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dhālika bi-ʾanna llāha nazzala l-kitāba bi-l-ḥaqqi wa-ʾinna lladhīna khtalafū fī l-kitābi la-fī shiqāqin baʿīdin
That is so because Allah has sent down the Book with the truth, and those who differ about the Book are surely in extreme defiance.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Al-Baqarah, Verses 174-176
174. "Surely those who conceal any part of the Book which Allah has sent down (to them), and sell it for a small price - they shall eat naught but Fire into their bellies, and Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and theirs will be a painful punishment."
175. "Those are they who have bought error for guidance and punishment for forgiveness; how they shall endure the Fire!"
176. "This is because Allah has sent down the Book with the Truth; and surely those who differ in the Book are in flagrant schism."
Before the advent of the holy Prophet of Islam (S), the Jewish scholars used to tell their people about that happy advent and described the signs of that promised Prophet for them from the Torah. But as soon as the Prophet of Islam (S) was divinely appointed and announced his Call, they did not confess the prophet hood of Muhammad (S) for they thought they would lose their position, wealth, etc. It was why they neglected everything and concealed the Truth.
Such people, by concealing the fact, might remain in their position receiving some presents and gifts for a length of time but this is a little price comparing to that great sin of theirs.
What they take and eat in this bargain is naught, indeed, but Fire. This meaning is similar to the content of the verse where eating the wealth of orphans is likened to Fire, too, as if they ate Fire in their bellies. 10 So, it says:
On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will not speak to these people mercifully, while the believers can speak with Him then. This talk, of course, may be either through some waves created in the space, or by inspiration and the mute tongue of the heart. On that Day all believing people can become interlocutors of Allah. Those persons, who tried to bar the influence of the sound of truth from reaching the ears of people, have shut, in fact, the way of the speech of Allah on the Reckoning Day to themselves. They will not hear a word of kindness, but hear the word of wrath in Hell, being addressed with words such as:
Allah will not purify them from their sins then, because there will be a painful punishment prepared for them as a result of their evil actions in this world.
Explanations
1. Selling Faith, in any case and rate, is a loss and the obtained price is a little: "...and sell it for a small price.."
2. The unlawful food or drinks of this world will incarnate in the form of Fire in the Hereafter, "...but Fire...”
3. Punishment should be appropriate to the crime. Those who bar the way of reaching the word of Allah for people to hearken in this world must be deprived from the pleasure of hearing the speech of Allah in the next world.
4. Concealing the truth is not only about the holy Prophet (S). Those who conceal the truth about the true successors of Prophet Muhammad (S), receive the same punishment, too.
That is, those who have hidden the announcement of the Messenger of Allah in Qadir-i-Khum and obliterated it from their history and commentary books and perverted the process of the verses of the Qur'an with their own justifications in order to mislead Muslims towards some particular ones other than the immaculate Imams have concealed the Truth, too. Those who conceal the Truth are some persons who exchange misguidance for guidance and punishment for forgiveness.
Do they not know that they somehow share with the corruption and aberration of mankind throughout history by their action when they conceal the Truth? Do they think that they are able to bear the punishment of Allah?
It is narrated in a tradition that the holy Prophet (S), speaking with Ali ibn Abi Talib (as), said: "The worst of men is he who sells his coming world for his present life, and more evil than this is the one who sells his coming world for the present life of someone else." 12
The people who conceal the Truth are severely warned and threatened with Divine punishments, because Allah has sent down the Book so clearly and reasonably that no doubt or ambiguity remains for anyone.
Yet, there are some people who, to protect their personal interests, take action in justification and falsification of the concepts of the revealed Book and cause people to differ in it. In this way, they intend to gain some profits without any due, or unlawfully. Then, Allah, introducing them, says:
Footnotes