Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs
(Hast thou not observed) O Muhammad (those who were forbidden conspiracy) other than true believers (and afterward returned to that which they had been forbidden) of conspiracy, leaving aside true believers, (and (now) conspire together) among themselves (for crime) for lies (and wrong-doing) transgression (and disobedience towards the messenger) by opposing the Messenger after he forbade them from doing so? What happened is that the hypocrites used to hold secret conferences with the Jews regarding the military expeditions of the believers, in order to aggrieve the believers. (And when they) i.e. the Jews (come unto thee they greet thee with a greeting wherewith Allah greeteth thee not) for they used to say al-sam, i.e. death, be with you [that is instead of saying al-salam, i.e. peace, be with you] and the Prophet (pbuh) used to answer: “and al-sam be with you”, (and say within themselves) to one another: (Why should Allah punish us for what we say) to His Prophet? If he were truly a Prophet, as he claims, his prayer would have been answered when he answers: “and al-sam be with you”. Allah answered them, saying: (Hell will suffice them) i.e. the Jews as a destination in the Hereafter; (they will feel the heat thereof. A hapless journey's end) is hell wherein they will end!
Tafsir Ibn 'Abbas, trans. Mokrane Guezzou
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