{Have you not seen those who were forbidden from private conversation} - They are the Jews who were forbidden from conversing privately regarding disobedience to Allah, disobedience to the Messenger, and casting aspersions upon the religion of Allah. {Then they return to that which they were forbidden from} - They would seclude themselves with one another. {And they converse privately about sin and aggression} (Folio 355). Sin: disobedience; aggression: injustice. {And when they come to you, they greet you with a greeting that Allah does not greet you with} - They would greet the Prophet and his companions, saying: "As-Samu 'alaykum" (Death be upon you), and "as-sam" means death, according to some of them. He said: So the Messenger of Allah would respond to them in kind; then Gabriel came to him and informed him that they were not saying that as a form of greeting. Consequently, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to his companions: "If one of the People of the Scripture greets you, then say: 'Wa 'alayk' (And upon you)." That is: upon you.