The PPK Muslims (Proud, Practicing, Knowledgable) : 04/29/19

The Quranic Verdict against the Israelites. Have the Muslims misconstrued it, ignoring basic Islamic Principles and Shari’ah? Does it or should it affect the present day Muslim/Jews Relationship?

ABSTRACT

………And so, ignominy and humiliation overshadowed them, and they earned the burden of God's condemnation: all this, because they persisted in denying the truth of God's messages and in slaying the prophets against all right: all this, because they rebelled [against God], and persisted in transgressing the bounds of what is right”.

Obviously it raises many questions in a thinking mind of present day. The State of Israel is apparently the dominant force in the Middle East and has inflicted very crushing and ignoble defeat on the combined forces of Muslims of the area. Albert Einstein, the greatest physicist and genius of the twentieth century was a Jew. How-come? Does the ayah refer only to the Jews of the seventh century ? Or does it apply to their present generation as well? How can the children born today of Jewish parents be responsible for crimes committed by their ancestors centuries ago? Does this not cut through basic principles of Justice, a core principle in Islam? How do we interact with Jews: our neighbors, friends, classmates, teammates, colleagues etc. What to make of the frequent inter-faith meetings between Jews and Muslims in many Western countries? Are these just eyewash or even hypocrisy? Let us consult the Islamic scholarship available to find the answers.

Most of the Muslims of my generation were greatly disturbed and puzzled on the creation of the state of Israel. It appeared to us to go entirely against the predictions of the Holy Quran as we understood. The following ayah exposes our ignorance:⁵

“Ignominy shall be their portion wheresoever they are found save (where they grasp) a rope from Allah and a rope from men. They have incurred anger from their Lord, and wretchedness is laid upon them. That is because they used to disbelieve the revelations of Allah, and slew the prophets wrongfully. That is because they were rebellious and used to transgress”.

This ayah allows the Jews a respite under two circumstances. The article goes on to explain these.

Thus the apparent anomaly of the creation of the State of Israel with its dominant role is fully resolved.

The article quotes four ayahs of the Quran which in fact are acclaiming and admiring the Jews:⁶ What to make of these ayahs? The opinion of various scholars is recorded.

Thus, there are many facets to the assessment of Israel/Jews problem of today. I feel we have to open our eyes wide and deep to comprehend the problem fully. I would venture to say that the prevailing attitude and sentiments for the present day Jews in the present day Muslim Ummah is against the directive of our Holy Text or very controversial at best. It is governed by the facts and realities of the seventh century. There seems to be an underlying suppressed—expressed from time to time—grudge and animosity against the Jews. Worst still, this attitude is referred to the Quran. They are treated as anti-Muslim, persistently trying to manipulate and maneuver against Muslims and their interest. Every loss and mishap of Muslims is deflected to them. As I have stated this approach is debatable; not supported by the ayahs under discussion here. If a Jew or a group of Jews or the nation of Jews do a good deed Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo will reward them as per HIS widely announced principles, practice and Sunnah. The ayahs quoted hitherto support this view and the hard facts on the ground prove it.

In the rest of the article, I have discussed some papers like “The Quran Says Jerusalem Belongs to the Jews”, “Jerusalem belongs to the Jews: An Islamic truth”, “The Qur'an's Covenant with the Jewish People; Claims to the Holy Land” and “Chosen or Cursed: What does the Quran say about the Jews”. According to the popular and prevalent mindset, the writers of these articles, all Muslims may or will be labelled as Israeli “agents”. May be; may be not. I am not concerned with them or their loyalties. I have concentrated on what they are saying and why and refuted their assertions. I feel this exercise will help us to crystallize our ideas on this hot issue. All these three writers are pointing out that the the Muslim claim on this holy city is not corroborated directly by our Holy Text. As far as I know, this seems to be correct. The Quran has not mentioned at all the name of Jerusalem. We agree with these three writers that the Quran had installed the Bani Israel in Jerusalem. These three halt here. We would like to point out to them that they were deposed by the same Quran later on.

These articles reminds us that the relationship between the Muslim Ummah and the Children of Israel and other non-Muslims calls for some serious re-evaluation. This is all the more imperative in the pluralistic world order of today. The previous Muslim world view of Darul Islam and Darul Harb is not only archaic but extremely counter protective for we Muslims. We are sharing history with the Jews and therefore our conversation should be round the family table as Abrahamic brothers around our scriptures. More importantly we share a common humanity.

April 28, 2019

Read ONLY, IF AND WHEN you have time and mood for:

“An Ayah of the Quran for 30 Days” -- April 2019

Choose the section you have time, in the next 30 days to read this ayah:-

Prelude: Recurrent Primary Message 1st. Page

Starting Dua, a note & The Ayah 2nd. Page

A Short Summary: For the Busy Bee Two Plus Pages

The Main Story: Recommended Six Pages

Footnotes: For the Perfectionist Ten Pages

PRELUDE

From the Pen and Perspective of a self-styled PPK Muslim (Proud, Practicing, Knowledgeable) with a humble submission that Islam totally rejects Blind Following BUT vigorously focusses on the Limitations of Pure Human Reasoning..............and clearly and comprehensively AlLAH knows best.

In the beginning of the seventh century C.E., the folks of Mecca and Medina had a fascinatingly unique window: they had direct access to the Heavens through one of their own. They were blessed with a regular stream of Divine counseling and guidelines. Question and answer sessions were part of the program. Even individual questioner was graced by an answer. In the short Introduction to this scheme they were assured that at the end of this twenty-two year project, Divine Directions and Admonitions will continue through the agency of the PEN. The whole discourse has been preserved and archived till eternity under the guarantee of our Lord and Creator. This record in known as the Quran.

It should sound unbelievable but factually appears to be true: Many of our prevalent, widespread and important concepts and opinions about religious matters do not have a basis in the Quran and sometimes even appear to be in obvious conflict with the teachings of the Quran. It would be very educative and helpful to discuss an Ayah once a month to see if it supports or rejects our views and actions in our daily life. I wish and hope this generates a fruitful interactive discussion.

DUAA’

بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

In the name of Allah, we praise HIM, seek HIS help and ask for HIS forgiveness. Whosoever Allah guideth none can misguide; whosoever HE allows to fall astray, none can guide him right. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah alone and we bear witness that Mohammed, SAW is HIS slave-servant and the Seal of HIS Messengers.

Further, we recall that Allah Ta’aala has declared in HIS Book¹

“He granteth wisdom to whom He pleaseth; and he to whom wisdom is granted receiveth indeed a benefit overflowing; but none will grasp the Message (or remember or receive admonition) but men of understanding (or intellect)”

and we also recollect that he has warned us about the day of judgement²

“Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the boons (joy, pleasure).”

We realise, that there cannot be a greater boon or blessing or benefit than wisdom and we wonder if this should be a timely reminder to very many of us sincere and practicing Muslims who use our critical thinking to enhance the mundane for ourselves and our families but in matters religion we choose to

resort to blind following -- taqleed, doctrine of classical Sunni Islamic Fiqh.

(NOTE: I have filtered out the proofs and details into the Footnotes for those who have the time and interest for them. The main text will then be of reasonable length, hopefully for the busy majority. What follows is not a sermon; I do not feel qualified to give one, anyhow. I wish, it may provide a food for thought. A caveat seems in order: If the ayah selected pertains to issues we face in our daily life with our family, friends, neighbours or peers it may affect us personally and lead to some self analysis and soul searching which in turn could be divisive and distressing. If taken in the right spirit, it can be a humble attempt towards finding the “straight path”.)

THE AYAH

Surah Al Baqra (no. 2), Ayah 61 (part of an ayah)

وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ وَالْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَآؤُوْاْ بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ بِمَا عَصَواْ وَّكَانُواْ يَعْتَدُونَ

“………And so, ignominy and humiliation overshadowed them, and they earned the burden of God's condemnation: all this, because they persisted in denying the truth of God's messages and in slaying the prophets against all right: all this, because they rebelled [against God], and persisted in transgressing the bounds of what is right”.

A SHORT VERSION

“I am convinced about the veracity of my opinions, but I do consider it likely that they may turn out to be incorrect. Likewise, I am convinced about the incorrectness of the views different from mine, but I do concede the possibility that they may turn out to be correct.” — Imam Shafa’i

A The ayah clearly condemns the Children of Israel to disgrace and shame because of their persistent denial of truth, rebellion and transgression reaching the limits of executing their prophets. Consequently they were attacked and massacred ……(Please see the Main Story)

The story of the crimes and malpractices in Jewish history is well documented in their own book Bible.³

Allaamaa Yousuf Ali tells us that the Jews have been warned about it much earlier in the fifth book of the Old Testament, Deuteronomy:…………(Please see the Main Story)

Maulana Maudoodi has summarised this history succinctly: ……..(Please see the Main Story)

Mufti Mohammed Shafi points out that “One form of disgrace is that temporal power has been taken away from for ever”. Imam Islahi and research scholar and mentor Javed Ahmed Ghamdi have echoed similar opinions; this opinion is based on the Quranic ayahs quoted here. It is also supported by the companions and great commentators. Ibn Khatir has reported: “No matter how wealthy they grow, they will always be despised by other people; whoever gets hold of them will humiliate them and attach to them the emblem of servitude”. The commentator Dahhak Ibn Muzahim reports from the blessed companion Abdullah ibn Abbas that the Jews will always remain under the domination of others, will be paying taxes and tributes to them - that is to say they themselves never have power and authority in the real sense of the term.

Thus the apparent anomaly of the creation of the State of Israel is fully resolved. It was born in the UNO on the votes of three fourth of humanity— all of them non-Muslim. There were some delivery problems at the UNO. But the zionists could not wait for the official decision. Giving advance notice of its irresponsible and rogue behaviour, the state unilaterally and audaciously declared its own inauguration. With the strong financial support of America, it is a heavy weight now in the Middle East. I do not intend to drag politics in this already difficult discussion but I would like to state I do not agree with “Israel is not an independent sovereign state, but only a stronghold of the Western powers which they have established in the midst of Muslim countries in order to protect their own interests”. Yes, this is all true; yet Israel is independently following its own agenda and has the power to back it up.

The following three ayahs of the Quran highlight the other side of the story, acclaiming and admiring the Jews:⁶

“Not all of them are alike: Of the People of the Book are a portion that stand (For the right): They rehearse the Signs of God all night long, and they prostrate themselves1 in adoration. They believe in God and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong; and they hasten (in emulation) in (all) good works: They are in the ranks of the righteous. Of the good that they do, nothing will be rejected of them; for God knoweth well those that do right”.

A section of the Jews are praised in the last ayah of the same surah:⁷ “And there are, certainly, among the People of the Book, those who believe in God, in the revelation to you, and in the revelation to them, bowing in humility to God. They will not sell the Signs of God for a miserable gain! For them is a reward with their Lord, and God is swift in account”.

What to make of these ayahs? Maulana Mufti Mohammed Shafi makes a blanket statement “And by becoming Muslims…..and embracing Islam they developed the characteristics of Muslims”. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi is more discreet. He opines that some of this group of Jews had taken their oath on the Holy Prophet; and there were others who did not but were true momins within; ultimately, he adds all of them embraced Islam. Dr. Mohammad Asad, Allaamaa Yousuf Ali and Maulana Maudoodi have no comments on this ayah. What does a PPK Muslim like me make of this ayah? I am reminded at this point of the ayah that immediately follows the index ayah in the Quran:⁸

“VERILY, those who have attained to faith [in this divine writ], as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians - all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds - shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve”.

As I have stated this approach is debatable; not supported by the ayahs under discussion here. If a Jew or a group of Jews or the nation of Jews do a good deed Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo will reward them as per HIS widely announced principles, practice and Sunnah. The ayahs quoted hitherto support this view and the hard facts on the ground prove it.

The research scholar and mentor Javed Ahmed Ghamdi has clearly and beautifully clarified the history and pattern of Divine revelations……….(Please see the Main Story)

In the rest of the article, I have discussed some papers that appear to highlight the flip side of the widely prevalent view on the present Muslim-Israel/Jews tussle. According to the popular and prevalent mindset, the writers of these articles may or will be labelled as Israeli “agents”. May be; may be not. I am not concerned with them or their loyalties. I have concentrated on what they are saying and why and analyse the ayahs they have quoted. I feel this exercise will help us to crystallize our ideas on this hot issue.

Saied Shoaib, a Muslim writer and researcher, specializing in Islamic movements focusses on this issue in his article dated January 15, 2018 Quran Says Jerusalem Belongs to the Jews)⁹ …….(Please see the Main Story)

Dr. Qanta A. Ahmed, MD, a British American Muslim, author of “In the Land of Invisible”, Woman member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and Next Generation Council Member of the University of Southern California’s Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education @MissDiagnosis has published an article in the The Times of Israel Jerusalem belongs to the Jews: An Islamic truth. (Please see the Main Story)

This article reminds us that the relationship between the Muslim Ummah and the Children of Israel and other non-Muslims calls for some serious re-evaluation. This is all the more imperative in the pluralistic world order of today. The previous Muslim world view of Darul Islam and Darul Harb is not only archaic but extremely counter protective for we Muslims. We are sharing history with the Jews and therefore our conversation should be round the family table as Abrahamic brothers around our scriptures. More importantly we share a common humanity.

Muhammad Al-Hussaini, fellow and lecturer in Islamic Studies at Leo Baeck Rabbinical College, London has published a paper in the Middle East Quarterly in the Fall 2009:

“The Qur'an's Covenant with the Jewish People; Claims to the Holy Land”……..(Please see the Main Story)

All these three writers are pointing out that the the Muslim claim on this holy city is not corroborated directly by our Holy Text. As far as I know, this seems to be correct. The Quran has not mentioned at all the name of Jerusalem. We agree with these three writers that the Quran had installed the Bani Israel in Jerusalem. These three halt here. We would like to point out to them that they were deposed by the same Quran later on.

Lastly, Alper Bilgili, a Turkish Muslim writer has written a piece Chosen or Cursed: What does the Quran say about the Jews? ……….(Please see the Main Story)

The Virtual Jewish Library has about eighty three ayahs in their article Islam: References to Jews in the Koran quoting the numbers of the surah and ayah. The messages that they read as intense are highlighted. There are no comments recorded. It provides a good list for reference.¹⁴

........and Allah knows best.

May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding--“fahm”--of our Deen, Aameen.

THE MAIN STORY

The ayah clearly condemns the Children of Israel to disgrace and shame because of their persistent denial of truth, rebellion and transgression reaching the limits of executing their prophets. Consequently they were attacked and massacred by the Assyrians and then carried in captivity. They were rescued by the Persians but remained subservient to them. Later they were dominated by Greeks, Romans and Arabs respectively. The latest and most gruesome tragedy was forced on them in Nazi Germany. The slaying of the Prophets began with the murder of Abel; later the elder sons of Jacob attempted the murder of Joseph; still later in history they tried to slay Jesus and lastly they attempted to take the life of Muṣṭafā. At this point, Allaamaa Yousuf Ali comes out with a very apt warning to all of us “But the moral goes wider than the Children of Israel. It applies to all nations and all individuals. If they are stiff-necked, if they set a greater value on perishable goods than on freedom and eternal salvation, if they break the law of God and resist His grace, their portion must be humiliation and misery in the spiritual world and probably even on this earth if a long view is taken”.

The story of John the Baptist also brings out that the Jews actually did kill some of their prophets.

Also the Gospel says: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee" (Matthew xxiii, 37). Matthew xxiii, 34-35 and Luke xi, 51 refer to the murder of Zachariah.

The story of the crimes and malpractices in Jewish history is well documented in their own book Bible.³

In addition to the index ayah, the following ayah clarifies that Allah had made it very clear to the Jews through Sayyidna Moosa that if they continued to be disobedient they would always have to live under the domination of other nations:⁴ “Behold! thy Lord did declare that He would send against them, to the Day of Judgment, those who would afflict them with grievous penalty. Thy Lord is quick in retribution, but He is also Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful”.

Note here the clear statement “to the Day of Judgment.” I feel this is a crucial declaration for the overall assessment of the situation. The Jews are warned here by God Almighty that they will always be dominated by people who would inflict terrible tragedies on them.

Allaamaa Yousuf Ali tells us that the Jews have been warned about it much earlier in the fifth book of the Old Testament, Deuteronomy:

“A curse if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God but turn aside out of the way I command you this day”; Deut. 11:28

“The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand”; Deut. 28:49

Maulana Maudoodi has summarised this history succinctly: “Since the 8th century B.C. the Israelites were warned consistently. This is borne out by the contents of the Books of the Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and their successors. Jesus too administered the same warning which is borne out by many of his orations in the New Testament, This was also later confirmed by the Qur'an. History bears out the veracity of the statement made both in the Qur'an and the earlier scriptures. For throughout history, since the time the Jews were warned, they have continually been subjected to abject persecution in one part of the world or another”.

After repeating and recounting the evil doings of Bani Israel, this ayah allows them a respite under two circumstances: “save (where they grasp) a rope from Allah and a rope from men”. This “rope” is variously translated by mufassirs as “covenant (of protection), seek protection and a bond” of God or people. To gain your confidence, I will allow Mufti Mohammed Shafi to elaborate: “Now, the rope or means from Allah refers to the case of those whom Allah Himself has, through His own command saved them from disgrace - for example children, women or those who are totally devoted to prayer and worship and never go to war against Muslims. The rope or means from men refers to a treaty of peace with the Muslims, or a permission to live in a Muslim country on payment of Jizya. Since the holy Quran uses the expression “from men” and not “from Muslims” a third situation is also possible - the Jews make political arrangements with other non-Muslims, live under their backing and protection, and thus be in peace.

and rogue behaviour, the state unilaterally and audaciously declared its own inauguration. With the strong financial support of America, it is a heavy weight now in the Middle East. I do not intend to drag politics in this already difficult discussion but I would like to state I do not agree with “Israel is not an independent sovereign state, but only a stronghold of the Western powers which they have established in the midst of Muslim countries in order to protect their own interests”. Yes, this is all true; yet Israel is independently following its own agenda and has the power to back it up.

The following three ayahs of the Quran highlight the other side of the story, acclaiming and admiring the Jews:⁶ “Not all of them are alike: Of the People of the Book are a portion that stand (For the right): They rehearse the Signs of God all night long, and they prostrate themselves1 in adoration. They believe in God and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong; and they hasten (in emulation) in (all) good works: They are in the ranks of the righteous. Of the good that they do, nothing will be rejected of them; for God knoweth well those that do right”.

Thus there are many facets to the assessment of Israel/Jews problem of today. I feel we have to open our eyes wide and deep to comprehend the problem fully.

I would venture to say that the prevailing attitude and sentiments for the present day Jews in the present day Muslim Ummah is against the directive of our Holy Text or very controversial at best. It is governed by the facts and realities of the seventh century. There seems to be an underlying suppressed—expressed from time to time—grudge and animosity against the Jews. Worst still, this attitude is referred to the Quran. They are treated as anti-Muslim, persistently trying to manipulate and maneuver against Muslims and their interest. Every loss and mishap of Muslims is deflected to them. Why did Muslims rise against their caliph Usman: Jewish conspiracy; the Muslim scholar Dr. Israel has even quoted his name. Why did Tariq bin Zaid attacked Spain: Jewish conspiracy. Why did Protestants parted from the mainstream: Jewish conspiracy. Why did bank interest became so prevalent: Jewish conspiracy. Why do Jews dominate the banking system: Jewish conspiracy. Why are Muslims divided and fighting each other: Jewish conspiracy. “Yahood and Hunood” are responsible for all the ailments of the Muslims of the sub-continent; they themselves are simply poor helpless targets. As I have stated this approach is debatable; not supported by the ayahs under discussion here. If a Jew or a group of Jews or the nation of Jews do a good deed Allah Ta'aala Subhaanahoo will reward them as per HIS widely announced principles, practice and Sunnah. The ayahs quoted hitherto support this view and the hard facts on the ground prove it.

The research scholar and mentor Javed Ahmed Ghamdi has clearly and beautifully clarified the history and pattern of Divine revelations. Initially the sunnate Ilahi was to send a messenger for each nation (qaum) directly; there are about one hundred and twenty four thousand of them. But after the appointment of Prophet Ibrahim, HE in HIS utter wisdom has transformed HIS style. He has declared that nabuwat will be restricted now onwards to the progeny of Ibrahim through two lines. One, through Ishaq and Yaqoob ie Bani Israel. They were located in Qan’aan which includes Jerusalem. There followed an uninterrupted succession of Prophets for Bani Israel, starting with two at the same time—Moosa and Haroon— and ending with simultaneously two—Issa and Yahya. Second line, through Ismael, the Bani Ismael. They were assigned to the Hejaz with the harem-e-Kaa’ba. The Quran is on record that the Bani Israel was blessed with “noor and huda” and enjoyed the role of the first Ummate Muslimah. They were later deposed of this position because of their disgraceful deeds and behaviour and condemned to a perpetual role subordination. They were destined to be ruled by others and suffer humiliation and dishonor. Despite being the oldest of the Ibrahimic faiths they number only seventeen million out of a world population of eight billion. The Bani Isamel were installed as the new leaders of the Ummate Muslimah signaled probably by the transfer of the Qibla from the Great Musjid in Jerusalem to the Kaa’ba in Hejaz. Dr. Israr Ahmed labels the shifting of the Qibla as the coronation of this event. Do these facts have any role in deciding the “ownership” of Palestine?

Saied Shoaaib, a Muslim writer and researcher, specializing in Islamic movements focusses on this issue in his article dated January 15, 2018 The Quran Says Jerusalem Belongs to the Jews. No wonder it found its place on the platform of the Gatestone Institute, a think tank known for its right-wing anti Muslim stance. However the writer makes his case with Quranic ayahs giving cross references to the surah and ayah numbers and presents a balanced view (In addition to the link, I have reproduced this short piece in my footnotes). He asserts “Quranic passages clearly illustrate the Jews' imperative to enter the land of Israel” quoting Quranic ayahs as the basis. All of these ayahs refer to the directives of Prophet Moses to enter the Holy Land. He further notes that “there is a consensus of interpretation among the most respected Sunni and Shiite Muslim scholars of past centuries -- such as Al-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abi Zayd, Mahmud al-Alusi, Al-Baghawi -- that, according to the Quran, God gave to the Jews the land from the Nile to the Euphrates, territory that includes not only Jerusalem and Palestine, but a large part of Egypt and Iraq, and all of Jordan, Syria and Lebanon”.

There is no issue with the writer up-till now. But he has failed to mention later ayahs of the Quran which have deposed the Bani Israel from this privileged position and possession and replaced them with Bani Ismael.

In fairness to the writer I must quote his conclusion “This is not to say that because the land of Israel was a divine gift to the Jews, they therefore have all rights to it. On the contrary, no future peace between Israelis and Palestinians, both of whom reside there, will or should be determined by scripture”.

She has a very interesting quote from historian Simon Sebag Montefiore in his 2011 book, Jerusalem: The Biography about this city. He describes the city as “the house of one God, the capital of two peoples, the temple of three religions, and she is the only city to exist twice — in heaven and on earth.”

The writer is speaking “as a believing Muslim observing Islam” and asserts “I am compelled by the Quran to support Israel’s sole claim to the Holy Land; the Quran says it is so”. The subheading to her piece says “In denying Jewish ties to the land of Israel, Islamists defy the Quran and cultivate a genocidal anti-Semitism”. Her personal and political views are not relevant to us at this moment. However she is quoting the Quran as one of our sisters in Islam needing, therefore our close attention. Notably, she does not give references for the ayahs; however these are very familiar ones.

She states “The 80,000-word document 1.6 billion Muslims accept as the revealed word of God, the Quran, is categorical about the destiny of Israel and the people who can claim its ownership” and quotes the relevant ayah. No issue here. But then she adds “Nowhere does the Quran make mention of the Muslims’ claim to the Holy Land. Instead, God reveals in the Quran that The Holy Land is designated for the followers of Moses”. She further down mentions “It is this Islamic truth that political Islamists vehemently deny”.

Ignoring her views on the present political reality vis-a-vis “Islamism” and “anti-semitism”, I would like to present to you some of her pertinent statements:

“It is these convulsions that have shaped the global outcry against Jerusalem’s destiny as Israel’s capital. This outcry is not confined to Muslims but is spread throughout the wider world, as many glorify Islamists as a persecuted religious minority rather than the totalitarians they are”.

She laments “Muslims in fervent anti-Semitism have abandoned all memory of what is confirmed as beloved and revered to us — the Torah and its followers, Moses and his message, and God’s own promise to his followers of sanctuary in a Promised Land. This renunciation of what the Quran tells Muslims is an incontestable truth today. Theological destiny for the Jews is at the root of the Middle East conflict; whether as Jews it is pursued, or by Muslims, it is denied”.

She comes out with a challenging declaration “The Israel-Palestinian conflict is neither about politics nor Zionism, neither about borders nor land or water. It is not even about the fate of statehood for the Palestinians. It is about the central denial of an Islamic truth: the denial that the Jews are indeed People of the Book, that their path to God is divine and righteous, and that they are indeed, by divine writ, the inheritors of the Holy Land”.

She has quoted Professor Khaleel Mohammed, professor of Religion at San Diego State University and member of SDSU’s Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies as writing “that the Quran decrees that the Holy Land is destined for the Jewish people”.

I see some truth in her strong announcement “Cosmic anti-Semitism (anti-Semitism pursued as a divine mission to combat a cosmic, not mortal, enemy) is kingpin to Islamist ideology. Islamism – a political totalitarianism masquerading as Islam – religionizes anti-Semitism, rendering the hatred of Jews as religious creed and perverse marker of devotion among Islamists today. In doing so, Muslims add to the ferocity and fanaticism of anti-Semitism, granting it dangerous –if false — religious legitimacy”.

Thus Dr. Qanta, like Saied Shoaaib says that our Holy Text has declared that Bani Israel were allotted Canaan (which includes Palestine) as their base. As I have stated earlier, no issue here with these writers. Both these writers, however do not read ahead when the Jews were deposed from this position because of their deeds described by the eminent scholar Sayyid Qutb as: “No other nation in history has shown more intransigence and obstinacy than the Jews. They viciously and mercilessly killed and mutilated a number of prophets and messengers. They have over the centuries displayed the most extreme attitudes towards God, and towards their own religion and people”.

The second point which the Dr. has pinpointed out is real and intriguing: a palpable and widespread feelings against the Jews in the Muslim Ummah which forces Muslims to hypocrisy and double standards specially in the Western world. The great scholar Sayyid Qutb echoes a similar view “The war the Jews began to wage against Islam and Muslims in those early days has raged on to the present day. The form and appearance may have changed, but the nature and means remain the same”.

As proof for her second point, she states:

The Hamas charter asserts that "the Islamic Resistance Movement [i.e. Hamas] regards Palestine as an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future generations until Judgment Day." A waqf is a religious endowment bestowed by God. Consequently, "neither it, nor any part of it, should be squandered: Neither it, nor any part of it, should be given up. Neither a single Arab country nor all Arab countries, neither any king or president, nor all the kings and presidents, neither any organization nor all of them, be they Palestinian or Arab, possess the right to do that. Palestine is an Islamic Waqf land consecrated for Muslim generations until Judgment Day.” This charter is not unique: Apparently it represents a mainstream view among Muslims today.

Some hadith predict that at the end of the world, in the words of Ibn Kathir, "the Jews will support the Dajjal (false messiah), and the Muslims, along with 'Isa [Jesus], son of Mary, will kill the Jews." The idea that the end times will be marked by Muslims killing Jews comes from Muhammad himself—according to another hadith— who said, according to a hadith, "The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say: 'O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him.”

On March 30, 2007, Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan said on Palestinian Authority television:

The Hour [resurrection] will not take place until the Muslims fight the Jews and the Muslims kill them, and the rock and the tree will say: "Oh, Muslim, servant of God, there is a Jew behind me, kill him!

Muhammad Al-Hussaini, fellow and lecturer in Islamic Studies at Leo Baeck Rabbinical College, London. has published a paper in the Middle East Quarterly in the Fall 2009:

“The Qur'an's Covenant with the Jewish People; Claims to the Holy Land”

The writer has asked certain questions and made certain statements. I feel they should be answered in any honest discussion of the problem we are analyzing here. He says

“Beyond that, although the Jews come in for severe criticism in the works of Muslim apologists and theologians, there are no grounds in religious law to entertain the conceit that God's promise to the Children of Israel has been broken, and none to support the view that Israel is now the property of the Muslims .

“Illustrative of the powerful ambivalences and loose ends in Islamic interpretation is the Qur'anic commentary on the verse in Surat al-Ma 'ida (Qur'an 5:21) concerning the Israelite settlement of the Holy Land,:“O my people! Enter the holy land which God hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin”. He then adds “It is necessary to stand this interpretation against the faulty equation that the anti-Jewish critique in the Qur'an cancels out all Jewish legal, religious, and property rights under Islamic law”.

He rightly maintains that

“Historically there have been two broad approaches to commentary on the Qur'an. One is to use received oral sayings of the Prophet and his Companions to interpret the text. The other is the application of reason as a tool for understanding Scripture. With the battles of the ninth century between the traditionalist Sunni party and the rationalist Mu'tazila school of thought, in which Sunnism emerged victorious, oral tradition became the primary instrument for the interpretation and explanation of Holy Writ. In the particular case of legal questions, there is an unbending consensus that prevents anyone from expressing disagreement with a ruling based on the recorded texts of oral tradition”.

“But nowhere at any point does this classical commentator (Tabari) or any other dare to pretend an Islamic-Arab juristic claim upon the Holy Land” he confidently challenges.

Regarding interfaith relationship he states

“In Britain, however, this approach has been taken out of the ivory towers and onto the streets of Muslim communities, resulting in the historic achievement of the first fatwa (religious edict) in modern times issued in 2007 by senior Islamic authorities, giving sanction for lay Muslims to meet with Jews and Christians for interfaith dialogue and frank debate around their sacred texts. Thus a powerful instrument has emerged for the novel exploration of hitherto closed interpretative questions of Muslim relationships with other peoples and faiths—including those of the Middle East conflict”.

Like Dr. Qanta, he also declares

“At the same time, Muslims need to recognize the extent to which a vacuum has been created by the absence of any explicit Qur'anic counterclaim to the Holy Land. This missing concept has been filled instead with Judeophobia—the popular demonization of the Jewish people, embraced as a substitute for the lack of a heavenly eviction order”.

Lastly, Alper Bilgili, a Turkish Muslim writer has written a piece Chosen or Cursed: What does the Quran say about the Jews? I would like to share with you some interesting facts that he has mentioned.

He has referred to a recent manifesto¹⁰ by 250 French intellectuals including some prominent figures who hold the teachings of the Quran responsible for the recent anti-Semitic attacks in France and strongly recommended that Muslims denounce the verses of the Quran which they claim motivate Muslims to kill Jews. They declared that “Muslim anti-Semitism” is a more serious threat than “Islamophobia”. He also reminds that new atheist thinkers like Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris also blame Quranic teachings for terrorist attacks in the West.

He then very rightly rejects this accusation. Muslims’ actions are often not motivated by the Quran; Terrorists, who supposedly act in the name of Islam, are typically ignorant of the Quran; and the Quran (4;140) wants Muslims to leave those who ridicule God and religion alone as a protest, and imposes no worldly punishment for those who ridicule Islam.

Alper then browses the Quran giving cross references to ayah to highlight Quranic messages on this topic¹¹: no race and no peoples are ontologically superior to others — it (49:11) warns believers against belittling other people groups — when Jews are criticized or praised in the Quran it is based entirely on their actions, not their race or religion — the Quran holds that God has bestowed His favor on the Jews and criticizes Jews for their wrongdoings — Jews are criticized, but again just for their actions which are enumerated in the article by numbered ayahs — Jews are criticized in their own scriptures, the Hebrew Bible for similar reasons — the Quran affirms the righteousness of both Jews and Christians — like Muslims, Jews who believe in God and perform good deeds will be rewarded. Please note, the writer quotes a numbered ayah for each of these statements.

After making his case that Jews are cursed not because of their race but because of their actions, Alper comes out with a challenging statement: “As long as they perform good deeds, God keeps helping the Jews in this world and promises to reward them in the Hereafter”. This is a million dollar question which I think and hope I have answered in our present discussion.

The writer then illustrates from the Quran¹² that taking Jews as friends is not prohibited.

Lastly, the writer digs into the Quran¹³ to demonstrate that Quran does not give Muslims permission to punish Jews for their action. On the contrary, in the Quran Prophet Muhammad is commanded to forgive wrongdoers and to tolerate them. God, according to the Quran will judge their actions in the Hereafter. This again is part of the million dollar question about the Jews in the post Prophet Mohammed era. Do they also stand cursed and condemned or will they be judged by their own actions in the Hereafter.

The Virtual Jewish Library has about eighty three ayahs in their article Islam: References to Jews in the Koran“ quoting the numbers of the surah and ayah. The messages that they read as intense are highlighted. There are no comments recorded. It provides a good list for reference.¹⁴

........and Allah knows best.

May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding--“fahm”--of our Deen, Aameen.

Dr. Khalid Mitha

FOOTNOTES

(1) Surah 2/269

يُؤتِي الحِكمَةَ مَن يَشاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُؤتَ الحِكمَةَ فَقَد أوتِيَ خَيرًا كَثيرًا ۗ وَما يَذَّكَّرُ إِلّا أُولُو الأَلبابِ

(2) Surah 102/8

ثُمَّ لَتُسأَلُنَّ يَومَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعيمِ

(3) Jewish misdemeanor mentioned in the Bible, quoted by Maulana Maudoodi

The Israelites recorded their crimes in detail in their own history. Here are just a few examples from the Bible:

1. After the death of Solomon the state of the Israelites was split into two: the State of Judah with its capital in Jerusalem, and the State of Israel with its capital in Samaria. This was followed by a series of wars between the two States so that the State of Judah sought the assistance of the Aramacan State of Damascus against its own kinsmen. At this, Hamani the seer went under God's direction to Asa the king and rebuked him. Instead of rectifying his behaviour, Asa was so angry that he put the seer in the stocks. (See 2 Chronicles 16: 7-10.)

2. When Elijah denounced the Jews for their worship of Baal and invited them to return to monotheism, Ahab, the king of Israel pursued him for the sake of his pagan wife so that he had to take refuge in the mountains of the Sinai peninsula. On this occasion, according to the Bible, he said: '. . . the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword., and 1, even 1 only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away' (1 Kings 19: 14).

3. The same king Ahab imprisoned another Prophet, Micah, for no other reason than that of speaking the truth. King Ahab ordered that he should be given only bread and water. (See 1 Kings 22: 26-7)

4. When idol-worship and moral corruption became prevalent in Judah and the Prophet Zechariah raised his voice against them, he was stoned to death in the very court of the house of the Lord. (See 2 Chronicles 24: 2l.)

5. When the Israelite State of Samaria was wiped out by the State of Jerusalem, the Prophet Jeremiah deplored the condition of the Israelites. He warned them that it was time they set about mending their ways otherwise they would face an even more calamitous end than that of Samaria. The response to this sincere preaching was abuse and curses: he was beaten, imprisoned, put in the stocks and lowered by ropes into a cistern, where he was left to die of hunger and thirst. He was also accused of various crimes, including treason and conspiracy. (See Jeremiah 15: 10; 18: 20-3; 20: 1-18; 36-40)

6. It is reported of another Prophet, Amos, that when he denounced the widespread errors and corruption in the State of Samaria and warned of the evil consequences that follow such misdeeds, he was condemned to exile and told to pursue his prophetic task somewhere beyond its frontiers. (See Amos 7: 10-13.)

7. When John the Baptist protested against the acts of moral corruption that were brazenly practised in his court, Herod, the ruler of Judah, first put John into prison, then had him beheaded at the request of a dancing girl, and had his head set on a platter and presented to the girl. (See Mark 6: 17-29)

8. The same hostility to Prophets is evident from the life of Jesus. The priests and political leaders of Israel ultimately became inflamed against Jesus, who criticized them for their impiety and hypocrisy and invited them to true faith and righteousness. It was this which prompted them to prepare a false case against him and persuade the Romans to sign a death sentence. Later, when the Roman governor, Pilate, asked them which of the two prisoners - Jesus or Barabbas, a notorious brigand - should be released on the occasion of the feast, they asked for the release of Barabbas and for the crucifixion of Jesus (Matthew 27: 20-6). This is a shameful chapter in the record of the Jewish nation, to which the Qur'an refers here in passing. It is evident that when a nation chooses its most notoriously criminal and wicked people for positions of leadership, and its righteous and holy men for gaol and the scaffold, God has no alternative but to lay His curse and damnation on that nation.

(4) Surah 7/167

وَإِذ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبعَثَنَّ عَلَيهِم إِلىٰ يَومِ القِيامَةِ مَن يَسومُهُم سوءَ العَذابِ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَريعُ العِقابِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفورٌ رَحيمٌ

(5) Surah 3/112

ضُرِبَت عَلَيهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَينَ ما ثُقِفوا إِلّا بِحَبلٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَحَبلٍ مِنَ النّاسِ وَباءوا بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَضُرِبَت عَلَيهِمُ المَسكَنَةُ ۚ ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُم كانوا يَكفُرونَ بِآياتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقتُلونَ الأَنبِياءَ بِغَيرِ حَقٍّ ۚ ذٰلِكَ بِما عَصَوا وَكانوا يَعتَدونَ

(6) Surah 3/113-115

لَيسوا سَواءً ۗ مِن أَهلِ الكِتابِ أُمَّةٌ قائِمَةٌ يَتلونَ آياتِ اللَّهِ آناءَ اللَّيلِ وَهُم يَسجُدونَ—يُؤمِنونَ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَومِ الآخِرِ وَيَأمُرونَ بِالمَعروفِ وَيَنهَونَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ وَيُسارِعونَ فِي الخَيراتِ وَأُولٰئِكَ مِنَ الصّالِحينَ—وَما يَفعَلوا مِن خَيرٍ فَلَن يُكفَروهُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَليمٌ بِالمُتَّقينَ

(7) Surah 3/199

وَإِنَّ مِن أَهلِ الكِتابِ لَمَن يُؤمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَما أُنزِلَ إِلَيكُم وَما أُنزِلَ إِلَيهِم خاشِعينَ لِلَّهِ لا يَشتَرونَ بِآياتِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَليلًا ۗ أُولٰئِكَ لَهُم أَجرُهُم عِندَ رَبِّهِم ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَريعُ الحِسابِ

(8) Surah 2/62

إِنَّ الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَالَّذينَ هادوا وَالنَّصارىٰ وَالصّابِئينَ مَن آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَاليَومِ الآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صالِحًا فَلَهُم أَجرُهُم عِندَ رَبِّهِم وَلا خَوفٌ عَلَيهِم وَلا هُم يَحزَنونَ

(9) Jerusalem Belongs to the Jews by Saied Shoaaib

Quranic passages clearly illustrate the Jews' imperative to enter the land of Israel.

“And [mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people, "O my people, remember the favor of Allah [God] upon you when He appointed among you prophets and made you possessors and gave you that which He had not given anyone among the worlds. O my people, enter the Holy Land which Allah has assigned to you and do not turn back and [thus] become losers." — Quran, Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:20-21.

According to verses in the Quran, God punishes the Jews for their sin of refusing to fight the indigenous people in the land, and God is angry that the Jews refused to convert to Islam. Yet the verses are consistent in their assertion that God gave the Jews the Holy Land.

The fact is that the Quran does not mention Jerusalem or Palestine………….there is a consensus of interpretation among the most respected Sunni and Shiite Muslim scholars of past centuries -- such as Al-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abi Zayd, Mahmud al-Alusi, Al-Baghawi -- that, according to the Quran, God gave to the Jews the land from the Nile to the Euphrates, territory that includes not only Jerusalem and Palestine, but a large part of Egypt and Iraq, and all of Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

The following Quranic passages clearly illustrate the Jews' imperative to enter the land of Israel:

And [mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people, "O my people, remember the favor of Allah [God] upon you when He appointed among you prophets and made you possessors and gave you that which He had not given anyone among the worlds. O my people, enter the Holy Land which Allah has assigned to you and do not turn back and [thus] become losers." [Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:20-21]

They said, "O Moses, indeed within it is a people of tyrannical strength, and indeed, we will never enter it until they leave it; but if they leave it, then we will enter." [Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:22]

Two men among those who feared [disobeying the people upon whom] Allah had bestowed favor said, "Enter upon them through the gate, for when you have entered it, you will be predominant. And upon Allah rely, if you should be believers." [Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:23]

[The Israelites] said, "O Moses, indeed we will not enter it, ever, as long as they are within it; so go, you and your Lord, and fight. Indeed, we are remaining right here." [Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:23]

[The Israelites] said, "O Moses, indeed we will not enter it, ever, as long as they are within it; so go, you and your Lord, and fight. Indeed, we are remaining right here." [Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:24]

[Moses] said, "My Lord, indeed I do not possess except myself and my brother, so part us from the defiantly disobedient people." [Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:25]

[God] said, "Then indeed, it is forbidden to them for forty years [in which] they will wander throughout the land. So do not grieve over the defiantly disobedient people." [Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:26]

According to the verses above, God punishes the Jews for their sin of refusing to fight the indigenous people in the land. And God is angry that the Jews refused to convert to Islam. The Quran is even harsher towards the Jews when recounting the stories of Muhammad's battles against them. Yet the verses are consistent in their assertion that God gave the Holy Land to the Jews.

The reason this is relevant today is that it exposes the hypocrisy of those radical Muslims who claim to believe in and adhere to the letter of the Quran, yet use the claim that Palestine and Jerusalem are Islamic for political purposes and propaganda.

This is not to say that because the land of Israel was a divine gift to the Jews, they therefore have all rights to it. On the contrary, no future peace between Israelis and Palestinians, both of whom reside there, will or should be determined by scripture. This proclamation, however, is as good a reason as any to stop misquoting it.

(10) Manifesto

In a recent manifesto published in the daily Le Parisien, 250 French intellectuals declared their concerns about growing anti-Semitism in France. The manifesto sparked a great controversy, not only because the signatory list included prominent figures like the former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, former Prime Minister Manuel Valls, singer Charles Aznavour, and actor Gérard Depardieu, but also because of its contentious tone. More specifically, the manifesto holds the teachings of the Quran responsible for the recent anti-Semitic attacks in France − the country with the largest Muslim and Jewish population in Europe − and strongly recommends that Muslims denounce the verses of the Quran which they claim motivate Muslims to kill Jews. They also ask politicians and the French public to stop being politically correct and to admit that “Muslim anti-Semitism” is a more serious threat than Islamophobia…….Moreover, the signatories had already mentioned their uneasiness with the so-called anti-Semitic verses in the Bible as well. Indeed, they stated their appreciation for the Church’s denunciation of anti-Semitism and asked Muslim religious leaders to do the same.

This was not the first, nor will it be the last, attempt to forge a link between Islam and violence. New atheist thinkers like Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris blame Quranic teachings for terrorist attacks in the West. In 2015, a cultural anthropologist from Utrecht University wrote to The Guardian that the Quran was responsible for growing anti-Semitism in the West. Last week, though more cautious in her assessment, British journalist Melanie Phillips referred to “Muslim antisemitism”, arguing that Islamophobia had been coined by Muslims to deflect criticism directed at Islam and the Islamic World.

(11) The Quran on the Jews Alper

Some Muslims, in reaction to the manifesto, argued that a literal reading of the Quran is the reason for misunderstanding its attitude towards Jews; modern-day Muslims, they claim, should read the Quran symbolically not literally. However, the real problem concerns the cherry picking and misinterpretation of certain verses about Jews while turning a blind eye to others which praise Jews. A proper and thorough reading of the Quran — one that takes into account all of the verses on the subject — shows that the Quran is not anti-Semitic.

According to the Quran, no race and no peoples are ontologically superior to others. Indeed, the Quran (49:11) warns believers against belittling other people groups: “O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them.” So when Jews are criticized or praised in the Quran it is based entirely on their actions, not their race or religion − as is the case with Muslims. For instance, Muslims are criticized for gossiping (24:12) and for abandoning the Quran as a guide (25:30). Even the Prophet Muhammad was criticized for his mistakes, such as when he was criticized for turning away a blind man while preaching Islam to the elites of his society (80:1–10).

Although the Quran holds that God has bestowed His favor on the Jews (2:47), it also criticizes Jews for their wrongdoings. So Jews are criticized, but again just for their actions, for killing their prophets (5:70), worshipping other gods (9:30–31), breaking their covenant (2:83), claiming that Heaven is exclusively for the Jews (2:94), slandering God (4:50, 5:64), ridiculing Islam and Muslims (5:57), and being ungrateful to God (45:16–17). But Jews are criticized in their own scriptures −the Hebrew Bible− for similar reasons. In Jeremiah (2; 19; 26–28), for instance, Jews are criticized for breaking their covenant with God, being ungrateful to God, worshipping other gods and killing their sons.

The Quran, like the Hebrew Bible, does not claim that all Jews are wrongdoers. Indeed it affirms the righteousness of both Jews and Christians (3:113–115; 3:199; 7:159; 7:168). So while the Quran criticizes some Jews for their unrighteousness, it praises others for their righteousness. In so doing, it makes no blanket claims about all Jews as a people group.

Like Muslims, Jews who believe in God and perform good deeds will be rewarded (2:62): “Those who believe, and those who are Jewish, and the Christians, and the Sabeans − any who believe in God and the Last Day, and act righteously − will have their reward with their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.” Moreover, synagogues and churches, along with mosques, are praised in the Quran, as these are the places where the name of God is much mentioned (22:40).

(12) Does the Quran Forbid Muslims from Taking Jews as Friends?

While there is a verse (5:51) which seems to imply that Muslims should never take Jews and Christians as friends or allies (Awliya’), the Quran itself explains what kinds of Jews and Christians should not be taken as Awliya’ just six verses later, in the same sura (5:57–58):

51: “O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you — then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people”.

57–58: “O you who have believed, take not those who have taken your religion in ridicule and amusement among the ones who were given the Scripture before you nor the disbelievers as allies. And fear Allah, if you should [truly] be believers. And when you call to prayer, they take it in ridicule and amusement. That is because they are a people who do not use reason”.

So the Quran does not preclude friendships with all Jews and Christians, just those who ridicule God and religion. Indeed, as evidence of the deep friendships that Muslims are allowed with Christians and Jews, the same sura (5:5) gives Muslims permission to marry both Christians and Jews. If the Quran did not allow Muslims to make any Christian or Jewish friends, how could they marry them? Finally, and recalling the divisive and tribal ways of Quranic times, Muslims can make Jewish and Christian friends who are not hostile towards Muslims, wage war against Muslims, or expel Muslims from their countries (60:1, 60:8–9).

(13) Worldly Punishments for Jews’ Wrongdoings?

Even supposing the Muslim anti-Semitic attackers in France rightly believed that the Jews they attacked were unrighteous, the Quran does not give Muslims permission to punish them. On the contrary, in the Quran (5:13) Prophet Muhammad is commanded to forgive wrongdoers and to tolerate them:

“So for their breaking of the covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They distort words from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded. And you will still observe deceit among them, except a few of them. But pardon them and overlook [their misdeeds]. Indeed, Allah loves the doers of good”.

God, according to the Quran (45:16–17), will judge their actions:

16: And We did certainly give the Children of Israel the Scripture and judgment and prophethood, and We provided them with good things and preferred them over the worlds.

17: And We gave them clear proofs of the matter [of religion]. And they did not differ except after knowledge had come to them — out of jealous animosity between themselves. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.

Of course, the Quran permits fighting Jewish enemies if they wage war against Muslims or help those who wage war against Muslims. Yet, these verses are not restricted to Jews. The Quran allows Muslims to defend themselves against all attackers regardless of their beliefs (22:39):

Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged.

But Muslims are not allowed to wage war against a group just because that group believes in another religion. Muslims are allowed to fight only if they are attacked. What matters, again, are the actions of the “other” not their identity.

(14) JEWISH VIRTUAL LIBRARY; REFERENCES TO JEWS IN THE KORAN

The Koran is divided into 114 chapters called suras. The following are translations of passages found in these suras that are related to Jews.

As in any translation, the original language is not always easy to render in English, and this particular translation uses more temperate language than some others. Sometimes the specific mention of Jews is not explanatory, so we then include the next relevant lines. Some of the more disparaging references are highlighted in bold.

The Cow

[2.40] O children of Israel! call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and be faithful to (your) covenant with Me, I will fulfill (My) covenant with you; and of Me, Me alone, should you be afraid.

[2.47] O children of Israel! call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and that I made you excel the nations.

[2.62] Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.

[2.83] And when We made a covenant with the children of Israel: You shall not serve any but Allah and (you shall do) good to (your) parents, and to the near of kin and to the orphans and the needy, and you shall speak to men good words and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate. Then you turned back except a few of you and (now too) you turn aside.

[2.88] And they say: Our hearts are covered. Nay, Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief; so little it is that they believe.

[2.98] Whoever is the enemy of Allah and His angels and His apostles and Jibreel and Meekaeel, so surely Allah is the enemy of the unbelievers.

[2.111] And they say: None sh all enter the garden (or paradise) except he who is a Jew or a Christian. These are their vain desires. Say: Bring your proof if you are truthful.

[2.113] And the Jews say: The Christians do not follow anything (good) and the Christians say: The Jews do not follow anything (good) while they recite the (same) Book. Even thus say those who have no knowledge, like to what they say; so Allah shall judge between them on the day of resurrection in what they differ.

[2.120] And the Jews will not be pleased with you, nor the Christians until you follow their religion. Say: Surely Allah's guidance, that is the (true) guidance. And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have no guardian from Allah, nor any helper.

[2.121] Those to whom We have given the Book read it as it ought to be read. These believe in it; and whoever disbelieves in it, these it is that are the losers.

[2.122] O children of Israel, call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and that I made you excel the nations.

[2.135] And they say: Be Jews or Christians, you will be on the right course. Say: Nay! (we follow) the religion of Ibrahim, the Hanif, and he was not one of the polytheists.

[2.140] Nay! do you say that Ibrahim and Ismail and Yaqoub and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say: Are you better knowing or Allah? And who is more unjust than he who conceals a testimony that he has from Allah? And Allah is not at all heedless of what you do.

[2.211] Ask the Israelites how many a clear sign have We given them; and whoever changes the favor of Allah after it has come to him, then surely Allah is severe in requiting (evil).

[2.246] Have you not considered the chiefs of the children of Israel after Musa, when they said to a prophet of theirs: Raise up for us a king, (that) we may fight in the way of Allah. He said: May it not be that you would not fight if fighting is ordained for you? They said: And what reason have we that we should not fight in the way of Allah, and we have indeed been compelled to abandon our homes and our children. But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned back, except a few of them, and Allah knows the unjust.

The Family of Imran

[3.23] Have you not considered those (Jews) who are given a portion of the Book? They are invited to the Book of Allah that it might decide between them, then a part of them turn back and they withdraw.

[3.24] This is because they say: The fire shall not touch us but for a few days; and what they have forged deceives them in the matter of their religion.

[3.49] And (make him) an apostle to the children of Israel: That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I determine for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah's permission and I heal the blind and the leprous, and bring the dead to life with Allah's permission and I inform you of what you should eat and what you should store in your houses; most surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are believers.

[3.67] Ibrahim was not a Jew nor a Christian but he was (an) upright (man), a Muslim, and he was not one of the polytheists.

[3.93] All food was lawful to the children of Israel except that which Israel had forbidden to himself, before the Taurat was revealed. Say: Bring then the Taurat and read it, if you are truthful.

The Women

[4.46] Of those who are Jews (there are those who) alter words from their places and say: We have heard and we disobey and: Hear, may you not be made to hear! and: Raina, distorting (the word) with their tongues and taunting about religion; and if they had said (instead): We have heard and we obey, and hearken, and unzurna it would have been better for them and more upright; but Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief, so they do not believe but a little.

[4.47] O you who have been given the Book! believe that which We have revealed, verifying what you have, before We alter faces then turn them on their backs, or curse them as We cursed the violaters of the Sabbath, and the command of Allah shall be executed.

[4.50] See how they forge the lie against Allah, and this is sufficient as a manifest sin.

[4.160] Wherefore for the iniquity of those who are Jews did We disallow to them the good things which had been made lawful for them and for their hindering many (people) from Allah's way.

[4.161] And their taking usury though indeed they were forbidden it and their devouring the property of people falsely, and We have prepared for the unbelievers from among them a painful chastisement.

The Dinner Table

[5.12] And certainly Allah made a covenant with the children of Israel, and We raised up among them twelve chieftains; and Allah said: Surely I am with you; if you keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and believe in My apostles and assist them and offer to Allah a goodly gift, I will most certainly cover your evil deeds, and I will most certainly cause you to enter into gardens beneath which rivers flow, but whoever disbelieves from among you after that, he indeed shall lose the right way.

[5.13] But on account of their breaking their covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard; they altered the words from their places and they neglected a portion of what they were reminded of; and you shall always discover treachery in them excepting a few of them; so pardon them and turn away; surely Allah loves those who do good (to others).

[5.18] And the Jews and the Christians say: We are the sons of Allah and His beloved ones. Say: Why does He then chastise you for your faults? Nay, you are mortals from among those whom He has created, He forgives whom He pleases and chastises whom He pleases; and Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, and to Him is the eventual coming.

[5.32] For this reason did We prescribe to the children of Israel that whoever slays a soul, unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he slew all men; and whoever keeps it alive, it is as though he kept alive all men; and certainly Our apostles came to them with clear arguments, but even after that many of them certainly act extravagantly in the land.

[5.33] The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement,

[5.41] O Apostle! let not those grieve you who strive together in hastening to unbelief from among those who say with their mouths: We believe, and their hearts do not believe, and from among those who are Jews; they are listeners for the sake of a lie, listeners for another people who have not come to you; they alter the words from their places, saying: If you are given this, take it, and if you are not given this, be cautious; and as for him whose temptation Allah desires, you cannot control anything for him with Allah. Those are they for whom Allah does not desire that He should purify their hearts; they shall have disgrace in this world, and they shall have a grievous chastisement in the hereafter.

[5.42] (They are) listeners of a lie, devourers of what is forbidden; therefore if they come to you, judge between them or turn aside from them, and if you turn aside from them, they shall not harm you in any way; and if you judge, judge between them with equity; surely Allah loves those who judge equitably.

[5.43] And how do they make you a judge and they have the Taurat wherein is Allah's judgment? Yet they turn back after that, and these are not the believers.

[5.44] Surely We revealed the Taurat in which was guidance and light; with it the prophets who submitted themselves (to Allah) judged (matters) for those who were Jews, and the masters of Divine knowledge and the doctors, because they were required to guard (part) of the Book of Allah, and they were witnesses thereof; therefore fear not the people and fear Me, and do not take a small price for My communications; and whoever did not judge by what Allah revealed, those are they that are the unbelievers.

[5.51] O you who believe! do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.

[5:57] O you who believe! do not take for guardians those who take your religion for a mockery and a joke, from among those who were given the Book before you and the unbelievers; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah if you are believers.

[5.59] Say: O followers of the Book! do you find fault with us (for aught) except that we believe in Allah and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed before, and that most of you are transgressors?

[5.60] Say: Shall I inform you of (him who is) worse than this in retribution from Allah? (Worse is he) whom Allah has cursed and brought His wrath upon, and of whom He made apes and swine, and he who served the Shaitan; these are worse in place and more erring from the straight path.

[5.63] Why do not the learned men [rabbis] and the doctors of law prohibit them from their speaking of what is sinful and their eating of what is unlawfully acquired? Certainly evil is that which they work.

[5.64] And the Jews say: The hand of Allah is tied up! Their hands shall be shackled and they shall be cursed for what they say. Nay, both His hands are spread out, He expends as He pleases; and what has been revealed to you from your Lord will certainly make many of them increase in inordinacy and unbelief; and We have put enmity and hatred among them till the day of resurrection; whenever they kindle a fire for war Allah puts it out, and they strive to make mischief in the land; and Allah does not love the mischief-makers.

[5.69] Surely those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabians and the Christians whoever believes in Allah and the last day and does good-- they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve.

[5.70] Certainly We made a covenant with the children of Israel and We sent to them apostles; whenever there came to them an apostle with what that their souls did not desire, some (of them) did they call liars and some they slew.

[5.72] Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely Allah, He is the Messiah, son of Marium; and the Messiah said: O Children of Israel! serve Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Surely whoever associates (others) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden to him the garden, and his abode is the fire; and there shall be no helpers for the unjust.

[5.73] Certainly they disbelieve who say: Surely Allah is the third (person) of the three; and there is no god but the one God, and if they desist not from what they say, a painful chastisement shall befall those among them who disbelieve.

[5.78] Those who disbelieved from among the children of Israel were cursed by the tongue of Dawood and Isa, son of Marium; this was because they disobeyed and used to exceed the limit.

[5.79] They used not to forbid each other the hateful things (which) they did; certainly evil was that which they did.

[5.80] You will see many of them befriending those who disbelieve; certainly evil is that which their souls have sent before for them, that Allah became displeased with them and in chastisement shall they abide.

[5.81] And had they believed in Allah and the prophet and what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them for friends but! most of them are transgressors.

[5.82] Certainly you will find the most violent of people in enmity for those who believe (to be) the Jews and those who are polytheists, and you will certainly find the nearest in friendship to those who believe (to be) those who say: We are Christians; this is because there are priests and monks among them and because they do not behave proudly.

[5.86] And (as for) those who disbelieve and reject Our communications, these are the companions of the flame.

[5.110] When Allah will say: O Isa son of Marium! Remember My favor on you and on your mother, when I strengthened you I with the holy Spirit, you spoke to the people in the cradle and I when of old age, and when I taught you the Book and the wisdom and the Taurat and the Injeel; and when you determined out of clay a thing like the form of a bird by My permission, then you breathed into it and it became a bird by My permission, and you healed the blind and the leprous by My permission; and when you brought forth the dead by My permission; and when I withheld the children of Israel from you when you came to them with clear arguments, but those who disbelieved among them said: This is nothing but clear enchantment.

The Cattle

[6.146] And to those who were Jews We made unlawful every animal having claws, and of oxen and sheep We made unlawful to them the fat of both, except such as was on their backs or the entrails or what was mixed with bones: this was a punishment We gave them on account of their rebellion, and We are surely Truthful.

The Elevated Places

[7.105] (I am) worthy of not saying anything about Allah except the truth: I have come to you indeed with clear proof from your Lord, therefore send with me the children of Israel.

[7.134] And when the plague fell upon them, they said: O Musa! pray for us to your Lord as He has promised with you, if you remove the plague from us, we will certainly believe in you and we will certainly send away with you the children of Israel.

[7.137] And We made the people who were deemed weak to inherit the eastern lands and the western ones which We had blessed; and the good word of your Lord was fulfilled in the children of Israel because they bore up (sufferings) patiently; and We utterly destroyed what Firon and his people had wrought and what they built.

[7.138] And We made the children of Israel to pass the sea; then they came upon a people who kept to the worship of their idols. They said: O Musa! make for us a god as they have (their) gods. He said: Surely you are a people acting ignorantly:

The Immunity

[9.30] And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!

[9:34] O you who believe! most surely many of the doctors of law [rabbis] and the monks eat away the property of men falsely, and turn (them) from Allah's way; and (as for) those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah's way, announce to them a painful chastisement....

Jonah

[10.90] And We made the children of Israel to pass through the sea, then Firon and his hosts followed them for oppression and tyranny; until when drowning overtook him, he said: I believe that there is no god but He in Whom the children of Israel believe and I am of those who submit.

[10.93] And certainly We lodged the children of Israel in a goodly abode and We provided them with good things; but they did not disagree until the knowledge had come to them; surely your Lord will judge between them on the resurrection day concerning that in which they disagreed.

The Bee

[16.118] And for those who were Jews We prohibited what We have related to you already, and We did them no injustice, but they were unjust to themselves.

The Children of Israel

[17.2] And We gave Musa the Book and made it a guidance to the children of Israel, saying: Do not take a protector besides Me;

[17.4] And We had made known to the children of Israel in the Book: Most certainly you will make mischief in the land twice, and most certainly you will behave insolently with great insolence.

[17.101] And certainly We gave Musa nine clear signs; so ask the children of Israel. When he came to them, Firon said to him: Most surely I deem you, O Musa, to be a man deprived of reason.

[17.104] And We said to the Israelites after him: Dwell in the land: and when the promise of the next life shall come to pass, we will bring you both together in judgment.

Marium

[19.58] These are they on whom Allah bestowed favors, from among the prophets of the seed of Adam, and of those whom We carried with Nuh, and of the seed of Ibrahim and Israel, and of those whom We guided and chose; when the communications of the Beneficent God were recited to them, they fell down making obeisance and weeping.

Ta Ha

[20.47] So go you both to him and say: Surely we are two apostles of your Lord; therefore send the children of Israel with us and do not torment them! Indeed we have brought to you a communication from your Lord, and peace is on him who follows the guidance;

[20.48] Surely it has been revealed to us that the chastisement will surely come upon him who rejects and turns back.

[20.80] O children of Israel! indeed We delivered you from your enemy, and We made a covenant with you on the blessed side of the mountain, and We sent to you the manna and the quails.

[20.94] He said: O son of my mother! seize me not by my beard nor by my head; surely I was afraid lest you should say: You have caused a division among the children of Israel and not waited for my word.

The Pilgrimage

[22.17] Surely those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabeans and the Christians and the Magians and those who associate (others with Allah)-- surely Allah will decide between them on the day of resurrection; surely Allah is a witness over all things.

[22.40] Those who have been expelled from their homes without a just cause except that they say: Our Lord is Allah. And had there not been Allah's repelling some people by others, certainly there would have been pulled down cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques in which Allah's name is much remembered; and surely Allah will help him who helps His cause; most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.

The Poets

[26.17] Then send with us the children of Israel.

[26.22] And is it a favor of which you remind me that you have enslaved the children of Israel?

[26.59] Even so. And We gave them as a heritage to the children of Israel.

[26.197] Is it not a sign to them that the learned men of the Israelites know it?

The Ant

[27.76] Surely this Quran declares to the children of Israel most of what they differ in.

The Adoration

[32.23] And certainly We gave the Book to Musa, so be not in doubt concerning the receiving of it, and We made it a guide for the children of Israel.

The Believer

[40.53] And certainly We gave Musa the guidance, and We made the children of Israel inherit the Book,

Ornaments of Gold

[43.59] He was naught but a servant on whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the children of Israel.

The Smoke

[44.30] And certainly We delivered the children of Israel from the abasing chastisement,

The Kneeling

[45.16] And certainly We gave the Book and the wisdom and the prophecy to the children of Israel, and We gave them of the goodly things, and We made them excel the nations.

The Sandhills

[46.10] Say: Have you considered if it is from Allah, and you disbelieve in it, and a witness from among the children of Israel has borne witness of one like it, so he believed, while you are big with pride; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.

The Banishment

[59.2] He it is Who caused those who disbelieved of the followers of the Book to go forth from their homes at the first banishment you did not think that they would go forth, while they were certain that their fortresses would defend them against Allah; but Allah came to them whence they did not expect, and cast terror into their hearts; they demolished their houses with their own hands and the hands of the believers; therefore take a lesson, O you who have eyes!

[59.3] And had it not been that Allah had decreed for them the exile, He would certainly have punished them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have chastisement of the fire.

The Ranks

[61.6] And when Isa son of Marium said: O children of Israel! surely I am the apostle of Allah to you, verifying that which is before me of the Taurat and giving the good news of an Apostle who will come after me, his name being Ahmad, but when he came to them with clear arguments they said: This is clear magic.

[61.7] And who is more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah and he is invited to Islam, and Allah does not guide the unjust people.

[61.14] O you who believe! be helpers (in the cause) of Allah, as~ Isa son of Marium said to (his) disciples: Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah? The disciples said: We are helpers (in the cause) of Allah. So a party of the children of Israel believed and another party disbelieved; then We aided those who believed against their enemy, and they became uppermost.

The Congregation

[62.6] Say: O you who are Jews, if you think that you are the favorites of Allah to the exclusion of other people, then invoke death If you are truthful.

Sources: Humanities Text Initiative

The text that has been highlighted in bold:

Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief;

Allah is the enemy of the unbelievers.

whoever disbelieves in it, these it is that are the losers.

Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief,

We disallow to them the good things which had been made lawful for them and for their hindering many (people) from Allah's way.

you shall always discover treachery in them excepting a few of them

The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His apostle and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned;

they shall have disgrace in this world, and they shall have a grievous chastisement in the hereafter.

do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends

He made apes and swine

Their hands shall be shackled and they shall be cursed for what they say

they strive to make mischief in the land;

a painful chastisement shall befall those among them who disbelieve.

Those who disbelieved from among the children of Israel were cursed

We made unlawful every animal having claws, and of oxen and sheep We made unlawful to them the fat of both, except such as was on their backs or the entrails or what was mixed with bones: this was a punishment We gave them on account of their rebellion, and We are surely Truthful.

you will make mischief in the land twice, and most certainly you will behave insolently with great insolence.

chastisement will surely come upon him who rejects and turns back.

if you think that you are the favorites of Allah to the exclusion of other people, then invoke death If you are truthful.

() Surah 5/21

يا قَومِ ادخُلُوا الأَرضَ المُقَدَّسَةَ الَّتي كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُم وَلا تَرتَدّوا عَلىٰ أَدبارِكُم فَتَنقَلِبوا خاسِرينَ

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The Quranic Verdict against the Israelites. Have the Muslims misconstrued it, ignoring basic Islamic Principles and Shari’ah? Does it or should it affect the present day Muslim/Jews Relationship?