5:64 Al-Maaida (The Table)

يخبر تعالى عن مقالة اليهود الشنيعة، وعقيدتهم الفظيعة، فقال: { وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ يَدُ اللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ ْ} أي: عن الخير والإحسان والبر. { غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُوا بِمَا قَالُوا ْ} وهذا دعاء عليهم بجنس مقالتهم. فإن كلامهم متضمن لوصف الله الكريم، بالبخل وعدم الإحسان. فجازاهم بأن كان هذا الوصف منطبقا عليهم. فكانوا أبخل الناس وأقلهم إحسانا، وأسوأهم ظنا بالله، وأبعدهم الله عن رحمته التي وسعت كل شيء، وملأت أقطار العالم العلوي والسفلي. ولهذا قال: { بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنْفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ ْ} لا حجر عليه، ولا مانع يمنعه مما أراد، فإنه تعالى قد بسط فضله وإحسانه الديني والدنيوي، وأمر العباد أن يتعرضوا لنفحات جوده، وأن لا يسدوا على أنفسهم أبواب إحسانه بمعاصيهم. فيداه سحاء الليل والنهار، وخيره في جميع الأوقات مدرارا، يفرج كربا، ويزيل غما، ويغني فقيرا، ويفك أسيرا ويجبر كسيرا, ويجيب سائلا، ويعطي فقيرا عائلا، ويجيب المضطرين، ويستجيب للسائلين. وينعم على من لم يسأله، ويعافي من طلب العافية، ولا يحرم من خيره عاصيا، بل خيره يرتع فيه البر والفاجر، ويجود على أوليائه بالتوفيق لصالح الأعمال ثم يحمدهم عليها، ويضيفها إليهم، وهي من جوده ويثيبهم عليها من الثواب العاجل والآجل ما لا يدركه الوصف، ولا يخطر على بال العبد، ويلطف بهم في جميع أمورهم، ويوصل إليهم من الإحسان، ويدفع عنهم من النقم ما لا يشعرون بكثير منه، فسبحان من كل النعم التي بالعباد فمنه، وإليه يجأرون في دفع المكاره، وتبارك من لا يحصي أحد ثناء عليه, بل هو كما أثنى على نفسه، وتعالى من لا يخلو العباد من كرمه طرفة عين، بل لا وجود لهم ولا بقاء إلا بجوده. وقبَّح الله من استغنى بجهله عن ربه، ونسبه إلى ما لا يليق بجلاله، بل لو عامل الله اليهود القائلين تلك المقالة، ونحوهم ممن حاله كحالهم ببعض قولهم، لهلكوا، وشقوا في دنياهم، ولكنهم يقولون تلك الأقوال، وهو تعالى, يحلم عنهم، ويصفح، ويمهلهم ولا يهملهم. وقوله { وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم مَّا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَانًا وَكُفْرًا ْ} وهذا أعظم العقوبات على العبد، أن يكون الذكر الذي أنزله الله على رسوله، الذي فيه حياة القلب والروح، وسعادة الدنيا والآخرة, وفلاح الدارين، الذي هو أكبر منة امتن الله بها على عباده, توجب عليهم المبادرة إلى قبولها, والاستسلام لله بها, وشكرا لله عليها, أن تكون لمثل هذا زيادة غي إلى غيه، وطغيان إلى طغيانه، وكفر إلى كفره، وذلك بسبب إعراضه عنها، ورده لها، ومعاندته إياها، ومعارضته لها بالشبه الباطلة. { وَأَلْقَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ْ} فلا يتآلفون، ولا يتناصرون, ولا يتفقون على حالة فيها مصلحتهم، بل لم يزالوا متباغضين في قلوبهم, متعادين بأفعالهم, إلى يوم القيامة { كُلَّمَا أَوْقَدُوا نَارًا لِلْحَرْبِ ْ} ليكيدوا بها الإسلام وأهله، وأبدوا وأعادوا، وأجلبوا بخيلهم ورجلهم { أَطْفَأَهَا اللَّهُ ْ} بخذلانهم وتفرق جنودهم, وانتصار المسلمين عليهم. { وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا ْ} أي: يجتهدون ويجدون، ولكن بالفساد في الأرض، بعمل المعاصي، والدعوة إلى دينهم الباطل، والتعويق عن الدخول في الإسلام. { وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ ْ} بل يبغضهم أشد البغض، وسيجازيهم على ذلك.

يخبر تعالى عن اليهود عليهم لعائن الله المتتابعة إلى يوم القيامة بأنهم وصفوه تعالى عن قولهم علوا كبيرا بأنه بخيل كما وصفوه بأنه فقير وهم أغنياء وعبروا عن البخل بأن قالوا" يد الله مغلولة" قال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبو عبد الله الطهراني حدثنا حفص بن عمر العدني حدثنا الحكم بن أبان عن عكرمة قال: قال ابن عباس: مغلولة أى بخيلة وقال علي بن أبي طلحه: عن ابن عباس قوله وقالت اليهود يد الله مغلولة قال لا يعنون بذلك أن يد الله موثقة ولكن يقولون بخيل يعني أمسك ما عنده بخلا تعالى الله عن قولهم علوا كبيرا وكذا روى عن مجاهد وعكرمة وقتادة والسدي والضحاك وقرأ" ولا تجعل يدك مغلولة إلى عنقك ولا تبسطها كل البسط فتقعد ملوما محسورا " يعني أنه ينهى عن البخل وعن التبذير وهو زيادة الإنفاق في غير محله وعبر عن البخل بقوله" ولا تجعل يدك مغلولة إلى عنقك" وهذا هو الذي أراد هؤلاء اليهود عليهم لعائن الله وقد قال عكرمة أنها نزلت في فنحاص اليهودي عليه لعنة الله وقد تقدم أنه الذي قال إن الله فقير ونحن أغنياء فضربه أبو بكر الصديق- رضي الله عنه- وقال محمد بن إسحاق حدثنا محمد بن أبي محمد عن سعيد أو عكرمة عن ابن عباس قال: قال رجل من اليهود يقال: له شاس بن قيس إن ربك بخيل لا ينفق فأنزل الله وقالت اليهود:" يد الله مغلولة غلت أيديهم ولعنوا بما قالوا بل يداه مبسوطتان ينفق كيف يشاء" وقد رد الله عز وجل عليهم ما قالوه وقابلهم فيما اختلعوه وافتروه وأتفكوه فقال"غلت أيديهم ولعنوا بما قالوا" وهكذا وقع لهم فإن عندهم من البخل والحسد والجبن والذلة أمر عظيم كما قال تعالى "أم لهم نصيب من الملك فإذا لا يؤتون الناس نقيرا أم يحسدون الناس على ما آتاهم الله من فضله" الآية وقال تعالى" ضربت عليهم الذلة" الآية ثم قال تعالى" بل يداه مبسوطتان ينفق كيف يشاء" أي بل هو الواهب الفضل الجزيل العطاء الذي ما من شيء إلا عنده خزائنه وهو الذي ما بخلقه من نعمة فمنه وهو لا شريك له الذي خلق لنا كل شيء مما نحتاج إليه في ليلنا ونهارنا وحضرنا وسفرنا وفي جميع أحوالنا كما قال" وآتاكم من كل ما سألتموه وإن تعدوا نعمة الله لا تحصوها إن الإنسان لظلوم كفار" والآيات في هذا كثيرة وقد قال الإمام أحمد بن حنبل حدثنا عبد الرزاق حدثنا عمر عن همام بن منبه قال هذا ما حدثنا أبو هريرة قال: قال رسول الله- صلى الله عليه وسلم-:" إن يمين الله ملأى لا يفيضها نفقه سحاء الليل والنهار أرأيتم ما أنفق منذ خلق السموات والأرض فإذ لم يغض ما في يمينه قال وعرشه على الماء وفي يده الأخرى الفيض يرفع ويخفض وقال يقول الله تعالى أنفق أنقق عليك" أخرجاه في الصحيحين البخاري في التوحيد عن علي بن المديني ومسلم فيه عن محمد بن رافع كلاهما عن عبد الرزاق به وقوله تعالى" وليزيدن كثيرا منهم ما أنزل إليك من ربك طغيانا وكفرا" أي يكون ما أتاك الله يا محمد من النعمة نقمة في حق أعدائك من اليهود وأشباههم فكما يزداد به المؤمنون تصديقا وعملا صالحا وعلما نافعا يزداد به الكافرون الحاسدون لك ولأمتك طغيانا وهو المبالغة والمجاوزة للحد في الأشياء وكفرا أي تكذيبا كما قال تعالى" قل هو للذين آمنوا هدى وشفاء والذين لا يؤمنون في آذانهم وقر وهو عليهم عمى أولئك ينادون من مكان بعيد" وقال تعالى" وننزل من القرآن ما هو شفاء ورحمة للمؤمنين ولا يزيد الظالمين إلا خسارا" وقوله تعالى" وألقينا بينهم العداوة والبغضاء إلى يوم القيامة" يعني أنه لا تجتمع قلوبهم بل العداوة واقعة بين فرقهم بعضهم في بعض دائما لأنهم لا يجتمعون على حق وقد خالفوك وكذبوك وقال إبراهيم النخعي" وألقينا بينهم العداوة والبغضاء" قال الخصومات والجدال في الدين رواه ابن أبي حاتم وقوله كلما" أوقدوا نارا للحرب أطفأها الله" أي كلما عقدوا أسبابا يكيدونك بها وكلما أبرموا أمورا يحاربونك بها أبطلها الله ورد كيدهم عليهم وحاق مكرهم السيء بهم ويسعون في الأرض فسادا" والله لا يحب المفسدين" أي من سجيتهم أنهم أئمة يسعون في الإفساد في الأرض والله لا يحب من هذه صفتة.

The Jews Say That Allah's Hand is Tied up!

Allah states that the Jews, may Allah's continuous curses descend on them until the Day of Resurrection, describe Him as a miser. Allah is far holier than what they attribute to Him. The Jews also claim that Allah is poor, while they are rich. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented on Allah's statement,

وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ يَدُ اللَّهِ مَغْلُولَةٌ

(The Jews say, "Allah's Hand is tied up.") "They do not mean that Allah's Hand is literally tied up. Rather, they mean that He is a miser and does not spend from what He has. Allah is far holier than what they attribute to Him." Similar was reported from Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ad-Dahhak. Allah said in another Ayah,

وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ وَلاَ تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُوراً

(And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty.) In this Ayah, Allah prohibits stinginess and extravagance, which includes unnecessary and improper expenditures. Allah describes stinginess by saying,

وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَى عُنُقِكَ

(And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck. ) Therefore, this is the meaning that the Jews meant, may Allah's curses be on them. `Ikrimah said that this Ayah was revealed about Finhas, one of the Jews, may Allah curse him. We mentioned before that Finhas said,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ فَقِيرٌ وَنَحْنُ أَغْنِيَآءُ

("Truly, Allah is poor and we are rich!") and that Abu Bakr smacked him. Allah has refuted what the Jews attribute to Him and cursed them in retaliation for their lies and fabrications about Him. Allah said,

غُلَّتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَلُعِنُواْ بِمَا قَالُواْ

(Be their hands tied up and be they accursed for what they uttered.) What Allah said occurred, for the Jews are indeed miserly, envious, cowards and tremendously humiliated. Allah said in other Ayat,

أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُلْكِ فَإِذاً لاَّ يُؤْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيراً - أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَآ ءَاتَـهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ فَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَآ ءَالَ إِبْرَهِيمَ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَءَاتَيْنَـهُمْ مُّلْكاً عَظِيماً

(Or have they a share in the dominion Then in that case they would not give mankind even a Naqir. Or do they envy men for what Allah has given them of His bounty Then, We had already given the family of Ibrahim the Book and the Hikmah, and conferred upon them a great kingdom.) and, n

ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ

(Indignity is put over them.)

Allah's Hands are Widely Outstretched

Allah said next,

بَلْ يَدَاهُ مَبْسُوطَتَانِ يُنفِقُ كَيْفَ يَشَآءُ

(Nay, both His Hands are widely outstretched. He spends (of His bounty) as He wills.) Allah's favors are ample, His bounty unlimited, as He owns the treasures of everything. Any good that reaches His servants is from Him alone, without partners. He has created everything that we need by night or by day, while traveling or at home and in all situations and conditions. Allah said,

وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لاَ تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ الإنْسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ

(And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them. Verily, man is indeed an extreme wrongdoer, an extreme ingrate.) There are many other Ayat on this subject. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said that `Abdur-Razzaq narrated to him that Ma`mar said that Hammam bin Munabbih said, "This is what Abu Hurayrah narrated to us that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّ يَمِينَ اللهِ مَلْأَى، لَا يَغِيضُهَا نَفَقَةٌ، سَحَّاءُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ، أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا أَنْفَقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّموَات وَالْأَرْضَ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَغِضْ مَا فِي يَمِينِهِ قال : وَعَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ، وَفِي يَدِهِ الْأَخُرى الْقَبْضُ يَرْفَعُ وَيَخْفِض»

(Allah's Right Hand is perfectly full, and no amount of spending can decrease what He has, even though He spends by night and by day. Do you see how much Allah has spent since He created the heavens and earth Yet surely it has not decreased what He has in His Right Hand. His Throne is over the water and in His Other Hand is the hold by which He raises and lowers.) He also said, قُولُ اللهُ تَعَالى:

«أَنْفِقْ، أُنْفِقْ عَلَيْك»

(Allah said, `Spend and I will spend on you.')" This Hadith was recorded in the Two Sahihs.

The Revelation to the Muslims only Adds to the Transgression and Disbelief of the Jews

Allah said,

وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيراً مِّنْهُم مَّآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَـناً وَكُفْراً

(Verily, the revelation that has come to you from your Lord makes many of them increase in rebellion and disbelief.) meaning, the bounty that comes to you, O Muhammad, is a calamity for your enemies, the Jews and their kind. The more the revelation increases the believers in faith, good works, and beneficial knowledge, the more the disbelievers increase in envy for you and your Ummah, the more they increase in Tughyan -- which is to exceed the ordained limits for things -- and in disbelief -- meaning denial of you. Allah said in other Ayat,

قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ هُدًى وَشِفَآءٌ وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ فِى ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى أُوْلَـئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِن مَّكَانٍ بَعِيدٍ

(Say: "It is for those who believe, a guide and a healing. And as for those who disbelieve, there is heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it is blindness for them. They are those who are called from a place far away.") and,

وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلاَ يَزِيدُ الظَّـلِمِينَ إَلاَّ خَسَارًا

(And We send down of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe, and it increases wrongdoers in nothing but loss. ) Allah said next,

وَأَلْقَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَآءَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ

(We have put enmity and hatred among them till the Day of Resurrection.) Therefore, their hearts are never united. Rather, their various groups and sects will always have enmity and hatred for each other, because they do not agree on the truth, and because they opposed you and denied you. Allah's statement,

كُلَّمَآ أَوْقَدُواْ نَاراً لِّلْحَرْبِ أَطْفَأَهَا اللَّهُ

(Every time they kindled the fire of war, Allah extinguished it;) means, every time they try to plot against you and kindled the fire of war, Allah extinguishes it and makes their plots turn against them. Therefore, their evil plots will return to harm them.

وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَسَاداً وَاللَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

(and they (ever) strive to make mischief on earth. And Allah does not like the mischief-makers.) It is their habit to always strive to cause mischief on the earth, and Allah does not like those with such behavior.

Had the People of the Book Adhered to their Book, they WouldHave Acquired the Good of this Life and the Hereafter

Allah said next,

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْكِتَـبِ ءَامَنُواْ وَاتَّقَوْاْ

(And if only the People of the Scripture had believed and had Taqwa...) Consequently, had the People of the Book believed in Allah and His Messenger and avoided the sins and prohibitions that they committed;

لَكَفَّرْنَا عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَـتِهِمْ وَلاٌّدْخَلْنَـهُمْ جَنَّـتِ النَّعِيمِ

(We would indeed have expiated for them their sins and admitted them to Gardens of pleasure (in Paradise).) meaning We would have removed the dangers from them and granted them their objectives.

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُواْ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيهِمْ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ

(And if only they had acted according to the Tawrah, the Injil, and what has (now) been sent down to them from their Lord,) meaning, the Qur'an, as Ibn `Abbas and others said.

لاّكَلُواْ مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِم

(they would surely have gotten provision from above them and from underneath their feet.) Had they adhered to the Books that they have with them which they inherited from the Prophets, without altering or changing these Books, these would have directed them to follow the truth and implement the revelation that Allah sent Muhammad with. These Books testify to the Prophet's truth and command that he must be followed. Allah's statement,

لاّكَلُواْ مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِم

(they would surely have gotten provision from above them and from underneath their feet.) refers to the tremendous provision that would have descended to them from the sky and grown for them on the earth. Allah said in another Ayah,

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى ءَامَنُواْ وَاتَّقَوْاْ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَـتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالاٌّرْضِ

(And if the people of the towns had believed and had Taqwa, certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth.) Allah's statement,

مِّنْهُمْ أُمَّةٌ مُّقْتَصِدَةٌ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ سَآءَ مَا يَعْمَلُونَ

(And among them is a Muqtasid Ummah, but for most of them; evil is their work.) is similar to Allah's statement,

وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَى أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ

(And of the people of Musa there is a community who lead (the men) with truth and establish justice therewith.)7:159 and His statement about the followers of `Isa, peace be upon him,

فَـَاتَيْنَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنْهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ

(So We gave those among them who believed, their (due) reward.) Therefore, Allah gave them the highest grade of Iqtisad, which is the middle course, given to this Ummah. Above them there is the grade of Sabiqun, as Allah described in His statement;

ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَـبَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا فَمِنْهُمْ ظَـلِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَتِ بِإِذُنِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ - جَنَّـتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَلُؤْلُؤاً وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِيرٌ

(Then We gave the Book as inheritance to such of Our servants whom We chose. Then of them are some who wrong themselves, and of them are some who follow a middle course, and of them are some who, by Allah's permission, are Sabiq (foremost) in good deeds. That itself is indeed a great grace. `Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens) will they enter, therein will they be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments there will be of silk.)35:32-33

The Jews said when their circumstances became straitened on account of their denial of the Prophet s after having been the wealthiest of people ‘God’s hand is fettered’ withholding the sending forth of provision upon us — this was their metaphor for niggardliness — may God be exalted above this. God exalted be He says Fettered be withheld be their hands from the performance of good deeds as an invocation against them; and they are cursed for what they have said. Nay but His hands are extended out wide — a hyperbole for the attribute of generosity — the use of yadā the dual for yad ‘hand’ is intended to imply abundance since the utmost that an affluent person can give freely of his wealth is when he gives it with both hands. He expends how He will in giving abundantly or straitening and there can be no objection to this. And what has been revealed to you from your Lord of the Qur’ān will surely increase many of them in insolence and disbelief because of their very disbelief in it; and We have cast between them enmity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection and so every sect among them is opposed to the other. Every time they light the fires of war that is for war against the Prophet s God extinguishes them that is every time they desire it war He repels them. And they hasten about the earth in corruption that is they hasten about corrupting through acts of disobedience and God does not love corrupters meaning that He will punish them.

Sequence

Some conditions of the Jews were mentioned in the previous verses. More particular ones appear in the verses cited above, especially the ones identified with Nabbash son of Qays and Fenhas, the chief of the Jewish tribe of Qaiynuqa` who uttered words of affront with reference to Almighty Allah, the description of which follows. Thereupon, the opening verse was revealed. (As in Al-Lubab, from Sayyidna ibn ` Abbs ؓ narrated by Al-Tabarani and Abu Al-Shaykh)

Commentary

The first verse begins with the words: وَقَالَت الیَھُودُ the Jews said). It mentions what was a grave offence and an utterly undignified re-mark for any human being to make. They were wretched enough to (God forbid) say that Allah's hand is tied up.

The background in which this was said was that Allah Almighty had given to the Jews of Madinah extended means and money. But, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah, they heard the call of Islam, yet they remained unmoved because they were more interested in holding on to their communal hegemony and the money they received through offerings based on their self-perpetuating customs. So, they turned against what was the call of truth and took a hostile stand against the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself. Then, as a punishment of this behaviour of theirs, Almighty Allah turned their affluent material circumstances into what was materially straightened for them - and they faced poverty. Thereupon, all frustrated and off-guard, they started uttering words to the effect that (God forbid) the Divine treasure seems to be running short or, perhaps, Allah has chosen to become miserly. It was in answer to them that it was said in this verse that the hands to be tied up will be their own hands who are saying what they are saying and cursed they shall be when punishment visits them in the Hereafter, and in the present world as well, when it comes to them in the form of disgrace. As for the hands of Allah, they are always open and well-extended, and His generosity has been there since ever and shall remain forever. But, He Himself is Independent, free of need, yet the master of all means. Then, along with this, He is Wise too. He gives and gives in His Wisdom. Means are extended for whom He wills in His Wisdom and means are straightened for whom He wills in His Wisdom.

After that, it was said that the people the Prophet of Islam is dealing with are contumacious people as they refuse to benefit from the open and clear words of the Qur'an revealed to him, instead of which, their disbelief in and denial of the truth keeps getting more hardened. So, it is to keep Muslims safe from their evil designs that Allah has caused differences to crop up within their own sects because of which they would neither dare fight an open war nor would any conspiracy by them succeed. The failure to wage an open war has been mentioned in: كُلَّمَا أَوْقَدُوا نَارً‌ا لِّلْحَرْ‌بِ أَطْفَأَهَا اللَّـهُ (Whenever they lit the flames of war, Allah puts it out) while the failure to hatch sinister conspiracies has been pointed out in: يَسْعَوْنَ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ فَسَادًا (And they run about on the earth spreading mischief).

Full obedience to the Divine Commands brings Blessings in This World Too

In verse 65, the Jews have been admonished that the people of the Torah and Injil have not derived any benefit from the guidance given therein nor from the teachings of the blessed prophets. Once involved in worldly greed, they ignored what was not to be ignored. As a result, they ran into straightened circumstances right here in this world as well. But, if they were to take to the ways of faith and godliness even now, Allah could forgive them their past sins and admit them to Gardens full of bliss.