[Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which is guidance and light. The prophets who submitted [to Allah] judged by it] (5:44), meaning: the Muslim prophets judged by it [for those who are Jews, and the rabbis and the scholars]. Qatadah said: The rabbis are the jurists of the Jews, and the scholars are their learned men.
Muhammad said: It has also been said that the rabbis are the worshippers.
[So do not fear the people], in establishing the prescribed punishments (hudud) upon those who deserve them, whoever they may be, [but fear Me] in failing to establish them.
[And do not exchange My signs for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed]—al-Hasan said: He means, whoever does not take what Allah has revealed as a religion and acknowledge it—[then it is those who are the disbelievers].
﴿إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلمُوا﴾ أَيْ: يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ ﴿للَّذين هادوا والربانيون والأحبار﴾ قَالَ قَتَادَةُ: الرَّبَّانِيُّونَ: فُقَهَاءُ الْيَهُودِ، وَالْأَحْبَارُ: عُلَمَاؤُهُمْ.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: وَقِيلَ: الرَّبَّانِيُّونَ: الْعُبَّادُ.
﴿فَلا تَخْشَوُا النَّاسَ﴾ فِي إِقَامَةِ الْحُدُودِ عَلَى أَهْلِهَا من كَانُوا ﴿واخشون﴾ فِي تَرْكِ إِقَامَتِهَا.
﴿وَلا تَشْتَرُوا بِآيَاتِي ثَمَنًا قَلِيلا وَمَنْ لَمْ يحكم بِمَا أنزل الله﴾ قَالَ الْحَسَنُ: يَقُولُ: مَنْ لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ دِينًا وَيُقِرَّ بِهِ ﴿فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ﴾.
