Al-Jaathiya 45:17

"And We gave them clear proofs of the matter [of religion]. And they did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ."

Preference of Allah to the Children of Israel and their dispute thereafter

Allah the Exalted mentions the favors He granted the Children of Israel, such as revealing the Divine Books to them, sending the Messengers to them and granting them kingship. Allah said,

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ وَرَزَقْنَـهُمْ مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَـتِ

(And indeed We gave the Children of Israel the Scripture, and the understanding of the Scripture and its laws, and the prophethood; and provided them with good things,) such as foods and drinks,

وَفَضَّلْنَـهُمْ عَلَى الْعَـلَمينَ

(and preferred them above the nations.) of their time,

وَءاتَيْنَـهُم بَيِّنَـتٍ مِّنَ الاٌّمْرِ

(And gave them clear proofs in matters.) `We gave them evidences, proofs and unequivocal signs.' Therefore, the proof has been established against them, yet they differed among themselves after the proof came to them, out of transgression against each other,

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ

(Verily, your Lord) `O Muhammad',

يَقْضِى بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُواْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

(will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection about that wherein they used to differ. ) He will judge between them by His just judgement.

Warning to this Ummah against following the Ways of the Children of Israel

This Ayah contains a warning to the Muslim Ummah as well. It warns them not to take the path the Jews took nor adopt their ways. This is why Allah said,

ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَـكَ عَلَى شَرِيعَةٍ مِّنَ الاٌّمْرِ فَاتَّبِعْهَا

(Then We have put you on a (legal) way of commandment. So follow you that.) `follow what was revealed to you from your Lord, O Muhammad, there is no true deity except Him, and turn away from the idolators.' Allah said,

وَلاَ تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَآءَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَإِنَّهُمْ لَن يُغْنُواْ عَنكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً وَإِنَّ الظَّـلِمِينَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ

(and follow not the desires of those who know not. Verily, they can avail you nothing against Allah. Verily, the wrongdoers are protecting friends of one another,) Allah says, `what will the loyalty that the idolators give each other avail them' Indeed, all they will earn from their protecting friends is more loss, destruction and demise,

وَاللَّهُ وَلِىُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

(but Allah is the Protector of those who have Taqwa.) and He will deliver them from the darkness to the light. In contrast, all the false deities are the protecting friends of those who disbelieve, taking them out of the light to the darkness. Allah said,

هَـذَا بَصَـئِرُ لِلنَّاسِ

(This is a clear insight and evidence for man- kind,) in reference to the Qur'an,

وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ

(and a guidance and a mercy for people who have faith with certainty.)

По воле Аллаха сынам Исраила были дарованы ясные знамения, то есть неоспоримые доводы, которые выявляли истину и изобличали ложь. Эти знамения - это чудеса, которые пророк Муса показал иудеям. Эти великие блага и милости обязывали сынов Исраила самым совершенным образом благодарить Господа за его добродетель и неуклонно следовать указанным Аллахом прямым путем, но они поступили наоборот и отвернулись от истины. Они впали в противоречия в тех вопросах, в которых им было велено не расходиться во мнениях. Но что удивительно, они разделились на группировки после того, как им было даровано знание. Истинное знание обязывает людей прийти к единому мнению, но иудеями двигала затаенная в их сердцах несправедливость и злоба, которую они питали друг к другу. Вот почему твой Господь покажет им, кто следовал истине, а кто верил в ложь, и изобличит их порочные стремления, подтолкнувшие их к разногласиям.

Commentary

These verses purport to confirm the risalah of the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . Under this subject-matter, the Prophet of Allah ﷺ is consoled for the persecution carried out by the enemies against him.

إِنَّ رَ‌بَّكَ يَقْضِي بَيْنَهُمْ ("...Surely your Lord will judge between them, on the Day of Judgment, in the matters in which they used to differ... 45:17) " This far the verses confirm two points: This verse purports to say, firstly, that the Book of Musa (علیہ السلام) contains many clear prophecies about the advent of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and, secondly to comfort the Holy Prophet ﷺ that the Israelites rejected him not because there was any dearth of arguments, signs and Divine prophecies to support and establish his claim, but because of jealousy, love of the world and personal desires, that is, they did not like the very idea that the Final Messenger ﷺ should have appeared from among the non-Israelites . (Bayan-ul-Qur’ an).

Other English translations

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Preference of Allah to the Children of Israel and their dispute thereafter

Warning to this Ummah against following the Ways of the Children of Israel