Tafsir Ibn Abbas: Al-Maaida, Ayah 77
Common Words
Other Scholars on This Ayah
Tafsir
Say ‘O People of the Scripture Jews and Christians do not go to extremes do not overstep the bounds in your religion other than those extremes of truth neither lowering nor elevating Jesus above his proper place and do not follow the whims of a people who went astray formerly on account of their extremism — these were their forefathers — and have led many other people astray and strayed from the even way’ from the path of truth al-sawā’ originally means ‘middle’.
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Ibn Abbas Commentary
(Say: O People of the Scripture!) i.e. the people of Najran. (Stress not in your religion) do not be extreme in your religion (other than the Truth) for it is not the Truth, (and follow not the vain desires of folk) the religion and claims of a folk (who erred) from the guidance (of old) before you; these are the leaders (and led many astray) from guidance, (and erred from a plain road) they missed the road of guidance.