Overall meaning : Allah Almighty addresses Muslims, stating that theirs is the best nation He has ever raised up for mankind, stating that they have attained such a high position because of their enjoining what is good, forbidding what is evil and believing in Allah Almighty. Had the Jews and the Christians, believed Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and in what he has brought from his Lord, He adds, their faith would have surely been better for them. Only few of them have accepted the faith, but most of them have contented themselves with their old ways.
Allah then informs Muhammad’s nation that no matter how hostile the People of the Book may be to them, they will never be able to harm them except with offensive words, and that if they fight them they will turn tail and run away and will not gain victory over them. Allah has subjected the Jews to humiliation wherever they may be, and they do not feel safe except when they are under a promise of protection from Allah and from people. They have become deserving of Allah’s wrath and have been reduced to a state of humiliating destitution because of their denying Allah’s revelations and killing the prophets unjustly. Their unbelief and the unjust killing of Allah’s prophets were in effect motivated by their disobedience to Allah’s commands and transgressing His limits.