Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 158

The Crimes of the Jews

The sins mentioned here are among the many sins that the Jews committed, which caused them to be cursed and removed far away from right guidance. The Jews broke the promises and vows that Allah took from them, and also rejected Allah's Ayat, meaning His signs and proofs, and the miracles that they witnessed at the hands of their Prophets. Allah said,

وَقَتْلِهِمُ الاٌّنْبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ

(and their killing the Prophets unjustly,) because their many crimes and offenses against the Prophets of Allah, for they killed many Prophets, may Allah's peace be upon them Their saying:

قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ

("Our hearts are Ghulf,") meaning, wrapped with covering, according to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, As-Suddi and Qatadah. This is similar to the what the idolators said,

Commentary

In the verse يَا عِيسَىٰ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَ‌افِعُكَ (Isa, I am to take you in full and lift you towards Me... 3:55) appearing in Surah 'Al-` Imran, Almighty Allah had made five promises in connection with foiling the Jewish plans against Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and protecting him from their hostile intentions. A detailed explanation of these has been given earlier on that occasion in Surah 'Al-` Imran. One of the promises made there was that the Jews will not be allowed to have their way with their intention to kill Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) . Instead of that, Allah will lift him towards Him.

Those who suffer from false convictions are emboldened to commit all kinds of crimes. They have no qualms about breaking the divine covenant to which they are bound by their belief in God. Despite clear arguments from God they are not willing to mend their ways. One who calls upon them to accept the truth exposes their ungodly ways, so they do not hesitate to perpetrate any kind of aggression against him. They will go even to the extent of false calumny against the dayee in order to dishonour him. The Jews went so far as to try to kill the Prophet Jesus and then boasted, ‘We have put to death the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary.’ However, whatever plots these people may hatch against the dayee, they can never succeed. God’s power and his immutable system of nature is always there to support His envoys. Despite all plots and all opposition, they receive every kind of divine succour until they have completed the divine mission. Those who opt for an antagonistic attitude to the call of the truth have their very capacity to accept the truth taken away by God, until one day they are brought as criminals before the divine court by the angels.