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Critique of People of the Scripture

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Critique of People of the Scripture

نَقْدُ أَهْلِ الْكِتَاب

The Quran's 'Critique of People of the Scripture' (نَقْدُ أَهْلِ الْكِتَاب) is a significant theme that engages with the historical and religious narratives of certain Jewish and Christian communities. Far from a general condemnation, this theme serves as a profound call to reflection and an invitation to the pristine message of Islam. The Quran highlights instances where some individuals or groups among them are described as having [distorted words from their proper usages] or [purchasing error in exchange for truth], rather than adhering to the revelations they received. This critique also addresses actions such as [turning away from the Scripture of Allah when invited to arbitrate], or engaging in debates about prophets like Abraham when their own scriptures were revealed much later [after him]. These passages provide context for why the Quran was revealed as a final testament, clarifying historical inaccuracies and correcting theological misconceptions. The ultimate aim is to guide humanity back to the unified message of God, inviting all to a path of clarity and sincere devotion, while also warning Muslims against similar pitfalls of deviation or misrepresentation.

Quran 9 verses

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ نَصِيبًا مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَىٰ كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَتَوَلَّىٰ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ

Alam tara ilal lazeena ootoo naseebam minal Kitaabi yud'awna ilaa Kitaabil laahi liyahkuma bainahum summa yatawallaa fareequm minhum wa hum mu'ridoon

Do you not consider, [O Muhammad], those who were given a portion of the Scripture? They are invited to the Scripture of Allah that it should arbitrate between them; then a party of them turns away, and they are refusing.

بھلا تم نے ان لوگوں کو نہیں دیکھا جن کو کتاب (خدا یعنی تورات سے) بہرہ دیا گیا اور وہ (اس) کتاب الله کی طرف بلائے جاتے ہیں تاکہ وہ (ان کے تنازعات کا) ان میں فیصلہ کر دے تو ایک فریق ان میں سے کج ادائی کے ساتھ منہ پھیر لیتا ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: While dealing with the subject of Jews, as in verses 21-22, the text goes on to censure a particular claim of theirs in the present verse. The address is to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the reference is to the Torah given to the Jews who would have found it enough for them if they were really looking forw...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Have you not seen those who were given a portion a share of the Book the Torah being called to the Book of God yud‘awna ‘being called’ is a circumstantial qualifier that it might decide between them and then a party of them turned away opposed? to the acceptance of its rulings. This was revealed con...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Chastising the People of the Book for Not Referring to the Book of Allah for Judgment Allah criticizes the Jews and Christians who claim to follow their Books, the Tawrah and the Injil, because when they are called to refer to these Books where Allah commanded them to follow Muhammad , they turn awa...

يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَتِ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةُ وَٱلْإِنجِيلُ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦٓ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

Yaaa Ahlal Kitaabi limaa tuhaaajjoona feee Ibraaheema wa maaa unzilatit Tawraatu wal Injeelu illaa mim ba'dih; afala ta'qiloon

O People of the Scripture, why do you argue about Abraham while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Then will you not reason?

اے اہلِ کتاب تم ابراہیم کے بارے میں کیوں جھگڑتے ہو حالانکہ تورات اور انجیل ان کے بعد اتری ہیں (اور وہ پہلے ہو چکے ہیں) تو کیا تم عقل نہیں رکھتے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary The argumentation referred to in verse 65 was to decide whether Sayyidna Ibrahim (علیہ السلام) followed the way of the Jews, or that of the Christians. The futility of their exercise already stood exposed as both these ways in religion appeared long after the revelation of the Old and New...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: When the Jews claimed that Abraham was Jewish and that they were following his religion and the Christians made a similar claim the following was revealed O People of the Scripture! Why do you argue about dispute over Abraham? claiming that he belonged to one of your two religions when the Torah was...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Disputing with the Jews and Christians About the Religion of Ibrahim Allah censures the Jews and Christians for their dispute with Muslims over Ibrahim Al-Khalil and the claim each group made that he was one of them. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "The Christians of Najr...

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ نَصِيبًا مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ يَشْتَرُونَ ٱلضَّلَٰلَةَ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن تَضِلُّوا۟ ٱلسَّبِيلَ

Alam tara ilal lazeena ootoo naseebam minal Kitaabi yashtaroonad dalaalata wa yureedoona an tadillus sabeel

Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, purchasing error [in exchange for it] and wishing you would lose the way?

بھلا تم نے ان لوگوں کو نہیں دیکھا جن کو کتاب سے حصہ دیا گیا تھا کہ وہ گمراہی کو خریدتے ہیں اور چاہتے ہیں کہ تم بھی رستے سے بھٹک جاؤ

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The present verses take up the matter of dealings with enemies. It brings into sharp focus the wicked tricks, in word and deed, as practiced by the Jews, and then gives a view of what is true and correct. This last aspect is in a way an exhortation to Muslims that they should be careful in choosing ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Have you not seen those who were given a share a portion of the Book namely the Jews purchasing error with guidance and desiring that you should err from the way? that you should stray from the path of truth and be like them.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Chastising the Jews for Choosing Misguidance, Altering Allah's Words, and Mocking Islam Allah states that the Jews, may Allah's continued curse fall on them until the Day of Resurrection, have purchased the wrong path instead of guidance, and ignored what Allah sent down to His Messenger Muhammad . ...

مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ يُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَٰعِنَا لَيًّۢا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَٱسْمَعْ وَٱنظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَٰكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

Minal lazeena haadoo yuharrifoonal Kalima 'am mawaadi'ihee wa yaqooloona sami'naa wa 'asainaa wasma' ghaira musma'inw wa raa'inaa laiyam bi alsinatihim wa ta'nan fiddeen; wa law annahum qaaloo sami'naa wa ata'naa wasma' wanzurnaa lakaana khairal lahum wa aqwama wa laakil la ''anahumul laahu bikufrihim falaa yu'minoona illaa qaleela

Among the Jews are those who distort words from their [proper] usages and say, "We hear and disobey" and "Hear but be not heard" and "Ra'ina," twisting their tongues and defaming the religion. And if they had said [instead], "We hear and obey" and "Wait for us [to understand]," it would have been better for them and more suitable. But Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few.

اور یہ جو یہودی ہیں ان میں سے کچھ لوگ ایسے بھی ہیں کہ کلمات کو ان کے مقامات سے بدل دیتے ہیں اور کہتے ہیں کہ ہم نے سن لیا اور نہیں مانا اور سنیئے نہ سنوائے جاؤ اور زبان کو مروڑ کر اور دین میں طعن کی راہ سے (تم سے گفتگو) کے وقت راعنا کہتے ہیں اور اگر (یوں) کہتے ہیں کہ ہم نے سن لیا اور مان لیا اور (صرف) اسمع اور (راعنا کی جگہ) انظرنا (کہتے) تو ان کے حق میں بہتر ہوتا اور بات بھی بہت درست ہوتی لیکن خدان نے ان کے کفر کے سبب ان پر لعنت کر رکھی ہے تو یہ کچھ تھوڑے ہی ایمان لاتے ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The present verses take up the matter of dealings with enemies. It brings into sharp focus the wicked tricks, in word and deed, as practiced by the Jews, and then gives a view of what is true and correct. This last aspect is in a way an exhortation to Muslims that they should be careful in choosing ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Some group from among the Jews distort alter the words that God revealed in the Torah pertaining to the descriptions of Muhammad (s) from their contexts those contexts in which they were placed and they say to the Prophet s when he commands them something ‘We have heard your words and we disobey you...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Chastising the Jews for Choosing Misguidance, Altering Allah's Words, and Mocking Islam Allah states that the Jews, may Allah's continued curse fall on them until the Day of Resurrection, have purchased the wrong path instead of guidance, and ignored what Allah sent down to His Messenger Muhammad . ...

يَسْـَٔلُكَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ أَن تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَٰبًا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَقَدْ سَأَلُوا۟ مُوسَىٰٓ أَكْبَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَرِنَا ٱللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلصَّٰعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتُ فَعَفَوْنَا عَن ذَٰلِكَ وَءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ سُلْطَٰنًا مُّبِينًا

yas'aluka Ahlul Kitaabi an tunazzila 'alaihim Kitaabam minas samaaa'i faqad sa aloo Moosaa akbara min zaalika faqaaloo arinal laaha jahratan fa akhazat humus saa'iqatu bizulmihim; summat takhazul 'ijla mim ba'di maa jaa'at humul baiyinaatu fa'afawnaa 'ann zaalik; wa aatainaa Moosaa sultaanam mubeenaa

The People of the Scripture ask you to bring down to them a book from the heaven. But they had asked of Moses [even] greater than that and said, "Show us Allah outright," so the thunderbolt struck them for their wrongdoing. Then they took the calf [for worship] after clear evidences had come to them, and We pardoned that. And We gave Moses a clear authority.

(اے محمدﷺ) اہل کتاب تم سے درخواست کرتے ہیں کہ تم ان پر ایک (لکھی ہوئی) کتاب آسمان سے اتار لاؤ تو یہ موسیٰ سے اس سے بھی بڑی بڑی درخواستیں کرچکے ہیں (ان سے) کہتے تھے ہمیں خدا ظاہر (یعنی آنکھوں سے) دکھا دو سو ان کے گناہ کی وجہ سے ان کو بجلی نے آپکڑا۔ پھر کھلی نشانیاں آئے پیچھے بچھڑے کو (معبود) بنا بیٹھے تو اس سے بھی ہم نے درگزر کی۔ اور موسیٰ کو صریح غلبہ دیا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Some previous verses censured Jews for their mistrustfulness in matters of faith. In the present verses too, there appears a long list of some of their other evil doings and, because of these ugly problems with them, mention has been made of their punishment. This strain continues in many more verse...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: The People of the Scripture the Jews will ask of you O Muhammad (s) to cause a Book to be revealed to them from the heaven all at once as was revealed to Moses merely to harass you. If you consider this shocking then know that they their forefathers asked Moses for something greater than that for th...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Stubbornness of the Jews Muhammad bin Ka`b Al-Qurazi, As-Suddi and Qatadah said that the Jews asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to cause a book to come down to them from heaven, just as the Tawrah was sent down to Musa. Ibn Jurayj said that the Jews asked the Messenger to cause books to come down t...

يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُۥٓ أَلْقَىٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِّنْهُ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ ثَلَٰثَةٌ ٱنتَهُوا۟ خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥٓ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا

Yaaa Ahlal Kitaabi laa taghloo fee deenikum wa laa taqooloo 'alal laahi illalhaqq; innamal Maseehu 'Eesab-nu-Maryamma Rasoolul laahi wa Kalimatuhooo alqaahaaa ilaa Maryamma wa roohum minhum fa aaminoo billaahi wa Rusulihee wa laa taqooloo salaasah; intahoo khairallakum; innamal laahu Ilaahunw Waahid, Subhaanahooo ani yakoona lahoo walad; lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; wa kafaa billaahi Wakeelaa

O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.

اے اہل کتاب اپنے دین (کی بات) میں حد سے نہ بڑھو اور خدا کے بارے میں حق کے سوا کچھ نہ کہو۔ مسیح (یعنی) مریم کے بیٹے عیسیٰ (نہ خدا تھے نہ خدا کے بیٹے بلکہ) خدا کے رسول اور کا کلمہٴ (بشارت) تھے جو اس نے مریم کی طرف بھیجا تھا اور اس کی طرف سے ایک روح تھے تو خدا اوراس کے رسولوں پر ایمان لاؤ۔ اور (یہ) نہ کہو (کہ خدا) تین (ہیں۔ اس اعتقاد سے) باز آؤ کہ یہ تمہارے حق میں بہتر ہے۔ خدا ہی معبود واحد ہے اور اس سے پاک ہے کہ اس کے اولاد ہو۔ جو کچھ آسمانوں میں اور جو کچھ زمین میں ہے سب اسی کا ہے۔ اور خدا ہی کارساز کافی ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Jews' were the addressees in previous verses which provided details of how astray they had gone. The present verses address the Christians and refute their doctrinal position as related to God and Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) . Commentary_ The word: كَلِمَتُهُ : Kalimatuh used in this verse tells us...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: O People of the Scripture the Gospel do not go to extremes do not go beyond the bounds in your religion and do not say about God except the saying of the truth such as exalting Him above any associations with a partner or a child the Messiah Jesus the son of Mary was only the Messenger of God and Hi...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Prohibiting the People of the Book From Going to Extremes in Religion Allah forbids the People of the Scriptures from going to extremes in religion, which is a common trait of theirs, especially among the Christians. The Christians exaggerated over `Isa until they elevated him above the grade that A...

وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَٰرَى ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ يُضَٰهِـُٔونَ قَوْلَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ قَٰتَلَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ

Q qaalatil yahoodu 'Uzairunib nul laahi wa qaalatin Nasaaral Maseehub nul laahi zaalika qawluhum bi afwaahihim yudaahi'oona qawlal lazeena kafaroo min qabl; qatalahumul laah; annaa yu'fakoon

The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allah "; and the Christians say, "The Messiah is the son of Allah." That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved [before them]. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?

اور یہود کہتے ہیں کہ عُزیر خدا کے بیٹے ہیں اور عیسائی کہتے ہیں کہ مسیح خدا کے بیٹے ہیں۔ یہ ان کے منہ کی باتیں ہیں پہلے کافر بھی اسی طرح کی باتیں کہا کرتے تھے یہ بھی انہیں کی ریس کرنے میں لگے ہیں۔ خدا ان کو ہلاک کرے۔ یہ کہاں بہکے پھرتے ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: In the second verse (30), the subject taken up briefly in verse 29 (where it was said that these people do not believe in Allah) has been enlarged. In the second verse, it has been said that the Jews take Sayyidna ` Uzayr (علیہ السلام) to be the Son of God.l So do the Christians. They say that Sayyi...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: The Jews say Ezra is the son of God; and the Christians say The Messiah Jesus is the son of God. That is the utterance of their mouths for which they have no support nay imitating the utterances of those who disbelieved before them from among their forefathers mimicking them. God assail curse them! ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Fighting the Jews and Christians is legislated because They are Idolators and Disbelievers Allah the Exalted encourages the believers to fight the polytheists, disbelieving Jews and Christians, who uttered this terrible statement and utter lies against Allah, the Exalted. As for the Jews, they claim...

إِنَّ هَٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانَ يَقُصُّ عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَكْثَرَ ٱلَّذِى هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

Inna haazal Qur-aana yaqussu 'alaa Baneee israaa'eela aksaral lazee hum feehi yakhtalifoon

Indeed, this Qur'an relates to the Children of Israel most of that over which they disagree.

بےشک یہ قرآن بنی اسرائیل کے سامنے اکثر باتیں جن میں وہ اختلاف کرتے ہیں، بیان کر دیتا ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary By describing Allah's omnipotence through different examples in the earlier verses, the reality of the Hereafter and the rational possibility of resurrection of the dead has been established. There is no logical ambiguity in that. Its definite occurrence is confirmed by the sayings of the...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Truly this Qur’ān recounts to the Children of Israel — those living at the time of our Prophet — the means to resolve most of that concerning which they differ that is by virtue of the fact that it expounds the said differences as they should be eliminating any disagreements between them if only the...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Qur'an tells the Story of the Differences among the Children of Israel, and Allah judges between Them Allah tells us about His Book and the guidance, proof and criterion between right and wrong that it contains. He tells us about the Children of Israel, who were the bearers of the Tawrah and Inj...

لِّئَلَّا يَعْلَمَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ أَلَّا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ مِّن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ وَأَنَّ ٱلْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو ٱلْفَضْلِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ

Li'alla ya'lama Ahlul kitaabi allaa yaqdiroona 'alaa shai'im min fadlil laahi wa annal fadla bi Yadil laahi u'teehi many yashaaa'; wallaahu Zul fadilil 'azeem

[This is] so that the People of the Scripture may know that they are not able [to obtain] anything from the bounty of Allah and that [all] bounty is in the hand of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty.

(یہ باتیں) اس لئے (بیان کی گئی ہیں) کہ اہل کتاب جان لیں کہ وہ خدا کے فضل پر کچھ بھی قدرت نہیں رکھتے۔ اور یہ کہ فضل خدا ہی کے ہاتھ ہے جس کو چاہتا ہے دیتا ہے اور خدا بڑے فضل کا مالک ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: لِّئَلَّا يَعْلَمَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ (so that the People of the Book may know ....57:29) The negative particle la [ no ] is grammatically redundant [ but rhetorically it serves to emphasise the expression ]. This final verse states that the People of the Book need to know that faith in Prophet ` Isa...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: So that the People of the Scripture the Torah — those who did not believe in Muhammad (s) — may know in other words I inform you of this so that they the People of the Scripture may know that a of a-llā is softened in place of the hardened form an-lā its subject being the pronoun of the matter that ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Believers of the People of the Scriptures will earn Double their Rewards Earlier we mentioned a Hadith that An-Nasa'i collected from Ibn `Abbas that this Ayah is about the People of the Scriptures who believe in Islam, and that they will earn double their reward if they do so. There is an Ayah i...

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