Surah Al Jumu'ah Tafseer

Admonishing the Jews and challenging Them to wish for Death

Allah the Exalted says,

مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرَاةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًا

The likeness of those who were entrusted with the Tawrah, but did not carry it, is as the likeness of a donkey which carries huge burdens of books.

Allah the Exalted admonishes the Jews who were entrusted with the Tawrah and were ordered to abide by it.

However, they did not abide by it, and this is why Allah resembled them to the donkey that carries volumes of books. Surely, when the donkey carries books, it will not understand what these books contain because it is only carrying these books using its strength.

This is the example of those who were entrusted with the Tawrah; they read its letter but did not understand its meanings nor abided by them. Rather, they even corrupted and changed the Tawrah. Therefore, they are worse than the donkey, because the donkey cannot understand. They, on the other hand, could have understood using their minds, but their minds were of no benefit.

This is why Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,

أُوْلَـيِكَ كَالَانْعَـمِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُوْلَـيِكَ هُمُ الْغَـفِلُونَ

They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless. (7:179),

and said,

بِيْسَ مَثَلُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِأيَاتِ اللَّهِ

وَاللَّهُ لَاا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

How bad is the example of people who deny the Ayat of Allah? And Allah does not guide the people who are wrongdoers.

Allah the Exalted said,

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ هَادُوا إِن زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاء لِلَّهِ مِن دُونِ النَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ