Surah 4:46
Show Full Scripture Context (4:44-46) — 3 Verses
أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ نَصِيبٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ يَشۡتَرُونَ ٱلضَّلَٰلَةَ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن تَضِلُّواْ ٱلسَّبِيلَ
Do you not see those who have been given a portion of the Book? They purchase error and wish that you would go astray from the way.
وَٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِأَعۡدَآئِكُمۡۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَلِيّٗا وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ نَصِيرٗا
God knows about your enemies. God is sufficient as an ally, and God is sufficient as a helper.
مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلۡكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعۡنَا وَعَصَيۡنَا وَٱسۡمَعۡ غَيۡرَ مُسۡمَعٖ وَرَٰعِنَا لَيَّۢا بِأَلۡسِنَتِهِمۡ وَطَعۡنٗا فِي ٱلدِّينِۚ وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ قَالُواْ سَمِعۡنَا وَأَطَعۡنَا وَٱسۡمَعۡ وَٱنظُرۡنَا لَكَانَ خَيۡرٗا لَّهُمۡ وَأَقۡوَمَ وَلَٰكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ فَلَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا
Some of those who are Jews alter words from their positions, and they say, ‘We hear and disobey,’ and ‘Hear, and do not hear,’ and ‘Observe us,’ twisting with their tongues and vilifying the religion. If they had said, ‘We hear and obey,’ and ‘Hear,’ and ‘Regard us,’ it would indeed have been better for them, and more just. But God has cursed them for their disbelief, and so they do not believe, except for a few.
Chastising the Jews for Choosing Misguidance, Altering Allah’s Words, and Mocking Islam
Allah states that the Jews, may Allah’s continued curse fall on them until the Day of Resurrection, have purchased the wrong path instead of guidance, and ignored what Allah sent down to His Messenger Muhammad. They also ignored the knowledge that they inherited from previous Prophets, about the description of Muhammad, so that they may have a small amount of the delights of this life.
for they would like that you disbelieve in what was sent down to you, O believers, and that you abandon the guidance and beneficial knowledge that you have.
meaning, Allah has better knowledge of your enemies, and He warns you against them.
He is a Sufficient Protector for those who seek refuge with Him and a Sufficient Supporter for those who seek His help. Allah then said,
meaning, they intentionally and falsely alter the meanings of the Words of Allah and explain them in a different manner than what Allah meant,
saying, “We hear what you say, O Muhammad, but we do not obey you in it,” as Mujahid and Ibn Zayd explained.
This is the implied meaning of the Ayah, and it demonstrates the Jews’ disbelief, stubbornness and disregard for Allah’s Book after they understood it, all the while aware of the sin and punishment that this behavior will earn for them. Allah’s statement,
means, hear our words, may you never hear anything, as Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn ‘Abbas. This is the Jews’ way of mocking and jesting, may Allah’s curse descend on them.
meaning, they pretend to say, ‘Hear us,’ when they say, Ra'ina (an insult in Hebrew, but in Arabic it means ‘Listen to us.’). Yet, their true aim is to curse the Prophet. We mentioned this subject when we explained Allah’s statement,
Therefore, Allah said about them, while they pretend to say other than what they truly mean,
because of their cursing the Prophet. Allah then said,
meaning, their hearts are cast away from the path of righteousness and therefore, no beneficial part of faith enters it. Earlier, when we explained,
{so little is that which they believe} which means they do not have beneficial faith.
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 2, Page 476-479)