Sura-3, Al-Imran [The Family of Imran], Medina 89
Amatulla’s comment:
These very important verses that recognize piety among the followers of faiths with different names if the essence are same: Worshipping one God, their prayers, devotion, and adoration for God reflect that in their heart they have found the path to God : their uprightness, their doing good work, and their reciting the Messages of God [from other Scriptures, Torah, Bible] all demonstrate their righteousness. By the expression “recite God’s messages” the Quran is also validating the Torah and other earlier scriptures. It is important to note that Asad’s interpretation of the word ‘ahlal kitab’ as ‘the followers of earlier revelations’ is more accurate as God had sent Messengers to all communities at one time or another, according to the Quran. This expression, therefore, should be inclusive of all those whose religious essence is same, irrespective of what they call themselves. I, therefore, believe the expression ‘ahlal kitab’ has been misinterpreted by many scholars.
The Quranic Text & Ali’s translation:
لَيْسُواْ
سَوَاء مِّنْ
أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ
أُمَّةٌ قَآئِمَةٌ
...
3:113. Not all of them are alike:
of the People of the book are a portion that stand (for the right);
...يَتْلُونَ
آيَاتِ اللّهِ
آنَاء اللَّيْلِ
وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ
﴿١١٣﴾
they rehearse the signs of God all night long, and then prostrate themselves in adoration.
Transliteration Laisu_ sawa_'(an), min ahlil kita_bi ummatun qa_'imatuy yatlu_na a_ya_tilla_hi a_na_'al laili wa hum yasjudu_n(a).
يُؤْمِنُونَ
بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ
الآخِرِ...
3:114. They believe in God and the Last Day;
...وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ...
they enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong; and they (hasten in emulation) in (all) good works;
...وَأُوْلَـئِكَ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿١١٤﴾
they are in the ranks of the righteous.
Transliteration Yu'minu_na billa_hi wal yaumil a_khiri wa ya'muru_na bil ma'ru_fi wa yanhauna'anil munkari wa yusa_ri'u_na fil khaira_t(i), wa ula_'ika minas sa_lihin(a).
وَمَا
يَفْعَلُواْ
مِنْ خَيْرٍ
فَلَن يُكْفَرُوْهُ
وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ
بِالْمُتَّقِينَ
﴿١١٥﴾
3:115. Of the good that they do, nothing will be rejected of them; for God knoweth well those that do right.
Transliteration Wa ma_ yaf'alu_ min khairin falay yukfaru_h(u), walla_hu'alimum bil muttaqin(a).
Other Translations:
3: 113
Asad [But] they are not all alike: among the followers of earlier revelation there are upright people [note 85], who recite God’s messages throughout the night, and prostrate themselves [before Him].
Pickthall They are not all alike. Of the People of the Scripture there is a staunch community who recite the revelations of Allah in the night season, falling prostrate (before Him).
3: 114
Asad They believe in God and the Last Day, and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and vie with one another in doing good works: and these are among the righteous.
Pickthall They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency, and vie one with another in good works. They are of the righteous.
3: 115
Asad And whatever good they do, they shall never be denied the reward thereof: for, God has full knowledge of those who are conscious of Him.
Pickthall And whatever good they do, they will not be denied the meed thereof. Allah is Aware of those who ward off (evil).
***********************************************************
Asad’s comment
84 The above passage - as the very similar one in 2:61 - relates specifically to the children of Israel, although this section as a whole (verses 110-115) obviously refers to the followers of the Bible in general, that is, to both the Jews and the Christians.
85 Lit., "an upright community" : a reference to those among the followers of the Bible who are truly believers (cf the last sentence of verse 110 above) and observe the "bond with God and with men" (verse 112).
Ali’s comments:
436 Cf. iii. 21, n. 363. (3.112): 363 Right; haqq has many shades of meaning; (1) right, in the sense of having a right to something; (2) right, in the sense of straight conduct, as opposed to wrong; (3) truth; (4) justice. All these shades are implied here. (3.21) ]
437 In Islam we respect sincere faith and true righteousness in accordance with the Qur-An and Sunnah. This verse, according to Commentators, refers to those People of the Book who eventually embraced Islam. (3.113) ]
Amatulla’s comments: –
I think earlier commentators’ understanding about this is wrong. The way this verse is structured it clearly indicates the People of the Book who did not convert to Islam at that time: It starts with the phrase “not all of them are alike”, these “them” or “they” means people in different camp of faith and not among the follower of the Prophet.
This is a key verse on which not much commentary is available. The Quran is proclaiming that no good work from the non-believers [not believing Muhammad as God’s prophet and follow the Quran.] would be rejected. Moreover, it is also recognized that righteous people still exist among that group of people. The main thing is that one believes in God and the Hereafter and do good work in this life. Therefore, it is the Message or Truth of God that is more important and above the consideration that one has rejected Muhammad as the Messenger of that truth.
As always the Message is more important than the Messenger. If one understands the Message from the Creator and still belong to another faith and pursues his/her path from another understanding and do not believe that Muhammad is God’s Messenger, he/she still can be righteous and successful before God. This idea of emphasis on God and His Message above a prophet’s recognition as the Messenger is of key importance. Many erroneous and unjust ideas emanate from not understanding and accepting this key idea the Quran is expounding. Here the pronoun “they’ undoubtedly mean those who did not follow the Prophet at that time.]