And they also said And do not believe except in one who the lām of li-man ‘in one who’ is extra follows accords with your religion’. God exalted be He says Say to them O Muhammad (s) ‘True guidance is God’s guidance that is Islam everything else being error this statement is parenthetical — that an and what follows is the direct object of the verb wa-lā tu’minū ‘do not believe’ anyone should be given the like of what you have been given of the Book wisdom and of the virtues the term ahad ‘anyone’ from whom the exclusion is being made precedes that which is being excluded ‘the like of what you have been given’ the meaning being ‘Do not affirm that anyone should be given this unless they follow your religion’; or that they the believers should dispute with you that they should prevail over you before your Lord’ on the Day of Resurrection for you have the sounder religion a variant reading has a-an ‘such that’ the extra hamza denoting rebuke in other words the Jews say do not believe that another has been given the like of it such that you might affirm it. God exalted be He says Say ‘Surely bounty is in God’s Hand; He gives it to whomever He will so how can you say that no one else will be given what you have been given? God is Embracing of ample bounty Knowing those who deserve it.
