'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful' He, the Exalted, said: "You will surely be tested in your wealth and in your souls. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much hurt. But if you are patient and fear Allah, then that is of the matters of determination." And when Allah took the covenant from those who were given the Scripture, 'You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it.' But they threw it away behind their backs and exchanged it for a small price. So evil is what they buy. This address is to the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and his nation. The meaning is: You will be tested and tried in your wealth with calamities and adversities, and by spending in the way of Allah, and in all other obligations of the Shari'ah. The trial in the souls is through death, diseases, and the loss of loved ones by death. The interpreters have differed regarding the reason for His saying, the Exalted: "And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you." 'Ikrimah and others said: The reason for this is the saying of Finhas: 'Indeed, Allah is poor and we are rich,' and his saying: "The hand of Allah is chained" [Al-Ma'idah: 64], among other things. Al-Zuhri and others said: This verse was revealed because of Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf, for he used to insult the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and his companions, and he would make advances towards the women of the Muslims, until the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, sent someone to kill him, the well-known killing in the Sirah. And the hurt is a comprehensive term meaning harm, and here it includes their words regarding the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and his companions, from their insults and their words against Allah, the Exalted, and His Prophets. And Allah, the Exalted, urged His servants to patience and piety, and informed that it is of the matters of determination, meaning it is among the most severe and best of them. Determination is the execution of a well-considered and refined matter, and not undertaking a matter without reflection. Determination is only for the brave among the Arab warriors, as he said: (p-439) 'When he intends, he places his determination between his eyes and turns away from the mention of incidents.' And Al-Naqqash said: Determination and resolution are one and the same; the letter 'h' is substituted for the letter 'ain.' Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is an error. Resolution is the quality of good judgment in matters and its refinement, and being cautious of error in it. Determination is the intention to execute. And Allah, the Exalted, says: "And consult them in the matter. And when you have determined..." [Al-Imran: 159]. So consultation and what is akin to it is resolution. The Arabs say: 'I would be resolute if I were to determine.' And His saying, the Exalted: "And when Allah took the covenant from those who were given the Scripture..." This verse is a reprimand for those contemporaneous with the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him. Then it is also a general news for them and for others. The acting verb in 'when' is an implied action, its implication being: 'Remember.' And He took this covenant upon the tongues of the Prophets, one nation after another. Ibn Abbas, Al-Suddi, and Ibn Jurayj said: The verse is specifically about the Jews; Allah took a covenant from them regarding Muhammad, but they concealed it and threw it away.

Muslim al-Batin said: Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf asked his companions about the interpretation of this verse. A man stood up to Sa'id ibn Jubair and asked him. He said to him: It was revealed about the Jews. Allah took a covenant from them regarding Muhammad, and they concealed it. It has been narrated from Ibn Abbas that he read: "And when Allah took the covenant from the Prophets, you must certainly clarify it." Then his saying: "So they rejected it" refers back to the people to whom the Prophets clarified it. Some of the interpreters said: The verse is about the Jews and the Christians. The majority of the scholars said: The verse is general for everyone whom Allah has taught knowledge. The scholars of this nation are included in this covenant. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "Whoever is asked about knowledge and conceals it, will be bridled on the Day of Resurrection with a bridle of fire." Abu Huraira said: I will narrate to you a hadith, and were it not for a verse in the Book of Allah, I would not have narrated it to you. Then he recited: "Indeed, those who conceal what Allah has revealed of the Book" [Al-Baqarah: 174]. Ibn Kathir, Abu Amr, and Asim in the narration of Abu Bakr read: "You must certainly clarify it to the people and not conceal it," with the 'ya' from below in both. The others and Hafs and Asim read with the 'ta' from above in both. Both readings are correct, and the pronoun in both verbs refers back to the Book. In the reading of Ibn Mas'ud: "You must clarify it" without the heavy noon, and this noon may not be necessary for the oath, as stated by Sibawayh. And 'nabd' means throwing away. His saying, exalted is He: "Behind their backs" is a metaphor for what is greatly thrown away. From it is: "And you took it behind you, disregarding it" [Hud: 92]. And from it is the saying of al-Farazdaq: Tamim ibn Mur, do not let my need Be behind, so that its answer does not escape me. And in meaning is the saying of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him: "Do not make me like the cup of the rider." He intended, peace be upon him: Do not make my remembrance and obedience behind your backs, which is the place of the cup. And from it is the saying of Hassan: .................................... What is tied behind the rider is the single cup. And the comparison to the cup is only in its form, not in its meaning, because the rider needs it, and its place among the rider's places is honorable. And the small price is the gain of this world. The rest of the verse is clear. Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The apparent meaning of this verse is that it was revealed about the Jews, and they are the ones addressed. Then every concealer from this nation takes his share of this blame and is characterized by it.