Jews
3. Sura al-Imran
Medina 89 [200 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
لَّقَدْ
سَمِعَ اللّهُ
قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ
قَالُواْ إِنَّ
اللّهَ فَقِيرٌ
وَنَحْنُ
أَغْنِيَاء...
3: 181. Allah hath heard the taunt of those who say: "Truly, Allah is indigent and we are rich!"
C486. In 2:245 we read: "Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful loan?"
In other places charity or spending in the way of Allah is metaphorically described as giving to Allah. The Holy Prophet often used that expression in appealing for funds to be spent in the way of Allah. The scoffers mocked and said:
"So Allah is indigent and we are rich!"
This blasphemy was of a piece with all their conduct in history, in slaying the Prophets and men of God.
... سَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَالُواْ وَقَتْلَهُمُ الأَنبِيَاء بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ ...
We shall certainly record their word and (their act) of slaying the Prophets in defiance of right,
C487. For the expression "slaying in defiance of right," Cf. 3:21, and 3:112.
...وَنَقُولُ ذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ الْحَرِيقِ ﴿١٨١﴾
and We shall say: "Taste ye the penalty of the Scorching Fire!
ذَلِكَ
بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ
أَيْدِيكُمْ
...
3: 182. "This is because of the (unrighteous deeds) which your hands sent on before ye:
... وَأَنَّ اللّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلاَّمٍ لِّلْعَبِيدِ ﴿١٨٢﴾
for Allah never harms those who serve Him."
الَّذِينَ
قَالُواْ إِنَّ
اللّهَ عَهِدَ
إِلَيْنَا
أَلاَّ نُؤْمِنَ
لِرَسُولٍ
حَتَّىَ يَأْتِيَنَا
بِقُرْبَانٍ
تَأْكُلُهُ
النَّارُ...
3: 183. They (also) said: "Allah took our promise not to believe in a messenger unless He showed us a sacrifice consumed by fire (from heaven)."
C489. Burn sacrifices figured in the Mosaic Law, and in the religious ceremonies long before Moses, but it is not true that the Mosaic Law laid down a fire from heavens on a burnt sacrifice as a test of the credentials of Prophets.
Even if it had been so, did the Jews obey the Prophets who showed this Sign? In Leviticus 9:23-24, we are told a burnt offering prepared by Moses and Aaron: "and there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat." Yet the people rebelled frequently against Moses.
Abel's offering (sacrifice) was probably a burnt offering: it was accepted by Allah, and he was killed by Cain out of jealousy: Gen. 4:3-8.
Mosaic sacrifices were no longer-needed by the people of Jesus or the people of Muhammad.
...قُلْ قَدْ جَاءكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِي بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَبِالَّذِي قُلْتُمْ...
Say: "There came to you Messengers before me, with clear signs and even with what ye ask for:
...فَلِمَ قَتَلْتُمُوهُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ﴿١٨٣﴾
why then did ye slay them, if ye speak the truth?"
Asad’s Version:
3: 181 - 183 Re: mockery of Jewish people in Prophets time, and rejecting and killing Prophets. See notes
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4. Sura an-Nisa
Medina 92 [Hijra 4]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
مِّنَ
الَّذِينَ
هَادُواْ يُحَرِّفُونَ
الْكَلِمَ عَن
مَّوَاضِعِهِ
وَيَقُولُونَ...
4: 46. Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places, and say:
... سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا ...
"We hear and we disobey;" and
... وَاسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ...
"Hear what is not heard":
A trick of the Jews was to twist words and expressions, so as to ridicule the most solemn teachings of Faith. Where they should have said, "We hear and we obey,"
they said aloud, "We hear," and whispered. "We disobey."
Where they should have said respectfully. "We hear," they added in a whisper, "May you not hear," by way of ridicule.
Where they claimed the attention of the Prophet, they used an ambiguous word apparently harmless, but in their intention disrespectful. (R).
... وَرَاعِنَا لَيًّا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِي الدِّينِ ...
and "Ra'ina;" with a twist of their tongues and a slander to faith.
"Raina" if used respectfully in the Arabic way, would have meant
"Please attend to us."
With a twist of their tongue, they suggested an insulting meaning, such as
"O thou that takest us to pasture!" or
in Hebrew. "Our bad one!"
... وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاسْمَعْ وَانظُرْنَا ...
If only they had said:
"We hear and we obey;" and "Do hear;" and "Do look at us":
... لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ...
it would have been better for them, and more proper;
... وَلَكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ اللّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ ...
but Allah hath cursed them, for their unbelief;
... فَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ﴿٤٦﴾
and but few of them will believe.
فَبِظُلْمٍ
مِّنَ الَّذِينَ
هَادُواْ حَرَّمْنَا
عَلَيْهِمْ
طَيِّبَاتٍ
أُحِلَّتْ
لَهُمْ...
4: 160. For the iniquity of the Jews We made unlawful for them certain (foods) good and wholesome which had been lawful for them;
C667. Cf. 6:146.
The ceremonial law of the Jews forbade the eating of the flesh of the camel, rabbit and hare (Leviticus 11:4-6), and the fat of oxen, sheep, and goats (Leviticus 7:23), and was in other respects very strict.
... وَبِصَدِّهِمْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ كَثِيرًا ﴿١٦٠﴾
in that they hindered many from Allah's way.
وَأَخْذِهِمُ
الرِّبَا وَقَدْ
نُهُواْ عَنْهُ
وَأَكْلِهِمْ
أَمْوَالَ
النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ
...
4: 161. That they took usury (interest), though they were forbidden; and that they devoured men's substance wrongfully;
... وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا ﴿١٦١﴾
We have prepared for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment.
لَّـكِنِ
الرَّاسِخُونَ
فِي الْعِلْمِ
مِنْهُمْ
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ
يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِمَا أُنزِلَ
إِلَيكَ وَمَا
أُنزِلَ مِن
قَبْلِكَ...
4: 162. But those among them who are well-grounded in knowledge, and the believers, believe in what hath been revealed to thee;
... وَالْمُقِيمِينَ الصَّلاَةَ وَالْمُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ...
and (especially) those who establish regular prayer and practice regular charity and believe in Allah and in the Last Day:
... أُوْلَـئِكَ سَنُؤْتِيهِمْ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ﴿١٦٢﴾
to them shall We soon give a great reward.
Asad’s Version:
4: 46 Among those of the Jewish faith there are some who distort the meaning of the [revealed] words, taking them our of their context and saying, [as it were,] " We have heard but we disobey," and, " Hear without hearkening," and, "Hearken you unto us, [O Muhammad]" - thus making a play with their tongues, and implying that the [true] Faith is false……….but God has rejected them because of their refusal to acknowledge the truth - for it is in but few things that they believe.
4: 160 - 161 So...those who followed Jewish faith.......and their taking usury although it has been forbidden to them, and their wrongful devouring of other people’s possessions. ............We have readied grievous suffering.
4: 162 But as for those from among them who are deeply rooted in knowledge, and the believers who believe in that which has been bestowed upon thee from on high as well as that which was bestowed from on high before thee, and those who are constant in prayer, and spend in charity and all who believe in God and the Last Day – these it is unto whom We shall grant a mighty reward.
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5. Surah al-Maida, Medina 112
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
فَبِمَا
نَقْضِهِم
مِّيثَاقَهُمْ
لَعنَّاهُمْ
وَجَعَلْنَا
قُلُوبَهُمْ
قَاسِيَةً ...
5: 13. But because of their breach of their Covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts grow hard:
C712. Cursed them: that means that because of the breach of their Covenant, Allah withdrew His overflowing Grace from them.
The withdrawal of Grace made their hearts grow hard in two ways:
1. they were no longer protected from the assaults of evil, and
2. they became impervious even to the message of forgiveness and mercy which is open to all Allah's creatures.
... يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِ وَنَسُواْ حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ...
they change the words from their (right) places and forget a good part of the Message that was sent them,
... وَلاَ تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىَ خَآئِنَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً مِّنْهُمُ ...
nor wilt thou cease to find them, barring a few, ever bent on (new) deceits:
C713. Israel, when it lost Allah's grace as above, began to sin against truth and religion in three ways:
1. they began to misuse Scripture itself, by either taking words out of their right meaning, or applying them to things for which they were never meant;
2. in doing so, they conveniently forgot a part of the Message and purpose of Allah: and
3. they invented new deceits to support the old ones.
... فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاصْفَحْ ...
but forgive them and overlook (their misdeeds):
C714. Cf. 2:109 and n. 110, where I have explained the different shades of meaning in the words for "forgiveness."
... إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١٣﴾
for Allah loveth those who are kind.
لَقَدْ
أَخَذْنَا
مِيثَاقَ بَنِي
إِسْرَائِيلَ
وَأَرْسَلْنَا
إِلَيْهِمْ
رُسُلاً ...
5: 70. We took the Covenant of the Children of Israel and sent them Messengers.
... كُلَّمَا جَاءهُمْ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لاَ تَهْوَى أَنْفُسُهُمْ فَرِيقًا كَذَّبُواْ وَفَرِيقًا يَقْتُلُونَ ﴿٧٠﴾
Every time there came to them an apostle with what they themselves desired not --
some (of these) they called impostors, and some they (go so far as to) slay.
وَحَسِبُواْ
أَلاَّ تَكُونَ
فِتْنَةٌ فَعَمُواْ
وَصَمُّواْ...
5: 71. They thought there would be no trial (or punishment); so they became blind and deaf:
C781. That is, they turned away their eyes from Allah's Signs and they turned a deaf ear to Allah's Message.
... ثُمَّ تَابَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ عَمُواْ وَصَمُّواْ كَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ ...
yet Allah (in mercy) turned to them: yet again many of them became blind and deaf.
... وَاللّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٧١﴾
But Allah sees well all that they do.
Asad’s Version:
5: 13 Then, for having broken their solemn pledge, We rejected them and caused their hearts to harden – [so that now] they distort the meaning of the [revealed] words, taking them out of their context; they have forgotten much of what they had been told to bear in mind; and from all but a few of them you will always experience treachery. (specific to his time, not general)
But pardon them, and forbear; verily, God loves the doers of good.
5: 70, 71 Indeed, We accepted a solemn pledge from the children of Israel, and We sent apostles unto them: every time as apostle came unto them with anything that was not to their liking, [they rebelled:]to some of them they gave the lie, while others they should slay, thinking that no harm would befall them; and so they became blind and deaf [of heart], Thereafter God accepted their repentance: and again many of them became blind and deaf. But God sees all that they do.
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16. Sura al-Nahl, Mecca 70
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَعَلَى
الَّذِينَ هَادُواْ
حَرَّمْنَا
مَا قَصَصْنَا
عَلَيْكَ مِن
قَبْلُ...
16: 118. To the Jews We prohibited such things as We have mentioned to thee before:
The further prohibitions to them were a punishment for their hardness of hearts, and not a favour.
... وَمَا ظَلَمْنَاهُمْ وَلَـكِن كَانُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ ﴿١١٨﴾
We did them no wrong, but they were used to doing wrong to themselves.
ثُمَّ
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لِلَّذِينَ
عَمِلُواْ
السُّوءَ بِجَهَالَةٍ
ثُمَّ تَابُواْ
مِن بَعْدِ
ذَلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُواْ...
16: 119. But verily thy Lord, to those who do wrong in ignorance, but who thereafter repent and make amends,
... إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِن بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١١٩﴾
thy Lord, after all this, is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
C2155. See above, 16:110 and n. 2147.
The parallelism in construction confirms the suggestion of the alternative reading which is made in that note.
The similarity of expressions also rounds off the argument, as by a refrain in poetry.
What follows now in this Surah is an exhortation to right conduct.
إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ
السَّبْتُ عَلَى
الَّذِينَ
اخْتَلَفُواْ
فِيهِ...
16: 124. The Sabbath was only made (strict) to those who disagreed (as to its observance);
C2159. If Abraham's Way was the right way, the Jews were ready with the taunt, "Why don't you then observe the Sabbath?"
The answer is twofold.
1. The Sabbath has nothing to do with Abraham. It was instituted with the Law of Moses because of Israel's hardness of heart (2:74); for they constantly disputed with their Prophet Moses (2:108), and there were constantly among them afterwards men who broke the Sabbath (2:65, and n. 79).
2. Which was the true Sabbath Day?
The Jews observe Saturday.
The Christians, who include the Old Testament in their inspired Scripture, observe Sunday, and a sect among them (the Seventh Day Adventists) disagree, and observe Saturday. So there is disagreement among the People of the Book. Let them dispute among themselves. Their dispute will not be settled till the Day of Judgment.
Meanwhile, Muslims are emancipated from such stringent restrictions. For them there is certainly the Day of United Prayer on Friday, but it is in no sense like the Jewish or the Scotch Sabbath!
... وَإِنَّ
رَبَّكَ لَيَحْكُمُ
بَيْنَهُمْ
يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
فِيمَا كَانُواْ
فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿١٢٤﴾
but Allah will judge between them on the Day of Judgment as to their differences.
C2160. Cf. 2:113.
Pickthall’s Version:
16: 118
Pickthall And unto those who are Jews We have forbidden that which We have already related unto thee. And We wronged them not, but they were wont to wrong themselves.
Transliteration Wa 'alal lazina ha_du_ harramna_ ma_ qasasna_ 'alaika min qabl(u), wa ma_ zalamna_hum wa la_kin ka_nu_ anfusahum yazlimu_n(a).
16: 119
Pickthall Then lo! thy Lord for those who do evil in ignorance and afterward repent and amend--lo! (for them) thy Lord is afterward indeed Forgiving, Merciful.
Transliteration Summa inna rabbaka lillazina 'amilus su_'a bi jaha_latin summa ta_bu_ mim ba'di za_lika wa aslahu_ inna rabbaka mim ba'diha_ lagafu_rur rahim(un).
16: 124
Pickthall The Sabbath was appointed only for those who differed concerning it, and lo! thy Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they used to differ.
Transliteration Innama_ ju'ilas sabtu 'alal lazina-khtalafu_ fih(i), wa inna rabbaka layahkumu bainahum yaumal qiya_mati fima_ ka_nu_ fihi yakhtalifu_n(a).
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5. Surah al-Maida, Medina 112
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَكَيْفَ
يُحَكِّمُونَكَ
وَعِندَهُمُ
التَّوْرَاةُ
...
5: 43. But why do they come to thee for decision, when they have (their own) laws before them?
C749. This is a searching question as to the motive of the Jews in bringing their cases for decision to the Prophet. They came either;
- to ridicule whatever he said, or
- to deceive him as to facts and snatch a favourable decision which was against equity.
If their own Law did not suit their selfish interests, they sometimes twisted it. But Muhammad was always inflexible in his justice.
... فِيهَا حُكْمُ اللّهِ...
Therein is the (plain) command of Allah;
... ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ مِن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ وَمَا أُوْلَـئِكَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٤٣﴾
yet even after that, they would turn away.
For they are not (really) People of Faith.
5: 43
Asad But how is it that they ask thee for judgment – seeing htat ehy have the Torah, containing God’s injunctions – and therefore turn away [from thy judgment]? Such as these, then, are no [true] believers.
Pickthall How come they unto thee for judgment when they have the Torah, wherein Allah hath delivered judgment (for them)? Yet even after that they turn away. Such (folk) are not believers.
Transliteration Wa kaifa yuhakkimu_naka wa'indahumut taura_tu fiha_ hukmulla_hi summa yatawallauna mim ba'di za_lik(a), wa ma_ ula_'ika bil mu'minin(a).
[ Ali’s note 749 This is a searching question as to the motive of the Jews in bringing their cases for decision to the Prophet. They came either (1) to ridicule whatever he said, or (2) to deceive him as to facts and snatch a favourable decision which was against equity. If their own Law did not suit their selfish interests, they sometimes twisted it. But Muhammad was always inflexible in his justice. (5.43)]