In the Shade of the Qur'an by Sayyid Qutb

These verses begin a passage which further exposes the reality of the people of earlier Scriptures, particularly the Jews and Christians. It highlights their deviant beliefs and evil deeds and establishes the basis of the relationship that may exist between them and the Prophet and the Muslim community, outlining the duties of the Prophet and the Muslims in dealing with them. The passage also states a number of basic principles of faith and of the actions the Muslim community should take against deviant beliefs.

God addresses the Prophet giving him the task of conveying everything that has been revealed to him by His Lord, keeping nothing for himself and delaying nothing for any particular reason or circumstance. If he does not act on His instructions, even though he may be motivated by the desire to avoid conflict, he would not be delivering His message. Part of what the Prophet has been commanded to convey, was to tell the people of earlier revelations that they had nothing to stand on unless they implemented the Torah, the Gospel, and what had been revealed to them by their Lord. He was to make this statement in the clearest and most decisive of terms.

Moreover, the Prophet was also to declare that by going back on their covenant with God and by killing prophets, the Jews had rejected the faith and become unbelievers. The Christians did likewise, by claiming that Jesus Christ, son of Mary, was God Himself, and by stating that God was one of a trinity. The Prophet was also to declare that Jesus, (peace be upon him), warned the Children of Israel against associating partners with God. Moreover, God has denied access to Heaven to all those who ascribe partners to Him. He was further to declare that the Children of Israel have been cursed by both David and Jesus, because of their transgression.

The passage ends with an expose of the people of earlier revelations’ attitude when they supported the idolaters against the Muslims. It declares that this came about as a result of their lack of belief in God and the Prophet. They are called upon to believe in what has been revealed to Muĥammad, (peace be upon him). Otherwise, they will be unbelievers. We will now look at the verses in this passage in detail.

Messenger, proclaim what has been revealed to you by your Lord. For, unless you do it fully, you will not have delivered His message. God will protect you from all men. God does not guide those who reject faith. Say: People of earlier revelations! You have no ground to stand upon unless you observe the Torah and the Gospel and that which has been revealed to you by your Lord. That which is revealed to you by your Lord is bound to make many of them even more stubborn in their arrogance and disbelief. But do not grieve for unbelieving folk. Those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians — anyone who believes in God and the Last Day and does what is right shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Verses 67-9)

The Prophet is given clear instructions to convey all that has been revealed to him by His Lord, allowing no room for any reservations as he declares the truth.

Otherwise, he would not be fulfilling his duty as a Messenger entrusted with conveying God’s message. It is God who will protect him against all mankind.

Whoever enjoys God’s protection has nothing to fear from other humans, powerless as they are.

In matters of faith, the word of truth must always be clear and decisive, and must be stated in full. Let anyone who opposes it say what he may, and let its enemies do what they can; the true word of faith will never make concessions for people’s desires. It must be stated clearly so that it penetrates into people’s hearts with power.

It is a fact of life that when the word of truth is stated clearly, it is immediately well received by people willing to accept the faith. When it is surrounded with equivocation, it cannot win those reluctant hearts which are the very target of the advocates of faith. Hence, clarity is essential in faith advocacy.

“God does not guide those who reject faith.” (Verse 67) If so, let the word of truth be clear, decisive, and final. The truth is accepted by a heart which is open, responsive.

It is not accepted as a result of patting the shoulders of those who do not possess such qualities.

A powerful and decisive approach to the statement of truth does not have to be harsh or overbearing. God has commanded His Messenger (peace be upon him) to call all mankind to the path of his Lord using wisdom and goodly exhortation and advice. There is no contradiction between Qur’ānic directives. Wisdom, goodly advice and exhortation are not contrary to clarity and decisiveness in stating the truth. The method of conveying something, however, is different from what is being conveyed. The requirement here is not to resort to equivocation in stating the full truth about faith and not to seek a middle way with people who do not accept it.

There can be no compromise when it comes to the essence of faith.

Right from the very early days of his Islamic call, the Prophet employed wisdom and kindly advice in conveying his message, but he made it clear that there could be no compromise in faith. He was commanded to say: “Unbelievers, I shall not worship what you worship.” (109: 1-2) He never suggested to anyone that he was simply after minor amendments to their beliefs. Instead, he told them that their beliefs were totally false and that his faith was the whole truth. He proclaimed the truth in its fullness, using a kindly and gentle approach.

In this sūrah, his duty is stated clearly: “Messenger, proclaim what has been revealed to you by your Lord. For, unless you do it fully, you will not have delivered His message. God will protect you from all men. God does not guide those who reject faith.” (Verse 67)

It appears from the general context that what is meant here is that the Prophet would confront the people of the Scriptures with what they truly were. He would, thus, be telling them that they had no faith and indeed had nothing to stand on until they implemented the Torah and the Gospel and what had been revealed to them by their Lord. As such, their claims that they followed Scriptures and that they had a faith were false. “Say: People of earlier revelations! You have no ground to stand upon unless you observe the Torah and the Gospel and that which has been revealed to you by your Lord.” (Verse 68)

At that time, when the Prophet was ordered to have such a confrontation with them, they used to recite their holy books and they claimed to be Jews or Christians and that they were believers. The orders given to the Prophet recognise nothing of these claims. Faith is not a word or a verbal statement or books that are recited or chanted, nor is it a quality that is passed on from parents to children. Faith is a way of life including personal beliefs, formal worship, and another important type of worship which is fulfilled through conducting all aspects of human life in accordance with faith. Since the people of the Scriptures did not establish their faith on such firm foundations, God’s Messenger was ordered to confront them with the fact that they had no faith and that they had nothing to stand on.

The first practical result of implementing the Torah, the Gospel and what was revealed to the people of earlier revelations was the acceptance of the faith conveyed by the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him). God had made a covenant with them to believe in every messenger He sends, and to give that messenger all their support. Their books, the Torah and the Gospel, included references and descriptions of the Prophet Muĥammad, as God, the most truthful of speakers, states. Hence, they would not be implementing the Torah and the Gospel and what was revealed to them by their Lord, (whether this phrase means the Qur’ān as some commentators say, or other Scriptures such as the Psalms, revealed to David), unless they followed the new faith which endorsed all that they had and superseded it. Unless the Prophet confronted them with these facts, he would not have conveyed the message entrusted to him by his Lord.

God was certainly aware that to confront them with this decisive truth would make many of them grow in their arrogance and disbelief. That, however, did not prevent the Prophet from making such a confrontation, feeling no sorrow at their increased arrogance and deviation. It was Divine wisdom that he should proclaim the word of the truth, and allow it to produce its effect on people’s hearts. This would provide anyone who follows right guidance with the truth. “That which is revealed to you by your Lord is bound to make many of them even more stubborn in their arrogance and disbelief. But do not grieve for unbelieving folk.” (Verse 68)

By giving these instructions to the first advocate of the Divine faith, God delineated the method of advocacy and explained His purpose behind choosing this method. God also comforts His Messenger so that he does not grieve over what happens to those who reject the truth and grow even more stubborn in their arrogance and disbelief. They deserve their miserable end because their hearts cannot tolerate the word of truth. Hence, it is better to confront them with it in order to help their reality surface.

These two verses with which the passage opens bring us back to the question of the possibility of forging an alliance or a relationship of patronage between Muslims and those who received revelations from God. We need to look afresh at this question in the light of the task assigned to God’s Messenger of delivering His message in full and the expected result of his endeavours. This is expected to mean that many of them will grow even more stubborn in their arrogance and disbelief.

We find first of all that God Himself states that the people of earlier revelations have nothing to stand on until they have implemented the Torah and the Gospel and all that was revealed to them by their Lord. In other words, they have nothing to stand on until they have adopted the final religion as a logical consequence of their implementation of their Scriptures. This is made absolutely clear by calling on them, in several places in the Qur’ān, to believe in God and the Prophet. Hence, in their present status, they cannot be described as followers of a Divine faith and they do not have a religion acceptable to God. God knows that confronting them with this fact will cause many of them to be even more stubborn in their arrogance and in their disbelief. Nevertheless, God has commanded His Messenger to confront them with this fact in the frankest of manners, feeling no regrets as a result of what it may cause.

If we are to consider God’s word in this matter to be final, as it clearly is, then there is no way that we can consider the people of earlier revelations as people of faith with whom Muslims can have a relationship of mutual support against atheists and atheism, as advocated by deluded people and those who delude them. It is not open for a Muslim to change what God has stated: “It is not open for a believer, man or woman, once God and His Messenger have made judgement on a certain matter, to have any choice in that matter.” (33: 36) God’s word remains valid for all time, unchanged by circumstances. Nor are we permitted to modify our attitude in order to prevent the likely outcome of confronting them with this fact, which is bound to make them even more aggressive against us. It is not open to us to try to gain favour with them by acknowledging that they have a faith which is acceptable to us. Nor can we support them in defending their faith against atheism in the same way as we defend our own faith, the only one acceptable to God, against atheism.

God’s instructions do not mark out such a route for us to fallow. Indeed, He neither accepts from us such a recognition of the beliefs of the people of earlier revelations, nor does He forgive us such an alliance or the concept on which it relies.

When we choose for ourselves something other than He has chosen for us, we are in effect recognising deviant concepts as a Divine faith, akin to our own. But it is God who says that the people of earlier revelations have nothing to stand on until they observe the Torah, the Gospel and that which has been revealed to them by their Lord. It is sufficient for us to look at their situation to realise that they do nothing of the sort.

Those who claim to be Muslims but do not put into practice what their Lord has revealed to them are in the same position as those people of earlier revelations: they have nothing to stand on. Any person who wants to be a true Muslim must implement God’s message in his life, and must follow this through with a clear address to those who do not follow suit, telling them that they have nothing to stand on until they have implemented their faith. Their claims to be religious are refuted by the One who has sent down the religion. Total clarity in this matter is imperative. It is also the duty of a Muslim who has implemented God’s message in this life to call on such people to embrace Islam anew. To claim to be a Muslim merely by word of mouth or by belonging to a Muslim family signifies little. It does not give the claimant any endorsement to his assertion that he follows the Divine faith.

When either group have accepted faith and implemented it in their lives, a Muslim may forge out a relationship of patronage and support with them to defend faith against atheists and atheism. Without such a condition, all other attempts are futile.

Faith is not merely a banner or a slogan or something we inherit from our parents.

It is a fact instilled in people’s consciences and has practical implementation in life. It is a belief held deeply in a person’s heart, combined with acts of worship, and a code of living. Divine faith must have all these elements. People do not follow Divine religion unless all these aspects are equally present in their hearts and minds 4s well as in their lives generally. Any other situation is an exercise in self-delusion which no true Muslim attempts. A Muslim must always make this fact plain and establish his relationship wit people on its basis. He should not worry over the consequences because it is God who protects and it is God who denies true guidance to unbelievers.

An advocate of faith would not have conveyed what God has revealed and would not have made God’s argument plain to mankind unless he explained to them the nature of faith in full, describing to them their own situation as it is, in all frankness, without hesitation. Indeed, he may do them a disservice, if he does not tell them that they have nothing to stand on and that all their beliefs and practices are false. He must tell them that he is calling on them to accept something totally different from what they have, and that they have to make a total departure from their concepts, systems and values. It is right that people should know from an advocate of faith where they stand in relation to the truth he is calling on them to accept, “so that he who would perish might perish in clear evidence of the truth and that he who would live might live in clear evidence of the truth. “ (8: 42)

When an advocate of faith minces his words and does not make the essential difference that separates the falsehood people follow and the truth to which he is calling them absolutely clear, he actually deceives them and causes them harm. Such equivocation does not tell people exactly what they are called upon to accept or what they are required to do. Moreover, such an advocate does not fulfil his duty of conveying what God requires of him.

Gentility in calling on people to come to God is confined to the approach an advocate of the truth employs, but not to the truth he is conveying to them. The approach may be modified according to circumstances, employing wisdom and kindly admonition, provided that the truth is stated completely and in full clarity.

Some of us may consider that the people of earlier revelations have the largest following and the greatest material power. Similarly, those who follow pagan faiths in various parts of the world number hundreds of millions, and have their say in international affairs. Some are also bound to see that the advocates of materialistic, atheist creeds command numerical strength and destructive power. On the other hand, they see that those who describe themselves as Muslims have nothing to boast of, simply because they do not implement the Book God has revealed to them. They may, thus, be overawed, feel unable to put a decisive word of truth to mankind’s straying majority. They may think it useless to tell all those groups that they have nothing to stand on as also explain to them the’ religion of the truth.

But this is not the proper approach. Jāhiliyyah, or the state of ignorance of the truth, remains the same even though it may be widespread throughout the whole world. It does not matter what people follow. They continue to be in error, unless they follow the true faith. The duty of an advocate of the truth remains the same, and cannot be changed simply because those who have gone astray are too numerous or because falsehood appears too strong. Falsehood remains without foundation. The call to the truth should be resumed in the same fashion as it started: it must declare to all mankind that they have nothing to stand on. It must be clear to us that we now face a situation similar to that faced by God’s Messenger, (peace be upon him), when God addressed him with these words: “Messenger, proclaim what has been revealed to you by your Lord. For, unless you do it fully, you will not have delivered His message. God will protect you from all men. God does not guide those who reject faith. Say: People of earlier revelations! You have no ground to stand upon unless you observe the Torah and the Gospel and that which has been revealed to you by your Lord.” (Verses 67-8)

This first part of the present passage concludes with a clear statement of the faith which God accepts from people, regardless of what they were called before the message of the last Prophet. It was the faith which united people of all creeds and doctrines in ancient history. “Those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians — anyone who believes in God and the Last Day and does what is right shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.“ (Verse 69)

The passage names four groups: “those who believe” refers to Muslims, and the Jews are the followers of the Prophet Moses. The term Sabians refers, most probably, to those who abandoned the worship of idols before the Prophet Muĥammad’s message, worshiping God alone, following no particular creed. There were a handful of Arabs among them. The Christians are those who followed the Prophet Jesus Christ (peace be upon him).

This verse states that whatever their creed was, those who believe in God and the Last Day and do what is right — and it is implicitly understood here and explicitly elsewhere in the Qur’ān that they have done that in accordance with the final Prophet’s message — will attain salvation: “shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.” (Verse 69) They need not worry about what they used to do or under what title they were classified. The most important title is the last one.

What we have been describing is implicitly understood from this Qur’ānic verse. It comes under that part of our faith which is essentially known to all people. It is a primary concept of this faith that the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him) is the last of all prophets and a Messenger of God sent to all mankind. All people, regardless of their religion, creed, belief, race, and nationality, are called upon to believe in his message as he preached it in essence and detail. Anyone who does not believe in him as a Messenger and does not believe in the totality and the details of his message remains in error. God does not accept from him the religion he followed prior to the revelation of Islam. Nor is he included among those described by God as people who “shall have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve.” (Verse 69)

It is this primary concept of faith which a Muslim may not compromise on under the great pressure of the jāhiliyyah or darkness in which humanity lives today.

Indeed, a Muslim cannot overlook this concept when he establishes his relations with other people of different creeds and religions. He cannot try to reduce the pressure of ignorance by coming to terms with the followers of other creeds or doctrines, giving them the privilege of having “a faith” acceptable to God and constituting grounds for mutual support.

It is God alone who is the patron of believers: “Those who ally themselves with God and His Messenger and the believers (will find that) the party of God will be victorious.” (Verse 56) This is certainly true even though appearances may give a different impression. Moreover, those who believe in God and the Last Day and do what is right, on the basis of the religion of Islam, which is the religion acceptable to God, shall have nothing to fear and shall not grieve.

They need have no fear of the forces of evil and darkness and they need have no fear of their own goodly, believing souls. Grief will remain unknown to them.

Following this, the sūrah gives us an account of a part of the history of the Children of Israel, the Jews, which shows that they have nothing to stand on and that the message of Islam must be conveyed to them so that they have a chance to believe in the Divine faith. On the other hand, this history shows the Muslims that the nature of the Jews has not changed. Hence, the importance of the Jews will be reduced in their minds and they will not condone any alliance or patronage when they have such an attitude to the truth and to faith: “Surely, We accepted a solemn pledge from the Children of Israel, and We sent to them messengers. But every time a messenger came to them with something that was not to their liking, [they rebelled:] some they denounced as liars and some they put to death. They reckoned no harm would come to them, so they were wilfully blind and deaf [to the truth]. Thereafter, God accepted their repentance: still many of them acted blind and deaf. But God sees all that they do.” (Verses 70-1)

This is a fact of ancient history. Their attitude to the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) was neither the first nor the last. They have become immersed in sin and disobedience and they have repeatedly violated their covenant with God, taking their own caprice and fancies as their deity instead of obeying God, following Divine faith and the guidance of God’s Messengers. Indeed, sin and aggression against the advocates of the truth has become part of their nature: “Surely, We accepted a solemn pledge from the Children of Israel, and We sent to them messengers. But every time a messenger came to them with something that was not to their liking, [they rebelled:] some they denounced as liars and some they put to death.” (Verse 70) Indeed, the history of the Jews and their attitude towards their prophets is full of denunciation and rejection, as well as murder and aggression. It is, indeed, a history of following vain desire instead of Divine guidance.

Perhaps this is the reason for giving the Muslim community a long and detailed history of the Israelites. God’s purpose is to warn the Muslim nation against following in the footsteps of the Israelites. In this way those who have good insight and who maintain their bond with God remain aware of these slips and follow the example of the Jewish prophets when they encounter similar experiences to theirs.

This is bound to happen since some generations of Muslims will inevitably end up in the same situation as the Jews when the latter strayed away from Divine guidance and their hearts hardened. Such generations of Muslims will do likewise: follow the dictates of desire, reject guidance, treat some of the advocates of truth as liars and kill others.

The Jews committed all these sins, thinking that God would not put them to trial and that He would not punish them. They chose to overlook the laws set in operation by God, thinking all the time that they are “God’s chosen people.” “They reckoned no harm would come to them, so they were wilfully blind and deaf [to the truth].” (Verse 71) God stamped their sight and hearing so that whatever they saw or heard was of no benefit to them. “Thereafter, God accepted their repentance,” and He granted them His mercy, but they did not desist, nor did they benefit by their experience. “Still many of them acted blind and deaf. But God sees all that they do.” (Verse 71) He will give them, the reward they deserve according to what He sees of their actions and what He knows of their intentions. They will never he allowed to escape punishment.

It is sufficient for the believers to know this old history of the Jews and their present situation to make their believing hearts disown any alliance with them, in the same way as did `Ubādah ibn al-Şāmit. Only hypocrites like `Abdullāh ibn Ubayy ibn Salūl could bring themselves to remain their allies.

Such was the situation with regard to the Jews among the people of earlier revelations. The situation with regard to Christians is explained in the sūrah in a most decisive manner which clearly fits with its general tone and with the question under discussion.

Early in the sūrah, those who claim that the Christ, son of Mary, was God are described as unbelievers. At this point, this description is re-emphasised with regard to those who claim that God is a third of a trinity or allege that Jesus Christ, son of Mary, was God Himself. The sūrah combines this with a testimony by Jesus (peace be upon him) that they are unbelievers. He warns them against ascribing Divinity to anyone other than God Almighty. He acknowledges very clearly that God is his Lord and their Lord. This is concluded by a warning by God Himself against continuing with their unbelief represented by their own statements which cannot be uttered by people who believe in God and in the right faith.

Unbelievers indeed are those who say: “God is the Christ, son of Mary.” The Christ himself said: Children of Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord. Whoever associates partners with God, God shall forbid him entrance into Paradise and his abode will be the Fire. Wrongdoers will have no helpers. Unbelievers indeed are those who say: “God is the third of a trinity.” Of certain, there is no god save the One God.

Unless they desist from so saying, grievous suffering will surely befall those of them who are unbelievers. Will they not, then, turn to God in repentance and seek His forgiveness? God is Much-Forgiving, Merciful. The Christ, son of Mary, was but a Messenger: other messengers have passed away before him. His mother was a saintly woman. They both ate food [like other human beings]. Behold how clear We make [Our] revelations to them and behold how perverted they are. Say: Would you worship in place of God anything that has no power to harm or to benefit you? It is God alone who hears all and knows all. Say: People of earlier revelations! Do not overstep the bounds of truth in your religious beliefs, and do not follow the vain desires of those who have gone astray in the past, and have led many others astray and are still straying from the right path. (Verses 72-7)

We have already given a brief explanation of how and when these deviant assertions crept into the Christian faith, which was preached by Jesus (peace be upon him), a Messenger of God. Like his brothers, God’s Messengers, he preached the principle of God’s oneness in its purity, unadulterated by even the slightest shred of idolatry or polytheism. All Divine messages had the common goal of establishing the principle of God’s oneness, calling on mankind to believe in it, and reject all pagan beliefs. We will mention ere briefly the conclusions which those synods endorsed, advocating the concept of trinity and that of the divinity of Jesus Chris and their subsequent disagreements.

Nawfal ibn Ni`matullāh ibn Girgīs of Nazareth says: the Christian faith on which all churches agree and which represents the basis of the constitution agreed by the synod is to believe in the One God: a single father, the Almighty, the creator of the heavens and the earth and what is seen and what is unseen, and to believe in a single lord, Jesus, the only son born to the father prior to all times and created of God’s light. He is a true god originating from a true god, born but not created, equal to the father in essence and from whom everything derives its existence. It is for the sake of us human beings and for the atonement of our sins he descended from heaven. He took shape from the Holy Spirit, and took form from the Virgin Mary, and was crucified on our behalf at the time of Pilate, and suffered and was buried and then rose from the dead on the third day according to what is written in the books. He then rose to heaven and sat to the right of the Lord. He will come down again with glory to make the living and the dead submit. His kingdom will be everlasting. The Christian faith also requires believing in the Holy Spirit, the lord who gives life and who comes from the father. Together with the son he submits to Him and glorifies Him. He speaks to prophets.

In Muĥāđarāt fī al-Naşrāniyah, Muĥammad Abū Zahrah quotes a historian of Christian Faith who mentions that the nature of God comprises three equal consecutive elements: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. To the Father, all creation belongs through the Son; the Son has the atonement; and the Holy Spirit gives purification.

Because of the difficulty of formulating a clear concept which combines the three elements in one and reconciling God’s oneness with the trinity, Christian theologians have always tried to evade rational discussion of this paradoxical question. The theologian Potter writes in a paper entitled “Principles and Details”: “We have understood this as far as our reason can cope with it. We hope to understand it more clearly in future when everything in the heavens and on earth will be revealed to us.

As for the present, the measure of our understanding is sufficient.” God, limitless is He in His glory, says that all these assertions are false and represent unbelief. As we have seen, they include the claim that the Christ has a Divine nature, and they claim that God is the third of a trinity. God has the final say on all questions. He always says the truth and He guides to the right path.

“Unbelievers indeed are those who say: “God is the Christ, son of Mary.” The Christ himself said: Children of Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord. Whoever associates partners with God, God shall forbid him entrance into Paradise and his abode will be the Fire.

Wrongdoers will have no helpers.” (Verse 72) We see how Jesus Christ himself (peace be upon him) has warned them, but they paid no heed. After he departed from them, they followed the deviant path he warned them against, because it is certain to forbid them entrance into Paradise and make them suffer in the fire of Hell. They forgot what Christ told them: “Children of Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord.” He declared to them that he and they stood in the same position of servitude to God, the One God who has no partners.

The Qur’ān makes a final judgement on all their blasphemous claims: “Unbelievers are those indeed who say: ‘God is the third of a trinity.’” (Verse 73) It states the truth which constitutes the basis of every faith preached by every one of God’s Messengers: “Of certain, there is no god save the One God.” (Verse 73) It threatens them with the punishment prepared for those who make such blasphemous assertions and believe in them: “Unless they desist from so saying, grievous suffering will surely befall those of them who are unbelievers.” (Verse 73) The unbelievers are the ones who continue to make such assertions which God has ruled to be a clear denial of faith.

These stern warnings are followed by encouragement and persuasion: “Will they not, then, turn to God in repentance and seek His forgiveness? God is Much-Forgiving, Merciful.” (Verse 74) The door to repentance and forgiveness is, thus, left open. God’s forgiveness and mercy are certain to be forthcoming, if sought before it is too late.

The sūrah then puts them face to face with this clear fact in the hope that they will reason properly and bring themselves to understand things as they are. This is coupled with amazement that even after this exposition, they continue to reject the facts: “The Christ, son of Mary, was but a Messenger: other messengers have passed away before him. His mother was a saintly woman. They both ate food [like other human beings].

Behold how clear We make [Our] revelations to them and behold how perverted they are.” (Verse 75)

The verse describes both mother and son as people who ate ordinary food. This was a simple fact in the lives of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) and his saintly mother. Eating food is a characteristic of living creatures which proves the humanity of Christ and his mother. Food is normally eaten to satisfy an undeniable physical need. Whoever needs to eat food in order to live cannot be a deity. God’s life needs no food to support it because He lives and remains alive by Himself. He does not need to have any created thing like food to enter or leave his body. Limitless is He in His glory.

This logic is so clear and powerful that no one can deny the fact it states. It is followed, therefore, by a condemnation of the Christians’ attitude in so far as they refuse to accept it: “Behold how clear We make Our revelations to them and behold how perverted they are.” (Verse 75)

This ordinary human life which Christ lived has troubled those who wanted to make him a deity in spite of his teachings to the contrary. They went to a great deal of trouble and argument about Christ’s nature and whether it was Divine or human, as we have already briefly explained.

Speaking from a different angle, but using the same clear logic, the sūrah wonders at their objectionable stance: “Say: Would you worship in place of God anything that has no power to harm or to benefit you? It is God alone who hears all and knows all.” (Verse 76)

It should be noted that the Qur’ānic verse deliberately uses the word “anything” rather than “anyone” in order to group together all creatures that have been worshipped, including those who have reason. The Qur’ān here refers to the fact that they are creatures and, as such, they are far removed in nature from Divinity. Thus, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Mary are included under “anything” because, by nature, they are some of God’s creation. The expression contains its own powerful connotations implying that it is totally illogical for anything or anyone to be worshipped when they can neither harm nor benefit anyone.

“It is God alone who hears all and knows all.” (Verse 76) As such, it is God who can cause harm and bring benefit. It is He who hears the supplication of His servants, accepts their worship and knows what they entertain in their minds and what intentions they have behind their supplication and worship. Other beings cannot answer prayers or supplication since they cannot hear or know everything.

This part is concluded with a general appeal the Prophet is required to make to the people of earlier revelations: “Say: People of earlier revelations! Do not overstep the bounds of truth in your religious beliefs, and do not follow the vain desires of those who have gone astray in the past, and have led many others astray and are still straying from the right path.” (Verse 77) All these deviant beliefs have originated with trying to give Jesus (peace be upon him) a supreme position of honour, which caused them to `overstep the bounds of truth.

The vain desires of Roman rulers brought about idolatrous beliefs into Christianity and the clerical synods’ same desires gave rise to all those allegations which have distorted the Christian faith. It should be remembered that Jesus Christ delivered his message in all honesty as a Messenger of God. He said: “Children of Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord. Whoever associates partners with God, God shall forbid him entrance into Paradise and his abode will be the Fire. Wrongdoers will have no helpers.” (Verse 72) This last address is a final attempt to save the people of earlier revelations and to help them rid themselves of deviation, conflict and vain desire.

Before concluding our commentary on this section, we should refer briefly to three main facts. The first relates to the painstaking effort Islam makes in order to establish the correct concept of faith on the clear basis of God’s absolute oneness, and to eradicate all the traces of polytheistic beliefs that distorted earlier religions. The true nature of Godhead is stated clearly and all Divine attributes are associated with God alone. No human being or other creature has any share in these attributes. Islam’s great effort in this respect indicates that the correct concept of faith is of vital importance in imparting consistency and happiness to human life. It also indicates that Islam considers faith the basis for all human activities and relations.

The second fact is that the Qur’ān declares unequivocally that those who claim that the Christ, son of Mary, is God, or those who claim that God is the third of a trinity are unbelievers. Now that God has given His verdict, it is not open to any Muslim to consider such people as following a Divine faith. While Islam does not compel anyone to abandon his beliefs in order to embrace Islam, it does not approve of considering non-Islamic beliefs as a religion acceptable to God. It declares here that such beliefs will never be accepted by God, since they are, in their totality, a rejection of the Divine faith.

The third fact is a logical consequence of the preceding ones. It tells us that there can be no alliance or patronage with any of the people of earlier revelations who entertain such beliefs and a Muslim who believes in God’s oneness as stated clearly by Islam. Every Muslim believes that Islam is the final form of the religion of submission to God, preached by the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him), and that this is the only religion God accepts from mankind.

As such, any thought of mutual support between the followers of religions against atheism appears to be nonsensical. When beliefs differ so radically, there can be no meeting ground between them. From the Islamic point of view, everything in life is based essentially on faith.

These verses make a definitive statement of the Jewish Prophets’ attitude towards the unbelievers from among the Children of Israel. It is represented by the attitude of the Prophets David and Jesus (peace be upon them). Both of them cursed the unbelievers among the Children of Israel and their prayers were answered because of the aggression of those unbelievers, the spread of immorality among them, their turning a blind eye to the spread of evil among themselves, and their patronising of other unbelievers. The outcome of all this was that they incurred God’s displeasure and were cursed. Their punishment will be everlasting.

Those of the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by David and Jesus, son of Mary. That was because they rebelled and persisted in their transgression. They would never restrain one another from wrongdoing. Vile indeed were the things they did.

Now you can see many of them allying themselves with unbelievers. So evil is that which their souls make them do. They have incurred God’s wrath and in suffering they shall abide. Had they truly believed in God and the Prophet and all that which was revealed to them, they would not have taken them for allies, but many of them are evildoers. (Verses 78-81)

When we remember that it was Jesus and David who cursed the Children of Israel, we realise that theirs is a long history of unbelief, disobedience and rejection of the truth. Prophets who were sent to guide and save them were the ones who eventually condemned them so that they might not be guided to the truth. God answered their prayers and destined the Israelites to a perpetual curse.

The unbelievers among the Children of Israel were the ones who distorted their revealed Scriptures and refused to abide by the rulings of the Divine Code, as we are told in several Qur’ānic sūrahs. They violated their covenant with God in which they pledged themselves to support and follow every messenger He sent: “That was because they rebelled and persisted in their transgression.” (Verse 78)

Jewish history is full of examples of such rebellion and aggression. These were not mere individual actions in the Jewish community. Indeed, they were so frequent they became characteristic of the whole community, and even those who did not perpetrate such crimes either turned a blind eye to them or did not speak out against them: “They would never restrain one another from wrongdoing. Vile indeed were the things they did.” (Verse 79)

Rebellion and transgression can occur in any community by those who are corrupt and deviant. The world is never free from evil and communities will always contain people who transgress. But a good community, by nature, does not allow evil and transgression to become commonplace. When wrongdoing becomes more difficult than doing good in a community, and when deterrent punishments are prescribed and the whole community stands against evil and enforces such punishments, then evil shrinks and the motivation to commit it weakens. This gives the community stronger ties so that it is more closely knit together. Corruption becomes confined to a few individuals or groups who are rejected by the rest of the community and, hence, they hold no sway over it.

As the Qur’ān depicts this phenomenon of Israelite society, condemning it and showing it in a bad light, it wants for the Muslim community a solid structure which repels every aspect of rebellion and transgression. It wants the Muslim community to solidly defend the truth and to be sensitive to any aggression against it. It wants those who advocate the implementation of faith to discharge their responsibility by standing firm against evil, corruption, tyranny and transgression. The Muslims should pay no heed to anyone who blames them for their attitude. They maintain their opposition to evil whether it is practised by powerful rulers, influential men of wealth, evil people with physical power or the masses swayed by vain desires. God’s system remains the true system and those who deviate from it are all alike, be they people of high or low position. Islam strongly emphasises the need to fulfil God’s trust, and threatens a common punishment to the whole community if it allows evil to spread within it. The responsibility is shared by every individual and by the community as a whole.

`Abdullāh ibn Mas`ūd quotes the Prophet as saying: “When the Children of Israel began to commit sin, their scholars counselled them to desist, but they continued in their erring ways. Their scholars, nevertheless, continued to mix socially with them, and to eat and drink with them. God caused one group of them to stand against another and they were cursed by David and Jesus, son of Mary.” “That was because they rebelled and persisted in their transgression.” (Verse 78) The Prophet was reclining when he said this and at this point he sat up and said: “No! By Him who holds my soul in His hand, you must push them to follow the truth.” (Related by Ahmad.)

`Abdullāh ibn Mas`ūd quotes the following statement by the Prophet :

The first defect which occurred in the community of the Israelites was that a man would see another and say to him: “Fear God and abandon what you have been doing because it is not permissible for you.” However, he meets him the following day but still the man persists in his erring ways, but this does not prevent the other from eating and mixing socially with him. When they did this, God caused division and conflict to occur among them.

The Prophet then read the Qur’ānic verses: “Those of the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by David and Jesus, son of Mary. That was because they rebelled and persisted in their transgression. They would never restrain one another from wrongdoing. Vile indeed were the things they did. Now you can see many of them allying themselves with unbelievers. So evil is that which their souls make them do. They have incurred Gods wrath and in suffering they shall abide. Had they truly believed in God and the Prophet and all that which was revealed to them, they would not have taken them for allies, but many of them are evildoers.” (Verses 78-81)

The Prophet then said: “No! By God, you shall enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, stand up to those who are unjust and force them to follow the truth.” ‘(Related by Abū Dāwūd.)

The matter is not then one of mere words which enjoin good actions and speak against bad ones. It cannot stop at this. It must hammer the point home, boycott the evildoer and check evil, corruption, and transgression, with force if need be. The Prophet is quoted as saying: “He of you who sees an evil action being committed should change it with his own hands. If he cannot, then with his tongue. If he still cannot, then with his heart. This last one is the weakest degree of faith.” (Related by Muslim.)

Ahmad relates a ĥadīth which quotes the Prophet as saying: “God does not punish the whole community for the actions of a section of it, until the community sees evil committed within its ranks and does not speak out against it when its people are able to do so. If the case reaches that stage, God punishes the whole community and the evildoers as well.” The Prophet is also quoted as saying: “The best type of jihād is to say a word of truth in front of a despotic ruler.” (Related by Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī.)

There are plenty of Qur’ānic verses and aĥādīth which confirm this concept. It is necessary to establish a sense of common responsibility within the community so that none of its members turn a blind eye when they see evil being committed. No one just sits idle knowing that society is becoming corrupt and justifies their inaction by trying to avoid what may happen. Within the Muslim community, everyone is responsible for protecting and maintaining the bonds established by God.

All this requires the formulation of a proper concept of faith and knowledge of what believing entails. It also requires that we know the Divine system we are called upon to implement and that it encompasses all aspects of life. We further need to take our faith seriously and work hard to establish the Divine system in the life of our community. It is only a Muslim community which conducts its affairs on the basis of the Divine system and implements God’s law that allows a Muslim individual to put into proper practice the principle of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. This principle no longer remains the action of an individual which has little impact, as is the case in all jāhiliyyah societies we see today. These societies have established social traditions of their own which condemn interference in other people’s business and consider transgression and disobedience as personal matters. They further allow injustice and tyranny to suppress all opinions and voices and punish very severely everyone who declares the word of truth in the presence of a tyrant.

All efforts and sacrifices should be directed first of all to the establishment of a good and noble society which implements God’s system. Efforts must not be wasted in attempting marginal improvements, which are largely individual in outlook, through enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong.

Partial reforms are not sufficient when the whole of society has gone wrong and ignorance has prevailed. When society has adopted a law other than that of God, efforts must strike at the roots and jihād campaigns must have the clear aim to establish God’s authority in society. When this is accomplished, there is a solid basis for the fulfilment of the all-important principle which is characteristic of the Muslim community: to enjoin what is right and to forbid what is wrong.

All this requires having strong faith and knowing the true nature of faith and the scope of its work in peoples’ lives. It is through such understanding that advocates of the truth come to rely totally on God, confident in His support, hoping to receive reward from Him only. They do not look to have reward or appreciation from a society that has gone astray or to receive support from those people who choose to live in darkness.

All Qur’ānic statements and aĥādīth that speak of “enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong” actually refer to the duty of a Muslim individual in a Muslim community which acknowledges God’s authority and enforces His law. Such a society may at times fall under dictatorship or witness the spread of some sinful practices. Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) says: “The best type of jihād is to say a word of truth in front of a despotic ruler.” The Prophet uses the term “Imām” to refer to the ruler because, in the Islamic system, the ruler is the first Imām. No ruler can be described as Imām unless he acknowledges God’s authority and his own duty to enforce God’s law. A ruler who implements any other law is described in the Qur’ān differently: “Those who do not judge in accordance with what God has revealed are indeed unbelievers.” (Verse 44) In ignorant societies which refuse to enforce God’s law, the most important wrong which gives rise to all other wrongs is the rejection of God’s Divinity through rejecting His law. It is to the changing of this basic wrong that the efforts of the Muslim community should be directed before tackling secondary wrongs. It is useless for good people to try to resist or forbid such small wrongs when they, by nature, emanate from the first wrong of attempting to usurp God’s Divinity and which reject His authority by ignoring His law.

It is perhaps pertinent to ask here the following question: according to what measure do we describe people’s actions as wrong and tell them to refrain from doing them? You may, for example, declare that a particular action is wrong and then find ten people rising up against you from different quarters to tell you that it is not wrong. They claim that it might have been considered wrong in previous generations, but with progress and development, things have to be looked at in a different light. It is important, therefore, to have a proper standard and sound values by which to judge matters and identify what is right and what is wrong. From where though can we derive such values and how do we establish such a standard? If we were to rely on the ever- changing judgement of people and societies, or their traditions and prejudices, we would end up in a maze where there are no sign posts or road markings. Nevertheless, it is so important to establish such a standard and that this standard should remain constant, unaffected by people’s prejudices. The standard we require, then, is that which God lays down.

Now let us consider a situation where society does not recognise God’s authority in the first place and does not implement His law. Or let us consider a situation where society ridicules and persecutes those who advocate the implementation of God’s law. Would it not be a waste of our time and energy to try to correct certain details or side issues over which opinions, values and standards differ so widely? It is extremely important to reach an initial agreement on a basis, standard and authority to which we refer for arbitration over conflicting views.

We must begin with enjoining the most important “right” of all, namely, the acknowledgement of God’s authority and the adoption of the way of life He has laid down. It is equally important to forbid the most serious of wrongs which amounts to a rejection of God’s Divinity through the rejection of His way of life. When the foundation is established, the structure can be built. Let us, then, concentrate all our efforts on one front so that we can establish that foundation. It is sad to see good, well meaning people spending all their energy in a concerted attempt to correct certain details when the basic criterion for the establishment of an Islamic community is non-existent.

What use is it to try to persuade people not to accept or take earnings that are unlawful, in a society where the whole community is based on usury? In such a society, all money is unlawful and no one can make sure that what he earns is lawful, because the whole social and economic system is in conflict with God’s law.

What use is it to try to persuade people not to be promiscuous in a society which does not consider adultery an offence except in cases of rape? Even in such cases, it does not enforce the punishment prescribed by God, because it rejects God’s law and, consequently, rejects God as the Creator, Ruler and Legislator? It is futile to tell people not to drink when the law of the country permits drinking and punishes only those who go out in the street totally drunk. Even then, it administers a punishment other than that defined by God’s law, which it does not recognise.

You may try to tell people not to abuse religion, but what good does that achieve in a society which does not recognise God’s authority and in which God is not worshipped properly. Other deities are recognised and a different law and set of values, standards and systems are implemented. In such a situation, the whole society, including the person whose faith is abused, submits to those who enact laws and set values and standards for it.

We ask once again, what use is it to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong in these situations? What benefit do we gain when we tell people to refrain from doing these grave sins, let alone small ones, when the most cardinal sin of all, i.e. the rejection of God and His law, is not forbidden? The matter is far greater and wider than the questions which consume the efforts and energies of well meaning people.

Details, however important, including cardinal sins, should take a secondary position at this stage. Unless God’s authority to legislate is recognised and acted upon, all efforts directed to detail are wasted.

God’s Messenger, (peace be upon him), says: “Anyone of you who sees something wrong being done should change it with his hand. If he cannot, then with a word of mouth and if he still cannot, then in his heart. This last one is the weakest degree of faith.” Muslims may face a situation where they cannot change wrong physically with their own hands and cannot change it by speaking out against it. So what is left to them is the weakest degree of faith, which means that they should change it in their hearts. This is something that no one can prevent them from doing, if they are truly Muslims.

It should be explained that this is not a negative attitude to wrong, as may be thought. The fact that the Prophet describes it as “changing” what is wrong suggests that it is a positive action. To object to what is wrong, even in one’s thoughts, means maintaining a positive attitude towards that wrong. It suggests that the person concerned rejects that wrong and tries to eradicate it and replace it with what is right at the first opportunity. A Muslim is required to maintain at least the weakest degree of faith which is to object to wrong in private. To submit to wrong, on the other hand, simply because it can exert enormous pressure, is to abandon even the weakest degree of faith. In such a situation, the same curse that has been incurred by the Children of Israel applies.

Those of the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by David and Jesus, son of Mary. That was because they rebelled and persisted in their transgression. They would never restrain one another from wrongdoing. Vile indeed were the things they did.

(Verses 78-9)

The real reason for this attitude of the Jews, despite their having received revelations from God, is that they do not really believe in God and His Messenger.

They have not embraced God’s final message. Hence, they are unbelievers. Had they believed, they would not have allied themselves to unbelievers: “Now you can see many of them allying themselves with unbelievers. So evil is that which their souls make them do. They have incurred God’s wrath and in suffering they shall abide. Had they truly believed in God and the Prophet and all that which was revealed to them, they would not have taken them for allies, but many of them are evildoers.” (Verses 80-1)

This statement which describes the position of the Jews at the time of God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) also applies today, tomorrow and at all times. It is also true of all the peoples of earlier revelations in most parts of the world today.

Hence, it is our duty to carefully study the Qur’ān and learn the lessons it has for every Muslim community throughout all generations.

It was the Jews who allied themselves to the unbelievers and incited them to attack the Muslims. God says of them in the Qur’ān: “They say to the unbelievers that they are better guided than the believers.” (4: 51) This was most clearly apparent in the Battle of the Moat, but it was also clear both before and after it, up to our present time. Israel could not have come into existence in Palestine except through the Jews allying themselves to present-day unbelievers and atheists.

As for the other people of earlier revelations, they ally themselves with materialist atheism whenever they have to deal with Muslims. They even cooperate with people of pagan and idolatrous religions when they have to fight Muslims, even though those Muslims do not represent Islam in any way, except through being descendants of past Muslim generations. All this goes to show how deeply rooted is the grudge against this faith and those who belong to it, though their claims of belonging to it may be false. God indeed tells the truth. He says: “Now you can see many of them allying themselves with unbelievers. So evil is that which their souls make them do. They have incurred God’s wrath and in suffering they shall abide.” (Verse 80) This is the net result of what they have done for themselves. Evil indeed is such an outcome. Bitter indeed are the fruits they reap from allying themselves with unbelievers.

Who of us reads or listens to God’s description of those people and still takes decisions that cannot be sanctioned by God, concerning alliances and mutual support between the followers of this religion and its enemies who are allied with unbelievers? What motive could there be for those people to seek an alliance with unbelievers, unless it is lack of faith in God and His Messenger: “Had they truly believed in God and the Prophet and all that which was revealed to them, they would not have taken them for allies, but many of them are evildoers.” (Verse 81) This is indeed the reason: they do not believe in God and the Prophet, and the majority of them are evildoers. They share the same feelings and directions with unbelievers. Hence, they prefer to be allied with them rather than with those who believe in God and His Messenger.

This Qur’ānic comment highlights three important facts. Firstly, that all the people of the Scriptures, with the exception of a few who believe in Muĥammad, God’s Messenger (peace be upon him), do not believe in God because they do not believe in His last Messenger. The Qur’ān does not describe them as people who do not believe in the Prophet only, but describes them as non-believers in God as well: “Had they truly believed in God and the Prophet and all that which was revealed to them, they would not have taken them for allies, but many of them are evildoers.” (Verse 81) This is a clear statement from God which does not admit any ambiguity or differing interpretation.

No matter how strongly they claim that they believe in God, they are unbelievers, particularly when we take into consideration their deviant concepts of God as these have been outlined in this and other sūrahs.

Secondly, all the people of earlier revelations are required to embrace the Divine faith, as they have been called upon to do so by the Prophet Muĥammad (peace be upon him). If they respond, then they are believers and they follow a Divine faith. If they reject this call, God’s description of them remains true.

Thirdly, there can be no bond of alliance or mutual support between them and Muslims in any matter, because all matters are, according to Islam subject to faith.

It is important, however, to point out that Islam instruct its followers to be kind to the people of earlier revelations and to extend to them benevolent treatment and to protect their lives, honour, and property when they are in the land of Islam. Muslims are also required to let them follow their religions, whatever they are, but to call on them gently to follow Islam and to argue with them over this in a reasonable manner.

It is also the duty of Muslims to fulfil their covenants with them as long as they remain true to such covenants. They may not at any time be subjected to any form of compulsion in matters of faith.

Such is Islam: clear, straightforward, kind, tolerant.

God always tells the truth and He guides to the path that is straightest.