Al Islam

427. The reference is either to the Quranic teaching or to the claim of the Jews and Christians about Abraham referred to in the preceding verse. (close)

355. Commentary:

The verse administers a rebuke to the Jews with whom disputation about religious questions had become a habit and a pastime. The rebuke purports to say: Is not your appetite for bickering and quarrelling about Biblical principles and tenets, with which you are at least conversant to some extent, satisfied that you have begun to meddle with matters about which you know nothing? The reference is either to the Quranic teaching or to their claim about Abraham referred to in the preceding verse. (close)

b. 2:141. (close)

c. 3:96; 4:126; 6:162; 16:121, 124. (close)

a. 2:141. (close)

b. 3:96; 4:126; 6:162; 16:121, 124. (close)

356. Important Words:

حنیفا (ever inclined to God). See 2:136.

Commentary:

If Abraham can be said to belong to any of the present faiths, it is Islam; for, (1) Islam is a name with a meaning bearing on the inner spirit of the faith-submission or obedience to the will of God; (2) Abraham himself used the word مسلم for himself and also for his son Ishmael, from whom the Holy Prophet of Islam is descended (2:129); and (3) he prayed that from among his progeny a مسلم (Muslim) people may come forth (2:129). But he was obviously not a Muslim in the sense that he followed in detail the religion brought by the Holy Prophet.

The clause, he was not of those who associate gods with God is a sort of rebuke to Jews and Christians who, in spite of calling themselves monotheists, virtually practised polytheism and still did not hesitate to claim Abraham as one of themselves. (close)

d. 16:124. (close)

c. 16:124. (close)

357. Important Words:

اولی (nearest). See 4:136.

Commentary:

Though in a technical sense Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian nor yet a Muslim for he lived long before these faiths came into existence, yet keeping in view the inner spirit of the faith he was certainly most nearly related to Islam and its Holy Founder. Jews and Christians had no right to claim him as their spiritual progenitor when all their beliefs and practices were at such variance with his teaching. (close)

e. 4:90. (close)

427A. The simplicity, straightforwardness and perfection of the religion of Islam very often create such strong feelings of appreciation in the hearts of the People of the Book that they feel irresistibly drawn towards it but, being inimical and jealous, their appreciation often takes the queer, though not unpsychological, course that they begin to wish that Muslims may become like themselves.

Taking the word Dalalah in the sense of ruin (40:35) the expression Yudillunakum (lead you astray) may also be rendered as "lead you to ruin" and the next clause, but they lead astray none except themselves, may in that case mean that by seeking to ruin the Muslims, they only ruin themselves, because the rise of one’s enemy signifies one’s own fall. (close)

a. 4:90. (close)

358. Commentary:

The simplicity, straightforwardness and perfection of the faith of Islam very often create such strong feelings of appreciation in the hearts of the People of the Book that they feel irresistibly drawn towards it but, being inimical and jealous, their appreciation often takes the queer though not unpsychological course that they begin to wish that Muslims may become like themselves.

Taking the word ضلالة in the sense of ruin (see 2:27), the expression یضلونکم (lead you astray) may also be rendered as "lead you to ruin" and the next clause, but they lead astray none except themselves, may in that case mean that by seeking to ruin the Muslims, they only ruin themselves, because the rise of one’s enemy signifies one’s own fall. (close)

a. 3:99. (close)

427B. Rejection of God’s Signs is a heinous crime for anyone, but it becomes still more heinous for him who is a direct witness thereof. (close)

b. 3:99. (close)

359. Commentary:

Rejection of God’s signs is a heinous crime for anyone, but it becomes still more heinous for him who is a direct witness thereof. (close)

b. 2:43. (close)

c. See 2:43. (close)

427C. By means of the Signs, mentioned in their Scriptures about the Holy Prophet, the People of the Book could easily know that Muhammad (peace and the blessings of God be on him) was indeed the Promised Prophet, yet because of enmity and jealousy they would not recognize him and would insist on mixing up truth with falsehood rather than accept the truth in its unalloyed purity. (close)

c. 2:43. (close)

d. See 2:43. (close)

360. Commentary:

By means of the signs mentioned in their scriptures about the Holy Prophet, the People of the Book could easily know that Muhammad was indeed the Promised Prophet, yet because of enmity and jealousy they would not recognize him and insisted on mixing up truth with falsehood rather than accept the truth in its unalloyed purity. (close)

428. The Jews were held in high esteem by the pagan Arabs for their religious learning. They took undue advantage of this and thought of a device to turn Muslims away from their Faith by outwardly embracing Islam in the early part of the day and giving it up in the latter part, seeking in this way to make the unlettered Arabs believe that something must have been seriously wrong with Islam, otherwise these learned men would not have so hurriedly given it up. But these foolish people made a completely wrong estimate of the invincible faith of the Companions of the Holy Prophet. (close)

361. Commentary:

This verse refers to one of the attempts of the Jews to lead Muslims astray. This attempt pertained to a clever ruse on their part to strike a blow at the growing power of Islam. The Jews were held in esteem by the pagan Arabs for their religious learning. They took undue advantage of this and thought of a device to turn Muslims away from their faith by outwardly embracing Islam in the early part of a day and recanting it in its latter part, seeking in this way to make the unlettered Arabs believe that something must have been seriously wrong with Islam, otherwise these learned men would not have so hurriedly given it up. Devices like these have been employed by the enemies of truth in all ages, but they have never succeeded. (close)

a. 2:121. (close)

b. 2:77. (close)

428A. If we are wrong in holding this view, then they should remove this misunderstanding by some Divine argument. (close)

428B. 'Grace' here may signify Prophethood. (close)

c. 57:30. (close)

428C. (1) The clause, And obey none but him who follows your religion, constitutes a continuation of the concluding clause of the preceding verse. Thereafter comes the parenthetical clause beginning with the words, Say, surely true guidance—the guidance of Allah—is that one may be given the like of that which has been given to you. Then comes again the speech of the Jews in the words, or they would argue with you before your Lord, the verse finally ending with the Divine commandment: Say, 'All bounty, etc.' This style is peculiar to the Qur’an and is intended to produce a good psychological effect.

(2) According to another interpretation, only the words which in this case would be translated as "Say, the true guidance is the guidance of Allah," would be considered as being parenthetical and the following words, i.e. that one be given the like of that which has been given to you, ...before your Lord, would be taken to form part of the speech of the Jews. (3) Yet according to a third interpretation the speech of the Jews is taken to end with the words, obey none but him who follows your religion, the succeeding clauses being considered to be all Divine speech. See also 'The Larger Edition of this Commentary.' (close)

a. 2:121. (close)

b. 2:77. (close)

c. 57:30. (close)

362. Commentary:

The construction of this verse, though seemingly rather complicated, is designed to make it capable of different interpretations. We will give here those most apparent:

(1) The clause, And obey none but him who follows your religion, is a continuation of the concluding clause of the preceding verse. Thereafter comes a parenthetical clause beginning with the words, Say, surely the true guidance, and ending with the words, the like of that which has been given to you. Then comes again the speech of the Jews in the words, Or they would dispute with you before your Lord, the verse finally ending with the Divine commandment, Say, All bounty, etc. The style is peculiar to the Quran and is intended to produce a good psychological effect.

The words, that one be given the like of that which has been given to you, which Muslims are bidden to say are in fitting contrast to the words of the Jews quoted in the beginning of the verse, i.e. obey none but him who follows your religion. Jews make God a national deity, debarring all others from His favours, whereas Muslims believe in Him as the Lord of all, basing His right to greatness on the bestowal of His favours in whatever form and to whatever people they may come. Moreover, they believe that the fold of Islam, which is Allah’s universal guidance, is open to all peoples. The words of the Jews, Or they would dispute with you before your Lord, mean that if the Jews follow any dispensation other than their own, they would thereby prove their own guilt in the sight of God, for in that case they would be tacitly admitting that the door of God’s favours is open to others as well, and thus they would make themselves liable to punishment for rejecting Islam. The words, All bounty is in the hand of Allah, mean that the bestowing of the gift of prophethood upon a people is in the hand of God alone and He confers it on those who are deserving of it.

(2) According to another interpretation, only the words قل ان الھدی ھدی الله which in this case would be translated as "Say, the true guidance is the guidance of Allah," would be considered as being parenthetical and the following words, i.e. that one be given the like of that which has been given to you, etc. would be taken to form part of the speech of the Jews. In this case the clause would signify that the Jews say to one another that the guidance that has come to the House of Israel, or the favours that have been bestowed on them, can never be vouchsafed to any other people. They are the exclusive privilege of Israel.

(3) Yet another interpretation is obtained, if the speech of the Jews is taken to end with the words, obey none but him who follows your religion, the succeeding clauses being considered to be all Divine speech put in the mouth of believers. In this case the words فتقبلوه would be considered to be understood before the clause او یحاجوکم عند ربکم and the entire expression would mean, "so they should accept it, or they should dispute with you before your Lord", signifying that, as true guidance is the guidance contained in the Quran, so either the Jews should accept it or they and Muslims should place their case before God for decision, i.e. they should have a مباھله (Mubahalah), i.e. a prayer contest with them and pray to God to help the righteous and destroy the wicked as already explained in 3:62. (close)

a. 2:106. (close)

a. 2:106. (close)

363. Commentary:

The word "bounty" here refers to the gift of revelation. The People of the Book are told that if God is pleased to grant prophethood to a people other than themselves, they can have no cause to grumble nor any ground for complaint. The word "exceeding" (lit. great) hints that since God is "Lord of exceeding bounty," it is in the fitness of things that His gifts and favours should descend on all peoples, at one time on this people and at another on that. The word also hints that God being "Lord of exceeding bounty", the time has now come for one universal dispensation for all mankind. (close)

429. In the time of the Holy Prophet the idea had gained ground among the Jews that it was no sin to rob a Gentile (non-Jew) Arab of his possession and property because the latter followed a false religion. Possibly, the idea had its origin in the Jewish law of usury, which makes an invidious distinction between a Jew and a non-Jew regarding the giving and taking of interest (Exod. 22:‌25; Lev. 25:‌36, 37; Deut. 23:‌20). (close)

364. Commentary:

The words, We are not liable to blame in the matter of the unlearned, refer to a notion prevalent among Jews in the time of the Holy Prophet that it was no sin to rob the gentile Arabs of their possessions, because the latter followed a false religion. The Jews believed that they were at liberty to do as they liked concerning Muslims and would not be called to account for it. Possibly, they deduced this queer doctrine from the Jewish law of usury, which makes an invidious distinction between a Jew and a non-Jew regarding the giving and taking of interest (Exod. 22:‌25; Lev. 25:‌36, 37; Deut. 23:‌20, 21).

Another meaning of this verse is obtained if we take the words "trust", "treasure", "dinar", etc., in a figurative sense. The Bible contains not only prophecies about the Holy Prophet of Islam, but also clear injunctions to the People of the Book to accept him when he made his appearance. This was in the nature of a "trust" with them. But when the Promised Prophet appeared, they refused to surrender that trust, except a few of them who accepted Islam. These it is that are spoken of as returning the treasure they are trusted with, whereas those who not only rejected the Holy Prophet but even refused to admit that their scriptures contained any prophecies about him are likened to such as would not even return a "dinar" entrusted to them unless you keep standing over them, i.e. unless you force them in argument to admit the truth. (close)