Indexed OCR Text

244
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 81 - 82
The principle is common to all the Shari'ahs that if a believer
commits sins, he will receive a punishment in Hell for some time and
in accordance with the degree and nature of his sins, but as he
possesses 'Iman (faith), he will not be assigned to Hell for ever, and
will be released after having served his term. Now, the argument on
which the assertion of the Jews was based was that since the Shari'ah
of Sayyidna Musa (Moses >J. ) had not, in their view, been
abrogated, they were true believers (Mumins), and had not turned into
infidels (Kafirs) by denying the prophethood of Sayyidna 'Isa (Jesus Lle
>.JI ) and of Sayyidna Muhammad ) ; hence - so the argument ran - if
they were sent to Hell in punishment of some sin, they would again'
be taken out after a few days. This false assertion is, thus based on
another false assertion. The Torah never declares that the Shari'ah
of Sayyidna Musa WIule is meant to last for ever. To claim
perpetuity for it is an unfounded and false assertion, and hence the
Jews who made such a claim and denied the prophethood of Sayyidna
'Isa >JILL and of Sayyidna Muhammad , must on account of this
denial be held to be infidels and disbelievers (Kafirs). And no Book of
Allah holds out to the infidels the promise that they would be released
from Hell after a while. The present verse refers to such a promise as
the "pledge" of Allah. Since Allah has never made such a promise, it
goes to show that the Jews were making a baseless claim.
Verses 81 - 82
بَلِى مَنْ كَسَبَ سَيِّئَةٌ وَآَخَاطَتْ بِهِ خَطِبُّنَتْهُ قَأُولَئِكَ أَصْحُبُ
الثّارِهُمْ فِيْهَا خُلِدُونَ ﴿ وَالَّذِيْنَّ أُمَنُوْا وَعَمِلُوا الصُلِحُتِ
أُولَئِكَ أَصْحُبُ الْجُنَّةِّهُمْ فِيْهَا خُلِدُوُنَ 0
Why not? Those who commit evil and are besieged by
their sin, those are people of the Fire - there they shall
remain for ever. And those who believe, and do good
deeds, such are people of Paradise - there they shall
remain for ever. (Verses 81 - 82)
Having refuted the claim of the Jews as baseless, the Holy Qur'an
lays down the divine law in this regard. Those who commit evil deeds
knowingly and deliberately so that evil takes hold of them completely,
1
!

245
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:83
leaving no trace of goodness - such men shall go to the Hell, and live
there for ever, without any intermission or release. But those who
believe in Allah and the Holy Prophet - whose Shari'ah has now
abrogated all the earlier Shari'ahs and who do good deeds in
conformity with the Islamic Shari'ah,- it is these men who shall go to
Paradise, and will live there for ever.
Let us explain how evil can take hold of a man so completely that
no trace of goodness is left. This kind of thing happens only to infidels
(Kafirs), and not to Muslims, even when they are sinners. For, no good
deed on the part of an infidel is acceptable to Allah on account of his
infidelity; even the good deeds he has done before his apostasy and
infidelity are lost, and rendered null and void. That is why on the Day
of Judgment, infidels will have to show nothing but evil, in
punishment of which they shall live in Hell for ever. On the contrary,
men of faith will, to begin with, have the greatest and highest good
deed to their credit - namely, faith ('Iman) itself. Then, their secondary
good deeds too are recorded in their account. So, they cannot be
devoid of all goodness, and evil cannot be said to have taken hold of
them completely.
In short, the infidel, according to this divine law, must always live
in Hell. Since Sayyidna Musa (Moses WI ue) was not the last proph-
et, but was followed by two other prophets, Sayyidna 'Isa (Jesus de
>JI ) and Sayyidna Muhammad , the Jews turned into infidels by
denying these two prophets. So, in accordance with this law, they too
will be assigned to Hell for ever like other infidels, and their claim
that they would be released from Hell after few days can now be seen
to be totally false and baseless.
Verse 83
وَإِذْآَ خَذْنَا مِيْفَاقَ بَنِى اِسْرَائِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّ اللّهَ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ
إِحْسَانًا وَّذِى الْقُرُبَى وَالْيَتْمِى وَالْمُسْلِكِيْنِ وَ قُولُوا لِلنَّاسَِ
حُسْنًا وَاَقِيمُوا الصَّلَوةَ وَأُتُوا الزَّكُوقَوْتُمَّ تَوَلَّيْهُمُ إِلَّ قَلِيْلًا
مِنْكُمْ وَاَنْتُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ )
And when We made the children of Israel take a pledge:

246
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 83
"You shall not worship anyone but Allah; and to
parents you shall be good, and to near of kin and to
orphans and the needy. And say to the people what is
good, and be steadfast in Salah, and pay Zakah." Then,
you went back (on your word), all but a few among you,
and you are used to turning away. (Verse 83)
This verse speaks of the pledge which Allah had made the
Israelites take, and the few people it refers to as having been true to
the pledge were those who acted upon the Shari'ah of Sayyidna
Musa (Moses WJte ) as long as it was in force, and when it was
صلى الله عليه وسلم abrogated, followed the Shari ah of Sayyidna Muhammad
Injunctions and related considerations
(1) This verse brings out the basic elements common to Islam and
all the earlier Shari'ahs: Tauhid (the doctrine of Unity or Oneness);
service to one's parents, relations, orphans and the needy; being gentle
in speaking to all human beings; Salah and Zakah.
(2) The verse asks us to adopt a gentle tone and an open-hearted
manner in speaking to others, whether they are good or evil, pious or
impious, orthodox or aberrant, followers of Sunnah or adherents to
partitive innovations in it. In religious matter, however, one should
not try to hide the truth for the sake of pleasing people or of winning
their approval. The Holy Qur'an tells us that when Allah sent
Sayyidna Musa and Sayyidna Harun (Moses and Aaron >_)+e ) to
the Pharaoh, He instructed them to use gentle and soft words (20:42).
None of us who addresses another today can be superior to Sayyidna
Musa WJI de , nor can the man addressed be viler than the Pharaoh.
Talha ibn 'Umar recounts that once he said to the great master of
the Sciences of Exegesis and Hadith, 'Ata', "One can see around you
people who are not quite orthodox in their beliefs. As for me, I am
rather short-tempered. If such people come to me, I deal with them
harshly." 'Ata' replied, "Do not behave like this," and, reciting the
present verse, he added, "Allah has commanded us to speak to people
politely. When Jews and Christians all are to be treated like this,
would this commandment not apply to a Muslim, no matter what kind
of a man he is?" (Qurtubi)

247
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 84 - 85
Verse 84
وَإِذْ آَخَذْنَا مِيْنَاقَكُمْ لَا تَسْفِكُوْنَ دِمَاءَكُمْ وَلَا تُخُرِجُوُنَ
أَنْفُسَكُمُ مِّنُ دِيَارِكُمْ ثُمَّ اقُرَرُتُمُ وَآَنْتُمْ تَشُهَدُوُنَ 0
And when We made you take a pledge: "You shall not
shed one another's blood, and you shall not drive out
one another from your homes." Then you agreed being
yourselves the witness. (Verse 84)
This verse is a supplement to the previous verse, and speaks of the
other articles of the pledge taken by the Israelites. They had agreed
not to kill one another by engaging themselves in an internecine war,
and also not to send their men into exile - that is to say, not to harass
a man so as to force him to migrate.
They had willingly taken this pledge. Now, it may sometimes
happen that one does not express one's willingness in so many words,
but the manner of his speech suggests it. The agreement of the
Israelites was not of this order, but as clear and explicit as the
statement of a witness usually is.
Verse 85
مُمَّ أَنْتُمْ هَؤُلاءِ تَقُلُوْنَ آَنْفُسَكُمْ وَتُخْرِجُوْنَ فَرِيْقًا مِنْكُمْ مِنُ
دِيَارِهِمْ تَظْهَرُوْنَ عَلَجِهِمْ بِالْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَإِنْ تَأْتُوْكُمْ أُسُرَى
تُفُدُوُهُمْ وَهُوَ مُحَمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ إِخْرَاجُهُمْ آَفَتُؤُ مِنُونَ بِبَعْضٍ
الْكِتُبِ وَتَكْفُرُوْنَ بِبَعْضِْ فَمَا جَزَآءُ مَنْ ◌َّفْعَلُ ذُلِكَ مِنْكُمُ
◌ِلَّخِزُىَّ فِى الْحَلِوةِ الُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ الْقِيْمَةِ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىَ اشَدِّ
الْعَذَابِ وَمَا اللهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُوُنَ 0
Yet, here you are, killing one another, and driving a
group of your own out of their homes, supporting each
other against them in sin and aggression -- and if they
came to you as prisoners, you would ransom them,
though their very expulsion was unlawful for you! Do
you, then, believe in some part of the Book, and disbe-
lieve in some other? So, what can be the recompense
of those among you who do that, except disgrace in

248
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 84 - 85
present life? And, on Doomsday, they shall be turned
to the most severe punishment. And Allah is not una-
ware of what you do. (Verse 85)
This verse recounts how the Israelites broke the pledge they had
willingly made. Allah had laid down three special injunctions for the
Israelites: (1) They should not kill one another in an internecine war.
(2) They should not force their own people into exile. (3) If they found
a man from amongst them a prisoner of war, they should pay a
ransom, and get him released. The Israelites disregarded the first two
injunctions, and acted upon the third alone which they supposed
easier to be carried out.
It happened like this. There lived in Madinah two tribes, the Aws
and the Khazraj, who were hostile to each other, and would often go to
war. In the environs of Madinah, there also lived two tribes of the
Jews, the Bani Qurayzah and the Bani Nadir. The former had friendly
relations with the Aws, and the latter with the Khazraj. When the
Aws and the Khazraj went to war against each other, the two tribes of
the Jews also took part in the battle, each on the side of its own
friends. In these battles, many Jews lost their lives or were rendered
homeless as much as the non-Jews. In other words, the Jews of the
Bani Qurayzah tribe had a share in the slaughter and exile of the
Jews of the Bani Nadir tribe, and vice versa. However, when some of
the Jews became prisoners of war, each of the two Jewish groups
would persuade their respective friends among the non-Jews to accept
a ransom and to release the prisoners. When they were asked why
they showed such a solicitude for the prisoners, they would say that it
was obligatory for them to get prisoners released. But when someone
objected to their helping the non-Jews in slaughtering the Jews, they
used to reply that it would be a real disgrace if they did not go to the
aid of their friends, even if they were not Jews.
So, the present verse exposes their duplicity and their perversity.
The Holy Qur'an indicts their behaviour as "sin and aggression," and
this suggests that the Israelites were infringing on two kinds of rights
-- the right of Allah, by disobeying Him; and the right of His creatures,
by inflicting pain and loss on them.
The verse proceeds to reprimand them for accepting certain

249
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 84 - 85
injunctions laid down in the Torah, while rejecting others, and
following their own whims in both the cases. At the end, this long
verse announces the grave punishment for such misdeeds the
Israelites will have to bear in this world as well as in the other.
Let it be clearly understood that the Jews referred to in this verse
had already become infidels (Kafirs) by refusing to accept and affirm
the prophethood of Sayyidna Muhammad . But instead of referring
to this aspect of their infidelity, the verse points out another aspect. It
reprimands them for having faith ('Iman) only in some part of the Book
(Torah) and not having faith in some other. If we take the words of
the present verse literally, it means that the Jews had become infidels
by not having faith in some parts (that is to say, some injunctions) of
the Torah. For, a Divine Book has to be accepted as a whole; to reject
a part is to reject the whole, and clearly amounts to disbelief and
infidelity (Kufr). But if we interpret the present verse in a different
way, and take it to be reprimanding the Jews for not acting upon
certain injunctions, then a question would arise here: How is it that
the verse delineates their infringement of certain commandments as
Kufr or infidelity, although a believer cannot be considered an infidel
so long as he accepts, at least in principle, the distinctions between the
Halal (lawful) and the Haram ( unlawful) exactly as laid down by the
Shari'ah? The answer to the question is that when a sin is very grave,
the idiom of the Shari'ah sometimes delineates it as Kufr (infidelity) in
order to emphasize its gravity and its moral nature. This is also what
the hadith intends to do when it says:َمَنُ تَرَكَ الصَّلاَةَ مُتَعَّدًا فَقَدُ كَفَر :"He who
gave up the Salah wilfully became an infidel."
This second interpretation does not, however, attenuate or modify
the Kufr (infidelity) of the Jews of which they had already been guilty
by denying the prophethood of Sayyidna Muhammad
.
The verse announces that the Jews will have to bear a punishment
not only in the other world, but in this world too - in the shape of
humiliation and disgrace. It took place as it had been foretold. In the
time of the Holy Prophet & himself, the Jews of the Bani Qurayzah
tribe had to lose their lives or to undergo imprisonment, and those of
the Bani Nadir tribe were expelled for having broken the pact they
had earlier made with the Muslims.

250
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 86 - 87
A doctrinal point
Verse 85 announces the "punishment" for Jews. One may very
well ask here why the direst punishment should be reserved for the
Jews, and not for atheists, for the Jews at least believe in Allah. The
famous Commentator 'Alusi says in his "Ruh al-Ma'ani" that every
punishment meted out to the infidels will be "the direst" in the sense
that it will have no end or limit. So, what the verse implies is not that
the punishment given to the Jews will be more severe than the one
given to all the other infidels, but that they will be given the kind of
punishment which is "the direst" in the sense of having no end or
limit. In other words, the verse suggests that the punishment given to
the infidels will be more severe than the one given to Muslim sinners.
But if there are going to be different degrees in the punishment meted
out to different kinds of infidels, it does not in any way go against the
implications of this verse. (Bayan al-Qur'an)
Verse 86
أُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِيْنَ اشْتَرَوُا الْخُيُوةَ الدُّنْيَا بِالْآخِرَةِوَقَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ
الْعَذَابُ وَلَاهُمْ يُنُصَرُوْنَ 0
Those are the ones who bought the worldly life at the
cost of the Hereafter. So, punishment shall not be
lightened for them, nor shall they be helped. (Verse 86)
This verse explains why the Jews will have to undergo such a
severe punishment. They have been disobeying Allah in order to
satisfy their desires and to enjoy worldly pleasures; they have also
sacrificed for these things their salvation in the other world. Their sin
being so great, Allah will not reduce or mollify their punishment, nor
will He allow anyone to intercede on their behalf.
Verse 87
وَلَقَدْ أَتَيْنَا مُؤْسَى الْكِتْبَ وَقَفَيْنَا مِنُمَيَعْدِهِ بِالرُّسْلِ وَأَتَّيِّنَا
عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّئْتِ وَايَّدَتْهُ بِرُوْجِ الْقُدْسِْ آَفَكُلَّمَا جَاءَكُمُ
رَسُوُلٌ بِمَا لَا تَهُوَىَ آَنْفُسُكُمُ اسْتَكْبَرْتُمُ فَفَرِيِّقًا كَذَّبْتُمْ ، وَفَرِيْقًا
تَقْتُلُوُنَ 0

251
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 86 - 87
And, indeed, We gave Musa the Book, and after him We
sent messengers, one following the other; and We gave
clear signs to 'Isa, the son of Mariam (Jesus, the son of
Mary), and supported him with the Holy Spirit. Then,
how is it that every time a prophet came to you with
what does not meet your desire, you grew arrogant? So,
you falsified a group (of the messengers) and killed
others. (Verse 87)
The Qur'an again reminds the Israelites how Allah in His mercy
forgave them their transgressions again and again, and provided them
with all the means of guidance. First of all, He gave them a Divine
Book, the Torah, through Sayyidna Musa (Moses >JILL ); then, sent
them a number of prophets; and, at the end of this line, sent down
Sayyidna 'Isa (Jesus >JIe) along with clear and irrefutable
evidences of his prophethood, like the Evangel and miracles, and
appointed the Archangel Jibra'il (Gabriel >JI e ) to give him support.
The Archangel Jibra'il has often been called "Ruh al-Qudus" (the
Holy Spirit) in the Noble Qur'an and the Hadith. For example, in
Verse 16:102 - ◌ِقُلُ نَزَّلَهَ رُوُعُ القُدُس - "Say: the Holy Spirit has brought it (the
Noble Qur'an) down;" or in a couplet of the poet and blessed
Companion Hassan ibn Thabit, reported in the Hadith:
وجبريل رسول الله فينا
وروح القدس لیس له كفاء
Jibra'il, the messenger of Allah, comes to us;
he is the Holy Spirit, the incomparable."
Allah helped and supported Sayyidna 'Isa Wie through Jibra'il
>JI Ale in several ways. (1) He was conceived through the breath of
the Archangel. (2) Jibra'il JI ale protected him against being touched
by Satan at the time of this birth. (3) The Archangel always accompa-
nied him in order to defend him against the hostility of the Jews. (4)
It was through him that Sayyidna 'Isa Whole was raised to the heav-
ens.
In spite of all these divine favours, the Jews persisted in their
rebellion. They were so stubborn in the worship of their desires, that
whenever the prophets brought to them certain divine injunctions
which did not please them, the Jews would deny the prophets -- they

252
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 88 - 89
denied even Sayyidna 'Isa -- , or would kill them outright -- for
example, they dealt in this vile manner with Sayyidnā Zakariyya
. عليهم السلام (Zachariah) and Sayyidna Yahya (John the Baptist)
Verse 88
وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا غُلُفْ بَلْ لَّعَتَهُمُ اللهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلِيْلًا مّا
يُؤُمِنُوْنَ 0
And they said, "Our hearts are veiled." Rather, Allah
has cast damnation upon them for their disbelief. So,
they believe just a little. (Verse 88)
The Jews used to say sarcastically that their hearts were "veiled",
by which they meant that their hearts were so well protected against
Islam that it could never touch them. This was their way of
congratulating themselves on being staunch in their belief. The Holy
Qur'an points out that this is not the firmness of faith, but a
damnation, for they deny Islam which now is the true religion, and
stick to a religion which has been abrogated. They, consequently,
possess only "a little" faith ('Iman). Since a little faith is not
acceptable, they turn out to be infidels.
The little faith" which they possessed pertained to the doctrines
which are common to Islam and Judaism - for example, belief in Allah,
or belief in the Day of Judgment. But they did not accept Sayyidna
Muhammad & as a prophet, and the Holy Qur'an as the Word of
Allah. So, their faith was not complete.
If the Verse describes 'the little faith' as 'Iman, it does so only in
the lexical sense, for 'Iman signifies total certitude, even if it pertains
to certain things, and not to others. But from the point of view of the
Shari'ah, such a partial faith cannot be described as 'Iman. The
Shari'ah would accept as valid only that 'Iman which affirms with
certitude each and everything that the Shari'ah requires one to affirm.
Verse 89
وَلَمَّا جَآءَ هُمُ كِتِبٌ مِنُ عِنْدِ اللّهِ مُصَدِّقٌّ لِمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُوا
مِنْ قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ كَفَوْاِ فَلَمَّا جَآءَ هُمُ

253
Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 90
مَّا عَرَفُوا كَفَرُوْا بِهُ قَلَعْنَهُ اللّهِ عَلَى الْكُفِرِينَ ٥
And when there came to them a Book from Allah,
which confirms what was with them, while earlier,
they used to seek help against those who disbelieved,
yet when there came to them that they did identify,
they denied it. So the curse of Allah is upon the disbe-
lievers. (Verse 89)
The Torah had in several places foretold the coming of the Holy
Prophet . In fact, the Jews themselves used to tell the Arabs that a
new prophet and a new Divine Book was soon to come. But when the
Holy Qur'an came down from Allah, and even when they had
recognized its authenticity, the Jews denied it out of sheer spite.
The verse says that the Holy Qur'an confirms the Torah - it means
that the Holy Qur'an is a concrete evidence of the truth of the
prophecies made in the Torah with regard to the coming of the Holy
Prophet and of the Holy Qur'an. One who believes in the Torah
cannot justifiably deny the Holy Qur'an and the Holy Prophet & , for
such a denial would involve a denial of the Torah itself.
Knowledge is not enough for 'Iman
One may want to know why the Holy Qur'an calls the Jews Kafirin
(infidels), when they did recognize the truth as truth, which should
qualify them to be called "believers." Let us explain that 'Iman (faith)
does not merely mean "knowing the truth", but really signifies
"accepting the truth and affirming it deed-wise." Otherwise, Satan too
will have to be called a believer, for he knows fully well what the truth
is. In fact, this knowledge of the truth on the part of Satan intensifies
the gravity of his Kufr (infidelity) all the more.
However, the next verse attributes the infidelity of the Jews to
their malice.
Verse 90
بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْا بِمَ اَنْفُسَهُمْ أَنْ يَكْفُرُوا بِمَآ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بَغْيَا آَنُ
◌ُّنَزِّلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِمٍ عَلى مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَ فَبَاءُ وُ
بِغَضَبٍ عَلَى غَضَبٍ وَلِلْكُفِرِيْنَ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ )

254
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:91
Vile is that for which they have sold out their selves:
that they should deny what Allah has revealed, grudg-
ing that Allah should send down some of His bounty to
whomsoever He wills from among His servants. So,
they came out with wrath upon wrath. And for unbe-
lievers there is humiliating punishment. (Verse 90)
Prophethood cannot be earned through one's own efforts or one's
own merit; it is a special grace which Allah bestows on whomsoever He
likes. But the Jews were so envious and malicious that they denied
the Holy Prophet , and the Holy Qur'an out of sheer spite. In doing
so, they were questioning the will of Allah Himself. Thus, they earned
divine wrath in two ways - firstly, for denying a true prophet; and
secondly, for their envy and malice.
The Holy Qur'an says that the Jews will have to undergo a
punishment which would involve not only pain, but also disgrace and
abasement. The latter condition has been added to suggest that this
kind of punishment is peculiar to the infidels, and is not meant for a
true Muslim at all, for a Muslim, no matter how great his sins are, will
be punished for the purpose of being purified, not for being disgraced.
The next verse reports what the Jews used to say with regard to
the Holy Qur'an, which clearly shows their envy and malice as well as
their infidelity (Kufr).
Verse 91
وَإِذَا قِيْلَ لَهُمْ أُمِنُوا بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللّهُ قَالُوا نُؤْمِنُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ
عَلَيْنَا وَيَكْفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَآءَهَ وَهُوَالْحَقٌّ مُصَدِقَّالِّمَا مَعَهُمْ قُلُ
فَلِمَ تَقْتُلُوْنَ آَنْبِيَاءَ اللّهِ مِنُ قَبْلُ إِنَّ كُنْتُمُ تُؤْمِنِيْنَ ٥
And when it is said to them, "Believe in what Allah has
revealed," they say, "We believe in what has been
revealed to us" -- and they deny what is beyond,
whereas that is the truth, confirming what is with
them. Say, "Why then have you been slaying the
prophets of Allah earlier, if you were believers?" (Verse
91)

255
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:92
The Jews flatly refused to believe in any Book of Allah -- like the
Evangel or the Holy Qur'an - except in the Torah. This denial is a
clear evidence of their infidelity (Kufr). Moreover, they also used to
add that they believe in the Torah, for it had been sent down to them.
This comes to mean that they denied the other Books just because
they had not been sent down to them. Such an argument betrays their
envy and malice.
The Holy Qur'an refutes their argument in three ways :-
(1) When the truth and authenticity of the other Books has been
established on the basis of irrefutable arguments, what does, then,
this denial mean? If they had any doubts as to the arguments on the
basis of which authenticity was being claimed for these Books, they
could very well have voiced this doubt, and satisfied themselves on
this point. But why this flat refusal to believe?
(2) The other Books, like the Holy Qur'an, confirm the Torah. If
one denies them, one at the same time denies the Torah itself.
(3) To slay a prophet is tantamount to infidelity (Kufr), according to
all the Divine Books. Moreover, the prophets whom the Jews had
killed were themselves Israelites, and their teachings, were based on
the injunctions of the Torah. But the Jews not only killed these
prophets, but also accepted the killers as their chiefs. This is a direct
denial of the Torah, and falsifies their claim that they believe in the
Torah.
In short, nothing that the Jews say or do is acceptable and valid
from any possible point of view.
The next verses proceed to refute the Jews on several other counts.
Verse 92
وَلَقَّدُ جَآءَكُمْ مُسِى بِالْتَبِّنْتِ ثُمَ اتَّخَذُتُمُ الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِهٍ
وَأَنْتُمْ ظُلِمُوُنَ 0
And certainly Moses came to you with clear signs, then
you took to yourselves the calf thereafter -- and you
were transgressors. (Verse 92)

256
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:93
The "clear signs" mentioned in the verse refers to the miracles
which had manifested themselves even before the Torah was given to
Sayyidnā Musa (Moses >Ji __. ) -- for example, his staff that turned
into a snake, the palm of his hand which shone brightly, the splitting
of the sea to make a path for the Israelites, etc. These miracles were
meant to affirm the Oneness of Allah and His omnipotence, and to
provide an evidence for the prophethood of Sayyidna Musa WILL .
In refutation of the Jews, the verse points out that although they
lay a claim to 'Iman (faith), yet have been falling into the sin of
Shirk (association), which involves a denial not only of Sayyidna Musa
.but even of Allah Himself عليه السلام
Although the Jews who were the contemporaries of the Holy
Prophet , did not themselves take part in the worship of the golden
calf, yet they respected such of their forefathers as had done so, and
took their side. So, for all practical purposes, they too were guilty of
the same sin.
The verse 'also suggests that no wonder if these people, whose
forefathers denied Sayyidna Musa >JI ale , should now be denying the
Holy Prophet .
Verse 93
وَإِذْآَخَذُنَا مِيْنَافَكُمُ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ الْطَّوْرَ ءِخُذُوا مَا أَتَيْئُكُمُ
بِقُوَّةٍ وَاسْمَعُوْاء قَالُوا سَمِعُنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَأُشْرِبُوا فِىْ قُلُوبِهِم
الْعِجُلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ قُلْ بِنْسَمَا بَأْمُرُكُمْ بِهَ إِبْمَانُكُمُ إِنْ كُنْهُمْ
مُؤْمِنِيْنَ 0
And when We took pledge from you, and raised high
the (Mount of) Tur above you: "Hold fast to what We
have given you, and listen" -- they said, "We have heard
and disobeyed." And, on account of their denial, they
were soaked with the love of the calf in their hearts.
Say: "Evil is that which your faith enjoins upon you, if
you are believers." (Verse 93)
In refuting the claim of the Jews to be authentic and true
believers, the Holy Qur'an again recounts an incident which it has
:
1

257
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 :93
already referred to in Verse 63. When the Israelites succeeded, with
the help of Allah, in escaping from Egypt and crossing the sea, they
came upon a people who used to worship idols. They found this cult
so attractive that they requested Sayyidna Musa (Moses >JIe ) to
fabricate a visible and concrete god for them too. When he
reprimanded them, they realized their error, and offered repentance.
But repentance has many degrees. Since their repentance was not of a
very high order, the darkness of their error did not altogether leave
their hearts, but continued to grow, and finally manifested itself in the
worship of the golden calf. As an act of penance, some of them had to
be slain, and others, as some commentators report, were forgiven and
not slain .. Possibly the repentance of these latter was again of a low
order. As for those who had not indulged in the worship of the calf,
they did not hate the action of the worshippers of the calf as much as
they should have. So, their hearts too carried a trace of the sin of
association (shirk). So, either through the feebleness of their
repentance or through a want of proper hatred for infidelity, their
hearts became indolent in religious matters, so much so that when
Allah asked them to take a pledge to follow the injunctions of the
Torah steadfastly, Mount Tur (Sinai) was suspended over their heads
to threaten them.
This verse reports the Jews as having replied that they had heard
the Command of Allah, but they would not obey, or would not be able
to obey. It means that out of sheer fright they said (only with their
tongues) that they had heard (that is to say, accepted) the Command
of Allah. But there was no real consent in their hearts, and their
posture and attitude was such as if they were saying that they would
not or could not obey.
Having referred to such example of their perversity and rebellion,
the Holy Qur'an asks the Jews to have a look at themselves and also
at their claim to genuine faith. Could a true faith ever inspire men to
such deeds? If it is their brand of "faith" which leads them into such
grave sins, then it cannot be a true faith. Hence their claim to be true
believers is evidently false.

258
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 94 - 95
Verses 94 - 95
قُلْ إِنْ كَانَتُ لَكُمُ الَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ عِنْدَ اللهِ خَالِصَةً مِنُ دُوُنٍ
النَّاسِ فَتَمَّوا الْمَوْتَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صِدِقِيْنَ ا وَلَن ◌َّتَمَنَّوُهُ أَبِّدًام
بِمَا قَدَّمَتُ اَبْدِيْهِمْ وَاللهُ عَلِيْ، بِالْظُلِمِينَ )
Say: "If the Last Abode near Allah is for you purely,
short of all people, then make a wish for death, if you
are true." But they will never wish for it because of
what their hands have sent ahead. And Allah is
all-aware of the unjust. (Verses 94 - 95)
The Jews used to claim that the blessings of the other world were
specially reserved for them, and were not, meant for any other people.
Certain other verses of the Holy Qur'an too refer to such a claim on the
part of the Jews, and also of the Christians: 33 coi So dis Qu :
"They say: The fire will not touch us but for a few days" (2:80), af (ju,
And they say: No one will enter Paradise": "يُخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلَّ مَنْ كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصْرِى
وَقَالَتِ الْيَهْوُدُ وَالْنَّصْرِى نَحُرُ أَبَنًا؟ , (2:111) "except he who is a Jew or Christian
"; in : "And the Jews and the Christians said: We are the sons of
Allah and His close friends" (5:18). What they meant in making such a
claim was that since their own faith was the true one, they must
certainly attain salvation in the other world -- the repentant and the
forgiven being admitted to Paradise from the very beginning, the
sinners finding release from the fires of Hell after undergoing a
punishment for a few days, and the obedient receiving a welcome like
sons and beloved friends.
The use of certain improper expressions like "sons of Allah" not-
withstanding, these claims are in themselves quite correct, provided
that they pertain to people who follow a true and valid faith. But the
Jews (and the Christians as well) were still following a faith which
had been abrogated, and was thus no longer valid -- a fact which nulli-
fied their claim. So, the Holy Qur'an has refuted the claim again and
again in different ways, and the present verse has adopted a special
mode. The habitual method of settling a dispute is to have a discussion
and let both the parties present their own arguments. Since the Jews
knew they could not win, they fought shy of this normal way. So, the

259
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 94 - 95
Holy Qur'an suggests an abnormal method, which would not call for
much knowledge or understanding, but only put a little strain on the
tongue. The proposed trial consists in this -- if the Jews are so sure of
the blessings of the other world being reserved for themselves, they
should declare that they wish to die, and this declaration would estab-
lish them as being genuine in their faith; but if they refuse to accept
the challenge, it would show that they were liars. The Holy Qur'an
also predicts that they would never have the courage to go through the
trial.
In view of their hostility to the Holy Prophet , one could expect
them to take up such a simple challenge very zealously. But they
knew very well in their heart of hearts that the Holy Prophet & and
the Muslims stood for the truth, while they themselves were the
champions of falsehood, and were, in actual fact, infidels. So, they
refused to go through the trial, for they were struck with awe, and
feared that as soon as they had expressed the wish to die, death would
come over them, and they would be sent to Hell. This recalcitrance is,
thus, in itself an evidence of the truth of Islam.
Here we must note that the trial was proposed not for all the Jews
of all the ages, but specially for those who were the contemporaries of
the Holy Prophet , and who used to deny him out of sheer envy and
malice, in spite of having recognized that he was a genuine prophet.
Nor should one raise the doubt here that they had perhaps
accepted the challenge, and "wished" for death in their hearts, as the
Holy Qur'an seems to ask. For one, the Holy Qur'an itself reports the
prediction that they would never "wish for it." Secondly, if they could
wish for death in their hearts, they must have declared it orally too,
for their victory lay in just such a declaration, and this was a very easy
way of refuting the Holy Prophet . But they did not avail
themselves of this opportunity.
Nor can one suppose that they did make an oral declaration, for
the fact has not been reported, and thus has not come down to us.
Such a supposition would be wrong, because the opponents of Islam
have always outnumbered its adherents, and if such a thing had
happened, they must have been trumpeting it aloud to show to the

260
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 96 - 98
world that the Jews had successfully passed the test proposed by the
Holy Qur'an itself.
Verse 96
وَلَتَجِدَتَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ النَّاسِ عَلى حَيوةٍ وَمِنَ الَّذِيْنَ اشُترَ كُوراً
يَوَدّاَ خَدْهُمْ لَوْيُعَمَّوْ اَلُفَ سَنَّةٍ وَّمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهٍ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ أَنْ
◌ُعَتَرَ، وَاللّهُ بَصِيْرٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ )
And you shall surely find them, of men, the most avid
for life -- even more than the polytheists. Of them, one
would love to be aged a thousand years. But it will not
remove him from punishment to be so aged. And Allah
is watchful of what they do. (Verse 96)
This verse shows the basic weakness of the Jews which did not
allow them to accept the challenge proposed in Verse 94, and thus
exposes the hollowness of their claim to the blessings of the other
world being reserved for them. The Holy Qur'an puts a special
emphasis on the fact that the Jews loved physical life much more than
did the Arab polytheists. Such an inclination should not have been
surprising on the part of the latter, for, after all, they did not believe
in the other world, and physical life was the be-all and end-all for
them. But the Jews acknowledged the existence of the other world,
and even had the illusion that they alone deserved its joys, and yet it
was they who, above all others, wished to live in this world as long as
possible. This very desire shows how baseless their pretention was,
and how they themselves knew that they would have to face the fires
of Hell in the other world, and that physical life was, as long as it
lasted, a kind of protection against their final fate.
Verse 97 - 98
قُلُ مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا ◌ِبْرِيْلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَّلَهُ عَلى قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ
مُصَدِّقًاً ◌ّاَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدَّىَويُشُرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ ا مَنْ كَانَ
عَدُوًّا لِلْهِ وَمَلَئِكَنِهِ وَرُسُلِهٍ وَحِبْرِيْلَ وَمِيْكُلَ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ عَدُوّ
لِلْكُفِرِينَ °

261
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 97 - 98
Say, whoever be an enemy to Jibra'il (Gabriel) -- it is he
who has brought it down upon your heart by the
permission of Allah, confirming what has been before
it, and a guidance and good tidings to the believers.
Whoever be an enemy to Allah, His angels, and His
messengers, and to Jibra'il and Mika'il, surely Allah is
enemy to the disbelievers. (Verses 97 - 98)
The perversity of the Jews was very fertile, and gave them
ever-new excuses for denying the Holy Prophet . When they learnt
that it was Archangel Jibra'il (Gabriel >JIde ) who brought the
Glorious Qur'an to the Holy Prophet , they said that the Archangel
was their enemy, as it was through him that rigorous commandments
or catastrophic punishments had always descended on them, and that
for this reason they would not accept a Book which had been revealed
through his agency. They also added that they could have accepted the
Holy Qur'an, if the Archangel Mika'il (Michael >JI e ) had brought it
down, for he is connected with rain and with divine mercy.
In refuting this argument, the Holy Qur'an points out that Jibra'il
>JI ul is only a messenger, and has, acting only as a messenger,
brought down the Holy Qur'an under a divine command to the Holy
Prophet . So, why should the Jews be so particular about the
messenger, and not look at the Book itself? As for the Book, it confirms
the earlier Books of Allah, provides guidance to men, and gives good
tidings to the believers. This being what the Divine Books are meant
for, the Holy Qur'an is evidently enough a Divine Book, and must, as
such be obeyed. To deny it on account of one's hostility to Jibra'il Je
>JI is sheer stupidity or outright perversity. Now, as for the attitude
of the Jews towards Jibra'il MUI de , the Holy Qur'an declares that to
be hostile to the angels (including Jibra'il and Mika'il >JI Je) or to the
prophets is tantamount to being hostile to Allah Himself. Verse 98
puts down the enemies of angels and prophets as infidels (Kafirin) in
saying that Allah is the enemy of the infidels. In other words, those
who deny or oppose the angels and the prophets will have their due
punishment in the other world.
Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Thanavi has, in his "Bayan al-Qur'an",
warned against the possibility of very grave error that may arise with
regard to the statement in Verse 97 that the Archangel Jibra'il
(Gabriel عليه السلام) has "brought down the Book on the heart" of the

262
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 99 - 100
Holy Prophet . The error would lie in drawing from this phrase the
conclusion that Allah has not revealed the words of the Holy Qur'an
but only the meanings. Such a supposition is quite baseless, because
many verses of the Holy Qur'an itself mention the Arabic language as
the vehicle of revelation in the case of this particular Book of Allah.
That should leave no room for any doubt. Moreover, the "heart"
perceives words as much as it does meanings; in fact, the perceiving
agent is the "heart", while the ears etc. are only its instruments.
Specially, in the state of revelation, the external organs of the senses
become dormant, and the heart receives even the words directly
without the intervention of the ears. Although we cannot understand
the nature of revelation properly, yet, choosing a mundane analogy,
one can say that while dreaming in our sleep we do hear words and
remember them afterwards, in spite of our external sense of hearing
having been suspended while we dreamt. This example should make it
easy to see that the revelation of meanings to the heart does in no way
preclude the revelation of words as well. Anyhow, it is a sin - and an
intellectual dishonesty - to rely on one's own conjectures in defiance of
a clear and definite statement in the Holy Qur'an.
Verse 99
وَلَقَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ أَيْتٍبَيِّنْتِهْ وَمَا يَكْفُرُ بِهَا إِلَّ الْفُسِفُوِّنَ )
And certainly We have revealed to you clear signs. And
no one denies them except the sinful. (Verse 99)
In denying the Holy Prophet , the Jews used to say that no clear
evidence or sign of his prophethood had been revealed to him such as
they could recognize and accept. In reply to this the Holy Qur'an says
that Allah has revealed a number of very clear signs and evidences of
his prophethood which even they know and understand very well. So,
their denial is not based on a lack of recognition or knowledge, but on
their habitual disobedience, for, as a general rule, no one denies such
evidence except those who are wilful and stubborn in their
disobedience.
Verse 100
أَوَكُلَّمَا غُهَدُوا عَهْدًا تَّبَذَهُ فَرِيُّقٌ بِنْهُمُ عَبَلُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَ
يُؤْمِنُونَ)
Would it always be that every time they enter into a

263
Surah Al-Baqarah 2 : 101
pact, a group from among them should throw it aside?
In fact, most of them do not believe. (Verse 100)
Allah had, as the Torah itself reports, made the Jews take the
pledge that they would have faith in the Holy Prophet & when he
appeared. On being reminded of it, the Jews flatly denied even having
taken such a pledge. Commenting on this effrontery, the Holy Qur'an
says that this is not the only instance of such a conduct on their part,
for the Jews have, in fact, never fulfilled even those pledges which
they acknowledge, and one group or another from among them has
always been breaking the compacts they have entered into, specially
with regard to religious matters. It can even be said that most of those
who have been guilty of such gross violations, did not at all believe in
the compacts which they made with Allah. Going against a pledge is
only a sin and transgression, but having no faith in the pledge which
one gives to Allah is outright infidelity.
The Holy Qur'an specifically speaks of one group or another
breaking the pledge, and not of all the Jews. For there were some
among them who did fulfil the pledges, so much so that many Jews
finally accepted Sayyidna Muhammad & as a true prophet, and joined
the ranks of the Muslims.
Verse 101
وَلَّ بِجَاءَهُمُ رَسُوُلٌ مِّنُ عِنْدِاللّهِ مُصَدِّنَّ لِمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيْقٌ
مِنَ الَّذِيْنَ أُوْتُوا الْكِتْبَُّ كِتَبَ اللَّهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُوُ رِهِمْ كَانَّهُمْ لَ
يَعُلَمُوْنَ 0
And when came to them a messenger from Allah,
confirming what was already with them, some from
among the people of the Book threw away the Book of
Allah behind their backs, as if they did not know.
(Verse 101)
The previous verse had told us how the breaking of pledges and
disobedience had become a regular habit with the Jews. The present
verse gives us the latest instance, which is the most relevant to the
context.
The Torah had already given the Jews the good tidings of the
coming of the Holy Prophet ! . When he actually came with all signs
which the Torah had indicated, thus confirming the Sacred Book of the