“And they do not teach anyone until they say: We are only a trial (fitna),” meaning: an affliction. “So do not disbelieve.”
Muhammad said: His saying “a trial” means: a testing and an examination; and that is what Yahya intended.
Qatada said: They were bound by a covenant not to teach anyone until they said to him: We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve. “And they learn from them that by which they cause separation between a man and his wife,” which is that each one of them is made to detest his partner. “But they do not harm anyone with it except by the permission of Allah.” Al-Hasan said: Whoever Allah wills, He gives them power over him, and whoever He wills, He prevents them from him. “And indeed, they knew that whoever purchased it,” meaning: whoever chose it, “has no share in the Hereafter,” meaning: no portion in Paradise. Qatada said: The People of the Book knew from the covenant of Allah with them that the sorcerer has no share with Allah on the Day of Resurrection. “And wretched is that for which they sold themselves,” meaning: that for which they exchanged their souls. “If only they knew.” Al-Hasan said: If they were learned and God-fearing, they would not have chosen magic. [Verse 103-104]
﴿وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولَا إِنَّمَا نَحن فتْنَة﴾ أَي: بلَاء ﴿فَلَا تكفر﴾.
قَالَ مُحَمَّد: قَوْله ﴿فتْنَة﴾ مَعْنَاهُ: ابتلاء واختبار؛ وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَرَادَ يَحْيَى.
قَالَ قَتَادَة: أَخذ عَلَيْهِمَا أَلا يعلمَا أحدا حَتَّى يَقُولَا لَهُ: إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فتْنَة فَلا تَكْفُرْ ﴿فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ﴾ وَهُوَ أَن يبغض كل وَاحِد مِنْهُمَا إِلَى صَاحبه ﴿وَمَا هُمْ بِضَارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلا بِإِذْنِ الله﴾ قَالَ الحَسَن: من شَاءَ اللَّه سلطهم عَلَيْهِ، وَمن شَاءَ مَنعهم مِنْهُ ﴿وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا لَمَنِ اشْتَرَاهُ﴾ يَعْنِي: لمن اخْتَارَهُ ﴿مَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَة من خلاق﴾ يَعْنِي: نَصِيبا فِي الجَنَّة، قَالَ قَتَادَة: قد علم أهل الْكتاب فِي عهد اللَّه إِلَيْهِم أَن السَّاحر لَا خلاق لَهُ عِنْد اللَّه يَوْم الْقِيَامَة ﴿وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شروا بِهِ أنفسهم﴾ أَي: مَا باعوها بِهِ ﴿لَوْ كَانُوا يعلمُونَ﴾ قَالَ الحَسَن: لَو كَانُوا عُلَمَاء أتقياء، مَا اخْتَارُوا السحر. [آيَة ١٠٣ - ١٠٤]
