وَإِذْ أَخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِيثَٰقَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُۥ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكْتُمُونَهُۥ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ وَٱشْتَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦ ثَمَنًۭا قَلِيلًۭا ۖ فَبِئْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُونَ
Wa iz akhazal laahu meesaaqal lazeena ootul Kitaaba latubaiyinunnahoo linnaasi wa laa taktumoona hoo fanabazoohu waraaa'a zuhoorihim washtaraw bihee samanan qaleelan fabi'sa maa yashtaroon
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying], "You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it." But they threw it away behind their backs and exchanged it for a small price. And wretched is that which they purchased.

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Tafsir

80%47%48%Al-JalalaynIbn AbbasIbn Kathir
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And mention when God made covenant with those who had been given the Scripture that is the pledge taken from them in the Torah ‘You shall expound it read tubayyinunnahu or yubayyinunnahu ‘they shall expound it’ the Book to people and not conceal it’ read taktumūnahu ‘you shall not conceal it’ or yaktumūnahu ‘they shall not conceal it’. But they rejected it they discarded the covenant behind their backs and so they did not act in accordance with it and bought with it they took in its place a small price of this world from the debased among them enjoying supremacy over them in knowledge and they concealed it lest it the supremacy escape them; how evil is what they have bought how evil is this purchase of theirs!

Related Hadiths

Sahih al-Bukhari #4345Narrated `Abdullah bin Abu `Aufa:Sahih
A man displayed some merchandise in the market and took an oath that he had been offered a certain price for it while in fact he had not, in order to cheat a man from the Muslims. So then was revealed:-- "Verily! Those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant and their oaths..."(3.77)
Sahih al-Bukhari #2013Narrated `Abdullah bin Abu `Aufa:Sahih
A man displayed some goods in the market and swore by Allah that he had been offered so much for that, that which was not offered, and he said so, so as to cheat a Muslim. On that occasion the following Verse was revealed: "Verily! Those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's covenant and their oaths (They shall have no portion in the Hereafter ..etc.)' (3.77)
Sahih al-Bukhari #2568Narrated `Abdullah bin Abu `Aufa:Sahih
A man displayed some goods in the market and took a false oath that he had been offered so much for them though he was not offered that amount Then the following Divine Verse was revealed:-- "Verily! Those who purchase a little gain at the cost of Allah's covenant and their oaths . . . Will get painful punishment." (3.77) Ibn Abu `Aufa added, "Such person as described above is a treacherous Riba eater (i.e. eater of usury).
Sahih Muslim #264Ibn Mas'ud says:Sahih
I heard the Messenger of Allah observing: He who took an oath on the property of a Muslim without legitimate right would meet Allah and He would be angry, with him. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in support of his contention recited the verse:" Verily those who barter Allah's covenant and their oaths at a small price.
Sunan Ibn Majah #2056It was narrated that Ash'ath bin Qais Said:Sahih
“There was a dispute between myself and a Jewish man concerning some land, and he denied me my rights so I brought him to the Prophet (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: 'Do you have proof' I said: 'No.’ He said to the Jews, 'Swear an oath.' I said: 'If he swears an oath he will take my property.' Then Allah, Glorious is He, revealed: 'Verily, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's covenant and their oaths, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter (Paradise). Neither will Allah neither speak to them nor look at them on the Day of Resurrection nor will He purifies them, and they shall have a painful torment.'”

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