The speech still relates to the Jews who were trying in al-Medina to conspire with the polytheists against the Prophet (saws), and they were exceeding the limits in their religion; they wanted a prophet from the people of the Children of Israel, and they did not want the prophet to come from the Arabs. One of the rich and senior Jews – who is Ka’b bin al-Ashraf although he knew that in the Torah there are all the descriptions of the Prophet (saws) and he knew as well that there is only one God, and that the Torah is a heavenly book, and that Mossa (Moses)  (PBUH) is one of the Prophets of Allah (swt), and that Issa (Jesus)  (PBUH) is one of the Prophets of Allah (swt), in spite of all that when Muhammad (saws) was calling for the worship of Allha (swt) only, the One Who revealed the Torah, the Gospel and the Psalms. Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf went to the polytheists of Mecca and said to them: You are more guided to the way than Muhammad. Thereof, the Jews are the ones who went astray.

(… وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا أَهْوَاءَ قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّوا مِن قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا …) (…and do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many …): They went astray before when they worshiped the calf, this is the first misguidance, so they misled many of those behind them who followed their path.

( وَضَلُّوا عَن سَوَاءِ السَّبِيلِ … ) (…and have strayed from the soundness of the way.”): They have strayed from the straight path that leads to the goal and the success of this world and the hereafter. Hence, the nation of the Children of Israel who stood in the face of Moses (PBUH) after they dared and asked to see Allah (swt) openly, although he (PBUH) split the sea with his staff, and manna and quails were sent to them, and after all The gifts and the signs that were revealed to them, they went astray, as a result misguidance was their profession everywhere.