Tafseer of The Table · Al-Maaida · 5:50
Then is it the judgement of [the time of] ignorance they desire? But who is better than Allah in judgement for a people who are certain [in faith].
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.
The explanation of the saying of the Exalted, whose mention is mighty: أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حُكْمًا لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ (50) (Do they then desire the judgement of ignorance (jāhiliyyah)? And who is better than Allah in judgement for a people who are certain? (5:50))
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: Do these Jews, who turned to you (the Prophet ﷺ) for adjudication but were not satisfied with your judgement when you judged justly concerning them — do they desire "the judgement of ignorance (ḥukm al-jāhiliyya)," that is to say: the judgements of the idolaters among the people of shirk, while they nonetheless have with them the Book of Allah, in which is found the exposition of the truth of the judgement that you passed concerning them, and that this is the truth from which deviation is not permitted?
Then the Exalted, whose mention is exalted, said — as a rebuke to these who refused to accept the judgement of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ concerning them and in their favour among the Jews, and branding their conduct in this as foolish —: And who is this, O Jews, who is better in judgement than Allah, the Exalted whose mention is exalted, in the eyes of whoever is certain of the oneness of Allah and acknowledges His sovereignty? The Exalted, whose mention is exalted, says: What judgement is better than the judgement of Allah, if you are certain that you have a Lord, and you are people of the affirmation of oneness (tawḥīd) and acknowledgement of it?
* * *
And in the sense of what we have said about this, Mujāhid spoke.
12153 - Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, he said: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, he said: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the saying of Allah: "Do they then desire the judgement of ignorance?", he said: The Jews.
12154 - Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, he said: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: "Do they then desire the judgement of ignorance?", the Jews.
12155 - Al-Ḥārith related to me, he said: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz related to us, he said: a sheikh related to us, on the authority of Mujāhid: "Do they then desire the judgement of ignorance?", he said: The Jews.
* * *
