And among the People of the Scripture is he who, if you entrust him with a great amount [of wealth], he will return it to you. And among them is he who, if you entrust him with a [single] silver coin, he will not return it to you unless you are constantly standing over him [demanding it]. That is because they say, "There is no blame upon us concerning the unlearned." And they speak untruth about Allah while they know [it].
قَوْله تَعَالَى: ﴿ ﴾ قد ذكرنَا الْأَقْوَال فِي القنطار، وَقَالَ عَطاء بن أبي رَبَاح: هُوَ سِتّ آلَاف دِينَار.
وَهَذَا فِي عبد الله بن سَلام؛ أودعهُ رجل أَلفَيْنِ ومأتي أُوقِيَّة من الذَّهَب فَأدى الْأَمَانَة فِيهِ.
﴿ ﴾ هَذَا فِي فنحَاص بن عازوراء الْيَهُودِيّ؛ أودعهُ رجل دِينَارا فخان فِيهِ.
Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their [own] oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.
قَوْله تَعَالَى: ﴿ ﴾ روى أَبُو وأئل - وَهُوَ شَقِيق بن سَلمَة - عَن ابْن مَسْعُود، عَن رَسُول الله أَنه قَالَ: " من حلف على يَمِين كَاذِبَة؛ ليقتطع بهَا مَال امْرِئ مُسلم، لَقِي الله وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ غَضْبَان، وتلا هَذِه الْآيَة قَالَ: وَكَانَ الْأَشْعَث بن قيس حَاضرا، فَقَالَ: فِي نزلت الْآيَة، وَذكر قصَّة " وَهَذَا حَدِيث فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ، وَرَوَاهُ مُسلم فِي صَحِيحه بِرِوَايَة أُخْرَى، وَزَاد فِيهِ أَنه: " قيل: يَا رَسُول الله، وَإِن كَانَ فِي شَيْء يسير؟ قَالَ: وَإِن كَانَ فِي قضيب من أَرَاك ".
And indeed, there is among them a party who alter the Scripture with their tongues so you may think it is from the Scripture, but it is not from the Scripture. And they say, "This is from Allah," but it is not from Allah. And they speak untruth about Allah while they know.
It is not for a human [prophet] that Allah should give him the Scripture and authority and prophethood and then he would say to the people, "Be servants to me rather than Allah," but [instead, he would say], "Be pious scholars of the Lord because of what you have taught of the Scripture and because of what you have studied."
And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him." [Allah] said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?" They said, "We have acknowledged it." He said, "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses."
قَوْله تَعَالَى: ﴿ ﴾ قَرَأَ ابْن مَسْعُود: " وَإِذ أَخذ الله مِيثَاق الَّذين أُوتُوا الْكتاب " ﴿ ﴾ : هُوَ أحد الْقَوْلَيْنِ فِي معنى الْقِرَاءَة الْمَعْرُوفَة، قَالَ ابْن عَبَّاس: معنى الْآيَة: وَإِذ أَخذ الله مِيثَاق الَّذين أُوتُوا الْكتاب مَعَ النَّبِيين. قَالَ ابْن عَبَّاس: لما استخرج الله الذُّرِّيَّة من صلب آدم كالذر، والأنبياء كَانُوا فيهم كالمصابيح والسرج، أَخذ الْمِيثَاق على النَّبِيين أَن يُؤمنُوا بِمُحَمد وَأَن يصدقوه، وينصروه إِن أدركوه. فَهَذَا معنى قَوْله: ﴿ ﴾ ، وَقَرَأَ حَمْزَة " لما آتيتكم " مخففا بِكَسْر اللَّام، وَقَرَأَ غَيره: " لما آتيتكم " بِفَتْح اللَّام مشددا، وَالْقِرَاءَة الْمَعْرُوفَة: بِفَتْح اللَّام مخففا، وَمَعْنَاهُ: للَّذي آتيتكم بِمَعْنى الْخَبَر.
So is it other than the religion of Allah they desire, while to Him have submitted [all] those within the heavens and earth, willingly or by compulsion, and to Him they will be returned?
ثمَّ قَالَ: ﴿فَمن تولى بعد ذَلِك فَأُولَئِك هم الْفَاسِقُونَ أفغير دين الله يَبْغُونَ﴾ يطْلبُونَ، يقْرَأ بِالْيَاءِ وَالتَّاء.