The following verse was revealed when a Jew and a hypocrite fell into a dispute. The hypocrite called on Ka‘b b. al-Ashraf to arbitrate between them while the Jew called on the Prophet s. When they came to him the Prophet ruled in favour of the Jew. But the hypocrite was not satisfied and so they went before ‘Umar. The Jew told him what had happened whereupon he ‘Umar turned to the hypocrite and asked him ‘Is this true?’ and when he replied ‘Yes’ he ‘Umar killed him. Have you not seen those who claim that they believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you desiring to take their disputes to a false deity tāghūt one excessive in tempting others to falsehood tughyān namely Ka‘b b. al-Ashraf when they have been commanded to renounce him? and not to associate with him. But Satan desires to mislead them far astray from the truth.
