The Quran establishes the profound lineage of the Jews, recognizing them as recipients of divine revelation through Prophet Moses. Allah sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light, by which prophets, rabbis, and scholars judged the Jews. This emphasizes the sanctity of their original scripture and the role of their spiritual leaders in upholding divine law. However, despite this initial guidance, the Quran also notes deviations. For example, some Jews are described as attempting to distort the Torah after they had understood it and fabricating writings, presenting them as divine, incurring woe to them for what their hands have written. Ibn Kathir explains that these distortions involved changing meanings and even written words to serve their desires, while Ma'arif-ul-Quran elaborates that such acts were often motivated by worldly gains or to please people by misinterpreting or concealing verses.

The Quran also highlights the common monotheistic heritage shared by Abraham with the Children of Israel and later Muslims. 3:67. This verse, as Tafsir al-Jalalayn notes, dissociates Abraham from later denominational claims, emphasizing his pure submission to God (Islam). The Quran challenges the assertion that Abraham and other patriarchs like Ishmael, Isaac, and Jacob were Jews or Christians, asking Are you more knowing or is Allah?. This establishes that the fundamental message of submission to one God (Tawhid) predates later religious distinctions.

The prophetic chain among the Israelites continued with many prophets, yet the Quran recounts instances of their rejection and even killing of these messengers. When reminded to believe in what Allah has revealed, some Jews would claim to believe only in what was revealed to them, despite the new revelation confirming what they already possessed. The Quran questions this by asking, 2:100.

The Quran presents several specific critiques regarding the beliefs and practices of certain Jewish groups. A recurring theme is their false sense of exclusive salvation. They would say, Never will the Fire touch us, except for a few days, and 2:111. The Quran dismisses these as "wishful thinking" and demands proof, stating that salvation is based on belief in Allah, the Last Day, and righteous deeds (2:111, 2:62, 5:69). Ibn Kathir elaborates that this false claim stemmed from an improper explanation of their scriptures. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) further refuted their claim that they would only be in Hell for forty days, stating that they would be "cursed and humiliated in it" and that Muslims would never replace them, as narrated by Abu Huraira Bukhari 58:11.

Another significant critique is their attribution of human characteristics to Allah. For instance, the Quran records them saying, Indeed, Allah is poor, while we are rich, and The hand of Allah is chained. These statements, explained by Tafsir al-Jalalayn and Ibn Kathir, were uttered when their financial circumstances became difficult, reflecting a profound misunderstanding or deliberate misrepresentation of God's attributes. Allah refutes these claims, stating, 5:64.

Furthermore, the Quran criticizes their moral failings, such as devouring illegal gain and not forbidding evil. You see many of them vying in sin and aggression and their consuming of unlawful gain. Allah questions, Why do not the rabbis and scholars forbid them from uttering sinful words and from eating illegal things? Evil indeed is that which they have been performing. Ibn Kathir states that the term "Suht" (illegal things) often refers to bribes. This indicates a failure of their religious leadership to uphold justice and morality among their people, contrasting with the principles laid out in the Torah.

The Quran describes various interactions between certain Jewish groups and the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his early community. Despite often recognizing the truth of his prophethood, they often rejected him out of envy and malice. 2:89 when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it]. Ibn Kathir notes that they used to pray for victory against disbelievers through the coming of a prophet but rejected Muhammad when he was sent because he was not from them.

Their animosity towards Muslims is explicitly stated: 5:82 the Jews and those who associate others with Allah]. This animosity manifested in various ways, including attempts to mislead Muslims. A party of them yearn to make you go astray; yet they cause none to stray except themselves. The Quran warns Muslims not to be deceived by their outward expressions of belief, as 2:76. Ibn Kathir explains this as a tactic to prevent Muslims from using the Torah's prophecies about Muhammad against them.

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) also faced attempts to poison him by Jews from Khaybar, as narrated by Abu Huraira, where they admitted wanting to test his prophethood (Bukhari 58:11, 76:89). The Prophet (ﷺ) was also warned against following their desires, as they would “never approve of you until you follow their religion”. This verse, according to Ibn Kathir, is a stern warning for the Muslim Ummah not to imitate the ways of Jews and Christians after receiving the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah.

The Quran and Sunnah provide legal and ethical guidelines concerning interactions with Jews and other non-Muslims. The principle of not taking Jews and Christians as "allies" is established: 5:51 allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is one of them]. Ma'arif-ul-Quran clarifies that this prohibition refers to deep, emotional friendship (Muwalat) which may compromise the distinct identity of Islam, but permits relations based on sympathy, kindness (Muwasat), customary cordiality (Mudarat), and legitimate business dealings (Mu`amalat), provided they do not harm the Muslim community. An example is `Umar bin Al-Khattab's refusal to appoint a Christian as a scribe for Muslim affairs, fearing the exposure of secrets (Tafsir Ibn Kathir).

The Prophet (ﷺ) also issued strong warnings against imitating certain practices of the Jews and Christians, such as taking graves of prophets as places of worship. Aisha and Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ), in his fatal illness, said, "Allah's curse be on the Jews and the Christians, as they took the graves of their prophets as (places of worship)," intending to warn Muslims against imitating them (Bukhari 0:0, 23:142, 60:121, 64:462, 77:33). Another example is the prohibition of dyeing hair to avoid imitating Jews and Christians Bukhari 77:116.

Justice and truthfulness are emphasized in dealings with all people, including Jews. When a dispute between a Muslim and a Jew was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ), he asked the Jew to take an oath when the Muslim had no evidence, highlighting the importance of due process (Bukhari 0:0, 52:30). In cases like adultery among Jews, the Prophet (ﷺ) judged according to the Torah's original ruling of stoning, which they had attempted to conceal or alter, demonstrating divine justice and upholding the integrity of the revealed law 5:41, 5:44 (Bukhari 61:139, 65:78, 86:64, 96:61).

Historically, the Jews of Khaibar were allowed by the Prophet (ﷺ) to stay and cultivate their land for half of its yield, under specific conditions. Later, `Umar ibn Al-Khattab expelled them from Hijaz due to their repeated transgressions, including the maiming of `Abdullah bin `Umar (Bukhari 37:25, 41:19, 54:18, 57:60, 64:283). This demonstrates that while early interactions could involve peaceful coexistence and agreements, severe breaches of trust led to consequences.

The Quran continuously distinguishes between believers and disbelievers, emphasizing that ultimately, [Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ](2:113, 22:17). Those who sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day and perform righteous deeds, regardless of their past affiliations (including Jews and Christians before the advent of Islam), will have their reward with their Lord and nothing to fear or grieve over (2:62, 5:69). However, Ibn Kathir clarifies that after the revelation of the Quran and the prophethood of Muhammad (ﷺ), sincere belief necessitates following Islam.

The spiritual state of many Jews is described as marked by heedlessness and hardness of heart. God has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and on their eyes is a covering. Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Ma'arif-ul-Quran explain that this sealing is a punishment for their stubborn disbelief and continuous deviation from the truth, making them unable to comprehend or accept guidance. Their love for worldly life and fear of death are also highlighted, particularly their reluctance to wish for death despite claiming exclusive access to Paradise, [But they will never wish for it, ever, because of what their hands have put forth](2:95, 62:7). This, according to Ibn Kathir, revealed the falsehood of their claims, as they knew their evil end in the Hereafter.

The Quran underscores that spiritual guidance is a divine prerogative, not something humans can force or manipulate. If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it. This means that while prophets deliver the message, belief is ultimately in Allah's hands. Repentance is always possible for those who turn sincerely to Allah, even from profound errors, as He is [Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful](3:89, 4:17). However, this repentance must occur before the throes of death and be sincere, involving regret, abandonment of sin, and resolve not to repeat it.

The Jews, like other communities, were given the Torah as a source of guidance (5:44, 6:91). However, some among them misused their scripture by disclosing only what served their interests and concealing much of its content, particularly prophecies regarding Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) 6:91. This practice is condemned, and Allah reminds them that He is “All-Seer of what they do”.

In conclusion, the Quranic narrative concerning the Jews is multifaceted, portraying them as a people chosen by God, but also critically examining their historical responses to divine guidance. It highlights their prophetic heritage, critiques specific deviations in belief and practice, outlines appropriate interactions, and underscores universal principles of divine justice and salvation rooted in monotheism and righteous conduct.