Tafsir of verse 46
Al-Mukhtasar
Among the Jews are an evil group who change the words Allah sent down, interpreting them in a way that they were not revealed. They say to the Messenger (peace be upon him), when he instructs them in something, that they hear and disobey, and say, “Listen to us, may you not hear!; and give the wrong impression when they say, ‘Rā’inā’: meaning ‘watch over us’ when they really mean ‘ru’ūnah’ or ‘silliness’, twisting what they say when they want to call the Prophet (peace be upon him) so that they say something insulting to the faith. If they had said ‘We hear and obey’, instead of ‘We hear and disobey’; ‘Listen’, instead of ‘‘Listen to us, may you not hear!"; and had truly said, ‘Watch over us’, then these would have been better for them than what they said, and more appropriate, being worthy and correct behaviour in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him). But Allah condemned them and removed them from His mercy due to their disbelief, because they do not have faith in any way that is beneficial.
Tafsir of the whole Surah An-Nisa
Other translations of verse 46
Among the Jews are those who distort the words taking them out of context, and say, “We hear and disobey,” and “Hear! May you never hear,” and “Rā‘ina,” [i.e., hearken to us]32 – twisting their tongues and insulting the religion. If they had said, “We hear and obey,” and “Hear,” and “Wait for us,” it would have been better for them and more proper. But Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so only a few of them will believe.
Notes
[32] Some of the Madinan Jews used to address the Prophet (ﷺ) by subtly twisting their tongues when uttering rā‘inā to mean: “You are foolish!”
Among those who are Jews, there are some who displace words from (their) right places and say: "We hear your word (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and disobey," and "Hear and let you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) hear nothing." And Râ‘ina 15 with a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion (Islâm). And if only they had said: "We hear and obey", and "Do make us understand," it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allâh has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not except a few.
Notes
[15] (V.4:46) Râ‘inâ means in Arabic "Be careful, listen to us, and we listen to you", whereas in Hebrew, it means an insult.
Some of those who are Jews change words from their context and say: "We hear and disobey; hear thou as one who heareth not" and "Listen to us!" distorting with their tongues and slandering religion. If they had said: "We hear and we obey: hear thou, and look at us" it had been better for them, and more upright. But Allah hath cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, save a few.
Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places, and say: "We hear and we disobey"; and "Hear what is not Heard"; and "Ra'ina"; with a twist of their tongues and a slander to Faith. If only they had said: "What hear and we obey"; and "Do hear"; and "Do look at us"; it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allah hath cursed them for their Unbelief; and but few of them will believe.
Of those who are Jews (there are those who) alter words from their places and say: We have heard and we disobey and: Hear, may you not be made to hear! and: Raina, distorting (the word) with their tongues and taunting about religion; and if they had said (instead): We have heard and we obey, and hearken, and unzurna it would have been better for them and more upright; but Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief, so they do not believe but a little.
(Some) of (the ones) who have Judaized pervert the Wordings from their (original) meanings (Literally: positions) and say, "We have heard and we disobey, " and, "Give ear without being made to hear, " and "Racina, " (This from of the Arabic word was used by the Jews, and in Hebrew it had a derisive connotation Here it means "Heed us.") twisting with their tongues and discrediting the religion. And if they had said, "We have heard and we obey, " and, "Give ear, " and, "Look at us, " it would have been more charitable for them and more upright; but Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they do not believe except a few.
