So the interpretation of the verse then is: Do not sell what I have given you of knowledge of My Book and Its verses for a vile price and a small temporal gain of this world. And their selling it—their failure to clarify to the people what is in their book regarding the matter of Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him, and that it is written therein that he is the unlettered Prophet whom they find written in their presence in the Torah and the Gospel—was for a small price, which was their satisfaction with leadership over their followers from the people of their community and religion, and their taking a reward from whomever they clarified that to for what they clarified to him of it.
And we only said that the meaning of that is: "Do not sell," (1) because the purchaser of the small price for the signs of God is selling the signs for the price, for each of the price and the item priced is sold to its counterpart, and its possessor is a purchaser thereby; and the meaning of that, according to how Abū al-ʿĀliya interpreted it, (2) is: clarify to the people the matter of Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him, and do not seek a reward for it from them. Thus, His prohibition against taking a reward for clarifying it is the prohibition against purchasing a small price with His verses.
The discourse regarding the interpretation of the statement of Exalted is His remembrance: {And Me alone fear Me}
Abu Ja'far said: He says: Fear Me—in your selling My signs for a vile price, and your purchasing therewith a small worldly gain, and your disbelief in what I sent down to My Messenger and your denial of the prophethood of My Prophet—lest I bring down upon you what I brought down upon your predecessors who followed your path of exemplary punishments and vengeances.
The discourse regarding the interpretation of the statement of the Exalted: {And do not mix the truth with falsehood}
Abu Ja'far said: He means by His statement: "And do not mix," do not confuse. And al-labs (mixing) is confusion.
This translation was produced with AI assistance and is part of an ongoing human-review process. Found a mistake? Use the feedback option in the reader menu.
