Overview (Verses 174 - 176)

Suppression of God’s Revelations
 
The Jews created considerable controversy around the Qur’ānic pronouncements on permissible and forbidden food and drink. Elsewhere, the Qur’ān informs us of other types of meat that had been forbidden to the Jews but which Muslims were allowed to eat: “To those who followed the Jewish faith did We forbid all animals that have claws; and We forbade them the fat of both oxen and sheep, except that which is in their backs and entrails or what is mixed with their bones.” (6: 146) All these are lawful to Muslims.
 
The Jews might have disputed this relaxation of the earlier prohibition. They even argued about other forbidden things, although these were forbidden them in their own Scriptures. Their aim, of which they never lost sight, was to create doubts about Qur’ānic commandments and undermine the fact that they were revealed by God. This explains the strong denunciation of those who suppress what they know to he God’s revelation. “Those who suppress any part of the Scriptures God has revealed, and barter it away for a paltry price, eat nothing but fire in their bellies. God will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. A grievous suffering awaits them. It is they who barter guidance for error and forgiveness for suffering. How great is their endurance of the Fire! That is because God has revealed the Book with the truth. Those who are at variance with the Book are most deeply in the wrong.” (Verses 174-176)
 
The verses may be directed at people of earlier Scriptures, Jews and Christians, but the condemnation applies in the widest possible sense. All those who deliberately and systematically suppress the truth, especially religious truth, or manipulate it for power or worldly gains of any kind, stand condemned by God, and are doomed to incur His wrath and a stern punishment in the hereafter. Even if they were to gain this whole world for such suppression, it remains a paltry price when compared with what they lose of God’s pleasure and His reward in the life to come.
 
They “eat nothing but fire in their bellies.” (Verse 174) Here we have a description that is in perfect harmony with the scene being portrayed. Their gain for suppressing the truth is nothing but fire in their bellies. Indeed they are portrayed eating fire. Yet the description is factual. When they are in hell, the fire makes their clothes and their food. As an additional disgrace and humiliation, they are totally ignored in the life to come. Their isolation is given a very graphic description in the text: “God will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. A grievous suffering awaits them.” (Verse 174)
 
Another expressive description tells us that they have made an utterly foolish choice by exchanging success for failure and making a losing deal. “It is they who barter guidance for error and forgiveness for suffering. How great is their endurance of the Fire!” (Verse 175)
 
The sarcasm is unmistakable, but it fits the vile actions of concealing the truth that God has revealed for the guidance and benefit of all mankind, and rightly castigates the folly of rejecting guidance and accepting humbug.
 
The result of deliberately concealing or disputing God’s revealed truth is a life of constant turmoil, confusion and conflict with human nature. It is a life of permanent conflict and discord. “That is because God has revealed the Book with the truth. Those who are at variance with the Book are most deeply in the wrong.” (Verse 176) Such an outcome has been seen time and again in human society, in accordance with God’s true warning; history is evidence of its veracity.
 
 

Overview (Verses 174 - 176)

Suppression of God’s Revelations
 
The Jews created considerable controversy around the Qur’ānic pronouncements on permissible and forbidden food and drink. Elsewhere, the Qur’ān informs us of other types of meat that had been forbidden to the Jews but which Muslims were allowed to eat: “To those who followed the Jewish faith did We forbid all animals that have claws; and We forbade them the fat of both oxen and sheep, except that which is in their backs and entrails or what is mixed with their bones.” (6: 146) All these are lawful to Muslims.
 
The Jews might have disputed this relaxation of the earlier prohibition. They even argued about other forbidden things, although these were forbidden them in their own Scriptures. Their aim, of which they never lost sight, was to create doubts about Qur’ānic commandments and undermine the fact that they were revealed by God. This explains the strong denunciation of those who suppress what they know to he God’s revelation. “Those who suppress any part of the Scriptures God has revealed, and barter it away for a paltry price, eat nothing but fire in their bellies. God will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. A grievous suffering awaits them. It is they who barter guidance for error and forgiveness for suffering. How great is their endurance of the Fire! That is because God has revealed the Book with the truth. Those who are at variance with the Book are most deeply in the wrong.” (Verses 174-176)
 
The verses may be directed at people of earlier Scriptures, Jews and Christians, but the condemnation applies in the widest possible sense. All those who deliberately and systematically suppress the truth, especially religious truth, or manipulate it for power or worldly gains of any kind, stand condemned by God, and are doomed to incur His wrath and a stern punishment in the hereafter. Even if they were to gain this whole world for such suppression, it remains a paltry price when compared with what they lose of God’s pleasure and His reward in the life to come.
 
They “eat nothing but fire in their bellies.” (Verse 174) Here we have a description that is in perfect harmony with the scene being portrayed. Their gain for suppressing the truth is nothing but fire in their bellies. Indeed they are portrayed eating fire. Yet the description is factual. When they are in hell, the fire makes their clothes and their food. As an additional disgrace and humiliation, they are totally ignored in the life to come. Their isolation is given a very graphic description in the text: “God will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. A grievous suffering awaits them.” (Verse 174)
 
Another expressive description tells us that they have made an utterly foolish choice by exchanging success for failure and making a losing deal. “It is they who barter guidance for error and forgiveness for suffering. How great is their endurance of the Fire!” (Verse 175)
 
The sarcasm is unmistakable, but it fits the vile actions of concealing the truth that God has revealed for the guidance and benefit of all mankind, and rightly castigates the folly of rejecting guidance and accepting humbug.
 
The result of deliberately concealing or disputing God’s revealed truth is a life of constant turmoil, confusion and conflict with human nature. It is a life of permanent conflict and discord. “That is because God has revealed the Book with the truth. Those who are at variance with the Book are most deeply in the wrong.” (Verse 176) Such an outcome has been seen time and again in human society, in accordance with God’s true warning; history is evidence of its veracity.