PEOPLE OF THE SCRIPTURE IN THE QUR'AN

Many Orientalists who have the knowledge of compar-ative religions discussed and debated on Islam quite

SOME THEMES IN THE QUR'AN ••••••••••• _165 comprehensively in the past which continues even today. Although some of them are Jews and Christians, they did not comprehend the spirit of the Qur' an except a little, who later joined the ranks of Islam. Despite the Qur'anic proclamation, the Jews and Christians, if they are true believers of their respective religion, should accept the call made in the Qur' an and contemplate on the facts mentioned in it.

Unfortunately, in their interpretation they tend to ignore the claims of the Qur' an pertaining to antecedent Prophets and their mission.

Contrary to the Qur' an, the .Juftuf and other previ-ous heavenly scriptures such as Torah, Psalm and Gospel are the messages to nations and communities with their important people, and they did not transgress towards others. It confirms that the call of each Prophet or Messenger, prior to the last of the prophets Mul)ammad (s.a.a.s) begins with the phrase Yd Qawm which apparently implies that their message was restricted to a specific community.

As the Qur'an states:

"To the Madyan people (we sent) Shu'aib one of their own bretheren he said: O! My people! Worship Allah, ye have no other god but Him ..."(1l:84)

"To the 'Ad people (we sent) HfId, one of their own bretheren. He said: O! my people! Worship Allah! ye have no other god but Him ..."(7:65)

"To the Thamiid people (we sent) Salil)., one of their own bretheren, He said: O! my people! Worship Allah; ye have no other god but Him" (7:73)

"We sent Noah to his people (with the command):

Do thou warn thy people before there comes to them a grievous penalty" (71: 1)

"We sent Moses with our signs (and the com-mand). Bring out thy people from the depths of dark-ness into light and teach them to remember the days of Allah ..." (14:5)

This was the exact situation. It was incumbent upon every Messenger to confine the communication of his message only to his community.

As for the message of Islam delivered and commu-nicated by the final messenger Mul).ammad (s.a.a.s), it was undoubtedly and absolutely the message to the entire humanity. Therefore, the address in the Qur'an is directed towards the entire humanity from all parts of the world including those who are addicted to shirk (polytheism) or worshipper of idols or the Sabians, or Zorastrians or those who are in /.zanafiyyah and the rem-nants of the religion of Ibrahim or to those of the People of the Book either a Jew or a Christian, black or brown, white or red or yellow and so forth.

The following statements of the Qur' an clearly indicate the address made by Allah (s.w.t) to the entire

SOME THEMES IN THE QUR'AN ••••••••••• _167

humanity.

"O! Men! Here is a parable set forth! listen to it..."

(22:73)

"O! Mankind! fear your Lord! for the convulsion of the Hour (of judgement) will be a thing terrible"

(22: 1)

"O! Mankind! do your duty to your Lord and fear the (coming of) a day when no father can avail aught for his son nor a son avail aught for his father. .."

(31:33)

"O! Mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other ....(49: 13)

"Mankind was a single nation and Allah sent Messengers with glad tidings and warnings and with them, He sent the Book in truth, to judge between peo-ple in matters wherein they differed. But the peopeo-ple of the Book after the clear signs came to them, did not differ among themselves except through selfish contu-macy. Allah by His grace guided the believers to the truth, concerning that wherein they differed. For Allah guides whom He will to a path that is straight" (2:213)

It means that Allah (s.w.t) has closed the accounts of the antecedent communities for the Qur' an has informed those who were before the mission of

mes-senger Mu1)ammad (s.a.a.s), had good deeds after their [man, and there is a great reward by Allah and no fear for them, and to those who were present and knew its imperatives. The Qur' an says:

"Say: "0 People of the Book! Come to common terms as between us and you that we worship none but Allah, that we associate no partners with Him, that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than Allah. If then they tum back, Say ye: "Bear witness that we (atleast) are Muslims (bowing to Allah's will (3:64).

"Ye People of the Book! Why dispute ye about Abraham when the law and the gospel were not revealed till after him? Have ye no understanding".

(3:65)

"0 People of the Book! there hath come to you our Apostle, revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary). There hath come to you from Allah a (new) l~ght and a perspicuous Book; Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light, guideth them to a path that is straight. (5:15-16)

The message is clearly defined confirming that what is between them is nothing but darkness which is contrary to the guidance towards the straight path.

SOME THEMES IN THE QUR'AN 169 There is promise for them with forgiveness for what they had with them, and assurance that the Qur' an is the light and the clear Book to which the belief is obli-gatory for everyone who follow it. Look at the Qur' anic proclamation.

"If only the people of the Book had believed and been righteous we should indeed have blotted out their iniquities and admitted them to Gardens of bliss".

"If only they had stood fast by the law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that was sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from every side. There is from among them a party on the right course. But many of them follow a course that is evil" (5:65-66)

Therefore, whatever they have right now do not possess piety and godliness. This is a kind of serious error and sin. It is incumbent upon them to leave it, since they are the People of the Book and believe in the Apostle MUQammad (s.a.a.s) and his din of Islam.

In this case, they are forgiven and there will be great reward for them. They will be placed in the Jannah al-na'im. It is understood that those who are contrary and never believed in the Apostle, there will be no for-giveness and no abode in Paradise. Look at the Qur' anic declaration:

"Say, "O! Men! I am sent unto you all, as the Apostle of Allah, to whom belongeth the dominion of

the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He. It is He that giveth both life and death. So believe in Allah and His Apostle, the unlettered Prophet, who believeth in Allah and His words: follow him that (SO) ye may be guided" (7: 158)

The following verse is addressing to all humanity including the Jews and Christians. Look at the declara-tion again:

" ...But My mercy extendeth to all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who do right, and prac-tise regular charity, and those who believe in Our signs. Those who follow the Apostle, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (scriptures) in the law and the Gospel, for he com-mands them what is just and forbids them what is evil, he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure). He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them ...." (7:156-157)

What Is In The Torah

Those who look at the Torah will find each and every of its legal injunction is directed specifically towards bani Isrd' it (the Community of Isra'il) and not towards other tribes and nations.

In Torah's Scripture it appears as :"And the Lord

SOME THEMES IN THE QUR'AN 171 spoke to Musa saying; Speak to every group of bani lsrii'if ....

Elsewhere in the Scripture it is mentioned: "The Lord spoke to Musa saying; Speak to bani lsrii'if and tell them ...."

Likewise, whatever is found in the Torah among the address to Musa is the message from Allah (s.w.t).

This message is addressed to bani lsrii' if and therefore it is obvious that the religion is not universal and neither is the call of Torah. There is no reason as well as it is unfair to claim that the Torah's message is universal.

What Is In The Gospel

We find in the four recognized cannonical gospels which are in the hands of the christians and in other preserved ecclesiastical evangels in the treasury of the Vatican, the Coptic Patriarchate and others, the texts confirm the fact that the Prophet of Allah (s.w.t) 'Isa, the son of Maryam was a representative from Allah (s.w.t) to the Jews alone, so much so he united both Phoenicians and Syrians. The Romans and others who ruled the land of the Jews had observed that he did not direct the message to them, as they felt that he did not perform any miracle which Allah (s.w.t) bestowed to him.

Narrative of the Cannan woman who came to him seeking remedy for her mad daughter and he did not

answer her verbally but it is stated that he cured her daughter is historically known and transmitted by numerous persons whose texts vary slightly from the Gospels.

Numerous narrations point out that both Moses and Jesus (s.a.a.s) were specifically the prophets to the children of Isra'il. The Qur'an refers to it in the lan-guage of Moses and Jesus: Allah (s.w.t) says: "And Remember, Moses said to his people: "0 my people why do ye vex and insult me, though ye know that I am the messenger of Allah (s.w.t) (sent) to you ....? (61 :5) "And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said:

"O! children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which carne) before me, and giving glad tidings of a messenger to corne after me, whose name shall be A1)mad..." (61 :6)

Therefore the wisdom behind the announcement of glad tidings from the Torah and the Gospel pertaining to the mission of Mu1)ammad (s.a.a.s) is that they were to wait and welcome the best of the Din-the comprehensive.

Therefore, the call in the Qur' an is made to them and the following of the messenger Mu1)ammad (s.a.a.s) is obli-gatory upon them besides accepting it and making it vic-torious. But the majority of the People of the Scripture both in the past and the present had refused to recognize Islam.

The Qur'an says: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah (s.w.t)), never

SOME THEMES IN THE QUR'AN 173 will it be accepted of him and in the hereafter, he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual food)" (3:85)

Research made by scholars reveals that the People of the Scripture, prior to the advent of the mis-sion of Mu1)ammad (s.a.a.s) were in the right path call-ing others to follow the teachcall-ings of Allah (s.w.t) with-out any deviation. They never worshipped any other deity except Allah (s.w.t) and refused to recognize the call of others.

"How shall Allah guide those who reject faith after they accepted it and bore witness that the Messenger was true and that clear signs had come unto them? But Allah guides not a people unjust". (3:86)

Therefore, the word of Allah says: •

"Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfied with thee unless thou follow their form of religion. Say:

"The guidance of Allah - that is the (only) guidance,"

wert thou to follow their desires after the know ledge which hath reached thee, then wouldst thou find neither protector nor helper against Allah". (2: 120)