The Appearance of the Jews in the Holy Quran (Part 8)
Jewish beliefs about prophet hood and revelation from the perspective of the Quran
The Jews always claimed In their discussions with Muslims, that all prophets came from among us, our religion is the oldest of all religions, and our book is the oldest divine book. If Muhammad (peace be upon him) is also a prophet, he must have been sent from among us. This way of thinking and Jewish racism caused them to find new excuses every day to create problems and oppose the Prophet (peace be upon him). Therefore, the Quran states the truth at every stage and comforts the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the Muslims by referring to the past of the Jews, where it says: «وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَى شَيْءٍ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى لَيْسَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى شَيْءٍ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ.» Translation: “And the Jews say: The Christians have no authority over anything, and the Christians say: The Jews have no authority over anything, and they are on falsehood, while they recite the Scripture”. [1]
This verse addresses another of their baseless claims; Unfounded claims that have no origin other than selfishness and self-conceit. They utter such words while having read the previous divine books. But they have become so captive to bigotry and stubbornness that they allow themselves to rebel against Allah Almighty and make these false claims.
Of course, this verse also gives good news and encouragement to Muslims to pay attention to the fact that these same people who question the prophet hood of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and ridicule Muslims and harass them with their words do not even accept each other, and Jews and Christians deny each other. Therefore, Muslims should not be too upset about this issue. These fanatic followers consider themselves to be the only ones who are right and think that they can prove themselves by denying others. Referring to this, the Quran says: «وَقَالُواْ كُونُواْ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَى تَهْتَدُواْ.» Translation: “The People of the Book said: ‘Be Jews or Christians, that you may be guided”. [2]
In fact, the Quran exposes the Jews and explains the methods they have adopted. The long-standing method of all the ill-wishers of Islam has been to deny the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and to create doubt and suspicion in the hearts of Muslims, in order to make Muslims doubt and prevent them from happiness and to prove themselves, while they do not pay attention to the fact that these religions, distorted by a group of their co-religionists, can never lead to guidance and happiness for mankind.
This racist and arrogant group went even further and said: “أَمْ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأَسْبَاطَ كَانُواْ هُوداً أَوْ نَصَارَا.” Translation: “Do you say: Ibrahim, Ismael, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants (who had the status of prophet hood) were Jews or Christians?” [3]
It is strange that this fanaticism and turbulence has caused them to deny even historical certainties. This group, which has a long history in concealing the truth, considers prophets such as Ibrahim, Isaac, and Jacob, who were born and died before Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them), to be followers of Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them), and they want to mislead people by concealing these facts. Therefore, the Quran describes them as the most unjust people. The concealment of the truth of the great Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) by the People of the Book, especially the Jews, had caused the polytheists to come to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and say: How can you be a prophet when no one acknowledges you? Even the Jews and Christians have not testified based on the Torah and the Gospel?! [4]
These continuous sabotages by the Jews had caused the Quran to present strong arguments, so that it would both give a crushing answer to the People of the Book and comfort the Muslims, where it explicitly states: “الذين آتَيْنَاهُمُ الكتاب يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ” Translation: “Those to whom We have sent down the Book know the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) well, just as they know their own children”. [5]
This is perhaps the most eloquent expression for recognizing them, the Jews who saw the signs of the Prophet of the End Times and were certain that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the last Prophet of Allah, but only because of their fanaticism and stubbornness did they mislead others in this way and throw themselves into the valley of destruction. In fact, they have lost everything in the business of life and their existential capital. The Jews’ excuses were never ending. It is as if the Jews were born with excuses. They were always waiting for an opportunity to find a new excuse and harass the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Although they knew the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) well, they used strange excuses for refusing to accept Islam. For example, a group of their elders came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: In the Torah, Allah has taken a covenant from us that we will not believe in anyone who claims to be a prophet unless he sacrifices an animal for us and fire (lightning) comes down from the sky and burns it. Of course, their intention was never to realize the truth, but rather to find an excuse to escape from accepting Islam. Therefore, if the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had performed this miracle, they would still not have believed, just as they did not believe in their own prophets. [6]
Since the Quran has always fought against their misconceptions and stubbornness with the most powerful weapon, namely eloquent expression and strong and logical reasoning, in response to their demand, it says: “قُلْ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِنْ قَبْلِي بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَبِالَّذِي قُلْتُمْ فَلِمَ قَتَلْتُمُوهُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ” Translation: “Say, Messengers came before me and brought you every sign, and they brought you this as well, if you are truthful and believe on this condition. Why did you kill them?” [7]
Referring to the story of Zakaria and Yahya and some of the prophets of the Children of Israel (peace be upon them) who were killed by Jews, the Quran argues that if you are telling the truth, why did you not believe them and kill them?
Then Allah comforts His Prophet that if this group does not accept your words, do not worry; because this issue has a lot of precedent and the prophets before you have also been denied. In Surah Al-Ma’idah, another of the sabotage and hypocritical actions of the Jews is mentioned: “وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا سَمَّاعُونَ لِلْكَذِبِ” Translation: “They listen to your words a lot, so that they may find an excuse to deny you.” [8]
It is interesting that even their listening is mixed with stubbornness and obstinacy, as if this group does not show any effort to accept the truth and recognize the right path, and they always try to oppose the truth; they are not even willing to say that they listen to your words and think about them, and if they are right and good, we will accept them, but rather, they consider their goal, which is stubbornness and hostility, from the very beginning.
Since the signs of the advent of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were present in the Torah, whenever Muslims or other people asked Jewish scholars about these signs, they, who seemed to have no obligation other than lies and deceit towards Muslims, refused to explain and concealed those facts. Therefore, Allah has rebuked this group in the strongest possible tone, saying: “إنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنْزَلْنَا مِنْ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ أُولَئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمْ اللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمْ اللَّاعِنُونَ.” Translation: “Those who conceal the clear proofs and the guidance which We have revealed after We have made it clear to the people in the Book – those are the ones whom Allah will curse, and those who curse will curse them.” [9]
If this concealment of the truth had not taken place, a large group would have been guided. It is as if these Jews are not on any straight path and as if they have no other work to do but to disrupt the mission. Another group of Jewish scholars changed the characteristics of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and wrote attributes against him in order to preserve their position and interests. The common people, who had heard more or less the real characteristics, said: This person is the embodiment of characteristics, but the Jewish scholars recited from their distorted Torah and led the common people astray. These scholars not only did not fulfill their duty and responsibility towards knowledge and science, but they were also a barrier to the people and the common people and distorted the facts for their own benefit. Allah Almighty says about this group of Jews: “فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتَابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَذَا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ.” Translation: “Woe to those who write with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah”. [10]
Of course, it is important to note that the common people of the Jews were aware of the situation of their scholars, they knew that their scholars were openly lying, taking bribes and changing the laws of Allah. It can be said that they were partners in their actions, and Allah condemns this imitation. [11]
Elsewhere, Allah describes another kind of the Jews’ stubbornness that is worthy of reflection: “مِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا.” Translation: “Some of the Jews distort the words from their place (and instead of saying, ‘We heard and obeyed,’ they say, ‘We heard and opposed”. [12]
This stubbornness of the Jews makes them so bold in rejecting the truth and say with complete shamelessness: ‘We have heard and we have disobeyed! If this group had submitted to the truth and the word of truth instead of disbelief and rebellion, they would not have been cursed by Allah in this way. This group repeated this deliberate contradiction and transgression so much that it became second nature to them. It was as if their thoughts had become distorted and their eyes and ears had become blind and deaf.
Another excuse of the Jews is mentioned in this verse: “يَسْأَلُكَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ أَنْ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَاباً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ” Translation: “The Jews ask you to send down to them a Book from the sky (all at once).” [13]
A group of Jews came to the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: If you are the Messenger of Allah, send down to us your Book in one go. There is no doubt that this request was nothing but stubbornness and excuse-making. Instead of paying attention to the guiding and educational aspects of the divine verses, and without considering that sometimes the gradual nature of the Quran itself helped its educational purpose, these Jews had put their efforts into creating problems and asking biased questions. In order to comfort the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Allah Almighty referred to the stubbornness and excuse-making of the Jews against Prophet Moses (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and described the stubbornness and deviations of their predecessors, including their worship of the calf. [14]
The racial prejudices of the Jews take another form elsewhere: “وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُوا بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ قَالُوا نُؤْمِنُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَيَكْفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَاءَهُ.” Translation: “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 disbelieve in what is after it”. [15]
They did not believe in the Gospel or the Quran, but only considered their own racial aspects and interests. The Quran exposes their lies and says: If you are truthful and have faith, then why did you not believe in your prophets in the past and even kill them?
«وَيَقْتُلُونَ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ.» Translation: “And they killed the prophets unjustly.” [16]
By describing the Jews’ worship of the calf after seeing the miracles of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), the Quran presents another strong evidence against these lies. This faith, which both allows the killing of the Prophet of Allah and permits worship of the calf, is worthy of reflection and contemplation. A group of Jews went even further and completely erased the issue, saying to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): «مَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى بَشَرٍ من شَيءٍ.» Translation: “By Allah! Allah has not sent down any book from the sky.” [17]
It is strange that this statement was made by those who considered themselves followers of the heavenly book of the Torah. [18]
