His saying - exalted and mighty is He -: ﴿And they did not measure Allah with His true measure when they said, 'Allah has not sent down anything upon a human being.' Say, 'Who sent down the Book which Moses brought as a light and guidance for the people? You make it into papers which you show and conceal much. And you were taught what you did not know, you nor your forefathers.' Say, 'Allah.' Then leave them in their play, wandering blindly.﴾ The pronoun in 'did not measure' and 'said' is said to refer to the Arabs; this was said by Mujahid and others. It is said to refer to the Children of Israel; this was said by Ibn Abbas - may Allah be pleased with him and his father. It is said to refer to a specific man among them, named Malik ibn al-Sayf; this was said by Said ibn Jubair. It is said to refer to Finhas; this was said by al-Suddi. 'Did not measure' refers to the failure to recognize the worth and status; it is general and includes those who do not know and those who do not glorify, and others. However, their reasoning with their saying, 'Allah has not sent down,' indicates that they were ignorant and did not know Allah, glorified and exalted is He, as they attributed to Him sending the messengers - peace be upon them. 'True' is in the accusative case, indicating the measure. Whoever said, 'The intended meaning is the disbelievers among the Arabs,' the argument against them comes with His saying: ﴿Who sent down the Book which Moses brought?﴾ as an argument based on a well-known matter, transmitted by a group of people whom the Arabs did not deny. Whoever said, 'The intended meaning is the Children of Israel,' the argument against them is valid, as they affirm the correctness of the Book's revelation upon Moses - peace be upon him. It has been narrated that 'Malik ibn al-Sayf was fat; he came to argue with the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - claiming that he said to him, 'I ask you by Allah, are you not reading in what was sent down upon Moses that Allah hates the fat scholar?' He became angry and said, 'By Allah, Allah has not sent down anything upon a human being.' The verse - according to the one who said it was revealed concerning the saying of the Children of Israel - must be Medinan; likewise, al-Naqqash reported that it is Medinan. Al-Hasan and Isa al-Thaqafi and others read: 'And they did not measure' with emphasis on the dal; 'Allah with His true measure' with the dal opened. The majority read in the first with lightening and in the second with it being silent. And His saying, ﴿Say, 'Who sent down the Book?﴾ - the verse - Allah commanded him to inquire in order to establish the proof. The intended meaning of 'the Book' is the Torah; and 'a light and guidance' are two names in the position of a description, meaning: 'illuminating and guiding.' If we make it a description of 'the Book,' the acting verb is 'sent down.' If we make it a description of the pronoun in 'by it,' the acting verb is 'came.'

And the majority of the people read: "You make it into papers that you show and hide"; with the 'taa' from above; in the three actions; so whoever sees that the argument is against the Children of Israel; this reading is valid for him; and it aligns with His saying, "And you were taught what you did not know"; and whoever sees that the argument is against the disbelievers of the Arabs; he is compelled in this reading - as it cannot be raised - to say: that it has shifted from addressing Quraysh in their questioning; and their confirmation; to addressing the Children of Israel; by reproaching them; and reproaching their actions.

Qadi Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: And this, despite its distance, is easier than rejecting the reading; as if he - on this interpretation - said to Quraysh: "Who sent down the Book upon Moses?"; then he interjected against the Children of Israel; saying to them - during the speech -: "You make it into papers, O Children of Israel"; and Ibn Kathir and Abu Amr read: "They make it into papers that they show and hide a lot"; with the 'yaa' in the three actions; so whoever sees the argument against Quraysh sees it as a report from Allah - the Exalted and Majestic - about what the Jews did with the Book; and it is possible that the report is to Quraysh; or to the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - alone; and what the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - was informed of in the Qur'an; his nation receives that.

And "papers"; is the plural of 'qirtas'; meaning cards; and sheets; and the meaning is that they make it into papers; in which it is written; and their reproach by showing and hiding; is about their hiding the signs of Muhammad - peace be upon him -; and the news of his prophethood; and all that is a proof against them.

And His saying: "And you were taught what you did not know, you nor your fathers"; Mujahid and others said: It is an address to the Arabs; so the meaning - on this - is the intention of mentioning Allah's favor upon them by that; meaning: "You were taught, O assembly of Arabs, from the guidance; and the oneness; and the guidance to the truth; what you were not aware of; nor your fathers."

Qadi Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: And His saying - the Exalted - "And you were taught what you did not know"; is suitable - on this meaning - for addressing those who benefited from the teaching; and those who did not benefit from it; and the favor of teaching is valid for both types; and it is not a condition for one who is taught to teach; but the complete teaching is that which occurs alongside learning.

And a group said: Rather, it is an address to the Children of Israel; and the meaning - on this - is based on two aspects: one of them is that it is intended as a favor upon them and their fathers; that they were taught from the religion of Allah - the Exalted - and His guidance what they were not aware of; because the fathers of the addressed from the Children of Israel were also taught; and some of them knew; and this is not the case for the fathers of the Arabs; and the other aspect is that the intended meaning is to blame them; meaning: "And you were taught, you and your fathers, what you did not know after the teaching; and you did not benefit from it; due to your turning away; and your misguidance."

Then He, the Exalted, commanded him to hasten to the place of the proof; that is: "Say to them: Allah, the Exalted, is the One who revealed the Book to Musa"; and it is possible that the meaning is: "If they are ignorant; or confused; or ask; or something like this; then say: Allah"; then He commanded him to leave those who disbelieved and turned away.

And this verse is abrogated by the verse of fighting; if it is interpreted as a reconciliation; and it may be possible that it does not enter into abrogation if it is made to include a threat; and a warning that is free from reconciliation.

And 'khawdh' means: going into what its realities are not explored; and its origin is in water; then it is used in ambiguous and confusing meanings; and "they play" is in the place of the present.