His saying: "And whoever exchanges belief for disbelief has certainly strayed."

1078 - My father narrated to us, Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Rahman narrated to us, 'Abd Allah ibn Abi Ja'far narrated to us, from his father, from al-Rabi', from Abu al-'Aliyah: "And whoever exchanges belief for disbelief has certainly strayed from the right path." He says: Whoever exchanges hardship for ease has certainly strayed from the right path.

1079 - Muhammad ibn 'Abbad narrated to us, 'Abd al-Rahman al-Dashtaki narrated to us, Abu Ja'far al-Razi informed us, from al-Rabi' ibn Anas regarding His saying—and he did not mention Abu al-'Aliyah.

His saying: "has certainly strayed from the right path."

1080 - Ahmad ibn 'Uthman ibn Hakim al-Awdi informed us in what he wrote to me, Ahmad ibn al-Fadl narrated to us, Asbat narrated to us, from al-Suddi regarding His saying: "has certainly strayed from the right path." He said: From the justice (equilibrium) of the path.

His saying: "Many of the People of the Scripture wish to turn you back to disbelief after you have believed."

[The first interpretation]

1081 - Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to us, Abu Ghassan informed us, Salamah narrated to us, [who] said: Ibn Ishaq said: Muhammad ibn Abi Muhammad, the freed slave of the family of Zayd, narrated to me, from 'Ikrimah, or Sa'id ibn Jubayr, from Ibn 'Abbas, [who] said: Huyayy ibn Akhtab and Abu Yasir ibn Akhtab were among the Jews who were most envious of the Arabs, since Allah had singled them out with His Messenger. They were exerting themselves in turning people away from Islam as much as they could. So Allah, the Most High, revealed concerning them: "Many of the People of the Scripture wish to turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of envy from within themselves, after the truth has become clear to them."

The second interpretation:

1082 - Al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Rabi' narrated to us, Ma'mar informed us, from al-Zuhri, regarding His saying: "Many of the People of the Scripture wish"—he said: It is Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf.

1083 - My father narrated to us, Abu al-Yaman narrated to us, Shu'ayb ibn Abi Hamzah informed us, from al-Zuhri: 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Ka'b ibn Malik informed me, from his father, that Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf, the Jew...