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Killing of Prophets

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Killing of Prophets

قَتْلُ الْأَنْبِيَاء

The "Killing of Prophets" refers to the grave historical act, primarily attributed in the Quran to some among the Children of Israel, who unjustly took the lives of Allah's chosen messengers. Prophets are revered figures in Islam, carrying divine guidance and calling humanity to truth and justice. The Quran recounts with sorrow how, at various times, some communities met these noble calls with rejection, arrogance, and even extreme violence. For instance, Allah describes how [they disbelieved in the signs of Allah and killed the prophets without right], a profound act of defiance against divine will. This tragic pattern of behavior is mentioned multiple times, detailing how [a party of messengers they denied and another party they killed] when these messengers brought messages their souls did not desire. This was not merely an act of violence, but a manifestation of deep disbelief, disobedience, and transgression against Allah's commands. The Quran emphasizes that [they killed the prophets without right. That is because they disobeyed and habitually transgressed], leading to severe divine consequences including humiliation and anger from Allah. This event serves as a powerful reminder within Islamic tradition of the sanctity of prophetic missions and the severe repercussions of rejecting divine guidance and harming its bearers.

Quran 8 verses

وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَٰمُوسَىٰ لَن نَّصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَٰحِدٍ فَٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلْأَرْضُ مِنۢ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّآئِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِصْرًا فَإِنَّ لَكُم مَّا سَأَلْتُمْ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلذِّلَّةُ وَٱلْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا۟ وَّكَانُوا۟ يَعْتَدُونَ

Wa iz qultum yaa Moosaa lan nasbira 'alaa ta'aaminw waahidin fad'u lanaa rabbaka yukhrij lanaa mimmaa tumbitul ardu mimbaqlihaa wa qis saaa'ihaa wa foomihaa wa 'adasihaa wa basalihaa qaala atastabdiloonal lazee huwa adnaa billazee huwa khayr; ihbitoo misran fa inna lakum maa sa altum; wa duribat 'alaihimuz zillatu walmaskanatu wa baaa'oo bighadabim minal laah; zaalika bi annahum kaano yakfuroona bi aayaatil laahi wa yaqtuloonan Nabiyyeena bighairil haqq; zaalika bimaa 'asaw wa kaanoo ya'tadoon

And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions." [Moses] said, "Would you exchange what is better for what is less? Go into [any] settlement and indeed, you will have what you have asked." And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with anger from Allah [upon them]. That was because they [repeatedly] disbelieved in the signs of Allah and killed the prophets without right. That was because they disobeyed and were [habitually] transgressing.

اور جب تم نے کہا کہ موسیٰ! ہم سے ایک (ہی) کھانے پر صبر نہیں ہو سکتا تو اپنے پروردگار سے دعا کیجئے کہ ترکاری اور ککڑی اور گیہوں اور مسور اور پیاز (وغیرہ) جو نباتات زمین سے اُگتی ہیں، ہمارے لیے پیدا کر دے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ بھلا عمدہ چیزیں چھوڑ کر ان کے عوض ناقص چیزیں کیوں چاہتے ہوں۔ (اگر یہی چیزیں مطلوب ہیں) تو کسی شہر میں جا اترو، وہاں جو مانگتے ہو، مل جائے گا۔ اور (آخرکار) ذلت (ورسوائی) اور محتاجی (وبے نوائی) ان سے چمٹا دی گئی اور وہ الله کے غضب میں گرفتار ہو گئے۔ یہ اس لیے کہ وہ الله کی آیتوں سے انکار کرتے تھے اور (اس کے) نبیوں کو ناحق قتل کر دیتے تھے۔ (یعنی) یہ اس لیے کہ نافرمانی کئے جاتے اور حد سے بڑھے جاتے تھے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: This episode has been indirectly referred to in verse 58, and it also occurred in the wilderness of Tih تیہ . The Israelites grew weary of eating the Mann مَن and the Salwa سلوا (manna and quails) everyday, and wished to have ordinary vegetables and grain. Allah commanded them through Sayyidna Musa ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And when you said ‘Moses we will not endure one sort of food that is to say manna and quails; pray to your Lord for us that He may bring forth for us something of min here is explicative what the earth produces — green herbs cucumbers garlic lentils onions’ he Moses said to them ‘Would you exchange ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Children of Israel preferred Foods inferior to Manna and Quails Allah said, "And remember My favor on you when I sent down the manna and quails to you, a good, pure, beneficial, easily acquired food. And remember your ungratefulness for what We granted you. Remember how you asked Musa to exchang...

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَقَفَّيْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ بِٱلرُّسُلِ وَءَاتَيْنَا عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ وَأَيَّدْنَٰهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ أَفَكُلَّمَا جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌۢ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُكُمُ ٱسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ فَفَرِيقًا كَذَّبْتُمْ وَفَرِيقًا تَقْتُلُونَ

Wa laqad aatainaa Moosal Kitaaba wa qaffainaa mim ba'dihee bir Rusuli wa aatainaa 'Eesab-na-Maryamal baiyinaati wa ayyadnaahu bi Roohil Qudus; afakullamaa jaaa'akum Rasoolum bimaa laa tahwaaa anfusukumus takbartum fafareeqan kazzabtum wa fareeqan taqtuloon

And We did certainly give Moses the Torah and followed up after him with messengers. And We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Pure Spirit. But is it [not] that every time a messenger came to you, [O Children of Israel], with what your souls did not desire, you were arrogant? And a party [of messengers] you denied and another party you killed.

اور ہم نے موسیٰ کو کتاب عنایت کی اور ان کے پیچھے یکے بعد دیگرے پیغمبر بھیجتے رہے اور عیسیٰ بن مریم کو کھلے نشانات بخشے اور روح القدس (یعنی جبرئیل) سے ان کو مدد دی۔تو جب کوئی پیغمبر تمہارے پاس ایسی باتیں لے کر آئے، جن کو تمہارا جی نہیں چاہتا تھا، تو تم سرکش ہو جاتے رہے، اور ایک گروہ (انبیاء) کو تو جھٹلاتے رہے اور ایک گروہ کو قتل کرتے رہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The Qur'an again reminds the Israelites how Allah in His mercy forgave them their transgressions again and again, and provided them with all the means of guidance. First of all, He gave them a Divine Book, the Torah, through Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) (Moses); then, sent them a number of prophets; ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And We gave Moses the Scripture the Torah and after him We sent successive messengers that is We sent them one after another and We gave Jesus son of Mary the clear proofs that is the miracles of bringing the dead back to life and healing the blind and the leper and We confirmed him We strengthened ...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Arrogance of the Jews who denied and killed Their Prophets Allah described the insolence of Children of Israel, their rebelliousness, defiance and arrogance towards the Prophets, following their lusts and desires. Allah mentioned that He gave Musa the Book, the Tawrah, and that the Jews changed,...

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ نُؤْمِنُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَيَكْفُرُونَ بِمَا وَرَآءَهُۥ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ قُلْ فَلِمَ تَقْتُلُونَ أَنۢبِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ مِن قَبْلُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

Wa izaa qeela lahum aaminoo bimaaa anzalal laahu qaaloo nu'minu bimaaa unzila 'alainaa wa yakfuroona bimaa waraaa'ahoo wa huwal haqqu musaddiqal limaa ma'ahum; qul falima taqtuloona Ambiyaaa'al laahi min qablu in kuntum mu'mineen

And when it is said to them, "Believe in what Allah has revealed," they say, "We believe [only] in what was revealed to us." And they disbelieve in what came after it, while it is the truth confirming that which is with them. Say, "Then why did you kill the prophets of Allah before, if you are [indeed] believers?"

اور جب ان سے کہا جاتا ہے کہ جو (کتاب) خدا نے (اب) نازل فرمائی ہے، اس کو مانو۔ تو کہتے ہیں کہ جو کتاب ہم پر (پہلے) نازل ہو چکی ہے، ہم تو اسی کو مانتے ہیں۔ (یعنی) یہ اس کے سوا کسی اور (کتاب) کو نہیں مانتے، حالانکہ وہ (سراسر) سچی ہے اور جو ان کی (آسمانی) کتاب ہے، اس کی بھی تصدیق کرتی ہے۔ (ان سے) کہہ دو کہ اگر تم صاحبِ ایمان ہوتے تو الله کے پیغمبروں کو پہلے ہی کیوں قتل کیا کرتے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The Jews flatly refused to believe in any Book of Allah -- like the Evangel or the Holy Qur'an - except in the Torah. This denial is a clear evidence of their infidelity (Kufr کفر). Moreover, they also used to add that they believe in the Torah, for it had been sent down to them. This comes to mean ...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And when it was said to them ‘Believe in what God has revealed that is the Qur’ān and other Books they said ‘We believe in what was revealed to us’ that is the Torah; and wā here indicates a circumstantial qualifier they disbelieve in what is beyond that what is other than that or what came afterwar...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Although The Jews denied the Truth, They claimed to be Believers! Allah said, وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ (And when it is said to them), meaning, the Jews and the People of the Book, ءَامِنُواْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ (Believe in what Allah has sent down) to Muhammad , believe in and follow him, قَالُواْ نُؤ...

ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَ مَا ثُقِفُوٓا۟ إِلَّا بِحَبْلٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَسْكَنَةُ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ ٱلْأَنۢبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا۟ وَّكَانُوا۟ يَعْتَدُونَ

Duribat 'alaihimuz zillatu aina maa suqifooo illaa bihablim minal laahi wa hablim minan naasi wa baaa'oo bighadabim minallaahi wa duribat 'alaihimul maskanah; zaalika bi-annahum kaanoo yakfuroona bi Aayaatil laahi wa yaqtuloonal Ambiyaaa'a bighairi haqq; zaalika bimaa 'asaw wa kaanoo ya'tadoon

They have been put under humiliation [by Allah] wherever they are overtaken, except for a covenant from Allah and a rope from the Muslims. And they have drawn upon themselves anger from Allah and have been put under destitution. That is because they disbelieved in the verses of Allah and killed the prophets without right. That is because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed.

یہ جہاں نظر آئیں گے ذلت (کو دیکھو گے کہ) ان سے چمٹ رہی ہے بجز اس کے کہ یہ خدا اور (مسلمان) لوگوں کی پناہ میں آ جائیں اور یہ لوگ خدا کے غضب میں گرفتار ہیں اور ناداری ان سے لپٹ رہی ہے یہ اس لیے کہ خدا کی آیتوں سے انکار کرتےتھے اور (اس کے) پیغمبروں کو ناحق قتل کر دیتے تھے یہ اس لیے کہ یہ نافرمانی کیے جاتے اور حد سے بڑھے جاتے تھے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary The meaning of disgrace and wrath cast on the Jews: A detailed discussion on this subject has already appeared under comments on verse 61 of Surah al-Baqarah where the text has not mentioned any exception. This can be seen in Volume I of this commentary. It also covers the exception given...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Abasement shall be cast upon them wherever they are found so that they have no strength and no protection save if they be clinging to a rope of God and a rope of the believing people this being the latter’s covenant of security for them on the condition that they pay the jizya in other words they ha...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Virtues of the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ , the Best Nation Ever Allah states that the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ is the best nation ever, كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ (You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind) 3:110. Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah commented on this Ayah, "(You...

لَّقَدْ سَمِعَ ٱللَّهُ قَوْلَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَقِيرٌ وَنَحْنُ أَغْنِيَآءُ سَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَالُوا۟ وَقَتْلَهُمُ ٱلْأَنۢبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَنَقُولُ ذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلْحَرِيقِ

Laqad sami'al laahu qawlal lazeena qaalooo innal laaha faqeerunw wa nahnu aghniyaaa'; sanaktubu maa qaaloo wa qatlahumul Ambiyaa'a bighairi haqqinw wa naqoolu zooqoo 'azaaba Ihreeq

Allah has certainly heard the statement of those [Jews] who said, "Indeed, Allah is poor, while we are rich." We will record what they said and their killing of the prophets without right and will say, "Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire.

خدا نے ان لوگوں کا قول سن لیا ہے جو کہتے ہیں کہ خدا فقیر ہے۔ اور ہم امیر ہیں۔ یہ جو کہتے ہیں ہم اس کو لکھ لیں گے۔ اور پیغمبروں کو جو یہ ناحق قتل کرتے رہے ہیں اس کو بھی (قلمبند کر رکھیں گے) اور (قیامت کے روز) کہیں گے کہ عذاب (آتش) سوزاں کے مزے چکھتے رہو

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The second verse (18) warns Jews against their grave act of effrontery and mentions its punishment. According to the background of the event, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ presented the Qur'anic injunctions relating to Zakah and Sadaqat (charities), the arrogant Jews started saying that Allah had surely b...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Verily God has heard the saying of those namely the Jews who said ‘Indeed God is poor and we are rich’ they said this when the verse who is he that will lend God a good loan Q. 2245 was revealed adding that ‘If God were truly rich He would not be asking us for loans’. We shall write down We shall or...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Allah Warns the Idolators Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn `Abbas said, "When Allah's statement, مَّن ذَا الَّذِى يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً (Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times) 2:245 was revealed...

ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَهِدَ إِلَيْنَآ أَلَّا نُؤْمِنَ لِرَسُولٍ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَنَا بِقُرْبَانٍ تَأْكُلُهُ ٱلنَّارُ قُلْ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِى بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ وَبِٱلَّذِى قُلْتُمْ فَلِمَ قَتَلْتُمُوهُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ

Allazeena qaalooo innal laaha 'ahida ilainaaa allaa nu'mina liRasoolin hatta yaa tiyanaa biqurbaanin taa kuluhun naar; qul qad jaaa'akum Rusulum min qablee bilbaiyinaati wa billazee qultum falima qataltumoohum in kuntum saadiqeen

[They are] those who said, "Indeed, Allah has taken our promise not to believe any messenger until he brings us an offering which fire [from heaven] will consume." Say, "There have already come to you messengers before me with clear proofs and [even] that of which you speak. So why did you kill them, if you should be truthful?"

جو لوگ کہتے ہی کہ خدا نے ہمیں حکم بھیجا ہے کہ جب تک کوئی پیغمبر ہمارے پاس ایسی نیاز لے کر نہ آئے جس کو آگ آکر کھا جائے تب تک ہم اس پر ایمان نہ لائیں گے (اے پیغمبر ان سے) کہہ دو کہ مجھ سے پہلے کئی پیغمبر تمہارے پاس کھلی ہوئی نشانیاں لے کر آئے اور وہ (معجزہ) بھی لائے جو تم کہتے ہو تو اگر سچے ہو تو تم نے ان کو قتل کیوں کیا؟

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The fourth verse (183) takes up the case of a false accusation made by these very Jews who came up with an excuse in order to reject the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah. Their contention was that, during the period of past prophets, there used to be a method under which charities and offerings...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Those alladhīna an adjectival qualification of the previous alladhīna ‘those who’ Q. 3181 same who said to Muhammad (s) ‘God has already made covenant with us in the Torah that we should not believe in any messenger accepting his truthfulness until he bring us an offering to be devoured by fire’ and...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Allah Warns the Idolators Sa`id bin Jubayr said that Ibn `Abbas said, "When Allah's statement, مَّن ذَا الَّذِى يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً (Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times) 2:245 was revealed...

فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَٰقَهُمْ وَكُفْرِهِم بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَتْلِهِمُ ٱلْأَنۢبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَقَوْلِهِمْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌۢ بَلْ طَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

Fabimaa naqdihim meesaaqahum wa kufrihim bi Aayaatil laahi wa qatlihimul Ambiyaaa'a bighairi haqqinw wa qawlihim quloobunna ghulf; bal taba'al laahu 'alaihaa bikufrihim falaa yu'minoona illaa qaleelaa

And [We cursed them] for their breaking of the covenant and their disbelief in the signs of Allah and their killing of the prophets without right and their saying, "Our hearts are wrapped". Rather, Allah has sealed them because of their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few.

(لیکن انہوں نے عہد کو توڑ ڈالا) تو ان کے عہد توڑ دینے اور خدا کی آیتوں سے کفر کرنے اور انبیاء کو ناحق مار ڈالنے اور یہ کہنے کے سبب کہ ہمارے دلوں پر پردے (پڑے ہوئے) ہیں۔ (خدا نے ان کو مردود کردیا اور ان کے دلوں پر پردے نہیں ہیں) بلکہ ان کے کفر کے سبب خدا نے ان پر مہر کردی ہے تو یہ کم ہی ایمان لاتے ہیں

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Like the earlier verses, the censure of Jews continues through the present ones. As a thematically coherent subject, their false ideas have also been refuted which have been discussed in detail in the following commentary.
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: So for their breaking fa-bi-mā naqdihim the mā is extra; the bā’ is causative and connected to a missing element such as sabab ‘reason’ in other words it should be understood as la‘annāhum bi-sabab naqdihim ‘We cursed them for the reason of their breaking’ their covenant and disbelieving in the sign...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Crimes of the Jews The sins mentioned here are among the many sins that the Jews committed, which caused them to be cursed and removed far away from right guidance. The Jews broke the promises and vows that Allah took from them, and also rejected Allah's Ayat, meaning His signs and proofs, and t...

لَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمْ رُسُلًا كُلَّمَا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌۢ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُهُمْ فَرِيقًا كَذَّبُوا۟ وَفَرِيقًا يَقْتُلُونَ

Laqad akhaznaa meesaaqa Banee Israaa'eela wa arsalnaaa ilaihim Rusulan kullamaa jaaa'ahum Rasoolum bimaa laa tahwaaa anfusuhum fareeqan kazzaboo wa fareeqany yaqtuloon

We had already taken the covenant of the Children of Israel and had sent to them messengers. Whenever there came to them a messenger with what their souls did not desire, a party [of messengers] they denied, and another party they killed.

ہم نے بنی اسرائیل سے عہد بھی لیا اور ان کی طرف پیغمبر بھی بھیجے (لیکن) جب کوئی پیغمبر ان کے پاس ایسی باتیں لےکر آتا جن کو ان کے دل نہیں چاہتے تھے تو وہ (انبیاء کی) ایک جماعت کو تو جھٹلا دیتے اور ایک جماعت کو قتل کر دیتے تھے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary This is an account of how the Bani Isra'il kept breaking the pledge taken from them. As said in verse 70, whenever their Messenger brought a command which did not suit their fancy, they would break their pledge and go about betraying Allah to the limit that they would falsify His Messenge...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And We made a covenant with the Children of Israel to believe in God and His messengers and We sent messengers to them. Every time a messenger came to them from among them with what their souls did not desire in the way of truth they denied it; some of them they denied and some of them they slay suc...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): كُلَّمَا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لاَ تَهْوَى أَنفُسُهُمْ فَرِيقاً كَذَّبُواْ وَفَرِيقاً يَقْتُلُونَوَحَسِبُواْ أَلاَّ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ فَعَمُواْ وَصَمُّواْ (Whenever there came to them a Messenger with what they themselves desired not - a group of them they called liars, and others among them they k...

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