199. " and surely of the people of the book are some who believe in allah and
in what has been sent down to you and in what has been sent
down to them, being humble towards allah. they do not sell the verses of
allah for a small price. these are they that have their reward with their lord;
verily allah is quick in reckoning."

commentary:
some commentators believe that this verse has been revealed about
some of the people of the book who embraced islam. they were included
of forty people from najran, thirty two persons from abyssinia, and eight
men from byzantine.
1

some other commentary books denote that the verse is revealed
about negus who died in the ninth year after immigration in the month
rajab. when the messenger of allah (p.b.u.h.) became aware of his
death, he told muslims that one of their brethren had died somewhere out
of arabia and they would prepare to pray his funeral prayer in
compensation of his services. they asked who he was, and the prophet
(p.b.u.h.) said it was negus. after that muslims, accompanying the
messenger of allah (p.b.u.h.), went into the baqi', a graveyard in medina,
and prayed his funeral prayer.


1 majma`-ul-bayan, vol. 2, p. 561, & tafsir-ul-kabir, by fakhr razi