
فَقَلِيلٗا
so little
مَّا
(is) what
يُؤۡمِنُونَ
they believe
Translation
They say, "Our hearts are the wrappings (which preserve Allah's Word: we need no more)." Nay, Allah's curse is on them for their blasphemy: Little is it they believe.
Tafsir
And they say, to the Prophet mockingly: 'Our hearts are encased' (ghulf is the plural of aghlaf), that is to say, wrapped up in covers and cannot comprehend what you say; God, exalted be He, says: Nay (bal introduces the rebuttal), but God has cursed them, removed them far from His mercy and degraded them when they rejected [the messengers], for their unbelief, which is not the result of anything defective in their hearts; and little will they believe (fa-qaleelan maa yu'minoon: the maa here is extra, emphasising the 'littleness' involved): that is, their belief is minimal.
"The Arrogance of the Jews who denied and killed Their Prophets
Allah described the insolence of Children of Israel, their rebelliousness, defiance and arrogance towards the Prophets, following their lusts and desires.
Allah says;
وَلَقَدۡ اتَيۡنَا مُوسَى الۡكِتَابَ وَقَفَّيۡنَا مِن بَعۡدِهِ بِالرُّسُلِ
And indeed, We gave Musa the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers.
Allah mentioned that He gave Musa the Book, the Tawrah, and that the Jews changed, distorted, and defied its commands, as well as altered its meanings.
Allah sent Messengers and Prophets after Musa who followed his law, as Allah stated,
إِنَّأ أَنزَلۡنَا التَّوۡرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ
الَّذِينَ أَسۡلَمُواۡ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواۡ وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالاٌّحۡبَارُ بِمَا اسۡتُحۡفِظُواۡ مِن كِتَـبِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُواۡ عَلَيۡهِ شُهَدَاءَ
Verily, We did reveal the Tawrah (to Musa), therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah's will, judged for the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests (too judged for the Jews by the Tawrah after those Prophets), for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's Book, and they were witnesses thereto. (5:44)
This is why Allah said here,
وَقَفَّيۡنَا مِن بَعۡدِهِ بِالرُّسُلِ
(And Qaffayna him with Messengers).
As-Suddi said that Abu Malik said that;
Qaffayna means, ""Succeeded"",
while others said, ""Followed"".
Both meanings are plausible, since Allah said,
ثُمَّ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلَنَا تَتۡرَى
Then We sent Our Messengers in succession. (23:44)
وَاتَيۡنَا عِيسَى ابۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ الۡبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدۡنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الۡقُدُسِ
And We gave `Isa, the son of Maryam, clear signs and supported him with Ruh-il-Qudus.
Thereafter, Allah sent the last Prophet among the Children of Israel, `Isa the son of Mary, who was sent with some laws that differed with some in the Tawrah.
This is why Allah also sent miracles to support `Isa. These included;
bringing the dead back to life,
forming the shape of birds from clay and blowing into them, after which they became living birds by Allah's leave,
healing the sick and foretelling the Unseen, as Ibn Abbas stated.
Allah also aided him with Ruh Al-Qudus, and that refers to Jibril.
All of these signs testified to the truthfulness of `Isa and what he was sent with. Yet, the Children of Israel became more defiant and envious of him and did not want to differ with even one part of the Tawrah, as Allah said about `Isa,
وَلاٌّحِلَّ لَكُم بَعۡضَ الَّذِي حُرِّمَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَجِيۡتُكُمۡ بِأَيَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ
And to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. (3:50)
Hence, the Children of Israel treated the Prophets in the worst manner, rejecting some of them and killing some of them.
All of this occurred because the Prophets used to command the Jews with what differed from their desires and opinions. The Prophets also upheld the rulings of the Tawrah that the Jews had changed, and this is why it was difficult for them to believe in these Prophets. Therefore, they rejected the Prophets and killed some of them.
Allah said,
أَفَكُلَّمَا جَاءكُمۡ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لاأَ تَهۡوَى أَنفُسُكُمُ اسۡتَكۡبَرۡتُمۡ
Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with what you yourselves desired not, you grew arrogant!
Jibril is Ruh Al-Qudus
The proof that Jibril is the Ruh Al-Qudus is the statement of Ibn Mas`ud in explanation of this Ayah.
This is also the view of Ibn Abbas, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Ismail bin Khalid, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi bin Anas, Atiyah Al-`Awfi and Qatadah.
Additionally, Allah said,
نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الاٌّمِينُ
عَلَى قَلۡبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الۡمُنۡذِرِينَ
Which the trustworthy Ruh (Jibril) has brought down. Upon your heart (O Muhammad) that you may be (one) of the warners. (26:193-194)
Al-Bukhari recorded Aishah saying that;
the Messenger of Allah erected a Minbar in the Masjid on which Hassan bin Thabit (the renowned poet) used to defend the Messenger of Allah (with his poems).
The Messenger of Allah said,
اللَّهُمَّ أَيِّدۡ حَسَّانَ بِرُوحِ الۡقُدُسِ كَمَا نَافَحَ عَنۡ نَبِيِّك
O Allah! Aid Hassan with Ruh Al-Qudus, for he defended Your Prophet.
Abu Dawud recorded this Hadith in his Sunan as did At-Tirmidhi who graded it Hasan Sahih.
Further, Ibn Hibban recorded in his Sahih that Ibn Mas`ud said that the Prophet said,
إِنَّ رُوحَ الۡقُدُسِ نَفَثَ فِي رُوعِي أَنَّهُ لَنۡ تَمُوتَ نَفۡسٌ حَتَّى تَسۡتَكۡمِلَ رِزۡقَهَا وَأَجَلَهَا فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ وَأَجۡمِلُوا فِي الطَّلَب
Ruh Al-Qudus informed me that no soul shall die until it finishes its set provisions and term limit. Therefore, have Taqwa of Allah and seek your sustenance in the most suitable way.
The Jews tried to kill the Prophet
Allah said,
فَفَرِيقاً كَذَّبۡتُمۡ وَفَرِيقاً تَقۡتُلُونَ
Some you disbelieved and some you kill.
Az-Zamakhshari commented on Allah's statement,
""Allah did not say `killed' here, because the Jews would still try to kill the Prophet in the future, using poison and magic.""
During the illness that preceded his death, the Prophet said,
مَا زَالَتۡ أَكۡلَةُ خَيۡبَرَ تُعَاوِدُنِي فَهذَا أَوَانُ انۡقِطَاعِ أَبۡهَرِي
I kept feeling the effect of what I ate (from the poisoned sheep) during the day of Khyber, until now, when it is the time that the aorta will be cut off (meaning when death is near).
This Hadith was collected by Al-Bukhari and other.
Allah says;
وَقَالُواۡ قُلُوبُنَا غُلۡفٌ
And they say, ""Our hearts are Ghulf.""
Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn Abbas said that it,
means, ""Our hearts are screened.""
Mujahid also said that it means,
""They are covered.""`
Ikrimah said,
""There is a stamp on them.""
Abu Al-Aliyah said,
""They do not comprehend.""
Mujahid and Qatadah said that;
Ibn Abbas read the Ayah in a way that means,
""Our hearts contain every type of knowledge and do not need the knowledge that you (O Muhammad) have.""
This is the opinion of Ata and Ibn Abbas.
بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّه بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ
Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief,
meaning, ""Allah expelled them and deprived them of every type of righteousness.""
فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوۡمِنُونَ
So little is that which they believe.
Qatadah said that the Ayah means,
""Only a few of them believe.""
Allah's statement,
وَقَالُواۡ قُلُوبُنَا غُلۡفٌ
(And they say, ""Our hearts are Ghulf."") is similar to His statement,
وَقَالُواۡ قُلُوبُنَا فِى أَكِنَّةٍ مِمَّا تَدۡعُونَا إِلَيۡهِ
And they say:""Our hearts are under coverings (screened) from that to which you invite us. (41:5).
This is why Allah said here,
بَل لَّعَنَهُمُ اللَّه بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ
فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوۡمِنُونَ
(Nay, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so little is that which they believe),
meaning, ""It is not as they claim. Rather, their hearts are cursed and stamped,"" just as Allah said in Surah An-Nisa,
وَقَوۡلِهِمۡ قُلُوبُنَا غُلۡفٌ بَلۡ طَبَعَ اللّهُ عَلَيۡهَا بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ فَلَ يُوۡمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً
And of their saying:""Our hearts are wrapped (with coverings, i.e. we do not understand what the Messengers say) ـ nay, Allah has set a seal upon their hearts because of their disbelief, so they believe not but a little. (4:155)
There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning of Allah's statement,
فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوۡمِنُونَ
(So little is that which they believe.) and His statement,
فَلَ يُوۡمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلً
(So they believe not except a few), (4:155).
Some scholars said that;
the Ayat indicate that a few of them would believe, or that their faith is minute, because they believe in Resurrection and in Allah's reward and punishment that Musa foretold. Yet, this faith will not benefit them since it is overshadowed by their disbelief in what Muhammad brought them.
Some scholars said that;
the Jews did not actually believe in anything and that Allah said,
فَقَلِيلً مَّا يُوۡمِنُونَ
(So little is that which they believe), meaning, they do not believe.
This meaning is similar to the Arabic expression, ""Hardly have I seen anything like this,""
meaning, ""I have never seen anything like this."
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