Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah, Ayat 97-97

قُلۡ مَنۡ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّجِبۡرِيۡلَ فَاِنَّهٗ نَزَّلَهٗ عَلٰى قَلۡبِكَ بِاِذۡنِ اللّٰهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ وَهُدًى وَّبُشۡرٰى لِلۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏  ﴿2:97﴾

(2:97) Say: “Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel100 (should know that) he revealed this (Qur’an) to your heart by Allah’s101 leave: it confirms the Scriptures revealed before it,102 and is a guidance and good tiding to the people of faith.103


Notes

100. The Jews not only reviled the Prophet (peace be on him) and his followers but also God's chosen angel, Gabriel, denouncing him as their enemy, and branding him as the angel of curse rather than of blessing.

101. Since Gabriel communicated the revealed messages with God's approval the abuses of the Jews which were apparently aimed at Gabriel should be considered as directed at God.

102. They abused Gabriel because he had brought the Qur'an from God, and since the Qur'an on the whole confirms the Torah this too became a co-sharer in those abuses.

103. Here there is a subtle suggestion that the wrath of the Jews was, in fact, directed against true guidance and righteousness even though acceptance of these would have brought them good tidings as to their own success.