The Jews said when their circumstances became straitened on account of their denial of the Prophet s after having been the wealthiest of people ‘God’s hand is fettered’ withholding the sending forth of provision upon us — this was their metaphor for niggardliness — may God be exalted above this. God exalted be He says Fettered be withheld be their hands from the performance of good deeds as an invocation against them; and they are cursed for what they have said. Nay but His hands are extended out wide — a hyperbole for the attribute of generosity — the use of yadā the dual for yad ‘hand’ is intended to imply abundance since the utmost that an affluent person can give freely of his wealth is when he gives it with both hands. He expends how He will in giving abundantly or straitening and there can be no objection to this. And what has been revealed to you from your Lord of the Qur’ān will surely increase many of them in insolence and disbelief because of their very disbelief in it; and We have cast between them enmity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection and so every sect among them is opposed to the other. Every time they light the fires of war that is for war against the Prophet s God extinguishes them that is every time they desire it war He repels them. And they hasten about the earth in corruption that is they hasten about corrupting through acts of disobedience and God does not love corrupters meaning that He will punish them.
