His saying, exalted and majestic is He:

﴿And We certainly settled the Children of Israel in a good settlement and provided them with good things. So they did not differ until knowledge came to them. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that in which they used to differ.﴾

﴿So if you are in doubt about what We have sent down to you, then ask those who read the Scripture before you. The truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters.﴾

﴿And do not be among those who deny the signs of Allah, lest you be among the losers.﴾

The meaning: We have chosen for the Children of Israel the best choice, and We settled them in the best places. And ﴿a good settlement﴾ means: it is a place where the intentions of its seeker and its inhabitants are confirmed. This verse refers to their settlement in the land of Ash-Sham and Bayt al-Maqdis. This was said by Qatadah, Ibn Zayd, and it was said: the land of Egypt and Ash-Sham, as stated by Ad-Dahhak. The first is more correct according to what has been preserved that they would not return to Egypt, noting that in the Qur'an: ﴿Thus We caused it to inherit the Children of Israel.﴾ [Ash-Shu'ara: 59], meaning what the Copts left of gardens, springs, and other than that. It is possible that (We caused it to inherit) means: the state of blessing even if it is not in one region.

And His saying, exalted is He: ﴿So they did not differ until knowledge came to them﴾ has two possible meanings; one of them is: they did not differ in the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ until knowledge of him and his command came to them, and then they differed at that time.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This specification is what occurred in the books of the interpreters, and this interpretation requires a chain of narration. The other interpretation that the wording allows is that the Children of Israel did not have any difference regarding Musa, peace be upon him, in his initial state. When knowledge and commands came to them and Fir'aun drowned, they differed.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The meaning of the verse is the condemnation of that early group from the Children of Israel. Then Allah, exalted and majestic is He, made it obligatory that He would judge between them and distinguish with punishment for those who deserve punishment and mercy for those who deserve mercy.

And His saying, exalted is He: ﴿So if you are in doubt﴾, the verse, some of the interpreters have said - and this has been narrated from Al-Husayn - that "if" is a negation meaning "not", and the majority hold that "if" is conditional. The correct understanding of the verse is that it is an address to the Prophet ﷺ, and what is meant by it is anyone who might doubt or oppose. Some said: the statement is like saying: "If you are my son, then be dutiful to me."

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: And this example is not good, but the example of this is His saying, exalted is He, to 'Isa: ﴿Did you say to the people, 'Take me﴾ [Al-Ma'idah: 116]. It has been narrated that a man asked Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, about what troubles the heart with doubt, and he said to him: No one has escaped from that, not even the Prophet ﷺ until it was revealed to him: ﴿So if you are in doubt about what We have sent down to you.﴾

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And Al-Zahrawi mentioned that this saying was denied to be said by Ibn Abbas. With that, I say, because thoughts do not escape anyone, and it is contrary to the doubt that is discussed regarding seeking healing through questioning. And ﴿Those who read the Book before you﴾ refers to those who embraced Islam from the Children of Israel, like Abdullah ibn Salam. It has been narrated that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said when this verse was revealed: 'I do not doubt nor ask.'

Al-Hasan, Abu Ja'far, the people of Medina, Abu Amr, Isa, and Asim read "

, "without the hamzah. A great majority read it with the hamzah. Then Allah, blessed and exalted, affirmed the news with His saying: ﴿Indeed, the truth has come to you from your Lord﴾. The lam in "

: "is the lam of oath, and "

, "means: the doubters who need to argue in their belief about it. And His saying: ﴿From what We have revealed to you﴾ means: that the Children of Israel did not differ in his matter except after his coming. This is the saying of the people of interpretation altogether.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: And this is what resembles that the removal of doubt in it is hoped for from the people of the Book. The wording can imply: by what We have revealed all the legislation, but this is far from the meaning because that cannot be known and the doubt cannot be removed except by the proofs of reason, not by hearing from the believers of the Children of Israel. And His saying: ﴿And do not be among those who denied﴾ is a verse addressed to the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, but the intended meaning is others.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: And for this, there is a benefit that is not in addressing the people with it, and that is the severity of warning, because if the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, is warned against something like this, then others among the people are more deserving to be cautious and protect themselves." :