ONE AYAT A DAY
بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْا بِهٖٓ اَنْفُسَهُمْ اَنْ يَّكْفُرُوْا بِمَآ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ بَغْيًا اَنْ يُّنَزِّلَ اللّٰهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهٖ عَلٰى مَنْ يَّشَاۤءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهٖ ۚ فَبَاۤءُوْ بِغَضَبٍ عَلٰى غَضَبٍۗ وَلِلْكٰفِرِيْنَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِيْنٌ
Bi'samasytarau bihī anfusahum ay yakfurū bimā anzalallāhu bagyan ay yunazzilallāhu min faḍlihī ‘alā may yasyā'u min ‘ibādih(ī), fabā'ū bigaḍabin ‘alā gaḍab(in), wa lil-kāfirīna ‘ażābum muhīn(un).
How wretched is that for which they sold themselves - that they would disbelieve in what Allāh has revealed through [their] outrage that Allāh would send down His favor upon whom He wills from among His servants. So they returned having [earned] wrath upon wrath. And for the disbelievers is a humiliating punishment.
Mujahid said, بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ(How bad is that for which they have sold their own selves), "The Jews sold the truth for falsehood and hid the truth about Muhammad ." As-Suddi said that the Ayah, بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ(How bad is that for which they have sold their own selves) means, "The Jews sold themselves." meaning, what is worse is what they chose for themselves by disbelieving in what Allah revealed to Muhammad instead of believing, aiding and supporting him. This behavior of theirs is the result of their injustice, envy and hatred, أَن يُنَزِّلُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ(grudging that Allah should reveal of His grace unto whom He wills of His servants). " There is no envy worse than this. Therefore, فَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ عَلَى غَضَبٍ(So they have drawn on themselves wrath upon wrath). Ibn `Abbas commented on this Ayah, "Allah became angry with them because they ignored some of the Tawrah and disbelieved in the Prophet that He sent to them." I (Ibn Kathir) say that the meaning of, بَاءُوا(And they drew on themselves) is that they deserved and acquired multiplied anger. Also, Abu Al-`Aliyah said, "Allah became angry with them, because of their disbelief in the Injil and `Isa and He became angry with them again, because they disbelieved in Muhammad and the Qur'an." Similar was said by `Ikrimah and Qatadah. Allah…