Promise From Those Who Had Received Scripture

 

A pledge from those who were given the Scripture (L-497)

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِيثَٰقَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُۥ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكْتُمُونَهُۥ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ وَٱشْتَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا  فَبِئْسَ مَايَشْتَرُونَ.  187

187.  Wa  ‘iz  ‘akhazAllaahu  Miisaaqallaziina  ‘uutul-Kitaaba  latubayyi-nunnahuu  linnaasi  wa  laa  taktumuunah.  Fana-bazuuhu   waraaa-‘a  zuhuurihim  wash-taraw  bihii  samanan-  qaliilaa.  Fabi’-sa  maa  yash-taruun.

187.  God received a pledge from those who were given the Scripture: “You shall proclaim it to the people, and not conceal it.” But they disregarded it behind their backs, and exchanged it for a small price. What a miserable exchange they made.

Miisaaqa – (a solemn covenant), it also means engagement, stipulation, agreement, bond, treaty, vow, promise, contract, time, period, reign and obligation. It is being mentioned here that God took two covenants from the People of the Scripture:

1.   They would have to expound the entire truths, facts and orders stated in the Scripture. before the mankind

2.   They should neither hide anything from the Scripture and nor tell the people something wrong.

It has been described in this verse that a solemn covenant was taken from the scholars of the Scripture that, “Those entire orders and glad tidings which exist in the Scripture of God, were required to be conveyed before the people very clearly. In addition, they were forbidden from hiding anything, and they were prevented from differentiating in the meanings of Its verses. But they did not care, broke their covenant with God for the sake of a little, contemptible and abject gain of the world, changed the words and meanings of the Scripture, and Commandments of God. They tried their best to hide the glad tidings concerning the last Messenger of God; Muhammad (ﷺ). As they used to hoard their wealth and revenue, like this they also were misers in spreading the Knowledge. They aimed only to collect the assets and property of the world. The scholars of the Muslims have been warned too by means of this verse that they should not commit such deeds for worldly dignity and wealth.

An admonitory lesson exists in this verse also for the Muslim commentators and interpreters that they must not be guilty of hiding the verses and tokens of God like those who had received the Scripture (the scholars of the Jews and the Christians). Islam is a universal truth and it is not possible to hide this truth. Anyhow, this truth shall become public and overcome the entire false religions.

God has described the facts and circumstances of previous nations for the purpose that we should get warning from them. That, which happened with others, can be with us too. Divine nature, that is to say; the Law of the Truth remained always only one, while God has commanded Himself, “Laa  tab-diila  li-khalQillaah” {There is no altering (the Laws of) God’s creation} (30: 30). https://youtu.be/z6cE0TqCsrw