What then is the reward of such among you as do this but...

What then is the reward of such among you as do this but disgrace in the life of this world, and on the Day of Resur­rection they shall be sent back to the most grievous chastise­ment, and Allah is not at all heedless of what you do (85). These are they who have bought the life of this world for the hereafter, so their chastisement shall not be lightened nor shall they be helped (86).

And most certainly We gave Musa the Book and We sent apostles after him one after another; and We gave `Isa, the son of Maryam, clear evidence and strengthened him with the holy spirit. What! whenever then an apostle came to you with that which your souls did not desire, you were insolent, so you called some (of them) liars and some you slew (87). And they say: “Our hearts are covered.” Nay, Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief- so little it is that they believe (88).

Commentary Qur’an: And when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel: “You shall not worship (any) but Allah. . . ”: To begin with, the verse refers to the Children of Israel in third person, and then ends by addressing them in second person, “Then you turned back . . .

” The first sentence mentions making a covenant with them - which must naturally be in words - then describes that covenant; this in its turn begins with a declarative sentence, “You shall not worship (any) but Allah”, and ends up with some imperative ones, “and speak to men good words . .

.” When the stories of the Israelites began, they were addressed in second person, because the verses contained a lot of admonition and reprimand; it continued to the story of the Cow when, because of demands of eloquence, it was changed to third person. Conse­quently, this verse too began with third person, but when time came to quote the verbal covenant, the style reverted to the second person. “You shall not worship (any) but Allah”: It is a prohibition in the form of information.

This style shows the utmost im­portance attached to the ban by the speaker - it is as though the speaker has no doubt whatsoever that the order shall be complied with, and that, in this case, the servants will not dare to go near idolatory.