[These two are two adversaries who disputed concerning their Lord.] The interpretation of Qatadah: The Muslims and the People of the Scripture disputed; the People of the Scripture said: "Our Prophet is before your Prophet, and our Book is before your Book, and we are better than you." The Muslims said: "Our Book judges over all the Books, and our Prophet is the Seal of the Prophets, and we are worthier of Allah than you." Thus, Allah caused the people of Islam to prevail, and He said: [These two are two adversaries who disputed concerning their Lord. So those who disbelieved will have cut out for them garments of fire] to the end of the verse. And He said: [Indeed, Allah will admit those who have believed and done righteous deeds to gardens beneath which rivers flow]—the verse. He also said: [Two adversaries]—the People of the Scripture are one party, and the believers are one party; then He said: (disputed), meaning: all of them. [And there will be poured upon their heads scalding water], which is heat that is intensely hot.
﴿هَذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُوا فِي رَبِّهِمْ﴾ تَفْسِيرُ قَتَادَةَ: اخْتَصَمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَأَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ؛ فَقَالَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ: نَبِيُّنَا قَبْلَ نَبِيِّكُمْ، وَكِتَابُنَا قَبْلَ كِتَابِكُمْ، وَنَحْنُ خَيْرٌ مِنْكُمْ. وَقَالَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ: كِتَابُنَا يَقْضِي عَلَى الْكُتُبِ كُلِّهَا، وَنَبِيُّنَا خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ، وَنَحْنُ أَوْلَى بِاللَّهِ مِنْكُمْ، فَأْفَلَجَ اللَّهُ أَهْلَ الْإِسْلَامِ؛ فَقَالَ: ﴿هَذَانِ خَصْمَانِ اخْتَصَمُوا فِي رَبِّهِمْ فَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا قُطِّعَتْ لَهُم ثِيَاب من نَار﴾ إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ. وَقَالَ ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدْخِلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَار﴾ الْآيَة، وَقَالَ: ﴿خصمان﴾: أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ خَصْمٌ، وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ خَصْمٌ، ثمَّ قَالَ: (اخْتَصَمُوا) يَعْنِي: الْجَمِيع. ﴿وَيصب من فَوق رُءُوسهم الْحَمِيم﴾ وَهُوَ الْحَار الشَّديد الْحر.
