Al-Baqarah 2:76

<h2>There was little Hope that the Jews Who lived during the Time of the Prophet could have believed</h2><p>Allah said,</p><p>أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ</p><p>(Do you covet) O believers,</p><p>أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ لَكُمْ</p><p>(That they will believe in your religion) meaning, that these people would obey you They are the deviant sect of Jews whose fathers witnessed the clear signs but their hearts became hard afterwards. Allah said next,</p><p>وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَـمَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ</p><p>(Inspite of the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis) used to hear the Word of Allah (the Tawrah), then they used to change it) meaning, distort its meaning,</p><p>مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ</p><p>(after they understood it). They understood well, yet they used to defy the truth,</p><p>وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ</p><p>(knowingly), being fully aware of their erroneous interpretations and corruption. This statement is similar to Allah's statement,</p><p>فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـقَهُمْ لَعنَّـهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَضِعِهِ</p><p>(So, because of their violation of their covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their (right) places) (5:13).</p><p>Qatadah commented that Allah's statement;</p><p>ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ</p><p>(Then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it) "They are the Jews who used to hear Allah's Words and then alter them …

And when they fall in with those who believe, they say: We believe. But when they go apart one with another they say: Prate ye to them of that which Allah hath disclosed to you that they may contend with you before your Lord concerning it? Have ye then no sense?

Behold! when they meet the men of Faith, they say: "We believe": But when they meet each other in private, they say: "Shall you tell them what Allah hath revealed to you, that they may engage you in argument about it before your Lord?"- Do ye not understand (their aim)?

And when they (Jews) meet those who believe (Muslims), they say, "We believe", but when they meet one another in private, they say, "Shall you (Jews) tell them (Muslims) what Allah has revealed to you [Jews, about the description and the qualities of Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him, that which are written in the Taurat (Torah)], that they (Muslims) may argue with you (Jews) about it before your Lord?" Have you (Jews) then no understanding?

And when they come across those who believe, they say, “We believe,” but when they come together privately, they say, “Will you inform them of what God has disclosed to you, so that they might dispute with you concerning it before your Lord?” Do you not understand?