Surah Al-Maaida
Chapter 5 · Verse 60 · Revealed in Madinah
“Say, "Shall I inform you of [what is] worse than that as penalty from Allah? [It is that of] those whom Allah has cursed and with whom He became angry and made of them apes and pigs and slaves of Taghut. Those are worse in position and further astray from the sound way."”
Translation: Saheeh International
Listen to recitation
Mishary Rashid Alafasy
Reflection — Ibn Kathir
The People of the Book are Enraged at the Believers Because of their Faith in Allah
Allah commands: Say, O Muhammad, to those who mock and jest about your religion from among the People of the Scriptures,
هَلْ تَنقِمُونَ مِنَّآ إِلاَّ أَنْ ءَامَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلُ
Reflection — Maarif ul Quran
Consideration of the Addressee : A Principle of Da'wah
The condition of a people who were under the curse and wrath of Allah has been introduced through a similitude in the next verse (60) which begins with: قُلْ هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُم[ Should I (not) tell you...]. In fact, this condition applied to these very addressees. The occasion demanded that they should have been the ones to be directly charged with the blame. But, the Qur'an has changed the mode of direct address into the form of a similitude (to show consideration). This shows us a distinctive method of Da'wah (Call) as used by prophets, that is, never say things in a manner which makes the addressees angry.
What does this verse bring up for you today?