Author: Muhammad Asim Ismailzahi
The Appearance of the Jews in the Holy Quran (Part Four)
Jews at the time of the emergence of Islam
In the pre-Islamic world, Jews considered themselves to be a superior nation and considered their sovereignty and precedence over other nations as their indisputable right. They called themselves the People of the Book and the other nations of that day illiterate and savage, and they boasted about the world of that day. They showed off their rabbis and teachers to the world, and they boasted about their knowledge and wisdom. However, the period of imaginary sovereignty and empty civilization came to an end, and a prophet was sent from the Quraysh, that is, the most degraded nation that always bowed down to the knowledge of the Jews and their scholars, and the reputation of his book displeased the Jews.
Especially when they looked into that book and found it to be a heavenly and important book, that is, a book that oversees other heavenly books, and they saw that it was a book full of truth, containing the highest spiritual teachings and the most complete path of guidance, they realized more than ever the invalidity of their distorted book that they had been showing to the world for years. They inevitably woke up from that dream and imagination and came to their senses, while their inner anger, disbelief, and rebellion were increasing every moment.
The divine Sunnah was determined to complete its argument against its servants from every angle. And a prophet, with his appearance, gives good news of the appearance of subsequent prophets and explains the signs and symbols of subsequent prophets to people. It is stated in religious sources that the Jewish religion, as a divine religion, also gave good news of the appearance of the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) and the final prophet, the Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah (peace be upon him and his family). Whenever they went to war with a people or a group, they would threaten them with the emergence and victory of the next prophet of the end of time; but with the emergence of Islam, they did not convert to Islam for various reasons (except for a small number). Some of them did so because of a sense of racism, considering themselves a superior nation and thinking that if a prophet were to emerge, he would have to be from the people of Israel and the Jews, and some because they would lose their illegitimate worldly interests and false positions by accepting Islam, and some because of the prejudice of ignorance, etc.
The Jews in Medina were the most famous group of followers of the People of the Book, and before the emergence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) they expected such an emergence according to their religious books and gave others the good news of it. Their economic situation was also very good and, overall, they had a deep influence in Medina; But with the advent of Islam, since Islam blocked the paths of their illegitimate interests and prevented their deviations and self-indulgence, not only did they often not accept the call of Islam; but they rebelled against it openly and secretly.
Many of the People of the Book, especially the Jews, were not content with not accepting the religion of Islam themselves; rather, they insisted that the believers also return from their faith, and their motivation in this matter was nothing but envy. [1]
The Quran says in this regard: Many of the People of the Book, out of envy, wished to turn you back to disbelief after Islam and faith, even though the truth had become completely clear to them.
They began to argue with the prophets from the time this rebellious people assimilated these reprehensible traits, and it became an inseparable part of their being and apostasy became evident in them. Not only did they not believe in their religion and did not convert to it; Rather, they prevented free people from believing and provided the grounds for the persecution of the prophets and even killed some of them. The Prophet of the End Times, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him), was no exception to this rule. They tried to turn Muslims away from Islam, persecuted them, incited and supported the polytheists in their wars against the Muslims, and even plotted to kill the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him), and according to their dark tradition of breaking treaties, they were not committed to any of the treaties they had with the Muslims.
Allah the Most High says: “أَوَكُلَّمَا عَاهَدُواْ عَهْدًا نَّبَذَهُ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُم بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ.” Translation: “Is it not true that when the Jews made a covenant (with Allah and His Messengers), a party of them broke it? (They are not only covenant-breakers) but most of them do not believe. And when a Messenger from Allah came to them, confirming what was with them, a party of those who were given the Book (knowledge) threw the Book of Allah behind their backs (and opposed it), as if they did not know (that it was the Word of Allah)”. [3]
“وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ.” Translation: “(Remember) when We took a covenant from the Children of Israel, saying, ‘Worship none but Allah, behave good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans and the needy, and speak good to mankind, and establish prayer, and give Zakat.’ Then you turned away, all of you except a few.” [4]
“أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا رَسُولَكُمْ كَمَا سُئِلَ مُوسَىٰ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۗ وَمَنْ يَتَبَدَّلِ الْكُفْرَ بِالْإِيمَانِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ.” Translation: “Do you want to make the same (unreasonable) demands of your Prophet as they did of Moses before? (And with these excuses will you turn away from faith?!) Whoever exchanges disbelief for faith has gone astray from the straight path”. [5]
“وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ وَالْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ.” Translation: “And humiliation, poverty and need were inflicted on them, and they became the object of Allah’s wrath; this was because they used to disbelieve in the signs of Allah and kill the prophets unjustly; this was because they used to disobey (my command) and transgress (the limits of truth).” [6]
It is obvious that not all Jews are condemned and reprehensible; rather, only those who, through stubbornness and wrongful prejudice, not only did not believe themselves, but also sought to mislead others, and sometimes, if one of their individuals and scholars accepted Islam, they would subject him to the most severe slander and seek to exonerate him; but those who, recognizing the truth, accepted and supported it were not only not condemned; Rather, they were supported and praised.
“لَيْسُوا سَوَاءً ۗ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَائِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ” Translation: “(All the People of the Book) are not alike, but among the People of the Book are a righteous group (who observe the rights of Allah and people). They recite the verses of Allah during the hours of the night and prostrate themselves (before Allah in humility).” [7]
The Quran refrains from condemning the Jewish race in general or regarding their blood as dirty, and only points to their actions, and glorifies and respects those who did not join the corrupt majority and submitted to faith and the truth.
The Holy Quran says: They are not all the same: “وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَمَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ خَاشِعِينَ لِلَّهِ لَا يَشْتَرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ” Translation: “Surely, among the People of the Book are those who believe in Allah and what has been revealed to you and what has been revealed to them, humble before Allah and do not sell the verses of Allah for a small price. For them is a just reward with their Lord. Indeed, Allah is swift in reckoning”. [8]
They accepted Islam considering the information and signs they had from the heavenly books regarding the Prophet of the End Times and finding them consistent with the person of the Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah (peace be upon him’); but some others, who, through disobedience and sin and immersion in the world, had extinguished the light of their innate right-seeking nature, not only did they not turn to Islam; but in order to protect their own interests and not lose ignorant supporters, they began to distort the heavenly books, just as their predecessors committed such a great sin regarding the Torah and the Gospel and tampered with the heavenly books with all kinds of distortions.
In some cases, they interpreted the texts of the divine books without their own opinions or omitted words, and in other cases, they replaced them with other words that suited their mood and interests. Because of these ugly and reprehensible behaviors, they were cursed and angered by Allah and the divine prophets (peace be upon them) and the seal of humiliation was placed on them. [9]
Continues…
References:
- Zaiter, K. Akram, History of Palestine, p. 391, translated by Fayzullah Saroch, 1362 AH, Qom Propaganda Office Publications.
- Shalabi and Nadwi, Allama Shalabi Nomani and Allama Seyyed Suleiman Nadwi, Forough Javidan, vol. 1, p. 432, translated by Abdul Majid Moradzehi, published by Farooq Azam, 1389 AH. Mubarakpuri, Safi al-Rahman, Al-Raheeq al-Makhtum, p. 351, translated by Abdullah Khamos Haravi, published by Sheikh al-Islam Ahmad Jam.
- Surah al-Baqarah, verse: 100-101.
- Surah al-Baqarah, verse: 83.
- Surah al-Baqarah, verse: 108.
- Surah al-Baqarah, verse: 61.
- Surah Al-Imran, verse: 113.
- Surah Al-Imran, verse: 199.
- Hosseini Dashti, Seyyed Mustafa, The World of the Jewish Game, Vol. 1, p. 600, Education and Knowledge of the “Jewish Material”, Arayeh Cultural Institute, Tehran, 1379 AH.
