Studying Quran On Your Own Can Mislead (Quran 2:26)
The answer is given in the next verse as to who are these people whom God misleads. This was a reference to the Jews, the subsequent verses mention their crimes that were responsible for depriving them of the truth: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهَذَا مَثَلًا يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِ إِلَّا الْفَاسِقِينَ الَّذِينَ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْخَاسِرُونَ [This is a similitude of Paradise and] Allah is not ashamed to cite the similitude of a mosquito or something even more inferior [in order to explain a reality]. Then those who believe know that it is a truth from their Lord; and those who disbelieve say: ‘What does Allah mean by this similitude? [In this way] He misleads many by it, and many He leads to the right path; and in reality He only misleads by it such [5] rebellious [6] who break [7] Allah’s covenant after making it, and who sever what Allah has directed to join [8] , and [in such a manner] do mischief on earth [9] . It is these who are in loss [both in this world and in that to come] . (Quran 2: 26-27) (Excerpt from Quranic Exegesis: Javed Ahmed Ghamidi) (Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem) _____________________________ [5] . This is a reference to the Jews. The subsequent verses mention their crimes that were responsible for depriving them of the truth. [6] . The Arabic word used is ‘فَاسِقْ’. As a term of the Quran, it means to deviate from obedience to disobedience and from the maruf (good) to the munkar (evil). [7] . How the Jews would make this covenant and then break it, is discussed in great detail further down the sūrah. [8] . This means to sever blood relations and fraternal ties. It is evident from the way this expression is used that wherever it occurs it signifies blood relations. The indefinite manner in which it is mentioned in the Quran shows the high status which blood relationships occupy. In other words, this is such a known thing that without taking its name, a person understands what he is directed to not break but to join together. [9] .The implication being that after breaking their covenant with God when they embark upon severing blood relationships, the result is anarchy and disorder because a stable and healthy society is based on the fear of the Almighty and sanctity of blood relationships.