The People of the Book are not equal in His ruling, the Exalted

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta

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Fatwa number ( 1412 ):

The questioner: Allah the Exalted said: And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him
وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ
[Ali 'Imran 3:85]
, and He the Exalted said: Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam
إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الإِسْلامُ
[Ali 'Imran 3:19]
, and He the Exalted said: They are not [all] the same; among the People of the Scripture is a community standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night
لَيْسُوا سَوَاءً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَائِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ
[Ali 'Imran 3:113]
, and He, Exalted and Majestic is He, said: You will surely find
لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ
[Al-Ma'idah 5:82]
. Based on my work experience and interaction with Christians, some of whom are my colleagues, discussions sometimes arise as to whether the religion of Islam acknowledges the Christians or not, and what is the position of Islam toward the Christians. They cite some verses from the Noble Qur'an, some of which I have just mentioned, and others in many places; I have cited these noble verses by way of example, not as an exhaustive list. On this basis, I hope that our distinguished scholars will provide me with a sufficient answer, and I hope that the answer will be simple, convincing, and equipped
by evidence and proofs in a calm and purposeful style. Is there anything among these verses that has been abrogated? Because the Christians argue against us that some of them contradict others. What prompted me to write this is my strong concern for Islam and its people?
A: The foundations of the Shari'ahs brought by the Prophets and Messengers are one; Allah revealed them to them and sent down their books with them. In them, the earlier ones enjoin faith in the later ones, and their support and backing, and the later ones enjoin belief in those who came before them. Everything they brought from Allah is called the religion of Islam. Allah the Exalted said:

⁽⁸¹⁾ And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him." [Allah] said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?" They said, "We have acknowledged it." He said, "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses." ⁽⁸²⁾ And whoever turned away after that - they were the defiantly disobedient. ⁽⁸³⁾ So is it other than the religion of Allah they desire, while to Him have submitted [all] those within the heavens and earth, willingly or by compulsion, and to Him they will be returned? ⁽⁸⁴⁾ Say, "We have believed in Allah and in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [submitting] to Him." ⁽⁸⁵⁾ And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَمَا آتَيْتُكُمْ مِنْ كِتَابٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ قَالَ أَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكُمْ إِصْرِي قَالُوا أَقْرَرْنَا قَالَ فَاشْهَدُوا وَأَنَا مَعَكُمْ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ (81) فَمَنْ تَوَلَّى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ (82) أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ (83) قُلْ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْـزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنْـزِلَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأَسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَالنَّبِيُّونَ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ (84) وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

[Ali 'Imran 3:81-85]

, and He said:

The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers."

آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْـزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ

[Al-Baqarah 2:285]

the verse, and He said:

And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous.

وَقَفَّيْنَا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ بِعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الإِنْجِيلَ فِيهِ هُدًى وَنُورٌ وَمُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةً لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

[Al-Ma'idah 5:46]

, until He said:

And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it

وَأَنْـزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَمُهَيْمِنًا عَلَيْهِ

[Al-Ma'idah 5:48]

the verses, and He said:

⁽¹⁵⁾ O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book. ⁽¹⁶⁾ By which Allah guides those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace and brings them out from darknesses into the light, by His permission, and guides them to a straight path.

يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِمَّا كُنْتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِيرٍ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُبِينٌ (15) يَهْدِي بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلامِ وَيُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ

[Al-Ma'idah 5:15-16]

, and He said:

O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger to make clear to you [the religion] after a period [of suspension] of messengers, lest you say, "There came not to us any bringer of good tidings or a warner." But there has come to you a bringer of good tidings and a warner. And Allah is over all things competent.

يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ عَلَى فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ أَنْ تَقُولُوا مَا جَاءَنَا مِنْ بَشِيرٍ وَلاَ نَذِيرٍ فَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بَشِيرٌ وَنَذِيرٌ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

[Al-Ma'idah 5:19]

, and He said:

And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad." But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious magic."

وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشِّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ

[As-Saf 61:6]

, and He said:

And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me."

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ

[Al-Anbya 21:25]

, and other verses indicating, in general and specific terms, the unity of the foundations of legislation brought by the Prophets: the oneness of Allah in worship, belief in Him, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree and destiny, as well as the foundations of prayer, zakah, and fasting. As He said, the Exalted, mentioning the supplication of His intimate friend Ibrahim:

Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer

رَبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنْتُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِنْدَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلاَةَ

[Ibrahim 14:37]

, until He said, in narrating the supplication of His intimate friend to Him:

My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي

[Ibrahim 14:40]

, and His saying, the Exalted:

⁽⁵⁴⁾ And mention in the Book, Ishmael. Indeed, he was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet. ⁽⁵⁵⁾ And he used to enjoin on his people prayer and zakah and was to his Lord pleasing.

وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صَادِقَ الْوَعْدِ وَكَانَ رَسُولاً نَبِيًّا (54) وَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ أَهْلَهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَكَانَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ مَرْضِيًّا

[Maryam 19:54-55]

, and His saying, the Exalted:

And We inspired to Moses and his brother, "Settle your people in Egypt in houses and make your houses [facing the] qiblah and establish prayer

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى وَأَخِيهِ أَنْ تَبَوَّآ لِقَوْمِكُمَا بِمِصْرَ بُيُوتًا وَاجْعَلُوا بُيُوتَكُمْ قِبْلَةً وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلاَةَ

[Yunus 10:87]

, and His saying regarding Zakariyya:

So the angels called him while he was standing in prayer in the chamber, "Indeed, Allah gives you good tidings of John

فَنَادَتْهُ الْمَلائِكَةُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي فِي الْمِحْرَابِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحْيَى

[Ali 'Imran 3:39]

the verse, and His saying regarding 'Isa:

⁽³⁰⁾ [Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. ⁽³¹⁾ And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive

قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا (30) وَجَعَلَنِي مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُ وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا

[Maryam 19:30-31]

and His saying, the Exalted:

O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous -

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

[Al-Baqarah 2:183]

the verses. However, they differed in their forms and the details of their branches, as He said, the Exalted:

To each of you We prescribed a law and a method

لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنْكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا

[Al-Ma'idah 5:48]

. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

The prophets are stepbrothers; their religion is one, and their mothers are different.

الأنبياء أولاد علات، دينهم واحد وأمهاتهم شتى

. Accordingly, whoever believes in the foundations of the Shari'ahs as brought by the Prophets and Messengers, Allah is pleased with them and has written for them happiness and success. They are those whom Allah praised in His Book and our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) praised in his Sunnah. And whoever believes in some of the foundations they brought from Allah and disbelieves in some, those are the disbelievers truly in all of them, due to their unity and the fact that some of them corroborates the rest.

and prepared for them Hell, and evil it is as a destination.

وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا

[Al-Fath 48:6]

. These are those whom Allah condemned in His Book and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) condemned in his Sunnah. Allah the Exalted said:

⁽¹⁵⁰⁾ Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and wish to discriminate between Allah and His messengers and say, "We believe in some and disbelieve in others," and wish to adopt a way in between - ⁽¹⁵¹⁾ Those are the disbelievers, truly. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment. ⁽¹⁵²⁾ But they who believe in Allah and His messengers and do not discriminate between any of them - to those He is going to give their rewards. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلا (150) أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ حَقًّا وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُهِينًا (151) وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ أُولَئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا

[An-Nisa 4:150-152]

For this reason, Allah, the Sublime, informed that the People of the Book, namely the Jews and the Christians , are not equal in His ruling. Rather, He praised a group from these and a group from those, and He condemned another group from both parties. He praised those among the Jews and Christians who obeyed His command, as He said, the Exalted:

Say, [O believers], "We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."

قُولُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْـزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنْـزِلَ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأَسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ

[Al-Baqarah 2:136]

. And from those about whom Allah said:

And indeed, among the People of the Scripture are those who believe in Allah and what was revealed to you and what was revealed to them, [being] humbly submissive to Allah. They do not exchange the verses of Allah for a small price. Those will have their reward with their Lord. Indeed, Allah is swift in account.

وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَمَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْـزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَمَا أُنْـزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ خَاشِعِينَ لِلَّهِ لاَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلا أُولَئِكَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ

[Ali 'Imran 3:199]

. And among them are some Christians, who are those about whom Allah said:

That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant. ⁽⁸³⁾ And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth. They say, "Our Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses. ⁽⁸⁴⁾ And why should we not believe in Allah and what has come to us of the truth? And we aspire that our Lord will admit us [to Paradise] with the righteous people." ⁽⁸⁵⁾ So Allah rewarded them for what they said with gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of doers of good.

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ (82) وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا مَا أُنْـزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَى أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنَ الْحَقِّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ (83) وَمَا لَنَا لاَ نُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَمَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَنَطْمَعُ أَنْ يُدْخِلَنَا رَبُّنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الصَّالِحِينَ (84) فَأَثَابَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِمَا قَالُوا جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

[Al-Ma'idah 5:82-85]

. And among them are a group of the People of the Book, from the Jews and the Christians, whom Allah praised, as He said:

⁽¹¹³⁾ They are not [all] the same; among the People of the Scripture is a community standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night and prostrating [in prayer]. ⁽¹¹⁴⁾ They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and hasten to good deeds. And those are among the righteous. ⁽¹¹⁵⁾ And whatever good they do - never will it be removed from them. And Allah is Knowing of the righteous.

مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَائِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ (113) يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَأُولَئِكَ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ (114) وَمَا يَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلَنْ يُكْفَرُوهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالْمُتَّقِينَ

[Ali 'Imran 3:113-115]

. And He condemned from both parties, the Jews and the Christians , those who practiced hypocrisy, or believed in some of the messengers and disbelieved in some, concealed the truth after it had become clear, distorted the words from their contexts, and fabricated lies against Allah in the foundations or branches of the Shari'ahs, and broke the covenant and pledge taken from them. He said, the Exalted:

⁽⁷⁵⁾ Do you covet [the hope, O believers], that they would believe for you while a party of them used to hear the words of Allah and then distort the Torah after they had understood it while they were knowing? ⁽⁷⁶⁾ And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We have believed"; but when they are alone with one another, they say, "Do you talk to them about what Allah has revealed to you so they can argue with you about it before your Lord?" Then will you not reason? ⁽⁷⁷⁾ But do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they declare? ⁽⁷⁸⁾ And among them are unlettered ones who do not know the Scripture except in wishful thinking, but they are only assuming. ⁽⁷⁹⁾ So woe to those who write the "scripture" with their own hands, then say, "This is from Allah," in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.

أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ (75) وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلا بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ قَالُوا أَتُحَدِّثُونَهُمْ بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُحَاجُّوكُمْ بِهِ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ أَفَلا تَعْقِلُونَ (76) أَوَلا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ (77) وَمِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ الْكِتَابَ إِلا أَمَانِيَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلا يَظُنُّونَ (78) فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتَابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَذَا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلا فَوَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ

[Al-Baqarah 2:75-79]

, and He said, the Exalted:

And [mention, O Muhammad], when Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying], "You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it." But they threw it away behind their backs and exchanged it for a small price. And wretched is that which they purchased.

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلاَ تَكْتُمُونَهُ فَنَبَذُوهُ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ وَاشْتَرَوْا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلا فَبِئْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُونَ

[Ali 'Imran 3:187]

, and He said, the Exalted:

⁽¹²⁾ And Allah had already taken a covenant from the Children of Israel, and We delegated from among them twelve leaders. And Allah said, "I am with you. If you establish prayer and give zakah and believe in My messengers and support them and loan Allah a goodly loan, I will surely remove from you your misdeeds and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow. But whoever of you disbelieves after that has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way." ⁽¹³⁾ So for their breaking of the covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They distort words from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will still observe deceit among them, except a few of them. But pardon them and overlook [their misdeeds]. Indeed, Allah loves the doers of good. ⁽¹⁴⁾ And from those who say, "We are Christians" We took their covenant; but they forgot a portion of that of which they were reminded. So We caused among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. And Allah is going to inform them about what they used to do.

وَلَقَدْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا وَقَالَ اللَّهُ إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ لَئِنْ أَقَمْتُمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَيْتُمُ الزَّكَاةَ وَآمَنْتُمْ بِرُسُلِي وَعَزَّرْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَقْرَضْتُمُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا لأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَلأُدْخِلَنَّكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ فَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مِنْكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ (12) فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِمْ مِيثَاقَهُمْ لَعَنَّاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ وَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ وَلاَ تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى خَائِنَةٍ مِنْهُمْ إِلا قَلِيلا مِنْهُمْ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاصْفَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ (13) وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّا نَصَارَى أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَهُمْ فَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَأَغْرَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَسَوْفَ يُنَبِّئُهُمُ اللَّهُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ

[Al-Ma'idah 5:12-14]

. And He also condemned those among them who said: "Allah has taken a son," and who took their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah, and He refuted their claim. He said, the Exalted:

⁽³⁰⁾ The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allah "; and the Christians say, "The Messiah is the son of Allah." That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved [before them]. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded? ⁽³¹⁾ They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allah, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.

وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ابْنُ اللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُمْ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ يُضَاهِئُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ (30) اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلا لِيَعْبُدُوا إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا لاَ إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

[At-Tawbah 9:30-31]

the verses. And He also condemned those among them who, along with their disbelief, claimed that Paradise was reserved for them and that no one else would enter it, and He refuted their claim and clarified who are truly the people of Paradise. He said, the Exalted:

⁽¹¹¹⁾ And they say, "None will enter Paradise except one who is a Jew or a Christian." That is [merely] their wishful thinking, Say, "Produce your proof, if you should be truthful." ⁽¹¹²⁾ Yes [on the contrary], whoever submits his face in Islam to Allah while being a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.

وَقَالُوا لَنْ يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلا مَنْ كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَى تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ (111) بَلَى مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

[Al-Baqarah 2:111-112]

. And He also condemned those among them who killed the prophets and the righteous without right, and said: "Our hearts are covered." And they fabricated a great slander against Maryam, and said: "We killed the Messiah, 'Isa ibn Maryam." And they consumed riba and the wealth of people unjustly. And those who said: "Allah is the third of three," He declared them all disbelievers, refuted their false claims, and threatened them with painful punishment. And other verses indicating His praise of a group of the Jews and a group of the Christians, describing them with attributes that made them worthy of praise and success in eternal bliss, and His condemnation of another group from each of the two parties, describing them with attributes
for which they deserved the anger of Allah, His curse, and His painful punishment. Therefore, it becomes clear that Islam took a position of fairness and justice toward the Jews and the Christians, and that there is no contradiction between the texts of the Book and the Sunnah in reporting about them, whether in praise or condemnation, for those who are praised differ clearly from those who are condemned. Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written in the Torah and the Gospel, who commands them to do what is right and forbids them from what is wrong, makes lawful for them the good things and forbids them the bad things, and removes from them their burden and the shackles that were upon them, in obedience to His saying, the Exalted:

O you who have believed, believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Book that He sent down upon His Messenger and the Scripture which He sent down before

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي نَـزَّلَ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَالْكِتَابِ الَّذِي أَنْـزَلَ مِنْ قَبْلُ

[An-Nisa 4:136]

. Those are the ones whom the mercy of Allah encompassed, and His praise is due for them, and those are the successful ones. As for those who disbelieved in all of it, or believed in some and disbelieved in some, and distorted what was revealed in the Torah or the Gospel, up to what has been mentioned above and what is similar to it, those are the ones whom Allah condemned, and the word of punishment has become due for them, and those are the companions of the Fire, in which they will abide. Accordingly, there is no contradiction between the texts reporting about them, praising those who are worthy of that, acknowledging their status and assigning them their places, while condemning others among them for their bad conduct, corrupt belief, and their alteration and changing of what was revealed to them
by their Lord, or their imitation of those among their rabbis and monks who did so without guidance or insight. And there is no abrogation in them due to their lack of conflict; rather, some of them corroborates the rest. And whoever wants more should refer to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, for whoever reflects on the verses of the Qur'an and the authentic hadiths of the Messenger (may Allah's prayers and blessings be upon him), and looks into what is authentic in history, and disavows partisanship and does not follow desire, the truth will become clear to him and he will be guided to the right path. And success is from Allah. And may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

Source www.alifta.gov.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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