Earlier we mentioned a Hadith that An-Nasa'i collected from Ibn `Abbas that this Ayah is about the People of the Scriptures who believe in Islam, and that they will earn double their reward if they do so. There is an Ayah in Surat Al-Qasas to support this meaning. Also, there is a Hadith from Ash-Sha`bi from Abu Burdah from his father from Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari that the Messenger of Allah said,

آ«ط«ظژظ„ظژط§ط«ظژط©ظŒ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’طھظژظˆظ’ظ†ظژ ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظژط±ظ‘ظژطھظژظٹظ’ظ†ظگ: ط±ظژط¬ظڈظ„ظŒ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ط£ظژظ‡ظ’ظ„ظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژط§ط¨ظگ ط¢ظ…ظژظ†ظژ ط¨ظگظ†ظژط¨ظگظٹظ‘ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط¢ظ…ظژظ†ظژ ط¨ظگظٹ ظپظژظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظژط§ظ†ظگطŒ ظˆظژط¹ظژط¨ظ’ط¯ظŒ ظ…ظژظ…ظ’ظ„ظڈظˆظƒظŒ ط£ظژط¯ظ‘ظژظ‰ ط­ظژظ‚ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط­ظژظ‚ظ‘ظژ ظ…ظژظˆظژط§ظ„ظگظٹظ‡ظگ ظپظژظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظژط§ظ†ظگطŒ ظˆظژط±ظژط¬ظڈظ„ظŒ ط£ظژط¯ظ‘ظژط¨ظژ ط£ظژظ…ظژطھظژظ‡ظڈ ظپظژط£ظژط­ظ’ط³ظژظ†ظژ طھظژط£ظ’ط¯ظگظٹط¨ظژظ‡ظژط§طŒ ط«ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژ ط£ظژط¹ظ’طھظژظ‚ظژظ‡ظژط§ ظˆظژطھظژط²ظژظˆظ‘ظژط¬ظژظ‡ظژط§ ظپظژظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظژط§ظ†آ»

(Three will get their reward twice. A believer from the People of the Scriptures who has been a true believer in his Prophet and then believes in me, will get a double reward. A slave who fulfills Allah's rights and obligations as well as the duties of his master, will get a double reward. A person who has a slave-girl and he educates her properly and teaches her good manners properly (without violence) and then manumits and marries her, will get a double reward.) This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs. Ad-Dahhak, `Utbah bin Abi Hakim and others agreed with Ibn `Abbas in this, and Ibn Jarir preferred it. Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,

﴿ظٹظگظ€ط£ظژظٹظ‘ظڈظ‡ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط،ظژط§ظ…ظژظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط¥ظژظ† طھظژطھظ‘ظژظ‚ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظٹظژط¬ظ’ط¹ظژظ„ ظ„ظ‘ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظپظڈط±ظ’ظ‚ظژط§ظ†ظ‹ط§ ظˆظژظٹظڈظƒظژظپظ‘ظگط±ظ’ ط¹ظژظ†ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط³ظژظٹظ‘ظگط¦ظژط§طھظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظٹظژط؛ظ’ظپظگط±ظ’ ظ„ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط°ظڈظˆ ط§ظ„ظ’ظپظژط¶ظ’ظ„ظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژط¸ظگظٹظ…ظگ ﴾

(O you who believe! If you have Taqwa of Allah, He will grant you a criterion, and will expiate for you your sins, and forgive you; and Allah is Owner of the great bounty.)(8:29) Sa`id bin `Abdul-`Aziz said, `Umar bin Al-Khattab asked a Jewish rabbi, `What is the maximum a reward would be increased for you' He replied, `A Kifl (portion) which is about three hundred and fifty good merits.' So `Umar said, `Praise be to Allah who gave us two Kifls.' Then Sa`id mentioned Allah's saying:

﴿ظٹظڈط¤ظ’طھظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظƒظگظپظ’ظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظگ ظ…ظگظ† ط±ظ‘ظژط­ظ’ظ…ظژطھظگظ‡ظگ﴾

(He will give you a double portion of His mercy,) Sa`id said, "And the two Kifls on Friday are similar to that.'' This was recorded by Ibn Jarir. This view has support from the Hadith that Imam Ahmad recorded from `Abdullah bin `Umar that the Messenger of Allah said,

آ«ظ…ظژط«ظژظ„ظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظ…ظژط«ظژظ„ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظٹظژظ‡ظڈظˆط¯ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژطµظژط§ط±ظژظ‰ ظƒظژظ…ظژط«ظژظ„ظگ ط±ظژط¬ظڈظ„ظچ ط§ط³ظ’طھظژط¹ظ’ظ…ظژظ„ظژ ط¹ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژط§ظ„ظ‹ط§ ظپظژظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ: ظ…ظژظ†ظ’ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ…ظژظ„ظڈ ظ„ظگظٹ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ طµظژظ„ظژط§ط©ظگ ط§ظ„طµظ‘ظڈط¨ظ’ط­ظگ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ظ†ظگطµظ’ظپظگ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژط§ط±ظگ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ظ‚ظگظٹط±ظژط§ط·ظچ ظ‚ظگظٹط±ظژط§ط·ظچطں ط£ظژظ„ظژط§ ظپظژط¹ظژظ…ظگظ„ظژطھظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ظٹظژظ‡ظڈظˆط¯ظڈطŒ ط«ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ: ظ…ظژظ†ظ’ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ…ظژظ„ظڈ ظ„ظگظٹ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ طµظژظ„ظژط§ط©ظگ ط§ظ„ط¸ظ‘ظڈظ‡ظ’ط±ظگ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ طµظژظ„ظژط§ط©ظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژطµظ’ط±ظگ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ظ‚ظگظٹط±ظژط§ط·ظچ ظ‚ظگظٹط±ظژط§ط·ظچطں ط£ظژظ„ظژط§ ظپظژط¹ظژظ…ظگظ„ظژطھظگ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژطµظژط§ط±ظژظ‰طŒ ط«ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ: ظ…ظژظ†ظ’ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ…ظژظ„ظڈ ظ„ظگظٹ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ طµظژظ„ظژط§ط©ظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژطµظ’ط±ظگ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ط؛ظڈط±ظڈظˆط¨ظگ ط§ظ„ط´ظ‘ظژظ…ظ’ط³ظگ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ظ‚ظگظٹط±ظژط§ط·ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظگ ظ‚ظگظٹط±ظژط§ط·ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظگطں ط£ظژظ„ظژط§ ظپظژط£ظژظ†ظ’طھظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط¹ظژظ…ظگظ„ظ’طھظڈظ…ظ’طŒ ظپظژط؛ظژط¶ظگط¨ظژ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژطµظژط§ط±ظژظ‰ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ظٹظژظ‡ظڈظˆط¯ظڈ ظˆظژظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظڈظˆط§: ظ†ظژط­ظ’ظ†ظڈ ط£ظژظƒظ’ط«ظژط±ظڈ ط¹ظژظ…ظژظ„ظ‹ط§ ظˆظژط£ظژظ‚ظژظ„ظ‘ظڈ ط¹ظژط·ظژط§ط،ظ‹طŒ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ: ظ‡ظژظ„ظ’ ط¸ظژظ„ظژظ…ظ’طھظڈظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ط´ظژظٹظ’ط¦ظ‹ط§طں ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظڈظˆط§: ظ„ظژط§طŒ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ: ظپظژط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظ…ظژط§ ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ظپظژط¶ظ’ظ„ظگظٹ ط£ظڈظˆطھظگظٹظ‡ظگ ظ…ظژظ†ظ’ ط£ظژط´ظژط§ط،آ»

(The parable of you and the Jews and Christians is that of a person who employed some laborers and asked them, "Who will work for me from the Dawn prayer until midday for one Qirat (a special weight of gold) each'' So, the Jews worked. The person asked, "Who will do the work for me from the Zuhr prayer to the time of the `Asr prayer for one Qirat each'' So, the Christians worked. Then the person asked, "Who will do the work for me from `Asr prayer until sunset for two Qirat each'' You are those who did this work. The Jews and the Christians got angry and said, "We did more work, but got less wages.'' Allah said, "Have I been unjust to you with your reward'' They said, "No.'' So, Allah said, "Then it is My grace which I bestow on whomever I will.'') Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith. Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Musa said that the Prophet said,

آ«ظ…ظژط«ظژظ„ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈط³ظ’ظ„ظگظ…ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ’ظٹظژظ‡ظڈظˆط¯ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژطµظژط§ط±ظژظ‰ ظƒظژظ…ظژط«ظژظ„ظگ ط±ظژط¬ظڈظ„ظچ ط§ط³ظ’طھظژط¹ظ’ظ…ظژظ„ظژ ظ‚ظژظˆظ’ظ…ظ‹ط§ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ…ظژظ„ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ط¹ظژظ…ظژظ„ظ‹ط§ ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظ‹ط§ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظٹظ’ظ„ظگ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظچ ظ…ظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظڈظˆظ…ظچطŒ ظپظژط¹ظژظ…ظگظ„ظڈظˆط§ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ ظ†ظگطµظ’ظپظگ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژط§ط±ظگ ظپظژظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظڈظˆط§: ظ„ظژط§ ط­ظژط§ط¬ظژط©ظژ ظ„ظژظ†ظژط§ ظپظگظٹ ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظگظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹ ط´ظژط±ظژط·ظ’طھظژ ظ„ظژظ†ظژط§طŒ ظˆظژظ…ظژط§ ط¹ظژظ…ظگظ„ظ’ظ†ظژط§ ط¨ظژط§ط·ظگظ„ظŒطŒ ظپظژظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’: ظ„ظژط§ طھظژظپظ’ط¹ظژظ„ظڈظˆط§طŒ ط£ظژظƒظ’ظ…ظگظ„ظڈظˆط§ ط¨ظژظ‚ظگظٹظ‘ظژط©ظژ ط¹ظژظ…ظژظ„ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’طŒ ظˆظژط®ظڈط°ظڈظˆط§ ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظƒظژط§ظ…ظگظ„ظ‹ط§طŒ ظپظژط£ظژط¨ظژظˆط§ ظˆظژطھظژط±ظژظƒظڈظˆط§ ظˆظژط§ط³ظ’طھظژط£ظ’ط¬ظژط±ظژ ط¢ط®ظژط±ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¯ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظپظژظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ: ط£ظژظƒظ’ظ…ظگظ„ظڈظˆط§ ط¨ظژظ‚ظگظٹظ‘ظژط©ظژ ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظ„ظژظƒظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹ ط´ظژط±ظژط·ظ’طھظڈ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظگطŒ ظپظژط¹ظژظ…ظگظ„ظڈظˆط§ ط­ظژطھظ’ظ‰ ط¥ظگط°ظژط§ ظƒظژط§ظ†ظژ ط­ظگظٹظ†ظژ طµظژظ„ظ‘ظژظˆظڈط§ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژطµظ’ط±ظژ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظڈظˆط§: ظ…ظژط§ ط¹ظژظ…ظگظ„ظ’ظ†ظژط§ ط¨ظژط§ط·ظگظ„ظŒطŒ ظˆظژظ„ظژظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹ ط¬ظژط¹ظژظ„ظ’طھظژ ظ„ظژظ†ظژط§ ظپظگظٹظ‡ظگ. ظپظژظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ: ط£ظژظƒظ’ظ…ظگظ„ظڈظˆط§ ط¨ظژظ‚ظگظٹظ‘ظژط©ظژ ط¹ظژظ…ظژظ„ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’طŒ ظپظژط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظ…ظژط§ ط¨ظژظ‚ظگظٹظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژط§ط±ظگ ط´ظژظٹظ’ط،ظŒ ظٹظژط³ظگظٹط±ظŒطŒ ظپظژط£ظژط¨ظژظˆط§. ظپظژط§ط³ظ’طھظژط£ظ’ط¬ظژط±ظژ ظ‚ظژظˆظ’ظ…ظ‹ط§ ط£ظژظ†ظ’ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ…ظژظ„ظڈظˆط§ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ط¨ظژظ‚ظگظٹظ‘ظژط©ظژ ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ظپظژط¹ظژظ…ظگظ„ظڈظˆط§ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈ ط¨ظژظ‚ظگظٹظ‘ظژط©ظژ ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ط­ظژطھظ’ظ‰ ط؛ظژط§ط¨ظژطھظگ ط§ظ„ط´ظ‘ظژظ…ظ’ط³ظڈطŒ ظپظژط§ط³ظ’طھظژظƒظ’ظ…ظژظ„ظڈظˆط§ ط£ظڈط¬ظ’ط±ظژط©ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظپظژط±ظگظٹظ‚ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظگ ظƒظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگظ…ظژط§طŒ ظپظژط°ظ„ظگظƒظژ ظ…ظژط«ظژظ„ظڈظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظ…ظژط«ظژظ„ظڈ ظ…ظژط§ ظ‚ظژط¨ظگظ„ظڈظˆط§ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ظ‡ط°ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظڈظˆط±آ»

(The parable of the Muslims, Jews and Christians is that of a man who employed laborers to work for him from morning until night for a known wage. So, they worked until midday and said, `We are not in need of the wages that you promised and our work was in vain.' So, the man said, `Do not quit now, complete the rest of the work and yours will be the full wage I have fixed for it.' However, they refused and quit, and he had to hire another batch of workers. He said (to the second batch), `Complete the work for the rest of the day and I will give you the same wage I promised the first batch.' So, they worked until the time of the `Asr prayer and said, `Whatever we have done is in vain and we forfeit the wages you promised us.' He said to them, `Complete your day's work, for only a small part of the day remains.' However, they refused, and he employed another batch to work for the rest of the day, and they worked until sunset and received the wages of the two former batches. This is an example of them (i.e., the Jews and Christians) and of those who accepted this light (i.e., Islam).) Al-Bukhari was alone in recording it. Allah the Exalted said;

﴿ظ„ظ‘ظگط¦ظژظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظژظ…ظژ ط£ظژظ‡ظ’ظ„ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظƒظگطھظژظ€ط¨ظگ ط£ظژظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ظٹظژظ‚ظ’ط¯ظگط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ط´ظژظ‰ظ’ط،ظچ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ† ظپظژط¶ظ’ظ„ظگ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ﴾

(So that the People of the Scriptures may know that they have no power whatsoever over the grace of Allah,) meaning, so that they become sure that they cannot prevent what Allah gives, or give what Allah prevents,

﴿ظˆظژط£ظژظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظپظژط¶ظ’ظ„ظژ ط¨ظگظٹظژط¯ظگ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظٹظڈط¤ظ’طھظگظٹظ‡ظگ ظ…ظژظ† ظٹظژط´ظژط¢ط،ظڈ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط°ظڈظˆ ط§ظ„ظ’ظپظژط¶ظ’ظ„ظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¹ظژط¸ظگظٹظ…ظگ﴾

(and that (His) grace is (entirely) in His Hand to bestow it on whomsoever He wills. And Allah is the Owner of great bounty.) This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Hadid, all praise is due to Allah, and all favors come from Him.