ONE AYAT A DAY
وَلَقَدْ اٰتَيْنَا مُوْسَى الْكِتٰبَ وَقَفَّيْنَا مِنْۢ بَعْدِهٖ بِالرُّسُلِ ۖ وَاٰتَيْنَا عِيْسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنٰتِ وَاَيَّدْنٰهُ بِرُوْحِ الْقُدُسِۗ اَفَكُلَّمَا جَاۤءَكُمْ رَسُوْلٌۢ بِمَا لَا تَهْوٰىٓ اَنْفُسُكُمُ اسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ ۚ فَفَرِيْقًا كَذَّبْتُمْ وَفَرِيْقًا تَقْتُلُوْنَ
Wa laqad ātainā mūsal-kitāba wa qaffainā mim ba‘dihī bir-rusul(i), wa ātainā ‘īsabna maryamal-bayyināti wa ayyadnāhu birūḥil-qudus(i), afakullamā jā'akum rasūlum bimā lā tahwā anfusukumustakbartum, fafarīqan każżabtum wa farīqan taqtulūn(a).
And We did certainly give Moses the Scripture [i.e., the Torah] and followed up after him with messengers. And We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Pure Spirit [i.e., the angel Gabriel]. But is it [not] that every time a messenger came to you, [O Children of Israel], with what your souls did not desire, you were arrogant? And a party [of messengers] you denied and another party you killed.
The Arrogance of the Jews who denied and killed Their ProphetsAllah described the insolence of Children of Israel, their rebelliousness, defiance and arrogance towards the Prophets, following their lusts and desires. Allah mentioned that He gave Musa the Book, the Tawrah, and that the Jews changed, distorted, and defied its commands, as well as altered its meanings.Allah sent Messengers and Prophets after Musa who followed his law, as Allah stated,إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌالَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُواْ لِلَّذِينَ هَادُواْ وَالرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالاٌّحْبَارُ بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُواْ مِن كِتَـبِ اللَّهِ وَكَانُواْ عَلَيْهِ شُهَدَآءَ(Verily, We did reveal the Tawrah (to Musa), therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah's will, judged for the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests (too judged for the Jews by the Tawrah after those Prophets), for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's Book, and they were witnesses thereto) (5:44). This is why Allah said here,وَقَفَّيْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِ بِالرُّسُلِ(And Qaffayna him with Messengers).As-Suddi said that Abu Malik said that Qaffayna means, "Succeeded", while others said, "Followed". Both meanings are plausible, since Allah said,ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا تَتْرَى(Then We sent Our Messengers in succession) (23:44).Thereafter, Allah sent the last Prophet among the Children of…