﴿ مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا۟ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ ٱلْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًۢا ۚ بِئْسَ مَثَلُ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ﴾

“THE PARABLE of those who were graced with the burden of the Torah, and thereafter failed to bear this burden, is that of an ass that carries a load of books [but cannot benefit from them]. Calamitous is the parable of people who are bent on giving the lie to God's messages - for God does not bestow His guidance upon such evildoing folk!”

The likeness of those who were entrusted with the Torah those who were charged with implementing it then failed to uphold it then failed to act in accordance with it in what pertains to the descriptions of the Prophet s and so did not believe in him is as the likeness of an ass carrying books in that it does not benefit from them. Evil is the likeness of the people who deny God’s signs those confirming the truth of the Prophet s — the object of rebuke is omitted but is implied to be hādhā’l-mathalu ‘this likeness’. And God does not guide the evildoing folk the disbelievers.