Surah An Nisa Tafseer

The Stubbornness of the Jews

Allah says;

يَسْأَلُكَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ أَن تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَابًا مِّنَ السَّمَاء

The People of the Scripture (Jews) ask you to cause a book to descend upon them from heaven.

Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, As-Suddi and Qatadah said that;

the Jews asked the Messenger of Allah to cause a book to come down to them from heaven, just as the Tawrah was sent down to Musa.

Ibn Jurayj said that;

the Jews asked the Messenger to cause books to come down to them addressed to so-and-so among them, testifying to the truth of what he was sent with. The Jews only asked for this because of their stubbornness, defiance, rejection and disbelief.

The disbelievers of Quraysh also asked for similar things from the Prophet, as is mentioned in Surah Al-Isra',

وَقَالُواْ لَن نُّوْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ يَنْبُوعًا

And they say:"We shall not believe in you, until you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us; (17:90)

Allah said,

فَقَدْ سَأَلُواْ مُوسَى أَكْبَرَ مِن ذَلِكَ فَقَالُواْ أَرِنَا اللّهِ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ

Indeed, they asked Musa for even greater than that, when they said, "Show us Allah in public," but they were struck with a bolt of lightning for their wickedness.

injustice, transgression, defiance and rebellion. This part was explained in Surah Al-Baqarah.

وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَـمُوسَى لَن نُّوْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمُ الصَّـعِقَةُ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ

ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَـكُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

And (remember) when you said:"O Musa! We shall never believe in you until we see Allah plainly." But you were struck by a bolt of lightning while you were looking. Then We raised you up after your death, so that you might be grateful. (2:55,56)

Allah's statement,

ثُمَّ اتَّخَذُواْ الْعِجْلَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ

Then they worshipped the calf even after Al-Bayyinat had come to them.

meaning, after they witnessed the tremendous miracles and unequivocal proofs at the hand of Musa in Egypt. They also witnessed the demise of their enemy, Fir`awn and his soldiers, when they all drowned in the sea. Yet soon after, when they passed by a people who were worshipping idols, they said to Musa,

(Make for us a god as they have gods). (7:138)

Allah explains the story of the Jews worshipping the calf in Surah Al-A`raf (7) and Surah Ta Ha (20) after Musa went to meet with his Lord. When Musa returned, Allah decreed that in order for the Jews to earn accepted repentance, then those who did not worship the calf would have to kill those who worshipped it. They complied with this command, and Allah resurrected them afterwards.

Allah said here,

فَعَفَوْنَا عَن ذَلِكَ وَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى سُلْطَانًا مُّبِينًا

(Even) so We forgave them. And We gave Musa a clear proof of authority.

Allah then said