The Table, The Table Spread — Verse 50

Praising the Qur'an; the Command to Refer to the Qur'an for Judgment Allah mentioned the Tawrah that He sent down to His Prophet Musa, the one whom He spoke directly to, praising it, commanding that it should be implemented, before it was abrogated. Allah then mentioned the Injil, praised it and commanded its people to adhere to it and follow it, as we stated. He next mentioned the Glorious Qur'an that He sent down to His honorable servant and Messenger. Allah said, وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ (And We have sent down to you the Book in truth...) meaning, with the truth that, no doubt, is coming from Allah, مُصَدِّقاً لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ الْكِتَـبِ (confirming the Scripture that came before it) meaning, the Divinely Revealed Books that praised the Qur'an and mentioned that it would be sent down from Allah to His servant and Messenger Muhammad . The Qur'an was revealed as was foretold in the previous Scriptures. This fact increased faith in the previous Scriptures for the sincere who have knowledge of these Scriptures, those who adhered to Allah's commands and Laws and believed in His Messengers. Allah said, قُلْ ءَامِنُواْ بِهِ أَوْ لاَ تُؤْمِنُواْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْعِلْمَ مِن قَبْلِهِ إِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ يَخِرُّونَ لِلاٌّذْقَانِ سُجَّدًا - وَيَقُولُونَ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَآ إِن كَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّنَا لَمَفْعُولاً (Say: "Believe in it or do not believe (in it). Verily, those who were given knowledge before it, when it is recited to them, fall down on their faces in humble prostration." And they say: "Glory be to our Lord! Truly, the promise of our Lord must be fulfilled.") meaning that they say, the promise of our Lord, concerning the coming of Muhammad by the words of His previous Messengers, will certainly be fulfilled. Allah's statement, وَمُهَيْمِناً عَلَيْهِ (and Muhayminan over it) means entrusted over it, according to Sufyan Ath-Thawri who narrated it from Abu Ishaq from At-Tamimi from Ibn `Abbas. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "Muhaymin is, `the Trustworthy'. Allah says that the Qur'an is trustworthy over every Divine Book that preceded it." This was reported from `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, Muhammad bin Ka`b, `Atiyyah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd. Ibn Jarir said, "The Qur'an is trustworthy over the Books that preceded it. Therefore, whatever in these previous Books conforms to the Qur'an is true, and whatever disagrees with the Qur'an is false." Al-Walibi said that Ibn `Abbas said that Muhayminan means, `Witness'. Mujahid, Qatadah and As-Suddi said the same. Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said that Muhayminan means, `dominant over the previous Scriptures'. These meanings are similar, as the word Muhaymin includes them all. Consequently, the Qur'an is trustworthy, a witness, and dominant over every Scripture that preceded it. This Glorious Book, which Allah revealed as the Last and Final Book, is the most encompassing, glorious and perfect Book of all times. The Qur'an includes all the good aspects of previous Scriptures and even more, which no previous Scripture ever contained. This is why Allah made it trustworthy, a witness and dominant over all Scriptures. Allah promised that He will protect the Qur'an and swore by His Most Honorable Self, إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَـفِظُونَ (Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr and surely, We will guard it (from corruption).) Allah said, فَاحْكُم بَيْنَهُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ (So judge between them by what Allah has revealed.) The Ayah commands: O Muhammad! Rule between the people, Arabs and non-Arabs, lettered and unlettered, by what Allah has revealed to you in this Glorious Book and what it approves of for you from the Law of the previous Prophets, as Ibn Jarir said. Ibn Abi Hatim reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "The Prophet had the choice to judge between them or to turn away from them and refer them to their own Law. Then this Ayah was revealed, وَأَنِ احْكُم بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ (So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and follow not their vain desires. ..) and he was commanded to judge between them by our Book.". Allah's statement وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ (and follow not their vain desires...) This means the ideas they promote, because of which they turned away from what Allah revealed to His Messengers. This is why Allah said, وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ عَمَّا جَآءَكَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ (And follow not their vain desires, diverging away from the truth that has come to you.) The Ayah commands: Do not diverge from the truth that Allah has ordained for you, to the vain desires of these miserable, ignorant people. Allah's statement, لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَـجاً (To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way.) لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً (To each among you, We have prescribed a law) Shir`at meaning, a clear path, as Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Ibn `Abbas. وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَحِدَةً (If Allah willed, He would have made you one nation.) This is a general proclamation to all nations informing them of Allah's mighty ability. If Allah wills, He would make all mankind follow one religion and one Law, that would never be abrogated. Allah decided that every Prophet would have his own distinct law that is later abrogated partially or totally with the law of a latter Prophet. Later on, all previous laws were abrogated by the Law that Allah sent with Muhammad , His servant and Messenger, whom Allah sent to the people of earth as the Final Prophet. Allah said, وَلَوْ شَآءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَحِدَةً وَلَـكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَـكُم (If Allah willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you.) This Ayah means, Allah has instituted different laws to test His servants' obedience to what He legislates for them, thus, He rewards or punishes them according to their actions and what they intend. `Abdullah bin Kathir said that the Ayah, فِى مَآ ءَاتَـكُم (In what He has given you.) means, of the Book. Next, Allah encouraged rushing to perform good deeds, فَاسْتَبِقُواْ الْخَيْرَتِ (so strive as in a race in good deeds.) which are obedience to Allah, following His Law that abrogated the laws that came before it, and believing in His Book, the Qur'an, which is the Final Book that He revealed. Allah said next, إِلَى الله مَرْجِعُكُمْ (The return of you (all) is to Allah;) Therefore, O people, your return and final destination is to Allah on the Day of Resurrection, فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ (then He will inform you about that in which you used to differ.) Allah will inform you about the truth in which you used to differ and will reward the sincere, as compensation for their sincerity, and will punish the disbelieving, rebellious people who rejected the truth and deviated from it to other paths, without proof or evidence to justify their actions. Rather, they have rejected the clear evidences, unequivocal proofs and established signs. Ad-Dahhak said that, فَاسْتَبِقُواْ الْخَيْرَتِ (So strive as in a race in good deeds.)is directed at the Ummah of Muhammad , but the first view is more apparent. Allah's statement, وَأَنِ احْكُم بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ (And so judge between them by what Allah has revealed and follow not their vain desires,) emphasizes this command and forbids ignoring it. Allah said next, وَاحْذَرْهُمْ أَن يَفْتِنُوكَ عَن بَعْضِ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ (but beware of them lest they turn you far away from some of that which Allah has sent down to you. ) meaning; beware of the Jews, your enemies, lest they distort the truth for you in what they convey to you. Therefore, do not be deceived by them, for they are liars, treacherous and disbelievers. فَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ (And if they turn away,) from the judgement that you pass in their disputes, and they defy Allah's Law, فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَن يُصِيبَهُم بِبَعْضِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ (then know that Allah's will is to punish them for some sins of theirs.) meaning, know that this will occur according to the decree of Allah, and because out of His wisdom they have deviated from the truth, and because of their previous sins. وَإِنَّ كَثِيراً مِّنَ النَّاسِ لَفَـسِقُونَ (And truly, most men are rebellious.) Therefore, the majority of humans are disobedient to their Lord, defiant of the truth and deviate away from it. Allah said in other Ayat, وَمَآ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ (And most people will not believe even if you desire it eagerly,) and, وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ (And if you obey most of those on the earth they will mislead you far away from Allah's path.) Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "Ka`b bin Asad, Ibn Saluba, `Abdullah bin Surya and Shas bin Qays said to each other, `Let us go to Muhammad to try and misguide him from his religion.' So they went to the Prophet and said, `O Muhammad! You know that we are the scholars, noblemen and chiefs of the Jews. If we follow you, the Jews will follow suit and will not contradict us. But, there is enmity between us and some of our people, so we will refer to you for judgement in this matter, and you should rule in our favor against them and we will believe in you.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ refused the offer and Allah sent down these Ayat about them, وَأَنِ احْكُم بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ وَاحْذَرْهُمْ أَن يَفْتِنُوكَ عَن بَعْضِ مَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ (And so judge between them by what Allah has revealed and follow not their vain desires, but beware of them lest they turn you far away from some of that which Allah has sent down to you.) until, لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ (for a people who have firm faith.)" Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this Hadith. Allah continues, أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَـهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حُكْماً لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ (Do they then seek the judgement of (the days of) ignorance And who is better in judgement than Allah for a people who have firm faith) Allah criticizes those who ignore Allah's commandments, which include every type of righteous good thing and prohibit every type of evil, but they refer instead to opinions, desires and customs that people themselves invented, all of which have no basis in Allah's religion. During the time of Jahiliyyah, the people used to abide by the misguidance and ignorance that they invented by sheer opinion and lusts. The Tatar (Mongols) abided by the law that they inherited from their king Genghis Khan who wrote Al-Yasiq, for them. This book contains some rulings that were derived from various religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Many of these rulings were derived from his own opinion and desires. Later on, these rulings became the followed law among his children, preferring them to the Law of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger . Therefore, whoever does this, he is a disbeliever who deserves to be fought against, until he reverts to Allah's and His Messenger's decisions, so that no law, minor or major, is referred to except by His Law. Allah said, أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَـهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ (Do they then seek the judgement of (the days of) ignorance) meaning, they desire and want this and ignore Allah's judgement, وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حُكْماً لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ (And who is better in judgement than Allah for a people who have firm faith) Who is more just in decision than Allah for those who comprehend Allah's Law, believe in Him, who are certain that Allah is the best among those who give decisions and that He is more merciful with His creation than the mother with her own child Allah has perfect knowledge of everything, is able to do all things, and He is just in all matters. Al-Hafiz Abu Al-Qasim At-Tabarani recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «أَبْغَضُ النَّاسِ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، مَنْ يَبْتَغِي فِي الْإِسْلَامِ سُنَّةَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، وَطَالِبُ دَمِ امْرِىءٍ بِغَيْرِ حَقَ لِيُرِيقَ دَمَه» (The most hated person to Allah is the Muslim who seeks the ways of the days of ignorance and he who seeks to shed the blood of a person without justification.) Al-Bukhari recorded Abu Al-Yaman narrating a similar Hadith, with some addition.

Do they desire yabghūn is also read tabghūn ‘do you desire?’ do they seek the judgement of paganism through their deceit and deviation when they turn away? this is an interrogative meant as a disavowal. Yet who that is no one is better in judgement than God for a people knowing Him with certainty? These people are singled out for mention because they are the ones who reflect.

Do they desire yabghūn is also read tabghūn ‘do you desire?’ do they seek the judgement of paganism through their deceit and deviation when they turn away? this is an interrogative meant as a disavowal. Yet who that is no one is better in judgement than God for a people knowing Him with certainty? These people are singled out for mention because they are the ones who reflect.

Do they desire the judgement of paganismḍ, meaning that what they desire by their ignorance is but a judgement issuing from the station of the soul and not issuing from divine knowledge.

Do they desire the judgement of paganismḍ, meaning that what they desire by their ignorance is but a judgement issuing from the station of the soul and not issuing from divine knowledge.

أيريد هؤلاء اليهود أن تحكم بينهم بما تعارف عليه المشركون عبدةُ الأوثان من الضلالات والجهالات؟! لا يكون ذلك ولا يليق أبدًا ومَن أعدل مِن الله في حكمه لمن عقل عن الله شَرْعه، وآمن به، وأيقن أن حكم الله هو الحق؟

قوله تعالى "أفحكم الجاهلية يبغون ومن أحسن من الله حكما لقوم يوقنون" ينكر تعالى على من خرج عن حكم الله المحكم المشتمل على كل خير الناهي عن كل شر وعدل إلى ما سواه من الآراء والأهواء والاصطلاحات التي وضعها الرجال بلا مستند من شريعة الله كما كان أهل الجاهلية يحكمون به من الضلالات والجهالات مما يضعونها بآرائهم وأهوائهم وكما يحكم به الشارع من السياسات الملكية المأخوة عن ملكهم جنكز خان الذي وضع لهم الياسق وهو عبارة عن كتاب مجموع من أحكام قد اقتبسها عن شرائع شتى: من اليهودية والنصرانية والملة الإسلامية وغيرها وفيها كثير من الأحكام أخذها من مجرد نظره وهواه فصارت في بنيه شرعا متبعا يقدمونها على الحكم بكتاب الله وسنة رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم- فمن فعل ذلك فهو كافر يجب قتاله حتى يرجع إلى حكم الله ورسوله فلا يحكم سواه في قليل ولا كثير قال تعالى" أفحكم الجاهلية يبغون " أي يبتغون ويريدون وعن حكم الله يعدلون" من أحسن من الله حكما لقوم يوقنون " أي ومن أعدل من الله في حكمه لمن عقل عن الله شرعه وآمن به وأيقن وعلم أن الله أحكم الحاكمين وأرحم بخلقه من الوالدة بولدها فإنه تعالى هو العالم بكل شيء القادر على كل شيء العادل في كل شيء وقال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبي حدثنا هلال بن فياض حدثنا أبو عبيدة الناجي قال: سمعت الحكم يقول: من حكم بغير حكم الله فحكم الجاهلية. وأخبرنا يونس بن عبد الأعلى قراءة حدثنا سفيان بن عيينة عن ابن أبي نجيح قال: كان طاوس إذا سأله رجل: أفضل بين ولدي في النحل؟ قرأ" أفحكم الجاهلية يبغون " الآية. وقال الحافظ أبو القاسم الطبراني: حدثنا أحمد بن عبد الوهاب بن نجدة الحوطي حدثنا أبو اليمان الحكم بن نافع أنا شعيب بن أبي حمزة عن عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن بن أبي حسين عن نافع بن جبير عن ابن عباس قال: قال رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم-:" أبغض الناس إلى الله عز وجل من يبتغي في الإسلام سنة الجاهلية وطالب دم امرئ بغير حق ليريق دمه" وروى البخاري عن أبي اليمان بإسناده نحوه بزيادة.

ثم ختم - سبحانه - هذه الآية الكريمة بتوبيخ أولئك الذين يرغبون عن حكم الله إلى حكم غيره فقال : ( أَفَحُكْمَ الجاهلية يَبْغُونَ ) .فالهمزة هنا للاستفهام الإِنكاري التوبيخي . والفاء للعطف على مقدر يستدعيه المقام .والمعنى : أينصرفون عن حكمك بما أنزل الله ويعرضون عنه فيبغون حكم الجاهلية مع أن ما أنزله الله إليك من قرآن فيه الأحكام العادلة التي ترضى كل ذي عقل سليم ، ومنطق قويم .وقدم - سبحانه - المفعول " أفحكم " لإِفادة التخصيص المفيد لتأكيد الأنكار والتعجيب من أحوال أولئك اليهود الذين يريدون حكم الجاهلية .إذ أن التولي عن حكم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى حكم آخر منكر عجيب ، وطلب حكم الجاهلية أقبح وأعجب .والمراد بالجاهلية : الملة الجاهلية التي هي متابعة الهوى ، والمداهنة في الأحكام ، فيكون ذلك توبيخاً لليهود بأنهم مع كونهم أهل كتاب؛ يبغون حكم الملة الجاهلية . وعدم الأخذ بشريعة المساواة . فيكون ذلك - أيضاً - تعييراً لهم لاقتدائهم بأهل الجاهلية .قال الآلوسي : فقد روى أن بني النضير لما تحاكموا إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في خصومة قتيل وقعت بينهم وبين بني قريظة ، طلب بعضهم من رسول الله أن يحكم بينهم بما كان عليه أهل الجاهلية من التفاضل ، فقال صلى الله عليه وسلم : " القتلى سواء " - أي : متساوون - فقال بنو النضير : نحن لا نرضى بحكمك ، فنزلت هذه الآية .وقوله - تعالى - ( وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ الله حُكْماً لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ ) إنكار منه - سبحانه - لأن يكون هناك حكم أحسن من حكمه أو مساو له .أي : لا أحد أحسن حكما من حكم الله - تعالى - عند قوم يوقنون بصحة دينه ، ويذعنون لتكاليف شريعته ، ويقرون بوحدانيته ، ويتبعون أنبياءه ورسله .فاللام في قوله : ( لقوم ) بمعنى عند ، وهي متعلقة بأحسن ، ومفعول ( يوقنون ) محذوف أي لقوم يوقنون بحكمه وأن أعدل الأحكام . والجملة حالية متضمنة لمعى الإِنكار السابق .وخص - سبحانه - الموقنين بالذكر ، لأنهم هم الذين يحسنون التدبر فيما شرعه الله من أحكام ، وينتفعون بما اشتملت عليه من عدل ومساواة .هذا ، وقد شدد الإِمام ابن كثير النكير على الذي يرغبون عن حكم الله إلى أحكام من عند البشر ، ووصف من يفعل ذلك بالكفر ، وأفتى بوجوب مقاتلته حتى يرجع إلى حكم الله ورسوله فقال - رحمه الله - :" ينكر - تعالى - على من خرج عن حكم الله - المشتمل على كل خير الناهي عن كل شر - وعدل عنه إلى ما سواه من الآراء والأهواء والاصطلاحات التي وضعها الرجال بلا مستند من شريعة الله ، كما كان أهل الجاهلية يحكمون به من الضلالات والجهالات .مما يضعونهاه بآرائهم وأهوائهم ، وكما يحكم به التتار من السياسات الملكية المأخوذة عن ملكهم " جنكزخان " الذي وضع لهم " الباسق " وهو عبارة عن كتاب مجموع من أحكام قد اقتبسها من شرائع شتى . فصارت في بنية شرعا متبعا يقدمونه على الحكم بكتاب الله وسنة رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم فمن فعل ذلك منهم فهو كافر يجب قتاله حتى يرجع إلى حكم الله ورسوله ، فلا يحكم سواه في قليل ولا كثير .قال - تعالى - ( أَفَحُكْمَ الجاهلية يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ الله حُكْماً لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ ) أي : ومن أعدل من الله في حكمه لمن عقل عن الله شرعه وآمن به وأيقن .وعلم أنه - سبحانه - أحكم الحاكمين ، وأرحم بخلقه من الوالدة بولدها؟ فإنه - تعالى - هو العالم بكل شيء ، والقادر على كل شيء ، والعادل في كل شيء .روى الطبراني عن ابن عباس قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " أبغض الناس إلى الله - تعالى - من يبتغي في الإِسلام سنة الجاهلين ومن طلب دم امرئ بغير حق ليريق دمه " .وإلى هنا نرى الآيات الكريمة قد كشفت " باستفاضة " عن المسالك الخبيثة التي سلكها اليهود وأشباهم لكيد الإِسلام والمسلمين .فأنت تراها في مطلعها قد نادت الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم بهذا النداء بعدم المبالاة بما يصدر عن أولئك الذين يسارعون في الكفر من مكر وخداع ووصفهم بجملة من الصفات القبيحة التي تجعل كل عاقل ينفر من الاقتراب منهم ، وخيرات الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم بين الحكم بينهم أو الإِعراض عنهم إذا ما تحاكموا إليه .ووبخت اليهود على إعراضهم عن الأحكام العادلة التي أنزلها الله - تعالى - ووصفت المعرضين عن حكمه سبحانه بالكفر تارة وبالظلم تارة وبالفسق تارة أخرى .وبعد أن مدحت التوراة والإِنجيل ، وبينت بعض ما اشتملا عليه من هدايات . . . عقبت ذلك ببيان منزلة القرآن الكريم وأنه الكتاب الجامع في هدايته وفضله وتشريعاته لكل ما جاء في الكتب السابقة .ثم ختمت بتكرير الأمر للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بأن يلتزم في أحكامه بما أنزله الله ، وبتحذيره وتحذير أتباعه من خداع أعدائهم ومكرهم ، وتتوعد كل من يرغب عن حكم الله إلى حكم غيره ، بسوء العاقبة ، وشديد العذاب .وبعد هذا الحديث المستفيض عن الكتب السماوية : وعن وجوب الحكم بما أنزل الله ، وعن المسالك الخبيثة التي استعملها اليهود ومن على شاكلتهم لكيد الدعوة الإِسلامية بعد كل ذلك وجه - سبحانه - نداء إلى المؤمنين حذرهم فيه من موالاة أعدائهم فقال - تعالى - :( ياأيها الذين آمَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ . . . )

القول في تأويل قوله عز ذكره : أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حُكْمًا لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ (50)قال أبو جعفر: يقول تعالى ذكره: أيبغي هؤلاء اليهود الذين احتكموا إليك، فلم يرضوا بحكمك، (40) إذ حكمت فيهم بالقسط (41) =" حكم الجاهلية "، يعني: أحكام عبَدة الأوثان من أهل الشرك، وعندهم كتاب الله فيه بيان حقيقة الحكم الذي حكمت به فيهم، وأنه الحق الذي لا يجوزُ خلافه.ثم قال تعالى ذكره= موبِّخا لهؤلاء الذين أبوا قَبُول حكم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عليهم ولهم من اليهود، ومستجهلا فعلَهم ذلك منهم=: ومَنْ هذا الذي هو أحسن حكمًا، أيها اليهود، من الله تعالى ذكره عند من كان يوقن بوحدانية الله، ويقرُّ بربوبيته؟ يقول تعالى ذكره: أيّ حكم أحسن من حكم الله، إن كنتم موقنين أن لكم ربًّا، وكنتم أهل توحيدٍ وإقرار به؟* * *وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال مجاهد.12153 - حدثني محمد بن عمرو قال، حدثنا أبو عاصم قال، حدثنا عيسى، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد في قول الله: " أفحكم الجاهلية يبغون "، قال: يهود.12154 - حدثني المثنى قال، حدثنا أبو حذيفة قال، حدثنا شبل، عن ابن أبي نجيح، عن مجاهد: " أفحكم الجاهلية يبغون "، يهود.12155 - حدثني الحارث قال، حدثنا عبد العزيز قال، حدثنا شيخ، عن مجاهد: " أفحكم الجاهلية يبغون "، قال: يهود.* * *---------------الهوامش:(40) انظر تفسير"بغى" و"ابتغى" فيما سلف 10: 290 ، تعليق: 2 ، والمراجع هناك.(41) في المطبوعة: "وقد حكمت" ، وفي المخطوطة: "أو حكمت" ، وصوابها ما أثبت.

( أفحكم الجاهلية يبغون ) قرأ ابن عامر " تبغون " بالتاء وقرأ الآخرون بالياء ، أي : يطلبون ( ومن أحسن من الله حكما لقوم يوقنون ) .

فَرّعت الفاء على مضمون قوله : { فإن تولّوا فاعلم } [ المائدة : 49 ] الخ استفهاماً عن مرادهم من ذلك التولّي ، والاستفهام إنكاري ، لأنّهم طلبوا حكم الجاهليّة . وحكم الجاهليّة هو ما تقرّر بين اليهود من تكايُل الدّماء الّذي سرى إليهم من أحكام أهل يثرب ، وهم أهلُ جاهلية ، فإنّ بني النضير لم يرضوا بالتساوي مع قريظة كما تقدّم؛ وما وضعوه من الأحكام بين أهل الجاهلية ، وهو العدول عن الرجم الّذي هو حكم التّوراة .وقرأ الجمهور { يَبغون } بياء الغائب ، والضمير عائد ل { مَن } من قوله : { ومَنْ لم يحكم بما أنزل الله } [ المائدة : 47 ] . وقرأ ابن عامر بتاء الخطاب على أنّه خطاب لليهود على طريقة الالتفات .والواو في قوله : { ومن أحسن من الله حكماً } واو الحال ، وهو اعتراض ، والاستفهام إنكاري في معنى النفي ، أي لا أحسن منه حكماً . وهو خطاب للمسلمين ، إذ لا فائدة في خطاب اليهود بهذا .وقوله : { لقوم يوقنون } اللام فيه ليست متعلّقة ب { حكماً } إذ ليس المراد بمدخولها المحكومَ لهم ، ولا هي لام التّقوية لأنّ { لقوم يوقنون } ليس مفعولاً ل { حُكماً } في المعنى . فهذه اللامُ تُسمّى لام البيان ولام التبيين ، وهي الّتي تدخل على المقصود من الكلام سواء كان خبراً أم إنشاء ، وهي الواقعة في نحو قولهم : سَقْيَاً لك ، وَجَدْعاً له ، وفي الحديث « تبّاً وسُحقاً لمن بَدّل بَعْدي » ، وقوله تعالى : { هيهات هيهات لِما توعدون } [ المؤمنون : 36 ] { حاش لله } [ يوسف : 51 ] . وذلك أنّ المقصود التّنبيه على المراد من الكلام . ومنه قول تعالى عن زليخا { وقالت هيتَ لك } [ يوسف : 23 ] لأنّ تهيّؤَها له غريب لا يخطر ببال يوسف فلا يدري ما أرادت فقالت له { هيت لك } [ يوسف : 23 ] ، إذا كان ( هيت ) اسمَ فِعْللِ مُضي بمعنى تهيّأتُ ، ومثل قوله تعالى هنا : { ومن أحسن من الله حكماً لقوم يوقنون } . وقد يكون المقصود معلوماً فيخشى خفاؤه فيؤتى باللام لزيادة البيان نحو { حاشَ لله } [ يوسف : 51 ] ، وهي حينئذٍ جديرة باسم لام التبيين ، كالداخلة إلى المواجه بالخطاب في قولهم : سَقياً لك ورعياً ، ونحوهما ، وفي قوله : { هِيتَ } [ يوسف : 23 ] اسمَ فعل أمر بمعنى تَعالَ . وإنّما لم تجعل في بعض هذه المواضع لام تقوية ، لأنّ لام التّقوية يصحّ الاستغناء عنها مع ذكر مدخولها ، وَفي هذه المواضع لا يذكر مدخول اللام إلاّ معها .

{ أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ ْ} أي: أفيطلبون بتوليهم وإعراضهم عنك حكم الجاهلية، وهو كل حكم خالف ما أنزل الله على رسوله. فلا ثم إلا حكم الله ورسوله أو حكم الجاهلية. فمن أعرض عن الأول ابتلي بالثاني المبني على الجهل والظلم والغي، ولهذا أضافه الله للجاهلية، وأما حكم الله تعالى فمبني على العلم، والعدل والقسط، والنور والهدى. { وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حُكْمًا لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ ْ} فالموقن هو الذي يعرف الفرق بين الحكمين ويميز -بإيقانه- ما في حكم الله من الحسن والبهاء، وأنه يتعين -عقلا وشرعا- اتباعه. واليقين، هو العلم التام الموجب للعمل.

قوله تعالى : أفحكم الجاهلية يبغون ومن أحسن من الله حكما لقوم يوقنونفيه ثلاث مسائل :الأولى : قوله تعالى : أفحكم الجاهلية يبغون أفحكم نصب ب يبغون والمعنى : أن الجاهلية كانوا يجعلون حكم الشريف خلاف حكم الوضيع ; كما تقدم في غير موضع ، وكانت اليهود تقيم الحدود على الضعفاء الفقراء ، ولا يقيمونها على الأقوياء الأغنياء ; فضارعوا الجاهلية في هذا الفعل .الثانية : روى سفيان بن عيينة عن ابن أبي نجيح عن طاوس قال : كان إذا سألوه عن [ ص: 156 ] الرجل يفضل بعض ولده على بعض يقرأ هذه الآية أفحكم الجاهلية يبغون فكان طاوس يقول : ليس لأحد أن يفضل بعض ولده على بعض ، فإن فعل لم ينفذ وفسخ ; وبه قال أهل الظاهر ، وروي عن أحمد بن حنبل مثله ، وكرهه الثوري وابن المبارك وإسحاق ; فإن فعل ذلك أحد نفذ ولم يرد ، وأجاز ذلك مالك والثوري والليث والشافعي وأصحاب الرأي ; واستدلوا بفعل الصديق في نحله عائشة دون سائر ولده ، وبقوله عليه السلام : فارجعه وقوله : فأشهد على هذا غيري ، واحتج الأولون بقوله عليه السلام لبشير : ألك ولد سوى هذا قال نعم ، فقال : أكلهم وهبت له مثل هذا فقال لا ، قال : فلا تشهدني إذا فإني لا أشهد على جور في رواية وإني لا أشهد إلا على حق . قالوا : وما كان جورا وغير حق فهو باطل لا يجوز . وقوله : أشهد على هذا غيري ليس إذنا في الشهادة وإنما هو زجر عنها ; لأنه عليه السلام قد سماه جورا وامتنع من الشهادة فيه ; فلا يمكن أن يشهد أحد من المسلمين في ذلك بوجه ، وأما فعل أبي بكر فلا يعارض به قول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، ولعله قد كان نحل أولاده نحلا يعادل ذلك .فإن قيل : الأصل تصرف الإنسان في ماله مطلقا ، قيل له : الأصل الكلي والواقعة المعينة المخالفة لذلك الأصل لا تعارض بينهما كالعموم والخصوص ، وفي الأصول أن الصحيح بناء العام على الخاص ، ثم إنه ينشأ عن ذلك العقوق الذي هو أكبر الكبائر ، وذلك محرم ، وما يؤدي إلى المحرم فهو ممنوع ; ولذلك قال صلى الله عليه وسلم : اتقوا الله واعدلوا بين أولادكم . قال النعمان : فرجع أبي فرد تلك الصدقة ، والصدقة لا يعتصرها الأب بالإنفاق وقوله : ( فارجعه ) محمول على معنى فاردده ، والرد ظاهر في الفسخ ; كما قال عليه السلام : من عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد أي : مردود مفسوخ . وهذا كله ظاهر قوي ، وترجيح جلي في المنع .الثالثة : قرأ ابن وثاب والنخعي " أفحكم " بالرفع على معنى يبغونه ; فحذف الهاء كما حذفها أبو النجم في قوله :قد أصبحت أم الخيار تدعي علي ذنبا كله لم أصنعفيمن روى " كله " بالرفع . ويجوز أن يكون التقدير : أفحكم الجاهلية حكم يبغونه ؟ [ ص: 157 ] فحذف الموصوف ، وقرأ الحسن وقتادة والأعرج والأعمش " أفحكم " بنصب الحاء والكاف وفتح الميم ; وهي راجعة إلى معنى قراءة الجماعة إذ ليس المراد نفس الحكم ، وإنما المراد الحكم ; فكأنه قال : أفحكم حكم الجاهلية يبغون ، وقد يكون الحكم والحاكم في اللغة واحدا وكأنهم يريدون الكاهن وما أشبهه من حكام الجاهلية ; فيكون المراد بالحكم الشيوع والجنس ، إذ لا يراد به حاكم بعينه ; وجاز وقوع المضاف جنسا كما جاز في قولهم : منعت مصر إردبها ، وشبهه ، وقرأ ابن عامر " تبغون " بالتاء ، الباقون بالياء .قوله تعالى : ومن أحسن من الله حكما لقوم يوقنون هذا استفهام على جهة الإنكار بمعنى : لا أحد أحسن ; فهذا ابتداء وخبر . وحكما نصب على البيان . لقوله لقوم يوقنون أي : عند قوم يوقنون .

The Jews had formulated a new self-made religion by mingling their own innovations with the true religion of God. Their self interests were linked with this self-devised religion. Therefore, they were not at all ready to give it up and adopt the pure religion introduced by the Prophet. Instead of bowing down before the Truth, they took to harassing the flag-bearer of Truth, so that he should kneel down before them, give up the true religion of God and accept the religion devised by them. Had it been the will of God, He could have tied the hands of these transgressors at the very first instance and they would not have succeeded in harassing him. But God allowed them some respite to put their evil plans into action. This was done so as to make it abundantly clear that these claimants of so-called righteousness were the worst type of irreligious people; being devotees not of God but of their own self-interests. This act of God, though it constituted a hard test for the missionary of Truth, was the only way a decision might be reached as to who deserved paradise and who deserved hell. It is the weakness of the human being that he wants to fulfill his desires. Being governed by God’s commandments is, therefore, not tolerable to him. He then goes so far as to use self-devised interpretations of the Divine religion to make it conform to his desires. Pure religion is acceptable only to those who do not view things in the light of their desires, preferring to make the moral choice of rising above them. The word of God is undoubtedly the truest word. But in this present world of trial, every Truth is hidden behind the curtain of doubt. It is the test of a man that he should be able to tear asunder this curtain, that he should be able to make the unseen observable to himself, so that he may be in possession of the Truth. One who is caught up in outward doubts is a failure and one who brushes aside the veil of apparent doubts and finds the Truth has achieved success.

The Qur'an: Custodian of Torah and Injil In the fifth (48) and the sixth (49) verse, the address is to the Holy Prophet ﷺ saying that to him Allah has revealed the Qur'an which confirms the Torah and Injil, Books previous to it, and is their custodian as well. This is because, after the people of the Torah altered the Torah and the people of Injil made changes in the Injil, it was the Qur'an alone which turned out to be the kind of overseer and protector which exposed the alterations made by them, lit up truth and reality in their proper perspective. Even today, the true teachings of the Torah and Injil still survive through the Qur'an while those who inherited them and those who claim to follow them have disfigured them to the extent that it has become impossible to distinguish truth from untruth. Towards the end of the verse, the Holy Prophet g has been given the same instruction as was given to the people of the Torah and the people of the Injil, that is, all orders and judgments given by him should be according to injunctions revealed by Allah, and that he should see through the ploy of these people who intend to have him decide matters according to their wishes and take his guard against their evil plans. There was a particular reason for saying what was said. Some Jewish religious scholars came to the Holy Prophet ﷺ . They told him that they were religious leaders among the Jews. If they became Muslims, the rest of them would become Muslims too. But, there was a condition to it. They said that they had a legal dispute with his people. They would bring that case to him. If, in this case, he were to decide in their favour, they would embrace Islam. Thereupon, Al-mighty Allah gave him the word of caution that he should never decide against considerations of equity and justice and the Law revealed by Allah because of the offer to become Muslims made by these people - a proposition which was not for him to worry about. The Wisdom behind Partial Difference in Shari'ahs of Prophets Besides other elements of guidance, this verse carries an answer to a basic question of principle. The question is: When all prophets have been sent by Allah, and all Books and Shari` ahs come from Him, why do they differ and why do a coming Book and Shari` ah abrogate the outgoing Shari` ah and Book? The answer has been given in this verse, along with its wisdom: لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْ‌عَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّـهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَ‌اتِ For each of you, We have made a way and a method. And had Allah willed, He would have made a single community of people, but (He did not), so that He may test you in what He has given to you. Strive, then, to excel each other in good deeds. To explain this in other words, it can be said that Allah has made for every section among human beings a particular Shari` ah and particular method of doing things in which, despite common principles, there are expedient differences in subsidiary injunctions. Had Allah so willed, it would have not been at all difficult for Him to make all human beings one community with only one Book and one Shari` ah for everyone. But, Allah Almighty did not prefer to do so for He intended to test people. He wanted to see who gets to know the reality of ` Ibadah (worship) and stays alert to receive and respond positively to whatever command comes for them. It may be a new Book or a new Shari` ah. They will be ready to accept and follow that, no matter how dear the previous Shari` ah and Book may be to them and no matter how hard its abandoning may be on them because of its grip on them as their ancestral religion. But, such people with their awakened sense of belonging to their ultimate master, always stay tuned to the next Divine call, and always ready to obey. At the other end of this trial shall obviously be those who fail to see this essential reality of obedience, who take to a particular Shari` ah and Book as closed objectives of life giving it the uncompromising status of ancestral religion as a result of which they choose not to pay any attention to any Divine command. Great wisdom lies in this difference among Shari` ahs. This is the channel through which every section of the human community of any time is taught the reality behind genuine ` Ibadah (worship) and the reality behind human servitude to God. The message given is that the reality of ` Ibadah (acts of worship) lies in being an ` Abd, a servant, and in obeying and following - which does not depend on Salah, Sawm, Hajj, Zakah or Dhikr of Allah or Tilawah of the Qur'an - nor are these acts of worship an end by themselves. Instead of that, they all have one single purpose behind them: Obedience to the Command of Allah. This is the reason why times during which Salah is prohibited, offering Salah at those times does not bring any reward. On the contrary, it becomes a source of sin. During the days of the two ` Ids, the ` Idul-Fitr and the ` Idul-Adha, when fasting is forbidden, it becomes a sin to fast at that time. Other than the ninth of the month of Dhil-Hijjah, gathering in the plain of ` Arafat on any day or month to pray and worship is no reward-worthy act while on the ninth of Dhil-Hijjah, this is the greatest ` Ibadah on the plain of ` Arafat. The same rule applies to all other acts of worship. Done when asked to do, they are ` Ibadah. But, when they are stopped at a certain limit, they too become Haram, unlawful and impermissible. Ignorant people are usually not aware of this reality. ` Ibadat which become their habit, rather, national customs which they get used to as if they were ` Ibadat, then, they would ignore even open commands from Allah and His Messenger. This is from where sprout the seeds of innovations and deviations (Bid` at and Muhaddathat) in established religion which, with the passage of time, become attached to it as if they were a part of it while they are not. This has been the major cause of alterations in past Shari'ahs and Books. By sending different Books and Shari'ahs to different prophets, Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu has taught human beings the lesson that they should not take one mode of action or one mode of worship as their primary objective. They should, instead, become obedient servants of Allah in its most desirable sense on the strength of which they should be able to instantly leave what they were doing earlier, as and when asked to do so. And, conversely, they should immediately be ready to do whatever they are asked to do. Other than this, yet another wisdom behind this difference in Shari'ahs is that since tempers and tastes of human beings from every period and section of the world are different, the variation in the time frame affects human disposition considerably. If subsidiary injunctions were to be made identical for everyone, human beings would be in deep trouble. Therefore, it was the dictate of Divine wisdom that appropriate change be made in subsidiary injunctions with due consideration of the response patterns of the people of different tastes and times. Here, the religious terminology of Abrogator (Nasikh) and Abrogated (Mansukh) does not mean that the Law Giver did not know conditions before and gave one law - and when new circumstances prevailed it was abrogated - or the earlier law was promulgated by mistake or lack of attention but was changed on later recollection. This is not the way it is. The Nasikh and Mansukh are just like the prescription of a doctor or physician where a change in medicines appears gradually since the doctor or physician knows in advance that a certain symptom will show up in the patient after he or she has used the initially prescribed medicine for three days which then will be the time to prescribe a certain other medicine. So, when he cancels his earlier prescription and replaces it with a new one, it will not be correct to say that the previous prescription was wrong and for that reason it was cancelled. Instead, the truth of the matter is that this very prescription was correct and necessary for use during the initial days of sickness - and under later conditions, the same second prescription is correct and necessary. A Summary of Subsidiary Injunctions 1. We know from the initial verses that the case brought to the Holy Prophet ﷺ by the Jews was decided by him. The decision was in accord with the Shari` ah of the Torah. This proves that the religious injunctions in force in the previous Shari` ahs remain in force until abrogated by the Holy Qur'an or Divine Revelation as it was in the cases of the Jews where the injunction concerning equality in Qisas (Law of Retaliation) and stoning to death (Rajm) in punishment of adultery (Zina) was there in the Torah as well. Then, the Qur'an too retained it as it was. 2. Similarly, in the second verse (45), the injunction of Qisas about the Retaliation for Wounds which has been mentioned with reference to the Torah was enforced in Islam by the Holy Prophet ﷺ . On this basis, the rule of procedure with the majority of the ` Ulama of Islam is that injunctions of previous Shari` ahs which have not been abrogated by the Qur'an are valid, enforceable and obedience-worthy in our Shari` ah too. That is why, in the cited verses, the people of the Torah have been asked to decide, judge and obey in accordance with the Torah and the people of the Injil have been asked to decide, judge and obey in accordance with the Injil - though both these Books and their Shari` ahs stand abrogated after the appearance of the Holy Prophet The out-come is that the injunctions of the Torah and Injil which were not abrogated by the Qur'an are obedience-worthy even today. 3. The third injunction which stands proved from these verses is that ruling contrary to the injunctions revealed by Almighty Allah is Kufr (disbelief in and rejection of Faith) under some conditions specially when it is combined with belief in its being not true. And under some conditions, it is Zulm (injustice) and Fisq (disobedience, sin) - when belief-wise, one does accept them as true, but, in practice, does what is contrary to it. 4. The fourth injunction which appears in these verses is that taking bribe is absolutely Haram (unlawful) - specially, the taking of bribe in a judicial case, which is far too grave. The fifth injunction which emerges clearly from these verses is that all prophets, may peace be upon them, and their Shari'ahs agree in principle, but there is that difference in minute and subsidiary in-junctions with them - a difference which is based on considerations of great wisdom.

(Is it a judgement of the time of (pagan) ignorance that they are seeking?) to find in the Qur'an, O Muhammad. (Who is better than Allah for judgement to a people who have certainty?) in Muhammad and the Qur'an.