Juz 28: Al-Mujādilah to At-Taḥrīm
Section 13 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
13. The Jews and Their Failure to Uphold the Torah | Verses: Al-Jumu'ah 62:1-8
Surah Al-Jumu'ah, the 62nd chapter of the Quran, is a Madinan surah consisting of 11 verses. The first part of this surah addresses a historic theme concerning the Jews, particularly regarding their relationship with divine scripture. Allah (swt) begins the surah with glorification of Himself:
يُسَبِّحُ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ
“Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth proclaims the purity of Allah, the Sovereign, the Supreme in Holiness, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”
The surah then transitions to discuss Allah's immense favor upon humanity by sending the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), especially to the unlettered people, to recite His verses to them, purify them, and teach them the Book and wisdom.
A significant portion of the surah addresses how the Bani Israel (Children of Israel) had been given tremendous blessings and knowledge by Allah (swt), particularly in the form of the Torah. The Jews of Madinah were known for their religious knowledge and their devotion to scripture. They took the Torah quite seriously – even today, Jews study the Torah in synagogues with great diligence, generally showing more dedication to their scripture than many Christians do to the Bible.
However, despite being given these divine gifts, they failed to uphold the Torah's teachings properly. Allah (swt) presents a powerful metaphor in verse 5:
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا التَّوْرَاةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ الْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًا
“The example of those who were entrusted with Torah, then they did not carry it, is like a donkey that carries volumes of books.”
This striking comparison illustrates how the Jews were given divine scripture but failed to benefit from it properly. Like a donkey carrying valuable books on its back without understanding or benefiting from their contents, they carried the Torah without truly implementing its guidance. The example can be likened to a truck loaded with precious books destined for a library – the truck itself derives no benefit from the valuable cargo it transports.
The subsequent verses contain a powerful challenge to those who claim exclusive friendship with Allah. In verse 6, Allah (swt) states:
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ هَادُوا إِن زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ لِلَّهِ مِن دُونِ النَّاسِ فَتَمَنَّوُا الْمَوْتَ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
“Say, "O you who have become Jews, if you claim that you are friends of Allah to the exclusion of all other people, then wish for death, if you are true.”
This challenge exposes their lack of sincerity. If they truly believed they were the exclusive friends of Allah guaranteed Paradise, they would eagerly desire death to attain that reward. Yet verse 7 confirms they would never wish for death because of their evil deeds:
وَلَا يَتَمَنَّوْنَهُ أَبَدًا بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ
“And they will never wish for it, because of what their hands have sent ahead. Allah is fully aware of the unjust.”
The surah reminds everyone that death – which they flee from – will inevitably overtake them, and then they will be returned to Allah who knows both the seen and unseen, who will inform them of everything they used to do.
This portion of Surah Al-Jumu'ah served as a powerful reminder to the Jewish communities in Madinah to cease their tyrannical behavior, honor their agreements with the Muslims, stop plotting against them, and cease their support for the enemies of Islam. The message remains relevant for all people of faith – having scripture without implementing it sincerely offers no benefit, and claiming special status with Allah while not living according to divine guidance is mere self-deception.