Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:69)
By: Mohammad Sobhanie
An Effort to Mislead Believers
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَدَّت طَّائِفَةٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَوْ يُضِلُّونَكُمْ وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴿٦٩﴾
3:69 A faction of the people of the Scripture wish they could mislead you. But they do not mislead except themselves, and they perceive (it) not.
Commentary: The people of the Scriptures tried to persuade the faithful companions of the Prophet (PBUH) such as Mu’adh ibn Jabal (مُعاذ بن جبل) and Ammar ibn Yasir (عمار ابن ياسر) to renounce Islam and join their religion. They believed that if they could convince one or more of the Prophet’s (PBUH) close companions to leave Islam, it would create doubt in the hearts and minds of other Muslims. This could potentially lead to many more Muslims leaving the faith. The above verse was revealed in response to this situation, warning all Muslims about this danger.
The Verse reads: “A faction of the people of the Scripture (طَّائِفَةٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ) wish (وَدَّت) they could mislead you (لَوْ يُضِلُّونَكُمْ).”
The people of the Scripture were unaware that dedicated companions of the Prophet (PBUH) like Bilal did not even renounce their faith under torture. For instance, when Bilal’s master, Umayya bin Khalaf, learned of his faith, he ordered Bilal to be flogged while tied to the ground on the hot and burning sand of the Arabian desert. Instead of giving up on the Prophet (PBUH) and renouncing his faith, Bilal continued to say Ahud, Ahud, which means belief in the One God. When Bilal refused to back down, Umayya ordered a hot stone to be placed on Bilal’s chest. But Bilal was firm in his opinion and said, “Ahud, ahud.”
The Verse in continuation says, “But they do not mislead (وَمَا يُضِلُّونَ) except themselves (إِلَّا أَنفُسَهُمْ), and they perceive (it) not (وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ).”
The sentence: “They don’t perceive it” (وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ) may imply that someone who insists on misleading others with lies and deceit will not be immune from its ill effects. Little by little, the liar begins to believe firmly in his lies, leading him further away from the truth.
Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:70-71)