Transliteration:( Haaa antum ulaaa'i tuhibboonahum wa laa yuhibboonakum wa tu'minoona bil kitaabi kullihee wa izaa laqookum qaalooo aamannaa wa izaa khalaw 'addoo 'alaikumul anaamila minal ghaiz; qul mootoo bighai zikum; innal laaha 'aleemum bizaatis sudoor )
"Behold! It is you who love them [261], and they love you not. Though you believe in all the Books [262]. And when they meet you, they say: 'We accepted faith' [263]. But when they are alone, they bite their fingertips at you in rage. You declare: 'Die in your passion' [264]. Allah knows all the secrets of the hearts."
These words are addressed to those Muslims who maintained friendly relations with non-believers due to blood relationships. This form of love is natural and often uncontrollable and should not be misunderstood as though the Beloved Companions harbored love for the non-believers in a way that indicates hypocrisy or double-dealing.
This verse reminds the believers: you believe in all divine books, including the Taurat and Injeel, but they do not believe in the Holy Qur'an. If they are so firm in their disbelief, then why are you not equally firm in your belief and loyalty to your own faith? This rhetorical contrast calls the believers to strengthen their identity and commitment.
This does not refer to all People of the Book, but rather to those among them who are hypocrites. When they meet Muslims, they falsely claim to be believers, but when in private, their real hatred emerges. This kind of behavior has been detailed earlier in the beginning of the first Para (Part 1) of the Qur’an.
This verse contains a prophecy: the hatred, envy, and jealousy of these wretched people will never be able to harm the Muslims. The sun of Islam will continue to shine on the horizon of truth and success, while the disbelievers will continue to burn with hatred, like bats scorched by daylight. With the praise of Allah Almighty, this is exactly what unfolded in history. In fact, until the Day of Judgement, Islam will remain dominant over all religions, regardless of whether Muslims are victorious or under trial, in power or under oppression.
The tafsir of Surah Imran verse 119 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Imran ayat 118 which provides the complete commentary from verse 118 through 120.
(3:119) Lo! It is you who love them but they do not love you even though you believe in the whole of the (heavenly) Book.[93] When they meet you they say: ‘We believe’, but when they are by themselves they bite their fingers in rage at you. Say: ‘Perish in your rage.’ Allah knows even what lies hidden in their breasts.
93. It is strange that although the Muslims had reason to feel aggrieved by the Jews it was the latter who felt aggrieved by the Muslims. Since the Muslims believed in the Torah along with the Qur’an the Jews had no justifiable ground for complaint. If anyone had cause to complain it was the Muslims for the Jews did not believe in the Qur’an.
[146]- That of it revealed by Allāh, not what was subsequently altered by men.
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