Tafsir of verse 41
Al-Mukhtasar
O Messenger, do not be made sad by those who rush to announce their disbelief of you and the revelation that you brought. These were the hypocrites who professed faith on the outside, but hid disbelief on the inside. They were also some Jews who eagerly listened to the lies of their leaders, who distort the truth having ignored you and have not come to you out of pride. They distort the words of Allah in the Torah and change it to suit their desires. They say to their followers, ‘If the law of Muhammad conforms to your desires, follow it; and if it does not conform, then be careful of it’. If Allah wills to misguide any person, you, O Messenger, will never find anyone who will be able to save them from misguidance and guide them to the path of truth. Such hypocrites and Jews, who have these qualities, are the ones whose hearts Allah has not intended to purify from disbelief. In the world, they will receive humiliation and shame; and in the Afterlife, they will receive a great punishment: the fire of Hell.
Tafsir of the whole Surah Al-Ma’idah
Other translations of verse 41
O Messenger, do not grieve for those who rush to disbelief – those who say with their mouths, “We believe”, but their hearts have no faith, nor those Jews who eagerly listen to falsehood and to those who have not yet come to you36. They distort the words [of Allah] out of their context saying, “If you are given this [ruling] accept it37, but if you are not given, then beware38.” Whoever Allah wills to be misguided39, there is nothing you can do to avail him against Allah. They are those whose hearts Allah did not will to purify. For them there is disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter they will suffer a great punishment.
Notes
[36] They had not attended the Prophet's gatherings or heard his words.
[37] The legal ruling desired by them.
[38] They heed the words of warning of other conniving men who were so averse that they did not go to the Prophet (ﷺ) to hear what he had to say.
[39] The meaning here is misbelief, misconception, or self-delusion as a result of one's own refusal of truth.
O Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)! Let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you, of such who say: "We believe" with their mouths but their hearts have no faith. And of the Jews are men who listen much and eagerly to lies - listen to others who have not come to you. They change the words from their places; they say, "If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!" And whomsoever Allâh wants to put in Al-Fitnah [error, because of his rejecting of Faith], you can do nothing for him against Allâh. Those are the ones whose hearts Allâh does not want to purify (from disbelief and hypocrisy); for them there is a disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a great torment.
O Messenger! Let not them grieve thee who vie one with another in the race to disbelief, of such as say with their mouths: "We believe," but their hearts believe not, and of the Jews: listeners for the sake of falsehood, listeners on behalf of other folk who come not unto thee, changing words from their context and saying: If this be given unto you, receive it, but if this be not given unto you, then beware! He whom Allah doometh unto sin, thou (by thineefforts) wilt avail him naught against Allah. Those are they for whom the Will of Allah is that He cleanse not their hearts. Theirs in the world will be ignominy, and in the Hereafter an awful doom;
O Messenger! let not those grieve thee, who race each other into unbelief: (whether it be) among those who say "We believe" with their lips but whose hearts have no faith; or it be among the Jews,- men who will listen to any lie,- will listen even to others who have never so much as come to thee. They change the words from their (right) times and places: they say, "If ye are given this, take it, but if not, beware!" If any one's trial is intended by Allah, thou hast no authority in the least for him against Allah. For such - it is not Allah's will to purify their hearts. For them there is disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a heavy punishment.
O Messenger! let not those grieve you who strive together in hastening to unbelief from among those who say with their mouths: We believe, and their hearts do not believe, and from among those who are Jews; they are listeners for the sake of a lie, listeners for another people who have not come to you; they alter the words from their places, saying: If you are given this, take it, and if you are not given this, be cautious; and as for him whose temptation Allah desires, you cannot control anything for him with Allah. Those are they for whom Allah does not desire that He should purify their hearts; they shall have disgrace in this world, and they shall have a grievous chastisement in the hereafter.
O you Messenger, do not let them grieve you that vie swiftly with one another in disbelief, of the ones who say, "We believe, " with their mouths, and their hearts do not believe. And of the ones who have Judaized are constant listeners to lies, (and) constant listeners to other people, (who) have not come up to you, perverting the Wordings from their original meanings (Literally: even after their positions). They say, "In case you are brought this, then take it, and in case you are not brought it, then beware." And whomever Allah wills to (subject to) temptation, then you will never possess for him anything against Allah. Those are (they) whose hearts Allah is not willing to purify; for them is disgrace in the present (life), (Literally: lowly "life", i.e., the life of this world) and in the Hereafter they will have a tremendous torment.
