Al-Baqara 2:90

"How wretched is that for which they sold themselves - that they would disbelieve in what Allāh has revealed through [their] outrage that Allāh would send down His favor upon whom He wills from among His servants. So they returned having [earned] wrath upon wrath. And for the disbelievers is a humiliating punishment."

Mujahid said,

بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ

(How bad is that for which they have sold their own selves), "The Jews sold the truth for falsehood and hid the truth about Muhammad ." As-Suddi said that the Ayah,

بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ

(How bad is that for which they have sold their own selves) means, "The Jews sold themselves." meaning, what is worse is what they chose for themselves by disbelieving in what Allah revealed to Muhammad instead of believing, aiding and supporting him. This behavior of theirs is the result of their injustice, envy and hatred,

أَن يُنَزِّلُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ

(grudging that Allah should reveal of His grace unto whom He wills of His servants). " There is no envy worse than this. Therefore,

فَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ عَلَى غَضَبٍ

(So they have drawn on themselves wrath upon wrath). Ibn `Abbas commented on this Ayah, "Allah became angry with them because they ignored some of the Tawrah and disbelieved in the Prophet that He sent to them." I (Ibn Kathir) say that the meaning of,

بَاءُوا

(And they drew on themselves) is that they deserved and acquired multiplied anger. Also, Abu Al-`Aliyah said, "Allah became angry with them, because of their disbelief in the Injil and `Isa and He became angry with them again, because they disbelieved in Muhammad and the Qur'an." Similar was said by `Ikrimah and Qatadah. Allah said,

وَلِلْكَـفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ

(And for the disbelievers, there is disgracing torment). Since their disbelief was a result of their transgression and envy, which was caused by arrogance, they were punished with disgrace and humiliation in this world and the Hereafter. Similarly, Allah said,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَخِرِينَ

(Verily, those who scorn My worship (i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness) they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!") (40:60) meaning, "Disgraced, degraded and humiliated." Imam Ahmad narrated that `Amr bin Shu`ayb said that his father said that his grandfather said that the Prophet said,

«يُحْشَرُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَمْثَالَ الذَّرِّ فِي صُوَرِ النَّاسِ، يَعْلُوهُمْ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ مِنَ الصِّغَارِ حَتَّى يَدْخُلُوا سِجْنًا فِي جَهَنَّمَ يُقَالُ لَهُ. بَوْلَسُ تَعْلُوهُمْ نَارُ الْأَنْيَارِ يُسْقَونَ مِنْ طِينَةِ الْخَبَالِ عُصَارَةِ أَهْلِ النَّار»

(The arrogant people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection in the size of ants, but in the shape of men. Everything shall be above them, because of the humiliation placed on them, until they enter a prison in Jahannam called `Bawlas' where the fire will surround them from above. They shall drink from the puss of the people of the Fire.)

О Посланник! Они оправдывают свое неверие в твое учение тем, что их сердца покрыты завесой, мешающей им понять твои слова. Они полагают, что так они смогут обосновать свою неосведомленность и оправдать свое неверие. Однако они - лжецы, которых Всевышний Аллах проклял и отдалил от Своей милости. Причина же этого проклятия кроется в их неверии, ведь среди них очень мало правоверных, и большинство из них - маловеры или неверующие. Аллах отправил к ним лучшего из людей и последнего из посланников, который принес им Писание, подтверждающее истинность Торы. Они узнали в нем того самого Посланника, пришествием которого они угрожали язычникам, с которыми им приходилось сражаться во времена невежества. Они надеялись на его поддержку и предупреждали язычников, что будут воевать против них вместе с Божьим пророком. Когда же к ним явились Небесное Писание и Пророк, которого они узнали, они отказались уверовать и преступили границы дозволенного из зависти к правоверным. Они не смирились с тем, что Аллах одаряет Своей милостью того из Своих рабов, кого пожелает, и поэтому Он проклял их и разгневался на них. Они заслужили это, ведь они всегда отказывались от веры, испытывали сомнения и приобщали сотоварищей к Аллаху. Вот почему в Последней жизни они обречены на унизительное и болезненное наказание. Они будут ввергнуты в Преисподнюю и лишены вечного блаженства. Как же скверно их положение! Как же отвратительно то, что они обменяли на веру в Аллаха, Его писания и Его посланников! Как же отвратительно то, что они приобрели благодаря неверию в Аллаха, Его писания и Его посланников! И тяжесть их наказания будет усугублена тем, что они поступили так сознательно.

Prophethood cannot be earned through one's own efforts or one's own merit; it is a special grace which Allah bestows on whomsoever He likes. But the Jews were so envious and malicious that they denied the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the Holy Qur'an out of sheer spite. In doing so, they were questioning the will of Allah Himself. Thus, they earned divine wrath in two ways - firstly, for denying a true prophet; and secondly؛ for their envy and malice.

The Holy Qur'an says that the Jews will have to undergo a punishment which would involve not only pain, but also disgrace and abasement. The latter condition has been added to suggest that this kind of punishment is peculiar to the infidels, and is not meant for a true Muslim at all, for a Muslim, no matter how great his sins are, will be punished for the purpose of being purified, not for being disgraced.

The next verse reports what the Jews used to say with regard to the Holy Qur'an, which clearly shows their envy and malice as well as their infidelity (Kufr کفر).

Other English translations

Tafsīr · classical commentary