3-110 You are the best nation raised up for men: you enjoin good and forbid evil and you believe in Allah.a And if the People of the Book had believed, it would have been better for them. Some of them are believers but most of them are transgressors.b
كُنتُم خَيرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخرِجَت لِلنّاسِ تَأمُرونَ بِالمَعروفِ وَتَنهَونَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ وَتُؤمِنونَ بِاللَّهِ ۗ وَلَو آمَنَ أَهلُ الكِتابِ لَكانَ خَيرًا لَهُم ۚ مِنهُمُ المُؤمِنونَ وَأَكثَرُهُمُ الفاسِقونَ (۱۱۰)
3-110a: كُنتُم – The use of the word كُنتُم here is explained in several ways. Some say that the meaning is: كُنتُم فی علم اللّٰه (You were the best nation in the knowledge of Allah). Some say it means: كُنتُم فی الامم قبلکم مذکورین بانکم خیرامة (Among the previous nations, you were remembered as the best nation), as is apparent from: ذٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُم فِي التَّوراةِ ۚ وَمَثَلُهُم فِي الإِنجيلِ (That is their description in the Torah and their description in the Gospel) (48:29). Some say کان is superfluous and take the meaning to be: اَنتُم خَيرَ أُمَّةٍ but see note 2-213a where it is shown that کان is also used to show the innate quality of a thing. Here, being the best is stated as being the innate quality of this nation, and the meaning is that you are the best nation and will always remain the best nation.
أُخرِجَت – خَرَج means became manifest or came out from its resting place or from its condition or state, regardless of whether the resting place is the house, or town, or dress or the person’s condition or situation; the situation may be one’s own internal state or caused externally (R). The meaning of أُخرِجَت here is اظھرت that is made manifest or apparent.
The task of the Muslim ummah is reformation: The لام in لِلنّاسِ is for derivation of benefit or profiting, the purport being that the manifestation of the Muslim ummah is for the benefit of people. Accordingly, the next statement is about enjoining good and forbidding evil. Thus, the task of the Muslim ummah is to be teachers of goodness, to exhort people to uprightness and to prevent them from vice. That is why, تُؤمِنونَ بِاللَّهِ (you believe in Allah), which is the status of the perfection of the soul, comes after enjoining good and forbidding evil, which is for the development of others. The real purpose here is that the task of the Muslim ummah is to reform others. The mention of تُؤمِنونَ بِاللَّهِ or the perfection of their own soul is mentioned show that they do not preach to others what they do not practice themselves. If they desire the reformation of others, they also reform their own souls.
Excellence of the ummah: This verse announces that the Muslim nation is the best nation. Some hold that this is so only for the Companions of the Holy Prophet. However, first the use of the word کان (to be or to exist) is against such a supposition. Second, there is no need for this limitation. Third, it is established from Hadith that the entire ummah is called خیر الامم (best of nation). Imam Ahmad narrates: قال رسول اللَّه ﷺ اعطیت مالم یُعط احد من الانبیاء نُصِرت بالرُّب و اُعۡطیتُ مفاتیح الارض و سُمِّیتُ اَحۡمَد و جُعِلَ التراب لی طَھُورًا و جُعِلت اُمّتی خیر الاُمم (The Messenger of Allah said: I have been given what no other prophet was given, I have been made victorious by awe (frightening of enemies), I have been given the treasures of earth, I was named Ahmad, the dust was made a source of purification for me, and my ummah was made the best ummah. There is no doubt that the Companions are the best group from this ummah and the Quran testifies to this when it states: رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنهُم وَرَضوا عَنهُ (Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased Him) (9:100), but the purport here is to show the excellence of the entire ummah over other nations. If the teacher and purifier of this ummah, Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, excels all other teachers and purifiers, there is no reason why his students are not better than the students of all other prophets.
What are the factors in their excellence? The reasons for this excellence have been explained. This ummah is created for the welfare of all humanity. The ummah of other prophets have at best confined their activities to the betterment of their own nation, but distinction by nationality is erased from the ummah of the Holy Prophet and they have been given the task of benefiting all humanity. They desire the welfare not only of Muslims but of every nation and of the followers of every faith. Islam erases national differences for all times. The second reason for their excellence is that they enjoin good and forbid evil. The question that arises here is, what about the nations of previous prophets? Did they not similarly perform this task? The fact is that enjoining good and forbidding evil is the work of prophets and even though the followers of previous prophets performed this task to a certain extent, their sphere of work was limited in many aspects. From time to time, other prophets were raised among them. This work of the prophets is now entrusted to the Muslim ummah with a larger scope. The grandiose task of purifying the entirety of humanity, enjoining good and forbidding evil to the entire world, and the nurturing of all the aspects of human power, was not performed by any prophet prior to the Holy Prophet. The excellence of the Muslim ummah is expressed in Surah Bakarah as follows: وَكَذٰلِكَ جَعَلناكُم أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكونوا شُهَداءَ عَلَى النّاسِ وَيَكونَ الرَّسولُ عَلَيكُم شَهيدًا (And thus We have made you an exalted nation that you may be the bearers of witness to the people and (that) the Messenger may be a bearer of witness to you) (2:143). This is the reason why in the Hadith, the scholars of this ummah are called ورثة الانبیاء (the successors of prophets) and کَاَنبیاء بنی اسرائیل (the like of the prophets of Bani Israel). If another prophet had to come and work in the ummah, then the claim to excellence of the Muslim ummah over other nations would be s\eroded. There cannot be a revisitation of another prophet in this ummah as that too would compromise the excellence of the Muslim ummah.
Proof of excellence: The claim that the Muslim ummah excels all other nations is not without proof. The nation that the Holy Prophet reformed was sunk in depravity far more than any other prophet’s nation from the point of view of their beliefs, actions, and ignorance. Despite the debauchery his nation was in, the Holy Prophet, through his spiritual prowess, raised them to a higher level of excellence in their beliefs and actions, and in their knowledge and civility than any other prophet had done before. The Muslim ummah excelled all nations not only in their piety and religiousness but having adorned themselves with the best morals, they surpassed all other nations in every field of human endeavor including in the conquests of countries, in politics, in building a civilized society, in knowledge, in establishing freedom of thought and equality of the human race.
310b: أَهلُ الكِتاب – The term أَهلُ الكِتاب actually has an expansive meaning but is often used in a restrictive sense to address Jews and Christians only, and in some places it is only the Christians who are the subject of address, as for example in: يا أَهلَ الكِتابِ لا تَغلوا في دينِكُم (O People of the Book, exceed not the limits in your religion) (4:171). In the present verse, it is only the Jews who are addressed as is made manifest by the statement in the verse that follows the next one: ضُرِبَت عَلَيهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَينَ ما ثُقِفوا … وَباءوا بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَضُرِبَت عَلَيهِمُ المَسكَنَةُ (Abasement will be their lot wherever they are found…and they shall incur the wrath of Allah, and humiliation will be made to cling to them.) (3-112)۔ These words have previously been used exclusively for the punishment of Jews in Surah Bakarah. This is further confirmed by the charge of: وَيَقتُلونَ الأَنبِياءَ بِغَيرِ حَقٍّ (…and killed the prophets unjustly) which is a charge also exclusively made against the Jews. Apart from this, the subject of this surah soon turns to to the events of the Battle of Uhad and in the early defensive wars of the Muslims, the mischievous plotting of the Jews was a source of constant danger, particularly while the Muslims were engaged elsewhere. There was a large Jewish population in the city of Madinah, hence as a preliminary to the mention of the war, a statement is made about the relationship with the Jews. There is also a reference to the Jews at the end of the narration of the war. The Jews are called فاسِق (transgressors) instead of کافر (unbelievers) because a covenant was made with them to believe in the Holy Prophet.
3-111 They will not harm you save a slight hurt. And if they fight you, they will turn (their) backs to you. Then they will not be helped.
لَن يَضُرّوكُم إِلّا أَذًى ۖ وَإِن يُقاتِلوكُم يُوَلّوكُمُ الأَدبارَ ثُمَّ لا يُنصَرونَ (۱۱۱)
3-111a: أَذًى – When compared with ضرر (harm), أَذًى is a slight hurt. See 2-222a. At the end of this surah hurtful talk is also referred to as أَذًیٰ as in: وَلَتَسمَعُنَّ مِنَ الَّذينَ أوتُوا الكِتابَ مِن قَبلِكُم وَمِنَ الَّذينَ أَشرَكوا أَذًى كَثيرًا (And you will certainly hear from those who have been given the Book before you and from the idolaters much abuse) (3:186). In a hadith, striding over people sitting in a Friday congregation is also called أَذًیٰ and the little discomforting things in a journey are also called أَذًیٰ as in: اماطة الاذٰی عن الطریق .
Defeat of Jews prophesied: The verse prophesies that the Muslims would not suffer any significant harm from the Jews, and if they decided to fight the Muslims, they will be defeated. The words: ثُمَّ لا يُنصَرونَ are added at the end of the verse because the hypocrites and the unbelievers kept on implying to the Jews that if they opened hostilities against the Muslims, they would help them. This is mentioned elsewhere: أَلَم تَرَ إِلَى الَّذينَ نافَقوا يَقولونَ لِإِخوانِهِمُ الَّذينَ كَفَروا مِن أَهلِ الكِتابِ لَئِن أُخرِجتُم لَنَخرُجَنَّ مَعَكُم وَلا نُطيعُ فيكُم أَحَدًا أَبَدًا وَإِن قوتِلتُم لَنَنصُرَنَّكُم وَاللَّهُ يَشهَدُ إِنَّهُم لَكاذِبونَ (Hast thou not seen the hypocrites? They say to their brethren who disbelieve from among the People of the Book: If you are expelled, we certainly will go forth with you, and we will never obey anyone concerning you; and if you are fought against, we will certainly help you. And Allah bears witness that they are liars) (59:11). Reference is made to this and it is stated in that context that the hypocrites and unbelievers will not help them. Some understand this to mean that after being defeated in battle they would never be respected again. Thus, after they are defeated they will not overcome and they will be betrayed forever.
3-112 Abasement will be their lot wherever they are found, except under a covenant with Allah and a covenant with men, and they shall incur the wrath of Allah, and humiliation will be made to cling to them.a This is because they disbelieved in the messages of Allah and killed the prophets unjustly. This is because they disobeyed and exceeded the limits.
ضُرِبَت عَلَيهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَينَ ما ثُقِفوا إِلّا بِحَبلٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَحَبلٍ مِنَ النّاسِ وَباءوا بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَضُرِبَت عَلَيهِمُ المَسكَنَةُ ۚ ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُم كانوا يَكفُرونَ بِآياتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقتُلونَ الأَنبِياءَ بِغَيرِ حَقٍّ ۚ ذٰلِكَ بِما عَصَوا وَكانوا يَعتَدونَ
3-112a: ذِّلَّةُ – The meaning is explained in 2-61c. Although one of the meanings of this word is abasement, it is also used in a more intensive form which includes death and destruction so that there is no rest. Accordingly, commentators generally take it to mean القتل و الاسر و سبی الذ راری )RM). Because being subjugated is included in abasement, the meaning of ذِّلَّةُ here is intense abasement, death and destruction.
حَبلٍ – The meaning of حَبلٍ is explained above in 3-103a as a covenant, duty or responsibility. The meaning of حَبلٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ is a covenant with Allah or a responsibility owed to Allah, that is an Islamic government, just as the meaning of امر اللَّه is taken as an Islamic government in many places. The reason for this is that the Muslims will deal with them in accordance with the commands of Allah. Hence a covenant made with Muslims is as if it is a covenant made with Allah. The meaning of حَبلٍ مِنَ الناس is a covenant with people, that is a non-Islamic government.
The fate of the Jews: This verse narrates that the fate of the Jews will be humiliation, abasement and coming under the wrath of Allah. This is a repetition of what is also stated in surah Bakarah 2:61. Humiliation and abasement describes the state of their physical condition in this world while the wrath of Allah is about their religious condition. They can escape a state of humiliation, death and destruction, if they come under the protection of an Islamic state or if they enter into a pact with a non-Muslim government. (The وَ (and) here is in the meaning of اَو (or))۔. Because the Jews were not fated to be fully at ease in the non-Muslim states, حَبلٍ مِنَ النّاسِ is mentioned at the end, or by الناس is meant Muslims, that is, that it is only through upholding the covenant of Allah and the covenant of Islam that they will be able to find full peace, and so by joining them with و it is put together as a single command. But without such a pact, they will not be able to escape abasement, servitude, and the wrath of Allah.
3-113 They are not all alike. Of the People of the Book there is an upright party who recite Allah’s messages in the night-time and they adore (Him).a
3-114 They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and they enjoin good and forbid evil and vie one with another in good deeds. And those are among the righteous.a
لَيسوا سَواءً ۗ مِن أَهلِ الكِتابِ أُمَّةٌ قائِمَةٌ يَتلونَ آياتِ اللَّهِ آناءَ اللَّيلِ وَهُم يَسجُدونَ (۱۱۳)
يُؤمِنونَ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَومِ الآخِرِ وَيَأمُرونَ بِالمَعروفِ وَيَنهَونَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ وَيُسارِعونَ فِي الخَيراتِ وَأُولٰئِكَ مِنَ الصّالِحينَ (۱۱۴)
3-113a: قائِمَةٌ – قیام is used in several senses. There is the قیام of a body which is its existence or standing and may either be nondiscretionary or discretionary. An example of nondiscretionary standing is: مِنها قائِمٌ وَحَصيدٌ (Of them are some that stand and (others) mown down) (11:100) and one of discretionary standing: أَمَّن هُوَ قانِتٌ آناءَ اللَّيلِ ساجِدًا وَقائِمًا (Is he who is obedient during the hours of the night, prostrating and standing) (39:9). The قیام of a thing is to keep an eye on the thing and to protect it. This is the sense in which the word is used here. Another meaning of قیام is to resolve or determine, an example of which is: اذ اقمتم الی الصلٰوۃ (R). Commentators take the meaning of قیام in: مستقیمة عادلة یا قائم بحق العبودیة (G) or مستقیمة علی طاعة اللَّه (RM) as a party that is steadfast in justice, or in fulfilling the requirements of devotion, or in remaining steadfast in the obedience of Allah.
آناءَ – is the plural of انی or اِنیً meaning a time of night. The meaning of اَنَی is that a thing reached its destined time and utmost limit and حَانَ و اَدۡرَكَ is derived from it. The meaning of: أَلَم يَأنِ لِلَّذينَ آمَنوا أَن تَخشَعَ قُلوبُهُم لِذِكرِ اللَّهِ (Has not the time yet come for the believers that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah) (57:16). The meaning of اَنَی الحَرُّ is that the heat has reached its maximum. It is in that sense that this word occurs in: يَطوفونَ بَينَها وَبَينَ حَميمٍ آنٍ (Round about shall they go between it and hot, boiling water) (55:44) and: عَينٍ آنِيَةٍ (boiling spring) (88:5), and a derivation from it isاِنَی which means cooking, as in: غَيرَ ناظِرينَ إِناهُ (not waiting for its cooking being finished) (33:53). Utensils are called اِناَء and its plural is اٰنیة and an example of its occurrence is: وَيُطافُ عَلَيهِم بِآنِيَةٍ مِن فِضَّةٍ (And round about them are made to go vessels of silver) (76:15).
3-114a: Believers from among Ahle Kitab: In verses 3:113 and 114, a froup mof followers from amongst the Ahle Kitab is mentioned but calling them from Ahle Kitab does not mean that they were following the Jewish religion. They were people who had left their religion and become Muslims. Included in this group were Abdullah bin Salam, Assad bin Ubaid, Salba bin Shaba etcetera. This is further confirmed by what is stated at the end of this surah: وَإِنَّ مِن أَهلِ الكِتابِ لَمَن يُؤمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَما أُنزِلَ إِلَيكُم وَما أُنزِلَ إِلَيهِم (And of the People of the Book there are those who believe in Allah and (in) that which has been revealed to you and (in) that which has been revealed to them) (3:199). In the previous verse 3:112, there is a mention of the abasement of the Jews and Allah’s wrath with them, hence it is stated now that this is not by virtue of their race but because of their deeds; and mention is made of a group among them who by a change of their belief and actions are at a high standing.
Some aspects of their goodness: Some aspects of these men of high standing are recounted here. The first attribute is that they are steadfast, that is steadfast in their obedience to Allah. The second attribute is that they recite the verses of Allah during periods of the night. This is again one of the distinctive features of Muslims. The third attribute is هُم يَسجُدونَ (they prostrate) , by which is meant prayer because رکوع and ,سجدہ on account of their eminence, are used as substitutes for prayer. Another meaning could be that by يَسجُدونَ is meant یخضعون , that is they remain bowed before God. The meaning is not that they recite the Quran in prostration, because according to a hadith narration, the Holy Prophet said: انی نھیت ان اقرأ راکعاً و ساجدا (I have been stopped from reciting the Quran in the state of bowing (ruku) and prostration). After these three attributes that are related to actions, the fourth attribute cited is belief in Allah and the Last Day. In the Quran, these words are only used for Muslims. Their fifth attribute is that they complete others, that is they enjoin good and forbid evil, and the sixth attribute is that they are foremost in all kinds of goodness. It is possible for someone to incline towards these things lazily and weak heartedly, but the attribute of this group is that they hasten towards these things of goodness so as not to be left behind, which shows that they full heartedly ascribe to these acts.
3-115 And whatever good they do, they will not be denied it. And Allah knows those who keep their duty.
وَما يَفعَلوا مِن خَيرٍ فَلَن يُكفَروهُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَليمٌ بِالمُتَّقينَ (۱۱۵)
3-115a: يُكفَروهُ – The actual meaning of کفر is سترالشئ , that is to cover, screen or conceal a thing. So the meaning of فَلَن يُكفَروهُ is لن یحرمواثوابه is they will not be deprived of their reward. Another way to look at it is that کفر is the opposite of شکر . In the previous two verses, a portrait is drawn of the fully righteous. Now it is mentioned that even if everyone cannot reach this stage of perfection, whatever good one does is valued in the next world.
3-116 Those who disbelieve, neither their wealth nor their children will avail them aught against Allah. And these are the companions of the Fire; therein they abide.a
إِنَّ الَّذينَ كَفَروا لَن تُغنِيَ عَنهُم أَموالُهُم وَلا أَولادُهُم مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيئًا ۖ وَأُولٰئِكَ أَصحابُ النّارِ ۚ هُم فيها خالِدونَ (۱۱۶)
3-116a: Almost similar words are met with in the beginning of Surah Imran where the address is most specifically to the Christians. See note 3-10a. Here those specifically addressed are the Jews and unbelievers who were waging wars with the Holy Prophet.
3-117 The likeness of that which they spend in the life of this world is as the likeness of wind in which is intense cold; it smites the harvest of a people who are unjust to themselves and destroys it. And Allah wronged them not but they wronged themselves.
مَثَلُ ما يُنفِقونَ في هٰذِهِ الحَياةِ الدُّنيا كَمَثَلِ ريحٍ فيها صِرٌّ أَصابَت حَرثَ قَومٍ ظَلَموا أَنفُسَهُم فَأَهلَكَتهُ ۚ وَما ظَلَمَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَلٰكِن أَنفُسَهُم يَظلِمونَ (۱۱۷)
3-117a: صِرٌّ – صِرٌّ and صِرۃ are words used to describe the severity of winter (LA) because the literary meaning of صِرٌّ is to tie securely and اصرار (to insist) and صُرّۃ (a drawstring purse) are derived from it. ریح صِرٌّ and ریح صَرۡ صَرٌّ are terms used for a severely cold wind or according to some it is howling wind (LA). Zajjaj considers the meaning of صر to be صوت لھیب النار (the sound of a sparking fire) (RM). In one narration, Ibn Abbas defines it as fire (G). The purport is a wind that by virtue of its extreme cold (or extreme heat), destroys the crop.
A wasted effort: It is stated in the last verse that their pride in wealth and children, the reason they were subverting Islam, will not save them from Allah’s punishment. In this verse, the fate of their efforts is portrayed to them in the form of a parable. Their spending is termed ما يُنفِقونَ في هٰذِهِ الحَياةِ الدُّنيا because what they were doing was just for pomp and show. The wealth they were spending on preparing an army and other mischievous activities to harm Muslims is compared to a crop that will ultimately be destroyed by a punishing wind, and they will be left with nothing but regret and humiliation. In the end, it is stated that their failure is not an injustice from Allah, but they are unjust to themselves because, instead of spending their wealth on acts of goodness and supporting the truth, they are spending it on evil and for subverting the truth. Hence, they are liable for punishment.
3-118 O you who believe, take not for intimate friends others than your own people: they spare no pains to cause you loss. They love that which distresses you. Vehement hatred has already appeared from out of their mouths, and that which their hearts conceal is greater still. Indeed We have made the messages clear to you, if you understand.a
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا لا تَتَّخِذوا بِطانَةً مِن دونِكُم لا يَألونَكُم خَبالًا وَدّوا ما عَنِتُّم قَد بَدَتِ البَغضاءُ مِن أَفواهِهِم وَما تُخفي صُدورُهُم أَكبَرُ ۚ قَد بَيَّنّا لَكُمُ الآياتِ ۖ إِن كُنتُم تَعقِلونَ (۱۱۸)
3-118a: بِطانَةً – بَطۡن is literally abdomen but anything that is the opposite of what is manifest is called بَطۡن . Similarly, بطانَة is opposite of طھارۃ and بطانَة is used as a metaphor for a person one to whom one reveals a secret ( باطن) (R). In a hadith narrated in Bukhari, Nisai etcetera, Hamanay states that بطانَة is used for a close connection with a country or Satan: مَا بَعَثَ اللَّهُ من نَبِیٍّ وَ لَا اسۡتَخۡلَفَ مِنۡ خَلِیۡفَةٍ اِلَّا کَنَتۡ لَهٗ بِطانَةٌ تأمرہ بالخیرِ و تَحُنُّهٗ علیه و بطانة تَاۡمُرُہٗ بالشَّرِّ وَ تَحُنّهٗ علیه والمعصوم مَنۡ عَصَمَهُ اللَّه (Allah has not raised any prophet or made anyone a caliph but there are two companions with him, a companion that commands him to good and motivates him to do so and a companion that commands him to evil and incites him to it, and sinless is the one whom Allah saves). This also goes to show that the prophets and their appointed caliphs, that is mujjadids, are subject to this law which is applicable to all persons but Allah through His grace saves those whom He wants. This shows the sinlessness of prophets.
خَبالًا – خَبال is a disturbance that agitates and causes anxiety, such as a fit of frenzy, or a disease that impacts the brain and prevents a rational response (R).
البَغضاءُ – بُغض is the detesting of the soul for something that one dislikes (R), and لغضاء is an intense form of بُغض .
أَفوا – Its singular is فم which means mouth and its root is فوہ .
Prohibition on making enemies their close confidants: This verse prohibits Muslims from making enemies their close confidants. To make an enemy a close confidant is to subvert oneself. مِن دونِكُم is a generic expression and it may be questioned why its meaning is limited to enemies. The Quran explains the reason by stating that they spare no effort to inflict maximum harm to Muslims. In fact, they desire a destructive calamity to overtake the Muslims. These desires are not just hidden but are manifest in their talk. Further what is in their hearts is far greater than what can be determined from their talk. This is stated clearly for the Muslims so that they can save themselves from having a destructive friendship with them.
The hypocrisy of the Jews: As the next verse shows, the Jews adopt a hypocritical stance. On the one hand, they made a pact with the Holy Prophet, and on the other, they were secretly conspiring against the Muslims. In addition to these conspiracies, their use of foul language against the Muslims exceeded all bounds, as is apparent from the words: قَد بَدَتِ البَغضاءُ مِن أَفواهِهِم . They would speak mischievous words even in the presence of the Holy Prophet as described in Surah Al-Bakarah and they kept on harassing the Muslims with their hurtful talk and targeting innocent Muslim women with obscene verses about them in their poetry.
3-119 Lo! you are they who will love them while they love you not, and you believe in the Book, (in) the whole of it. And when they meet you they say, We believe, and when they are alone, they bite (their) finger tips in rage against you. Say: Die in your rage. Surely Allah is Knower of what is in the hearts.a
ها أَنتُم أُولاءِ تُحِبّونَهُم وَلا يُحِبّونَكُم وَتُؤمِنونَ بِالكِتابِ كُلِّهِ وَإِذا لَقوكُم قالوا آمَنّا وَإِذا خَلَوا عَضّوا عَلَيكُمُ الأَنامِلَ مِنَ الغَيظِ ۚ قُل موتوا بِغَيظِكُم ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَليمٌ بِذاتِ الصُّدورِ (۱۱۹)
3-119a: وَتُؤمِنونَ بِالكِتابِ كُلِّهِ – The واؤ in وَتُؤمِنونَ بِالكِتابِ كُلِّهِ is in the present tense and by الكِتابِ is meant Book as a category, that is all the Divine Books which includes their scripture as well.
عَضّوا عَلَيكُمُ الأَنامِلَ – عَضّ means biting and أَنامِلَ is the plural of اَنۡملة and means fingertips. عَضّ أَنامِلَ is a saying which means manifesting regret (R), because it is a gesture made by a persons when they are regretful or when they are extremely angry. That is, they are mad with rage.
الغَيظِ – غَيظِ is extreme anger and it is the heat generated when one’s heart is pounding and blood boiling with rage (R).
قُل موتوا بِغَيظِكُم – is a manifestation of their condition. And practically, it is as if one should say to them die in your anger, and the meaning is that the anger which they feel at the success of the Muslims will increase day by day, so, in this manner, these words are conveyed to them.
In this verse, Muslims are stopped from loving them. It appears from this that despite their mischief, the Muslims, because of their pure nature loved them. Under normal conditions, not accepting Islam is not a reason that Allah would stop the Muslims from loving them. The reason for the stoppage is explained– namely that their anger and rage exceeded all bounds. First, it is first stated: أُولاءِ تُحِبّونَهُم وَلا يُحِبّونَكُم وَتُؤمِنونَ بِالكِتابِ كُلِّهِ that is, notwithstanding that you believe in their Book, they do not love you. Fairness demanded that since Muslims accepted that their Books were revealed from Allah, they should love the Muslims. However, despite the Muslims believing in their scriptures they still did not love the Muslims. So not only did they not believe in the Book of the Muslims, they harbored such hatred for the Muslims that the Muslims’ ease and pleasure was a source of torment for them.
3-120 If good befalls you, it grieves them, and if an evil afflicts you, they rejoice at it. And if you are patient and keep your duty, their struggle will not injure you in any way. Surely Allah encompasses what they do.
إِن تَمسَسكُم حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤهُم وَإِن تُصِبكُم سَيِّئَةٌ يَفرَحوا بِها ۖ وَإِن تَصبِروا وَتَتَّقوا لا يَضُرُّكُم كَيدُهُم شَيئًا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِما يَعمَلونَ مُحيطٌ (۱۲۰)
3-120a: حَسَنَةٌ – حَسَنَةٌ is derived from حُسن which means an event that one desires and which brings happiness, and حَسَنَةٌ is every blessing that impacts a person’s soul, body or state. Its opposite is سیئة (R). For further details see 2-82a.
كَيد – The literal meaning of كَيد in the Arabic language is احتیال and اجتھاد , that is a fine, secretive, plan of action and its attempted implementation (LA, R and N). Imam Raghib says that كَيدُ is used sometimes in the sense of praise and sometimes as a censure although the latter use is much more common. This word occurs in several hadith, one of which is: فی عقول دھا خالقھا which according to Ibn al-Athir means: ارادھا بسوء (has an intention to cause them difficulties). Another hadith states: دخل علٰی سعد و ھو یکید بنفسه meaning النزع (the Holy Prophet entered and Saad was breathing his last) because a meaning of كَيدُ is also السوق (drive; steer), so it is as if he was driving out his soul. Another hadith states: رسول اللّٰه ﷺ غزاغزوۃ کذا فر جع و لم یلق کیدا (The Messenger of Allah returned back from an expedition and found no كَيد ) and كَيد here means حرب (battle), that is no battle took place.
This verse provides further information about their dangerous enmity and mentions ways in which Muslims can be safe from tricks and devices. Reference is made to the intensity of enmity by stating they dislike for good to come the way of Muslims and they rejoice if evil befalls them. The word used with good is تَمسَسكُم (touch you) and with evil تُصِبكُم (afflicts you). This is done to show that their nature is so distorted with enmity that they cannot stand even a little good coming the way of Muslims. Normally, when someone is in trouble, a person tends to sympathize and forget past grievances, but their enmity is so great that they instead rejoice.
Bayan-ul-Quran 