وَلَمَّا جَاءهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللّهِ وَرَاء ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَاتَّبَعُواْ مَا تَتْلُواْ الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَى مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَكِنَّ الشَّيْاطِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّى يَقُولاَ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلاَ تَكْفُرْ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ وَمَا هُم بِضَآرِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلاَ يَنفَعُهُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُواْ لَمَنِ اشْتَرَاهُ مَا لَهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاَقٍ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ (١٠١- ٢ ١٠)
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُواْ واتَّقَوْا لَمَثُوبَةٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّه خَيْرٌ لَّوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ (١٠٣)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَقُولُواْ رَاعِنَا وَقُولُواْ انظُرْنَا وَاسْمَعُوا ْوَلِلكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ مَّا يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَلاَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَاللّهُ يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِ مَن يَشَاء وَاللّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ (١٠٤-١٠٥)
مَا نَنسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللّهَ عَلَىَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللّهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلاَ نَصِيرٍ (١٠٦-١٠٧)
أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَسْأَلُواْ رَسُولَكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَى مِن قَبْلُ وَمَن يَتَبَدَّلِ الْكُفْرَ بِالإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاء السَّبِيلِ (١٠٨)
وَدَّ كَثِيرٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَوْ يَرُدُّونَكُم مِّن بَعْدِ إِيمَانِكُمْ كُفَّاراً حَسَدًا مِّنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الْحَقُّ فَاعْفُواْ وَاصْفَحُواْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتُواْ الزَّكَاةَ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُواْ لأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ (١٠٩-١١٠)
وَقَالُواْ لَن يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلاَّ مَن كَانَ هُوداً أَوْ نَصَارَى تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ قُلْ هَاتُواْ بُرْهَانَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ بَلَى مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَىَ شَيْءٍ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى لَيْسَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ كَذَلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ فَاللّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُواْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ (١١١-١١٣)
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن مَّنَعَ مَسَاجِدَ اللّهِ أَن يُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ وَسَعَى فِي خَرَابِهَا أُوْلَئِكَ مَا كَانَ لَهُمْ أَن يَدْخُلُوهَا إِلاَّ خَآئِفِينَ لهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا خِزْيٌ وَلَهُمْ فِي الآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ وَلِلّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّواْ فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ (١١٤-١١٥)
وَقَالُواْ اتَّخَذَ اللّهُ وَلَدًا سُبْحَانَهُ بَل لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ كُلٌّ لَّهُ قَانِتُونَ بَدِيعُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَإِذَا قَضَى أَمْراً فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ (١١٦-١١٧)
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ لَوْلاَ يُكَلِّمُنَا اللّهُ أَوْ تَأْتِينَا آيَةٌ كَذَلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ تَشَابَهَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا الآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلاَ تُسْأَلُ عَنْ أَصْحَابِ الْجَحِيمِ (١١٨-١١٩)
وَلَن تَرْضَى عَنكَ الْيَهُودُ وَلاَ النَّصَارَى حَتَّى تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَى وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءهُم بَعْدَ الَّذِي جَاءكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ اللّهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلاَ نَصِيرٍ (١٢٠)
الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَتْلُونَهُ حَقَّ تِلاَوَتِهِ أُوْلَئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَمن يَكْفُرْ بِهِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ (١٢١)
And [this also happened now; so] when a Prophet1 came to them from God in confirmation of the predictions which were with them, some of those to whom the Book was given cast off the Book of God over their backs [in such a manner] as if they did not even know about it2 and [in order to harm the Prophet] went after3 what the devils would recite and chant4 in the age of Solomon’s kingdom. [They attribute such chants and recitals to Solomon] – whereas Solomon never was guilty of disbelief; it is the devils who were guilty of disbelief – they would teach people witchcraft5. And6 [they went after] that which was revealed to the angels Hārūt and Mārūt in Babylon7. Yet they would never instruct anyone without saying to him beforehand8: ‘We are a test for you9; do not enter into disbelief10.’ Yet they would still learn from them the charm by which they could create discord between husband and wife11. And the fact of the matter is that they can harm none with what they learnt except by God’s permission12. [They knew that full well] and [still] they would learn that which would not profit them but what would harm them13; yet they knew that anyone who buys such things has no share in the life to come14. Vile is that for which they have sold their souls, if they but knew it! (101-2)
Had they embraced faith and adopted righteousness, far better for them would God’s reward have been, if they but knew it15. )103(
[To protect yourself from their mischief16] Believers [when you sit in the company of the Prophet (sws)], do not say Rā‘inā17, but say Unzurnā18 [and whatever is said to you] pay due attention to it19 and [remember that] a woeful punishment awaits these disbelievers20. The disbelievers among the People of the Book and the Idolaters do not want that any blessings be sent down to you from your Lord.21 [These fools do not know that] God chooses whom He wants for His mercy and [do not know that] God is abounding in grace. (104-5)
[They object: ‘Why do We alter the Sharī‘ah mentioned in the Torah’. Tell them:] Whatever verse [of this book] We abrogate22 or cause to be forgotten23, We replace it [in the Qur’ān] by a better one or one similar24. Do you [O People] not know that God has power over all things? [Consequently, after giving the Israelites the Sharī‘ah he has not given up His right to alter it]. Do you not know that it is God who has sovereignty over the heavens and the earth, [so He will give the Sharī‘ah to whomever He pleases] and [if you do not accept His decision then] there is no one [in this world] besides God who is your friend and neither is there anyone to help you. (106-7)
[O believers, while following them] do you want to ask those things from your Prophet which were once asked from Moses?25 [You should know that this is not the way of the believers] and [you should also know that] he who exchanges faith with disbelief has strayed from the straight path.26 (108)
Many among the People of the Book because of envy wish to lead you back to disbelief now that you have embraced faith even though the truth has been made fully manifest to them. So forgive [them]27 and ignore [them] until God takes His decision.28 Indeed, God has power over all things. And [to combat their mischief] attend to the prayer and pay Zakāh29 and [remember] whatever virtue you send forward, you will find it with Allah. Indeed, God is watching all that you do. (109-110)
They declare: ‘None shall enter Paradise but Jews and Christians’.30 Such are their wishful fancies. Tell them: ‘If you are truthful give us your proof [for this]’. [What they say is baseless]. Indeed, those who surrender themselves to God31 and do deeds in a befitting manner shall be rewarded by their Lord32: they shall have nothing [there] to fear nor shall they be grieved.33 [In spite of being united against you, their own situation is that]34 the Jews say that the Christians have no basis, and the Christian say that it is the Jews who have no basis even though both read the Book of God. Similarly35, those who have no knowledge of the Book of God36 have said something alike. Consequently, now God will settle their disputes on the Day of Judgement.37 (111-113)
[Because of their disputes they are guilty of deserting their places of worship].38 And who is more unjust than the person who
seeks to forbid [people that] His name be mentioned in them and who seeks to ruin them. It was only proper for them to enter [these places of worship] while fearing Allah.39 [However, they became arrogant; so now] they shall face humiliation in this world and in the world to come a grievous punishment awaits them. [This happened because some of them regarded the east to be their Qiblah and some the west]40 and [the truth is that] to God belongs the east and the west. So, whichever way you turn there is the countenance of God. He is vast and all-knowing.41 (114-115)
[Not only this, so lowly are these claimants to salvation that] they say: ‘God has children’. Far is He from what they attribute to Him! Indeed, His is what the heavens and the earth contain; all are obedient to Him. He is the originator of the heavens and the earth! When He decrees a thing, He need only say ‘Be’ and it is.42 (116-117)
[And a similar thing was said by those who have no knowledge [of the Book of God]43 that: ‘Why does God not speak to us directly44 or give us a clear sign?’45 The same demand was made by those before them: their hearts are all alike.46 But to those who want to believe We have already made clear Our Signs47 [so it is not your responsibility to show them these signs and miracles which they desire]. We have sent forth you [O Prophet] with the truth to give glad tidings and to give warning and you shall never be questioned about these companions of Hell.48 (118-119)
These Jews and Christians shall never be pleased with you [O Prophet] unless you follow their faith. [So] say: ‘God’s guidance is the real guidance’ and [you should know that] if after all the knowledge you have been given you yield to their desires49, you will not have any friend against God and no one to help you.50 (120)
[You should rest assured that] those to whom We have given the Book, and who really fulfil the obligations of what reading it imposes on them, it is they who will accept [this guidance]51 and those that deny it will surely be among the losers.52 (121)
(Translated from Al-Bayān by Shehzad Saleem)
1. The ‘Prophet’ here refers to Muhammad (sws).
2. The implied meaning is that they showed such indifference to the predictions mentioned in their own Book as if they were never aware of them.
3. Instead of acknowledging Muhammad (sws) and following him they went about causing harm to him and for this they started following their enchanters and wizards who would teach spiritual disciplines and witchcraft. In Sūrah Falaq, the Prophet (sws) is directed to keep seeking refuge in the Almighty from these very miscreants among the Jews in the words: ‘مِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَد’ (from the evil of those who blow into knots).
4. The actual Qur’ānic words used are: ‘عَلَى مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ’. As per the linguistic principles of the Arabic language, an elision of an ‘annexed noun’ (mudāf) has occurred before ‘عَلَى’. Thus the implied meaning is: ‘مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَهْدِ عَلَى’. It is evident from this that in the time of the Prophet Solomon (sws) satanic disciplines like witchcraft and sorcery were rampant among people because of their interaction with the jinn-folk. The devils among men who evinced keen interest in these disciplines even had them compiled in a formal way. Because of their existence in the time of the Prophet Solomon (sws), the Jews in the later periods started to attribute this nonsense to the Prophet Solomon (sws) himself. Consequently, even today people who are involved in these disciplines generally ascribe them to him.
5. In reality, the words ‘وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ’ up to ‘يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ’ are a parenthetical sentence. It is placed here within the discourse to absolve the Prophet Solomon (sws) of the blames which were cast on him by the Jews as if such is the distaste felt by addresser on these remarks that before waiting for the discourse to finish, it is refuted. Also, a little deliberation shows that the manner in which this refutation is done points to the fact that witchcraft and sorcery is an obvious matter of disbelief.
6. As stated above, the previous sentence is a parenthetical one. Consequently, this sentence is necessarily co-ordinated to the portion ‘وَاتَّبَعُواْ مَا تَتْلُواْ الشَّيَاطِينُ’. It is evident from this co-ordination, from the words ‘وَمَا أُنزِلَ’ used for this discipline and the fact that it was revealed to the angels and who too called it a trial that this discipline was something entirely different from witchcraft which the Qur’ān has called disbelief. Thus the view of the people is incorrect who say that witchcraft was revealed to the angels and for this they also narrate a baseless incident. The question, however, arises that what exactly was then revealed to the two angels. Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī expresses his view on this issue in the following words:
In my opinion, this discipline refers to the spiritual effects and impact of words and things which was in vogue among the sufis and yogis of the Jews and which they used as charms and spells to achieve various ends. For example, they used it to cure various diseases and as a remedy for the bad effects of the evil eye and witchcraft. Similarly, they used it to combat the various tricks of magicians and conjurers and to create love or hatred between people.
This discipline was entirely different from the discipline of magic and palmistry etc because it neither had any trace of polytheism in it nor were devils and the jinn-folk a part of it. However, as regards its effects, it was as potent as magic and witchcraft. It is possible that the Israelites were given this discipline in their time of slavery in Babylon to counter the magic and sorcery that was rampant in it and to protect the simpletons and the commoners among them from the influence of these magician and wizards. The reason for forming this opinion is that firstly it is evident from the Torah that witchcraft and sorcery were rampant in those times. Secondly, this seems precisely in line with the divine practice of sending help in the form of a legitimate and rightful discipline to combat an evil discipline that was being used in such a potent manner by some miscreants. (Islāhī, Amīn Ahsan, Tadabbur-i-Qur’ān, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), p. 285)
He goes on to write:
In my opinion, it is the remnants of this very discipline which one section of our mediums and mystics have adopted and they have even given certain benefits to people through it and some incidents also bear witness that in some circumstances they were instrumental in proving the supremacy of Islam and Muslims against the yogis and astrologers. However, just as after moral decadence set in the Jews, this discipline became a part of sorcery and a means to earn money, similarly among the Muslims too it became a means to blackmail the common man and many evil elements crept into it because of which people got influenced by it in the very way the Qur’ān has referred to here. (Islāhī, Amīn Ahsan, Tadabbur-i-Qur’ān, 2nd ed., vol. 1, (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), p. 286)
7. Like the sentence beginning with ‘وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ’, the sentence beginning with ‘وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ’ and ending on ‘فَلاَ تَكْفُرْ’ is also a parenthetical sentence which occurs here to exonerate the two angels Hārūt and Mārūt from any blame. The implication is that the angels never taught this discipline without warning the people that they should not misuse it and thereby enter into disbelief.
8. Although this discipline could have been taught in the manner that these angels would assume the form of human beings and then teach, it is more probable that people through certain exercises and workouts would come in spiritual contact with the angels and then learn from them this discipline.
9. The actual Qur’ānic word used is ‘فِتْنَةٌ’. It means ‘trial’ and ‘test’. In the Qur’ān, this generally implies those things which originally are beneficial to man but because of their misuse man often ends up in a state of trial. Ascribing this discipline to the two angels is evidence enough that this discipline was by its nature not something evil.
10. In the actual Qur’ānic words ‘فَلاَ تَكْفُر’ the negative imperative is as per the consequences. The implication being that the discipline they teach is a two edged sword; it is more probable that people will use it for evil purposes and as a result get themselves involved in disbelief and polytheism.
11. One can judge from this how deep the Jews were in moral degeneration, corruption and decadence. The Qur’ān tells us that in spite of being sounded a warning from the angels they showed keen interest in charms which created dents in the relationship of love between husband and wife whereas it is this very relationship on which depends the stability of the society.
12. This sentence too is an emendation and it is evident from it that it is the requirement of faith in monotheism that firstly a believer is required to stay away from such things; secondly, if he does come across them, he should not consider them to be absolute in their influence without the permission of the Almighty; thirdly, if any harm from them is feared, one should only turn to God and one should not turn to charms and spells and people who are well versed with them. The reason is that whether disciplines are good or evil, they can only prove good and evil if the Almighty allows them to be so.
13. So base was their mentality that a discipline which could be both harmful and beneficial for people, was used by them to harm people.
14. The Jews were well aware of this fact because the Torah had stopped them unequivocally from getting involved in such mischief:
When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. (Deuteronomy 18:9-12)
15. Instead of following the sorcerers to harm the Prophet (sws), had they professed faith in him and adopted righteousness they would not have been even able to imagine the reward they would have reaped from the Almighty.
16. Muslims are being warned of the objections raised by the Jews and the mischief they were guilty of as a reaction to the truth which the Qur’ān had made manifest to them in a manner that they were left with no excuse to deny it. Being cornered to the utmost, they were panting with rage and to give vent to their emotions they would show disrespect to the Prophet (sws) and try to humiliate him in the eyes of the Muslims.
17. The word ‘رَاعِنَا’ is an imperative from the verbal noun ‘مُرَاعَاة’. Literally, it means ‘please take us into account’. If the words of a speaker are not heard or not understood properly, these words are said to elicit his attention. In the English language, on such occasions we say: ‘I beg your pardon’. At another place, the Qur’ān has clarified that the Jews would pronounce this word by twisting their tongue in such a manner that it would totally change in meaning. This they did to ridicule the religion of Allah and His Prophet (sws) and to mock and deride them. For this very reason, the Qur’ān stopped the Muslims from using this word from the social etiquette they followed and instructed them to use another word ‘انظُرْنَا’ in its place. This word was customary for a similar connotation and it was also not possible to distort its pronunciation.
18. Literally, it means ‘to give respite’ and ‘to wait’.
19. The Qur’ānic word used is ‘اسْمَعُوا’. Here, in this verse, it is used in its complete form implying: ‘listen carefully and understand what is being said so that you do not need to continually call the Prophet’s attention’.
20. It is this punishment which awaits the Jews who are bent upon deliberately denying the Prophet (sws). They would come to the Prophet’s gatherings neither to listen to him nor to understand his message; on the contrary, they would only come to give vent to their emotions by trying to find an opportunity to insult the Prophet (sws).
21. The implication is that it is not just the case of the use of a word; the fact of the matter is that the Jews and the Idolaters are burning with hatred on the fact that the Qur’ān has been revealed to the Prophet (sws).
22. Abrogation is replacement of a directive of the Sharī‘ah by another one.
23. The actual Qur’ānic word used is ‘اِنْسَاء’ which means ‘to cause to forget’. The reference is to those directives of the Torah to which the Jews showed indifference and which, as retribution, were obliterated from their minds.
24. The actual Qur’ānic words used are ‘نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِّنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا’. The particle ‘أَوْ’ is for division. The implication is that the principles of the Torah which were abrogated because of evolution of society and change of circumstances were replaced by better ones and the ones that were caused to be forgotten were replaced by similar ones. None of these two sorts of replacement can be objected to. The first of them was a natural requisite of the change in circumstances and the other was necessary to compensate for the loss caused by the Jews to the corpus of religion.
25. The Qur’ānic word used is ‘سُؤَال’. It has several meanings in the Arabic language. Here it is evident from the way it is used in the given context that it means questions which are actually objections.
26. Just as in the previous verse the Jews were warned, here people among the Muslims who were behaving as their representatives are warned. Since it was the Jewish mind that was found in the background of these questions, hence the Qur’ān by very subtly alluding to the fact that such questions were asked from Moses (sws) as well has warned these elements among the Muslims that He is well aware of these evil promptings and conspiracies.
27. The Qur’ānic word used is ‘عفو’. Just as it means ‘to forgive’, it also means ‘to ignore’ and ‘pay no heed’. It is used in this latter shade in 5:15.
28. This decision manifested in the form of killing, exiling and imposing Jizyah on the Jews once they had deliberately rejected the truth after they were convinced about it.
29. According to the Qur’ān, the foundation of religion and the basis of reformation and instruction are the institutions of the prayer and the Zakāh. Consequently, on such occasions, it urges Muslims to adhere to them in order to fight the mischief of the enemies of Islam.
30. The implication is that the Jews and the Christians have become united on one platform against Islam and just as both of them have implanted the objection of abrogation in the minds of the Muslims to create doubts in their minds, they have also started doing the propaganda that one must either choose Judaism or Christianity if one is to achieve salvation in the Hereafter. They further contend that since the Qur’ān also acknowledges the divine origin of their religions then why is a new religion required in their presence and also that this new religion is nothing but mischief originated in their society by its advocates.
31. The reference is to those who followed all the directives of the Sharī‘ah.
32. The Qur’ānic word used is ‘اِحْسَان’. It means to fulfil a task in a befitting manner. If a religious deed is carried out in a manner that a balance is kept between its form and spirit and all its constituents are fully and perfectly given due regard then such an attitude is called ‘اِحْسَان’. The word ‘مُحْسِنْ’ is made from this very word. The Prophet (sws) while explaining it has said that when a person worships the Almighty in a manner as if he is seeing Him, then this is called ‘اِحْسَان’.
33. The implication is that contrary to these Jews and Christians, it is these people who will be regarded worthy of Paradise.
34. The People of the Book are very graciously calling one another the inmates of Paradise in enmity with the Prophet (sws); however, aside from this, their own enmity between each other is so profound that they do not even accept that the other has any basis.
35. The similarity referred to here means similarity in intention and motives which the Jews had in saying such a thing.
36. This refers to the Idolaters of Arabia. Since they were unaware of any Prophet or Divine book for centuries, they are called thus.
37. A little deliberation shows that here just as there is a warning for the addressees of the verse, there exists assurance for the Prophet (sws) as well that he is only responsible to communicate the truth in this dispute. Nothing more is required beyond this from him.
38. This is a reference to the tussle that took place between the Jews and the Christians in the Baytu’l-Maqdis to stop one another from remembering God and worshipping Him. Even outside the Baytu’l-Maqdis they continued with this brawl wherever they got the opportunity.
39. It was not befitting at all for them to ruin the place of worshipping God after receiving guidance from the Prophets of Allah. The right attitude for them was to enter such places with fear and apprehension.
40. The Baytu’l-Maqdis was the Qiblah of both the Jews and the Christians. It seems that the Christians had made its eastern side their Qiblah owing to the fact that Maryam had sat there for I‘tikāf and the Jews in their opposition adopted its western side as the Qiblah. Subsequently, as a result of this difference, a grave fight took place between the two and each of them violated the sanctity of the other’s place of worship ruthlessly.
41. The implication is that no specific direction is reserved for Allah. Hence, after regarding the Baytu’l-Maqdis as their Qiblah, in whatever direction they turned, they would have faced the Almighty. His power and profundity of knowledge embraces all directions.
42. The implication is that how foolish is it to ascribe sons and daughters to a being who needs no one, who is beyond everyone and is all powerful.
43. A reference to the Idolaters of Arabia, who for centuries were not aware of any divine book or revelation.
44. The implication being that since they are the leaders of the Quraysh, why does not the Almighty directly address them. At some other instances, the Qur’ān has answered this objection but not here. The reason is to allude to the fact that this demand is so foolish that silence is its only answer. The extent to which keeping silence could hit their vanity and conceit could not have been matched by answering their objection.
45. By signs they meant something so pronounced that after witnessing it the person who showed it could be regarded as a messenger of God by everyone. For example, an angel should descend with the Prophet and proclaim his prophethood all over the land or at least some trailer of punishment be shown to them at his initiation – the punishment which they were being warned with by him.
46. The sign that these people are demanding was similarly demanded before them by the nations of other Prophets prior to them. Those people also were guilty of stubbornness in demanding a sign once the truth had been irrefutably made clear to them and these Jews too were following suit. Consequently, just as the hearts of those people had become locked, similar was the case with the hearts of the Jews.
47. The implication is that for those who want to believe in the Prophethood of Muhammad (sws) now do not need a miracle or a sign for its verification because all its proofs drawn from the world around man or that within him as well as from history have been very clearly delineated in the Qur’ān.
48. The companions of Hell are individuals that have become liable to this fate because of their utter defiance and obduracy.
49. The behaviour adopted by the Jews and Christians has been termed as following their desires because a person who insists on following his own way after divine guidance has come to him is like a person who is following his own desires.
50. Here though the Prophet (sws) is addressed, the warning and wrath found in the address is directed towards the Jews and the Christians.
51. The expression ‘يَتْلُونَهُ حَقَّ تِلاَوَتِه’ is an accusative of state from the accusative pronoun in ‘آتَيْنَاهُمُ’ and the words ‘أُوْلَئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ’ is the enunciative (خَبَر) of the inchoative (مُبْتَدَا) ‘الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَتْلُونَهُ حَقَّ تِلاَوَتِهِ’. A subtle aspect worth noting in this sentence is that since the righteous among the People are mentioned, the expression used is ‘آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ’ and not ‘اُوْتُوْ الْكِتَاب’. People who are aware of the diction of the Qur’ān cannot ignore this difference.
52. It is now clarified at the end of this section that those who used to value the truth will now also be divinely blessed with the urge to accept it. In other words, only they will receive guidance from the Qur’ān who fulfilled the obligation of truly reciting the Torah. This is an established practice of the Almighty viz a viz providing guidance to man, and the Almighty never swerves from His established practices.