Tafseer of The Bee · An-Nahl · 16:124
The sabbath was only appointed for those who differed over it. And indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
His word إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ السَّبْتُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ — Allah, the Exalted, says: Allah has, O people, imposed the veneration of the day of the Sabbath only upon those who differed concerning it. Some of them said: It is the most exalted day, for Allah, the Exalted, finished the creation of all things on Friday, and thereafter rested (sabata) on Saturday.
Others said: Rather, the most exalted day is Sunday, for that is the day on which the creation of things began. They chose it and abandoned the veneration of Friday — which Allah had imposed upon them to venerate — and deemed it permissible.
The explanation we have given is also the view of the exegetes.
Those who said that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — both on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid concerning إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ السَّبْتُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ : they followed it and abandoned Friday.
Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, something similar.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda concerning إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ السَّبْتُ : he said: They desired Friday but missed it, and took Saturday in its place.
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda concerning His word إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ السَّبْتُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ : some of them deemed it permissible and others forbidden.
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn Yumān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, on the authority of Abī Mālik and Saʿīd ibn Jubayr concerning إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ السَّبْتُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ : he said: Through their deeming the day of the Sabbath permissible.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ السَّبْتُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ : he said: They sought Friday but missed it, and took Saturday, so that it was imposed upon them.
His word وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ — Allah, the Exalted, says: Truly, your Lord, O Muhammad, will on the Day of Resurrection judge between these who differed — concerning the deeming permissible and the forbidding of the Sabbath — when they come before Him. He will render a judicial verdict between them therein and in other things concerning which they differed in the world, with the Truth, and with justice distinguishing by requiting the one who was right therein with his reward, and the one who was wrong therein with what he deserves.