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Ayah
Word by Word
وَقَطَّعۡنَٰهُمۡ
And We divided them
فِي
in
ٱلۡأَرۡضِ
the earth
أُمَمٗاۖ
(as) nations
مِّنۡهُمُ
Among them
ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ
(are) the righteous
وَمِنۡهُمۡ
and among them
دُونَ
(are) other than
ذَٰلِكَۖ
that
وَبَلَوۡنَٰهُم
And We tested them
بِٱلۡحَسَنَٰتِ
with the good
وَٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ
and the bad
لَعَلَّهُمۡ
so that they may
يَرۡجِعُونَ
return
وَقَطَّعۡنَٰهُمۡ
And We divided them
فِي
in
ٱلۡأَرۡضِ
the earth
أُمَمٗاۖ
(as) nations
مِّنۡهُمُ
Among them
ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ
(are) the righteous
وَمِنۡهُمۡ
and among them
دُونَ
(are) other than
ذَٰلِكَۖ
that
وَبَلَوۡنَٰهُم
And We tested them
بِٱلۡحَسَنَٰتِ
with the good
وَٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ
and the bad
لَعَلَّهُمۡ
so that they may
يَرۡجِعُونَ
return
Translation
We broke them up into sections on this earth. There are among them some that are the righteous, and some that are the opposite. We have tried them with both prosperity and adversity: In order that they might turn (to us).
Tafsir
And We divided them, We separated them, into communities, sects, in the earth. Some of them are righteous, and some of them, people [who], are otherwise, disbelievers and wicked individuals. And We tried them with good things, with graces, and evil things, with misfortunes, so that they might revert, from their wickedness.
"Eternal Humiliation placed on the Jews
Allah reminds;
وَإِذۡ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبۡعَثَنَّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ
And (remember) when your Lord declared that He would certainly keep on sending against them,
تَأَذَّنَ
(Ta'dhdhana) means
`declared', according to Mujahid, or
`ordained', according to others.
This part of the Ayah indicates a vow,
لَيَبۡعَثَنَّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ
(that He will keep on sending against them) against the Jews,
إِلَى يَوۡمِ الۡقِيَامَةِ مَن يَسُومُهُمۡ سُوءَ الۡعَذَابِ
till the Day of Resurrection, those who would afflict them with a humiliating torment.
on account of their disobedience, defying Allah's orders and Law and using tricks to transgress the prohibitions.
It was reported that Musa required the Jews to pay the production tax for seven or thirteen years, and he was the first to do so.
Also, the Jews fell under the humiliating rule of the Greek Kushdanin, Chaldeans and later on the Christians, who subjugated and disgraced them, and required them to pay the Jizyah (tribute tax).
When Islam came and Muhammad was sent, they became under his power and had to pay the Jizyah, as well.
Therefore, the humiliating torment mentioned here includes disgrace and paying the Jizyah, as Al-Awfi narrated from Ibn Abbas.
In the future, the Jews will support the Dajjal (False Messiah); and the Muslims, along with Isa, son of Mary, will kill the Jews. This will occur just before the end of this world.
Allah said next,
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ الۡعِقَابِ
Verily, your Lord is quick in retribution,
with those who disobey Him and defy His Law,
وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
and certainly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
for those who repent and go back to Him.
This Ayah mentions both the mercy, as well as, the punishment, so that no despair is felt. Allah often mentions encouragement and warning together, so that hearts always have a sense of hope and fear
The Children of Israel scatter throughout the Land
Allah tells;
وَقَطَّعۡنَاهُمۡ فِي الَارۡضِ أُمَمًا
And We have broken them (the Jews) up into various separate groups on the earth:
Allah states that He divided the Jews into various nations, sects and groups,
وَقُلۡنَا مِن بَعۡدِهِ لِبَنِى إِسۡرَءِيلَ اسۡكُنُواۡ الاٌّرۡضَ فَإِذَا جَأءَ وَعۡدُ الاٌّخِرَةِ جِيۡنَا بِكُمۡ لَفِيفًا
And We said to the Children of Israel after him (after Musa died):""Dwell in the land, then, when the final and the last promise comes near, We shall bring you altogether as a mixed crowd (gathered out of various nations)."" (17:104)
مِّنۡهُمُ الصَّالِحُونَ وَمِنۡهُمۡ دُونَ ذَلِكَ
some of them are righteous and some are away from that,
some of them are led aright and some are not righteous, just as the Jinns declared,
وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الصَّـلِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ ذَلِكَ كُنَّا طَرَايِقَ قِدَداً
""There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary; we are groups having different ways (religious sects)."" (72:11)
Allah said here,
وَبَلَوۡنَاهُمۡ
And We tried them,
and tested them,
بِالۡحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّيَاتِ
with good and evil,
with times of ease, difficulty, eagerness, fear, well-being and affliction,
لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ
in order that they might turn (to Allah).
Allah said next
فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعۡدِهِمۡ خَلۡفٌ وَرِثُواۡ الۡكِتَابَ يَأۡخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَـذَا الادۡنَى
Then after them succeeded an (evil) generation, which inherited the Book, but they chose (for themselves) the goods of this low life,
This Ayah means, after the generation made up of righteous and unrighteous people, another generation came that did not have goodness in them, and they inherited the Tawrah and studied it.
Mujahid commented on Allah's statement,
يَأۡخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَـذَا الادۡنَى
(They chose (for themselves) the goods of this low life),
""They will consume anything they can consume in this life, whether legally or illegally. Yet, they wish for forgiveness,
وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغۡفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن يَأۡتِهِمۡ عَرَضٌ مُّثۡلُهُ يَأۡخُذُوهُ
Saying:""(Everything) will be forgiven for us."" And if (again) the offer of the like came their way, they would (again) seize them.""
Qatadah commented on Allah's statement,
يَأۡخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَـذَا الادۡنَى
(they chose (for themselves) the goods of this low life),
""This, by Allah, is an evil generation,
وَرِثُواۡ الۡكِتَابَ
(which inherited the Book) after their Prophets and Messengers, for they were entrusted with this job by Allah's command to them. Allah said in another Ayah,
فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعۡدِهِمۡ خَلۡفٌ أَضَاعُواۡ الصَّلَـوةَ
Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who neglect the Salah (the prayers). (19:59)
Allah said next,
يَأۡخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَـذَا الادۡنَى
وَيَقُولُونَ سَيُغۡفَرُ لَنَا
(They chose the goods of this low life saying:""(Everything) will be forgiven to us""). They wish and hope from Allah, while deceiving themselves,
وَإِن يَأۡتِهِمۡ عَرَضٌ مُّثۡلُهُ يَأۡخُذُوهُ
(And if (again) the offer of the like came their way, they would (again) seize them). Nothing stops them from this behavior, for whenever they are given an opportunity in this life, they will consume regardless of it being allowed or not.""
As-Suddi said about Allah's statement,
فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعۡدِهِمۡ خَلۡفٌ
..
وَدَرَسُواۡ مَا فِيهِ
Then after them succeeded an (evil) generation, until..... And they have studied what is in it (the Book).
""Every time the Children of Israel appointed a judge, he used to take bribes. The best ones among them held a counsel and took covenants from each that they would not take bribes. However, when one of them would take bribes in return for judgment and was asked, `What is the matter with you; you take a bribe to grant judgment', he replied, `I will be forgiven.' So the rest of his people would admonish him for what he did. But when he died, or was replaced, the one who replaced him would take bribes too. Therefore, Allah says, if the others (who admonished him) would have a chance to loot this world, they will take it.""'
Allah said,
أَلَمۡ يُوۡخَذۡ عَلَيۡهِم مِّيثَاقُ الۡكِتَابِ أَن لاَّ يِقُولُواۡ عَلَى اللّهِ إِلاَّ الۡحَقَّ
Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them that they would not say about Allah anything but the truth,
thus, admonishing them for this behavior. Allah took a pledge from them that they would declare the truth to people and not hide it.
Allah said in another Ayah,
وَإِذۡ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَـقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواۡ الۡكِتَـبَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكۡتُمُونَهُ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمۡ وَاشۡتَرَوۡاۡ بِهِ ثَمَناً قَلِيلً فَبِيۡسَ مَا يَشۡتَرُونَ
(And remember) when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture to make it known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it, but they threw it away behind their backs, and purchased with it some miserable gain! And indeed worst is that which they bought. (3:187)
Ibn Jurayj said that Ibn Abbas said about the Ayah,
أَلَمۡ يُوۡخَذۡ عَلَيۡهِم مِّيثَاقُ الۡكِتَابِ أَن لاَّ يِقُولُواۡ عَلَى اللّهِ إِلاَّ الۡحَقَّ
(Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them that they would not say about Allah anything but the truth),
""Their claim that Allah will forgive the sins they keep committing without repenting from them.""
وَدَرَسُواۡ مَا فِيهِ
And they have studied what is in it (the Book).
Allah said,
وَالدَّارُ الاخِرَةُ خَيۡرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلَ تَعۡقِلُونَ
And the home in the Hereafter is better for those who have Taqwa. Do not you then understand!
Encouraging them to seek Allah's tremendous reward and warning them against His severe torment.
Allah says here, `My reward and what I have are better for those who avoid prohibitions, abandon lusts and become active in the obedience of their Lord.'
أَفَلَ تَعۡقِلُونَ
Do not you then understand!
Allah says' Do not these people, who preferred this life instead of what is with Me, have any sense to prohibit them from their foolish and extravagant ways!'
Allah then praises those who adhere to His Book, which directs them to follow His Messenger Muhammad
وَالَّذِينَ يُمَسَّكُونَ بِالۡكِتَابِ
And as to those who hold fast to the Book,
adhere to it, implement its commands and refrain from its prohibitions,
وَأَقَامُواۡ الصَّلَةَ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ الۡمُصۡلِحِينَ
and perform the Salah, certainly We shall never waste the reward of those who do righteous deeds."
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