Reading Ibn Jarir’s Tafsir on the verse: “And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, it is those who are the disbelievers”
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The Shaykh : Ibn Jarir (may Allah have mercy on him) says in his great Tafsir: “Allah the Exalted says: And whoever conceals the ruling of Allah that He revealed in His Book and made it a judgment between His servants, then he hides it and judges by other than it, like the ruling of the Jews regarding the married adulterers by [flogging] and branding, and their concealing of stoning, and their judgment in some of their killings with full blood money, and in some with half the blood money, and for the nobles with retaliation, and for the lower classes with blood money. Allah has equalized them all in the ruling over them in the Torah.” He says: “These are the ones who did not judge by what Allah revealed in His Book, but rather they altered and changed His ruling and concealed the truth that He revealed in His Book. They are the disbelievers. He says: They are the ones who covered up the truth.” Covering up the truth is the origin of disbelief, as you know.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : “Which was incumbent upon them to reveal and clarify, but they covered it up from the people and displayed to them other than it, and they judged by it for the illicit gain they took from them.” He says, as is his custom: “The people of interpretation differed regarding the interpretation of disbelief in this place. Some of them said, in line with what we have said, that it refers to the Jews who distorted the Book of Allah and altered His ruling. He mentioned those who said that, from al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib,” and so on. His statement:, [Al-Ma'idah 5:44]. He covered the three verses. Good. Then he narrates: “From Abu Salih, to that effect. Then from al-Dahhak, who said: These verses were revealed regarding the People of the Book. Then,” what about Abu Mujlaz? [Al-Ma'idah 5:44] Is he more correct than him? He said: Yes. And from ... the wrongdoers, and so on. He said: “A group of the Ibadis sat with Abu Mujlaz. They said to him: Allah says: [Al-Ma'idah 5:44], , . Abu Mujlaz said: They do what they do, meaning the rulers, and they know that it is a sin.”
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : He said: “This verse was only revealed regarding the Jews and the Christians. They said: By Allah, you know as much as we know.” “They said: By Allah, you know as much as we know, but you fear them.”
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : He said: “You are more deserving of that than we are. As for us, we do not know what you know, but you know it. However, your fear of them prevents you from carrying out your command.”
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Then, with his chain of narration, from whom? “From Hudhayfah regarding his statement:[Al-Ma'idah 5:44] He said: Yes. Your brothers are the Children of Israel. If you have all the sweet things and they have all the bitter things, you will surely follow their path to the extent of shirk (associating partners with Allah).” This is the apparent meaning, as I quoted from Ibn Mas‘ud.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : No, good. “From al-Dahhak, likewise.” Yes, and another narration from Hudhayfah to the same effect, likewise, likewise ... He said, and so on: “From ‘Ikrimah, who said: These verses are regarding the People of the Book.” Yes, and also regarding the People of the Book. “From al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib.” This is the matter of the adulteress mentioned earlier.
The questioner : They do not intend it, may Allah bless you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : That ...
The Shaykh : My intention is that we reach the narration of Ibn Mas‘ud.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : It reached ... Ah, here is the narration from Ibn Mas‘ud. He said: We did not know about Ibn Mas‘ud, or is it from ... perhaps it is with “‘Ubaid Allah ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Utbah ibn Mas‘ud. He mentioned a man with him[Al-Ma'idah 5:44], “and the second and third verses.” Then ‘Ubaid Allah said: By Allah, many people interpret these verses in a way in which they were not revealed, and they were only revealed regarding two groups of the Jews,” and so on. Here, “From ‘Amir, who said: The disbelievers were revealed regarding the Muslims, the wrongdoers regarding the Jews, and the sinners regarding the Christians.” All of them, meaning like one another.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Good. Al-Sha‘bi, al-Sha‘bi, al-Sha‘bi. “And others said,” all these narrations are regarding the general term of disbelief. No.
The questioner : Okay.
The Shaykh : We have not seen anything here from Ibn Mas‘ud, only from Hudhayfah.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Good. There may be other narrations that we do not deny until we search. He says: “And others said: Rather, it means disbelief less than disbelief, and wrongdoings less than wrongdoings, and sinfulness less than sinfulness. He mentioned those who said that, from ‘Ata’.” Here he mentioned from the routes from ‘Ata’, like what al-Hakim mentioned from Tawus from Ibn ‘Abbas. Good, here from another route, and this is important.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : The narration in al-Mustadrak is from Hisham ibn Hajir.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : From Tawus here: “From Ma‘mar ibn Rashid, from Ibn Tawus, from his father.”
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : This is a second route.
The questioner : Another route.
The Shaykh : Yes. “From Ibn ‘Abbas:[Al-Ma'idah 5:44] He said: It is disbelief by that, but it is not disbelief in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His Messengers.”
The questioner : Meaning the belief ...
The Shaykh : Ah. “A man said to Ibn ‘Abbas.” This is another route that differs only from the Shaykh of Sufyan; from Ma‘mar there, the Shaykh of the narrator from Sufyan is Ibn Waki‘.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And there is something in it.
The questioner : Yes, perhaps this is what he intends ...
The Shaykh : It is none of your concern.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But now the routes are different in al-Mustadrak.
The questioner : In “al-Mustadrak” ...
The Shaykh : Yes. Then here a supporter of it will come, so I told you in the first narration: “From Ibn Waki‘, who said: Our father narrated to us,” meaning Waki‘, “from Sufyan,” and so on. So the chain is very correct up to Ibn Waki‘, because there is weakness in it. But according to Ibn Jarir from another route, yes: “From Ibn ‘Abbas. Al-Hasan narrated to us. Al-Hasan ibn Yahya said: ‘Abd al-Razzaq informed us. He said: Ma‘mar informed us from Ibn Tawus from his father. He said: Ibn ‘Abbas was asked about his statement:[Al-Ma'idah 5:44]” and so on. “He said: It is disbelief by that. Ibn Tawus said: ‘Ibn Tawus’ and it is not like the one who disbelieved in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His Messengers.”
The questioner : Perhaps they intend this narration and were content with the statement of Ibn ‘Abbas and did not ...
The Shaykh : Well, all of this is possible, but this scholarly research should not stop here.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Good, let’s proceed. Yes, here he says a third statement: “And others said: Rather, these verses were revealed regarding the People of the Book, and they are intended for all people, their Muslims and their disbelievers.” I do not think this has any relevance.
The questioner : It may mean ... May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : In any case, my intention is that he may have brought something from Ibn Mas‘ud. It is long; there is only about half a page left.
The questioner : Please proceed.
Then those are the disbelievers
فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَThe questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : “Which was incumbent upon them to reveal and clarify, but they covered it up from the people and displayed to them other than it, and they judged by it for the illicit gain they took from them.” He says, as is his custom: “The people of interpretation differed regarding the interpretation of disbelief in this place. Some of them said, in line with what we have said, that it refers to the Jews who distorted the Book of Allah and altered His ruling. He mentioned those who said that, from al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib,” and so on. His statement:
And whoever does not judge, then those are the disbelievers
ومن لم يحكم فأولئك هم الكافرونAnd whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَAnd whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَAnd whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَIt is those who are the wrongdoers.
فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَIt is those who are the defiantly disobedient.
فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَThe questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : He said: “This verse was only revealed regarding the Jews and the Christians. They said: By Allah, you know as much as we know.” “They said: By Allah, you know as much as we know, but you fear them.”
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : He said: “You are more deserving of that than we are. As for us, we do not know what you know, but you know it. However, your fear of them prevents you from carrying out your command.”
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Then, with his chain of narration, from whom? “From Hudhayfah regarding his statement:
And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَThe questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : No, good. “From al-Dahhak, likewise.” Yes, and another narration from Hudhayfah to the same effect, likewise, likewise ... He said, and so on: “From ‘Ikrimah, who said: These verses are regarding the People of the Book.” Yes, and also regarding the People of the Book. “From al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib.” This is the matter of the adulteress mentioned earlier.
The questioner : They do not intend it, may Allah bless you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : That ...
The Shaykh : My intention is that we reach the narration of Ibn Mas‘ud.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : It reached ... Ah, here is the narration from Ibn Mas‘ud. He said: We did not know about Ibn Mas‘ud, or is it from ... perhaps it is with “‘Ubaid Allah ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Utbah ibn Mas‘ud. He mentioned a man with him
And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Good. Al-Sha‘bi, al-Sha‘bi, al-Sha‘bi. “And others said,” all these narrations are regarding the general term of disbelief. No.
The questioner : Okay.
The Shaykh : We have not seen anything here from Ibn Mas‘ud, only from Hudhayfah.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Good. There may be other narrations that we do not deny until we search. He says: “And others said: Rather, it means disbelief less than disbelief, and wrongdoings less than wrongdoings, and sinfulness less than sinfulness. He mentioned those who said that, from ‘Ata’.” Here he mentioned from the routes from ‘Ata’, like what al-Hakim mentioned from Tawus from Ibn ‘Abbas. Good, here from another route, and this is important.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : The narration in al-Mustadrak is from Hisham ibn Hajir.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : From Tawus here: “From Ma‘mar ibn Rashid, from Ibn Tawus, from his father.”
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : This is a second route.
The questioner : Another route.
The Shaykh : Yes. “From Ibn ‘Abbas:
And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَThe questioner : Meaning the belief ...
The Shaykh : Ah. “A man said to Ibn ‘Abbas.” This is another route that differs only from the Shaykh of Sufyan; from Ma‘mar there, the Shaykh of the narrator from Sufyan is Ibn Waki‘.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And there is something in it.
The questioner : Yes, perhaps this is what he intends ...
The Shaykh : It is none of your concern.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : But now the routes are different in al-Mustadrak.
The questioner : In “al-Mustadrak” ...
The Shaykh : Yes. Then here a supporter of it will come, so I told you in the first narration: “From Ibn Waki‘, who said: Our father narrated to us,” meaning Waki‘, “from Sufyan,” and so on. So the chain is very correct up to Ibn Waki‘, because there is weakness in it. But according to Ibn Jarir from another route, yes: “From Ibn ‘Abbas. Al-Hasan narrated to us. Al-Hasan ibn Yahya said: ‘Abd al-Razzaq informed us. He said: Ma‘mar informed us from Ibn Tawus from his father. He said: Ibn ‘Abbas was asked about his statement:
And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُThe questioner : Perhaps they intend this narration and were content with the statement of Ibn ‘Abbas and did not ...
The Shaykh : Well, all of this is possible, but this scholarly research should not stop here.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Good, let’s proceed. Yes, here he says a third statement: “And others said: Rather, these verses were revealed regarding the People of the Book, and they are intended for all people, their Muslims and their disbelievers.” I do not think this has any relevance.
The questioner : It may mean ... May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : In any case, my intention is that he may have brought something from Ibn Mas‘ud. It is long; there is only about half a page left.
The questioner : Please proceed.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.