مِنْهُfrom himوَإِنْand ifكَانَwasفِيinغَيْرَother thanذَٰلِكَ؛that;فَهُوَthen it isذَمٌّblameوَيُسَمَّىand is calledخِيَانَةٌ.treachery.
And if it is in other than that; then it is blame and is called treachery.
وَلِهَذَاAnd for thisلَمْdid notيَصِفْdescribeاللَّهَGodنَفْسَهُhimselfبِهِwith itإِلَّاexceptعَلَىuponسَبِيلِwayالْمُقَابَلَةِof contrast;وَالتَّقْيِيدِ؛and specification;كَمَاasقَالَHe saidتَعَالَى:the Most High:﴿(وَمَكَرُواAnd they plottedمَكْرًاa plotوَمَكَرْنَاand We plottedمَكْرًاa plotوَهُمْand theyلَاdo notيَشْعُرُونَperceive.﴾)
And for this, God did not describe Himself with it except in the way of contrast and specification; as He said: 'And they plotted a plot, and We plotted a plot, and they do not perceive.'
وَيَمْكُرُونَAnd they plotوَيَمْكُرُand He plotsاللَّهُGod﴾)[الْأَنْفَالِ:[Al-Anfal:٣٠]،30],وَلَاand notيُوصفُis describedاللَّهُGodسُبْحَانَهُGloriousوَتَعَالَىand Exaltedبِهِwith itعَلَىuponالإِطْلَاقِ؛the absolute;فَلَاso do notيُقَالُ:it is said:إِنَّthatاللَّهَGodمَاكِرٌ!is a deceiver!لَاnotعَلَىuponسَبِيلِthe wayالْخَبَرِ،the report,وَلَاand notعَلَىonسَبِيلِthe wayالتَّسْمِيَةِthe namingوَلَاand notيُقَالُ:it is said:إِنَّهُthat heكَائِدٌ!is planning!لَاnotعَلَىonسَبِيلِthe wayالْخَبَرِthe reportوَلَاand notعَلَىonسَبِيلِthe wayالتَّسْمِيَةِ؛the naming;ذَٰلِكَThatلِأَنَّbecauseهَذَاthisالْمَعْنَىmeaningيَكُونُisمَدْحًاpraiseفِيinحَالٍstateوَيَكُونُand isذَمًّاblameفِيinحَالٍ؛case;فَلَاso do notيُمْكِنُcanأَنْtoنَصِفَdescribeاللَّهَGodبِهِwith itعَلَىuponسَبِيلِthe wayالإِطْلَاقِ.the absolute.
As for the saying of the Most High: 'And God is the best of deceivers'; this is perfection, and for this reason, he did not say: the deceiver of deceivers but said: 'And God is the best of deceivers.' So His plotting can only be good, and thus it is correct to describe Him with that; we say: He is the best of deceivers or we describe Him with the attribute of deception in the way of contrast; that is, in contrast to those who plot against Him, we say that God has deceived the deceivers; for He said: 'And they plot, and God plots.'
فَأَمَّاAs forقَوْلُهُhis sayingتَعَالَى:the Most High:﴿(وَاللَّهُAnd Godخَيْرُis the best ofالْمَكِرِينَthe deceivers﴾)[آلِ عِمْرَانَ:[Al-Imran:٥٤]؛54];فَهَذَاthis isكَمَالٌ،perfection,وَلِهَذَاand for thisلَمْdid notيَقُلْ:he say:أَمَكَرَto schemeالْمَاكِرِينَthe schemersبَلْbutقَالَ:he said:﴿(وَاللَّهُAnd Godخَيْرُis the best ofالْمَكِرِينَ؛the schemers;فَلَاso do notيَكُونَthere can beمَكْرٌplottingإِلَّاexceptخَيْرًا،good,وَلِهَذَاand for thisيَصِحُّit is validأَنْtoنَصِفَهُdescribe Himبِذَٰلِكَ؛with that;فَنَقُولُ:and we say:هُوَHe isخَيْرٌthe bestالْمَاكِرِينَof the deceiversأَوْorنَصِفَهُwe describe Himبِصِفَةِwith attributeالْمَكْرِof deceptionفِيinسَبِيلِthe wayالْمُقَابَلَةِ؛the contrast;أَيْ:that is:مُقَابَلَةًin contrastمِنْfromيَمْكُرُونَplotsبِهِ؛against Him;فَنَقُولُ:and we say:إِنَّthatاللَّهَGodتَعَالَىthe Most Highمَاكِرٌis a schemerبِالْمَاكِرِينَ؛against the schemers;لِقَوْلِهِfor his sayingتَعَالَى:the Most High:﴿(وَيَمْكُرُونَAnd they plotوَيَمْكُرُAnd He plotsاللَّهُGod﴾)
As for the saying of the Most High: 'And God is the best of schemers'; this is perfection, and for this reason, He did not say: 'to scheme the schemers' but He said: 'And God is the best of schemers.' So His scheming cannot be anything except good. Thus, it is valid to describe Him with this; we say: He is the best of schemers or we describe Him with the attribute of scheming in the manner of contrast; that is to say: in contrast to those who plot against Him; we say that He is a schemer against the schemers; for He said: 'And they plot, and God plots.'
الْآيَةُThe verseالثَّانِيَةُthe secondفِيinالْمَكْرِ،deception,وَهِيَand it isقَوْلُهُ:his saying:﴿(وَمَكَرُواAnd they plottedوَمَكَرَand He plottedاللَّهُGodخَيْرُis the best ofالْمَكِرِينَthe deceivers.﴾)[آلُ عِمْرَانَ:[Aal-Imran:٥٤].54].* هَذِهِ* Thisنَزَلَتْwas revealedفِيaboutعِيسَىJesusابْنِthe son ofمَرْيَمَMaryعَلَيْهِupon himالصَّلَاةُpeaceوَالسَّلاَمُ،and blessings,مَكَرَthe plottingبِهِagainst him,الْيَهُودُthe Jewsلِيَقْتُلُوهُ،to kill him,وَلَكِنْbutكَانَwasاللَّهُGodتَعَالَىthe Most Highأَعْظَمَthe greatestمِنْهُمْthan them,مَكْرًا،in plotting.رَفَعَهُHe elevated him,اللَّهُ،God,وَأَلْقَىand castشَبَهَهُhis likenessعَلَىuponأَحَدِهِمone of themعَلَىuponالَّذِيwhoتَوَلَّىwas responsible forكَبْرَهُthe major act,وَأَرَادَand wantedأَنْtoيَقْتُلَهُ،kill him,فَلَمَّاSo whenدَخَلَhe enteredعَلَيْهِupon him,هَذَاthisالَّذِيwhoيُرِيدُwantsالْقَتْلَto killوَإِذَاand beholdعِيسَىJesusقَدْhas beenرُفِعَ،raised,
The second verse concerning deception is His saying: 'And they plotted, and God plotted.' God is the best of deceivers.' * This was revealed about Jesus, son of Mary, peace be upon him. The Jews plotted against him to kill him, but God was greater than their plot. He elevated him and cast his likeness upon one of them who was responsible for the major act and wanted to kill him. So when the one who intended to kill entered upon him, he saw Jesus raised up.