"A group from the people of the Book loves to mislead you, while they mislead none but themselves and they do not realise. [69] O people of the Book, why do you disbelieve in the signs of Allah while you are yourselves a witness? [70] O People of the Book, why do you confound the truth with falsehood, and conceal the truth when you know?"[71] (3:69-71)

Commentary

Verse 69 exposes the cherished desire of the people of the Book to mislead Muslims away from the true faith they are on. The text, then, firmly declares that the victim of their effort to misguide is no one other than themselves, something they do not realize.

Verse 70, addressing the people of the Book, asks them as to why they disbelieve in the signs of Allah, such as the verses in Torah and Injil which prove the prophethood of Muhammad Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam: Peace be upon him because the denial of his prophethood amounts to declaring these verses to be false which is infidelity, although they themselves confirm these as true. This is an admonition on their error in belief.

Proceeding further, Verse 71 admonishes them for confusing the real statement, that is, the prophecy about the prophethood of Muhammad Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam: Peace be upon him with the fictitious, that is, the interpolated statements or false exegesis. The crucial question being asked is as to why would they conceal the truth of the matter despite knowing the truth, and knowing that they are hiding it.

The words (you are yourselves a witness - 70) and in (you know - 71) should not be taken to mean that disbelief will become permissible for them if they do not attest to the truth or have no knowledge about it. This is because kufr (disbelief) is intrinsically an abominable thing to practice. This is prohibited under all conditions. However, the mention of kufr (disbelief) after knowledge and attesta­tion is to increase the impact of reproachment. (Ma'ariful Qur'an)

» Posted by Seifeddine-M on 8th December 2011

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