know Allah

Baqarah 105

105- NEITHER THOSE WHO DISBELIEVED OUT OF THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK NOR DO THE IDOLATERS WISH ANY GOODNESS TO COME DOWN TO YOU FROM YOUR LORD. ALLAH CHOOSES WHOM HE WILLS FOR HIS MERCY, AND ALLAH HAS INFINITE BOUNTIES.

There are more Ayahs which carry the same meaning, Allah the Highest said: “IF YOU ARE AFFECTED BY SOMETHING GOOD, IT WILL DISPLEASE THEM, BUT IF AFFLICTION STRIKES YOU, IT WILL PLEASE THEM, BUT IF YOU ARE PATIENT AND PERSEVERE, THEIR PLOTTING WILL NOT AFFECT YOU IN ANY WAY, FOR ALLAH KNOW ALL THEY DO”. (S: 3 A: 120)

What we should know, is that the disbelievers of any kind do not wish any goodness to come to us, neither in this life, nor in the Hereafter. This includes the people of the book, i.e. The Jews and Christians.

Allah’s bounties are plenty, some are given to the every one, believer and disbelievers, like wealth and health. Other bounties are given to the believers only, in this life and in the hereafter, they include:

- Understanding Faith. Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Allah gives of this world those he loves and those he does not love, but gives faith only to those he loves”.

- This Faith, and it’s understanding, is what Allah the Highest called “Wisdom” in the Quran, it is a great bounty, for Allah the Highest said: “HE GIVES THE WISDOM TO WHOM HE WILLS, AND HE WHO IS GRANTED THE WISDOM, HE HAS BEEN GRANTED A GREAT DEAL OF BOUNTY, BUT ONLY THOSE OF SOUND MINDS WILL KNOW AND REMEMBER”. (S:2 A:269)

- There is no limit or restriction to Allah’s bounties. Allah the Highest rewards the Muslim twice as much as he would reward other nations. Allah the Highest said: “YOU WHO BELIEVE, BE RIGHTEOUS AND GUARD YOURSELVES FROM ALLAH’S DISPLEASURE, AND BELIEVE IN HIS MESSENGER, HE WILL GIVE YOU TWICE AS MUCH OF HIS MERCY AND WILL LET YOU HAVE LIGHTS TO WALK WITH, AND WILL FORGIVE YOU, FOR ALLAH IS MOST FORGIVING, MOST MERCIFUL”. (S:57 A:28)

This Ayah is clarified by this Hadith in which Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “The parable of you and the Jews is like that of a man who hired workers telling them: ‘You will work for me to midday for so much’. The Jews worked for that much and the Christians worked for the same amount. Then you come and work from ASR, until Magrib (i.e. mid-afternoon until sunset) for twice the payment. The Jews and Christians get angry and say: ‘Our work is more than them but our bounty is less’. He (Allah) says: ‘Did I hold back what is due to you unjustly?’ They say: ‘No’. He says: “This is my bounty; I give to whoever I wish”.

(B: Maqaqeet; 17 & T: Adab; 82 & Ma: Nekah; 48 & A: 2; 111,121 6; 95)

106- IF WE ABROGATE AN AYAH OR CAUSE IT TO BE FORGOTTEN, WE REPLACE IT WITH WHAT IS BETTER THAN IT OR LIKE IT, DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT ALLAH HAS POWER TO DO ALL THINGS.

107- DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT TO ALLAH BELONGS THE KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS AND OF THE EARTH, AND YOU HAVE NEITHER AN ALLY NOR SUPPORTER OTHER THAN HIM.

There are two facts in these Ayahs; they are both important for understanding the Quran. I will mention the second first, which is that Allah the Highest caused some of the Ayahs of the Quran to be forgotten. These Ayahs are not known to us, this was a way of abolishing a temporary rule included in these Ayahs. By causing them to be forgotten, this ruling would have been abolished totally from the minds as well as from the Quran.

Abrogation is for the rule mentioned in the Ayah to be overruled. It is not necessarily totally cancelled, but almost.

The reasons for that were that Islam went through phases:

- The Muslims were living in Mekka for 13 years before migrating to Medina. There, they were few and were persecuted. The commands to regulate their lives were mainly, in general moral and ethical terms, but there was no Law, Sharia, or Hodoud (the penalties of the Islamic law), as there was no authority to implement it.

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- When the Muslims migrated to Yathrib (Medina), they soon became the Majority. Allah the Highest sent down Quran with commands and Laws to regulate the Muslim’s society, which the Muslims were then able to enforce, as they had a state and Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, was the Head of this State.

- Allah the Highest did not send the Quran down as one piece, but an Ayah or a few Ayahs at a time. The same happened with the Islamic Law, it was sent down gradually mostly over the last 10 years of Allah’s messenger’s life.

- Some of the Laws were introduced gradually. Like Inheritance.

Initially, Allah the Highest commanded the Muslims to make wills, and to make these wills in favour of their parents and close kin. Allah the Highest sent this Ayah first: “IT IS PRESCRIBED FOR YOU THAT SHOULD DEATH APPROACHES ONE OF YOU AND HE HAS SOME GOODS TO LEAVE BEHIND, TO MAKE A WILL TO THE PARENTS, CLOSE KIN, KINDLY. THIS IS A DUTY UPON THE PIOUS”. (S: 2 A: 180)

This was later followed by the commands in Sorah Al-Nesae, and other Ayahs detailing the portion every inheritor should have. This did not abolish the will altogether, but limited it to no more than one third of the estate and this has two conditions: a- It should not be unjust. b- It should not be made to one of the inheritors. Detailed discussion of this will be made when discussing these Ayahs.

- Some prohibitions were done gradually also, as with Intoxicants and Gambling. This was out of Allah’s Mercy, as these idle worshipping societies were full of many evil habits, and stopping them suddenly could have been difficult.

First Allah the Highest sent this Ayah down: “THEY ASK YOU ABOUT INTOXICANTS AND GAMBLING; SAY: ‘THEY HAVE A GREAT SIN AS WELL AS BENEFITS TO PEOPLE, BUT THEIR EVIL IS GREATER THAN THEIR BENEFITS”.

(S: 2 A: 219)

Then Allah the Highest commanded the Muslims not to pray while drunk so that they did not make mistakes in their Salah, saying: “YOU WHO BELIEVE, DO NOT APPROACH THE SALAH WHILE YOU ARE DRUNK, SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW WHAT TO SAY”.

(S: 3 A: 43)

This meant that the Muslims could not drink wine and intoxicants during the day, but only after they prayed Esha Salah, which was too late for most of them. They were people who worked manually all day; they woke up for Fajr and slept when it was dark.

Then Allah the Highest forbad intoxicants and gambling totally saying: “BUT SATAN WISHES TO CAUSE ANIMOSITY AND HATRED BETWEEN YOU THROUGH WINE (INTOXICANTS) AND GAMBLING, AND PREVENTS YOU FROM REMEMBERING ALLAH AND FROM SALAH, SO WOULD YOU NOT BE FORBIDDEN”. (S: 5 A: 91)

- Some commands were hard for the Muslims to follow, and they were abrogated to make things easier for them. This was Allah the Highest showing His Mercy and Compassion to the Muslims after they showed their willingness to obey and submit to difficult commands. For Example; Allah the Highest sent down this Ayah: “TO ALLAH BELONGS ALLAH BELONGS ALL THERE IS IN THE HEAVENS AND IN THE EARTH, AND WHETHER YOU SHOW WHAT IS INSIDE YOU OR HIDE IT, ALLAH WILL JUDGE YOU BY IT, FORGIVING WHOM HE WILLS AND PUNISHES WHOM HE WILLS, AND ALLAH IS ABLE TO DO ALL THINGS”. (S:2 A:284)

This was difficult for the believers, and they told Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, so. He told them to accept Allah’s rule and say we hear and we obey. When they did this, Allah the Highest sent the next two Ayahs down: “THE MESSENGER BELIEVED IN WHAT WAS SENT DOWN TO HIM FROM HIS LORD, SO DID THE BELIEVERS; THEY ALL BELIEVED IN ALLAH, HIS ANGELS, HIS BOOKS AND HIS MESSENGER, WE DO NOT MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN HIS MESSENGERS, AND THEY SAID: ‘WE HEAR AND WE OBEY, OUR LORD FORGIVE US, FOR TO YOU IS OUR DESTINY * ALLAH DOES NOT DEMAND FROM A SOUL MORE THAN IT CAN BEAR, FOR IT WHAT IT HAS EARNED AND UPON IT WHAT IT HAS EARNED, …………………….” (S: 2 A: 285-286)

And Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Allah pardoned for my nation what they thought of inside themselves, as long as they did not do it or speak of it”. (B: Talaq; 11)

- Testing People’s faith; as happened when the Qibla (the direction one faces when praying) was changed from Al-Aqsa Mosque to the Sacred Mosque (in Mekka).

Before Migration to Medina in the North, the Muslims prayed towards both Al-Aqsa mosque and the Kabba. After migrating, they prayed towards Al-Aqsa mosque for some 17 months. Then, Allah the Highest sent down Quran changing the Qibla to the Kabba saying: “WE SEE THE TURNING OF YOUR FACE FROM THE SKY, SO WE WILL TURN YOU TOWARDS A QIBLA WHICH WILL PLEASE YOU, SO TURN YOUR FACE TOWARDS THE SACRED MOSQUE, AND WHEREVER YOU ARE TURN YOUR FACE TOWARDS IT. THOSE WHO WERE GIVEN THE BOOK KNOW THAT IT IS THE TRUTH FROM THEIR LORD, AND ALLAH IS NOT UNAWARE OF WHAT THEY DO”. (S: 2 A: 144)

Allah the Highest made it clear that this was a test to distinguish the true from the untrue believers saying: “AND WE DID NOT MAKE YOU FACE THE QIBLA YOU USED TO FOLLOW EXCEPT TO KNOW WHO FOLLOWS THE MESSENGERS FROM THOSE WHO TURN BACK ON THEIR HEALS, INDEED IT IS HARD EXCEPT FOR THOSE TRULY GUIDED BY ALLAH”. (S: 2 A: 143)

These were just some examples to explain the concept of abrogation in the Quran and in Islam. They are certainly not all the cases, but just examples to explain the idea and concept. I hope it made the issue clear.

B: Bukhari M: Muslim Mal: Malek A: Ahmed D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy Ma: Ibn Magah N: Nesae T: Termezi

Baqarah 104

104- YOU WHO BELIEVE, DO NOT SAY: “RAENA” (ATTEND TO US) AND SAY: “INZORNA” (LOOK AT US) AND LISTEN, AND THE DISBELIEVERS WILL HAVE HUMILIATING PUNISHMENT.

Allah the Highest is addressing the Muslims saying “YOU WHO BELIEVE”. This means that it is instructions and commands for the believers, which is different from addressing mankind, which usually takes the form of “O PEOPLE” or “O MANKIND”. So there is a command to the believers in this Ayah.

The command is not to use a certain word addressing Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him. Why?

When the Jews of Medina went to see Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, about something, they did not call him Allah’s messenger, but called him by the name Aba Al Qasim (Father of Qasim). Qasim was his first son who died before he was two.

When they wanted to attract his attention, they said to him Raenn, which means reckless and irresponsible, twisting their tongues with the word Raena which means attend to us. This was to covertly insult him, prayer and peace upon him.

Unaware of what the Jews were doing, some of the Muslims said to Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, “Raena”, therefore Allah the Highest forbad the Muslims from using this word with Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him. Consequently, any one who does will mean to insult Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him.

Allah the Highest spoke about the Jews doing this on another occasion in Sorah Al-Nesae saying: “ OF THE JEWS THOSE WHO TAKE WORDS OUT OF CONTEXT AND THEY SAY: “WE HEAR AND WE DISOBEY” AND “HEAR, BUT YOU ARE NOT BEING HEARD”, AND: “RAENA” TWISTING THEIR TONGUES WITH IT AND TO SLANDER THE RELIGION. BUT IF THEY SAY: “WE HEAR AND WE OBEY, AND LISTEN TO US AND LOOK AT US”, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR THEM AND MORE PROPER. BUT ALLAH CURSED THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR DISBELIEF, THEY DO NOT BELIEVE, JUST FEW OF THEM”. (S: 4 A: 46)

Allah the Highest is promising them a humiliating punishment. We notice that they meant, to mock Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, and in return Allah the Highest will humiliate them.

There are a number of lessons in this Ayah, of them:-

- The Muslims should not blindly imitate non-Muslims in what they say and do, they might find that they have been doing a great wrong and are becoming like them. Allah’s messenger prayers and peace upon him said: “He who imitates what a group of people do, he is one of them”. (A:2;50 & D:Lebas;4)

- Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, was not just rejected by the Jews, but they mocked him and on several occasions tried to kill him. This is not new for them, as they did the same with other prophets and messengers of Allah.

- All Allah messengers, peace upon them, suffered physical and verbal abuse by the disbelievers. Allah the Highest said: “BUT NO MESSENGER EVER CAME WITHOUT BEING MOCKED”. (S:15 A:11)He also said: “OTHER MESSENGERS BEFORE YOU WERE MOCKED, HOWEVER THOSE WHO MOCKED THEM WERE TAKEN BY THE VERY THING THEY DREADED”. (S:6 A:10)

- The Muslims should never associate themselves with, or sit down with, those who mock their religion or Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, Allah the Highest said: “DO NOT TAKE THOSE WHO MOCK YOUR RELIGION OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE GIVEN THE BOOK BEFORE YOU AND THE DISBELIEVERS AS CLOSE FRIENDS AND ALLIES, BE PIOUS IF YOU ARE TRULY BELIEVERS”. (S:5 A:57)

- The Muslims should never mock one another, for Allah the Highest said: “YOU WHO BELIEF, LET NOT ONE GROUP OF YOU MOCK ANOTHER, FOR THEY MIGHT BE BETTER THAN THEM, NOR SHALL ONE GROUP OF WOMEN MOCK ANOTHER GROUP OF WOMEN, FOR THEY MIGHT BE BETTER THAN THEM, AND DO NOT MAKE MOCKING GESTURES ABOUT EACH OTHER, AND DO NOT CALL EACH OTHER BAD NAMES, FOR THE WORST SIN IS EVIL DOING AFTER YOU HAVE BELIEVED, AS FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT REPENT, THEY ARE THE EVIL DOERS”. (S:49 A:11)

B: Bukhari M: Muslim Mal: Malek A: Ahmed D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy Ma: Ibn Magah N: Nesae T: Termezi

Baqarah 102-103

102- AND THEY FOLLOWED WHAT THE DEVILS SAY ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF SOLIMAN. SOLIMAN DID NOT DISBELIEVE, BUT THE DEVILS DID. THEY TEACH PEOPLE BLACK MAGIC AND WHAT WAS SENT DOWN UPON THE ANGELS IN BABYLON; HAROUT AND MAROUT. THEY DO NOT TEACH ANYONE WITHOUT SAYING: “WE ARE BUT A TEMPTATION, DO NOT DISBELIEF”. THEY LEARN FROM THEM WHAT MAY CREATE DISCORD BETWEEN A MAN AND HIS WIFE; HOWEVER IT DOES NOT HARM ANYONE WITHOUT ALLAH’S PERMISSION. THEY LEARN WHAT HARMS AND DO NOT BENEFIT THEM, WHILE THEY KNOW THAT THOSE WHOEVER BUYS IT (WITCHCRAFT), THEY HAVE NO SHARE IN THE HEREAFTER. EVIL IS WHAT THEY SOLD THEIR SOULS FOR, HAD THEY KNOWN.

103- HAD THEY BELIEVED, AND BECOME PIOUS, ALLAH’S REWARD WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR THEM, IF THEY KNOW.

Many of the Jews practiced witchcraft, taught it, probably still do. They claim that it has been taught to them by Harout and Marout, two angels of Babylon, their story was narrated as follows:

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him: “When Allah sent Adam peace upon him to the Earth, the angels said: “O Lord, do you place therein he who causes mischief therein and sheds blood, while we hymn your praises and sanctify you?” Allah Said: “I know what you do not know”. The angels said: “O Lord, we are more obedient to you than the children of Adam” Allah said: “Bring two of the angels to be sent down to live on Earth (as humans) to see what they will do”. They said: “Our Lord, we choose Harout and Marout”. And they were sent down to Earth. A rose was made to be like the best looking of women. When they saw her, they asked her for herself, but she said: “Not before you say a word of taking partners with Allah”. They said: “Never, by Allah, we will never worship partners besides Allah”. She went away and came back carrying a boy. They asked her for herself again, but she said: “No by Allah. Not until you kill this boy”. They said: “No by Allah, well will never kill him”. She went away and came back with wine. When they asked her for herself, she said: “No by Allah, not before you drink the wine”. They drunk the wine, were drunk, they had her and they killed the boy. When they came back to their senses, the woman said: “By Allah, when you became drunk, you did every thing I asked you to do”. They were given a choice of either punishment in this life or in the hereafter, and they choose punishment in this life”. (Ahmed)

This did happen at the time of Babylon as these two angels lived in there. The practiced Witchcraft and were particularly good at it, which I part of disbelieve they did not submit initially. It is clear from the above Ayahs that Allah the Highest considers those who practice Witchcraft to have disbelieved, although they might still believe in God.

Harout and Marout were an example of those who lived pure life but were tempted to go astray, and they became a temptation themselves. They tempt people to teach them the power of Witchcraft, but the price is his, disbelieve. And they warn people about that.

Witchcraft is a kind of power, but evil power. Evil things are done via Witchcraft like creating discord between a husband and wife. To have power to do evil, makes a person very evil himself, to the point of disbelieve, even if they believe, Allah the Highest considers them disbelievers.

Temptation is a part of life and part of the destiny of the sons of Adam. No one will be left without temptation. Allah the Highest said: “DID PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY WILL BE LEFT FOR SAYING: “WE BELIEVE, WITHOUT BEING TEMPTED”. (S: 29 A: 2)

The angels are not made with a choice and they are not used to temptation and testing as humans are. What happens to Harout and Marout shows us that to stand firm and resist temptation is much harder than to worship all the time as the angels do, but without being subjected to the temptations and difficulties of life. Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “The believer who mixes with people and tolerates their hurt and trial will have a greater reward than he who does not mix with people nor tolerate their hurt”. (Ma: Fetan; 23 & A: 2:43)

Allah the Highest is clearing Solomon, peace upon him, of an Accusation made about him by the Jews, as they did about most of the prophets and messengers, peace upon them. They claim that, Solomon controlled his kingdom and the Jinn, birds, animals etc. by Witchcraft. Allah the Highest said “. SOLIMAN DID NOT DISBELIEVE, BUT THE DEVILS DID”. Meaning that he had nothing to do with Witchcraft, which Allah the Highest considers those who practice it to be disbelieves. They also do not believe that SOLIMAN or David were prophets, but kings. This is another issue however.

B: Bukhari M: Muslim Mal: Malek A: Ahmed D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy Ma: Ibn Magah N: Nesae T: Termezi

Baqarah 99-101

99- WE SENT CLEAR SIGNS DOWN TO YOU; ONLY THE EVIL DOERS REJECT THEM.

100- WOULD EVERY TIME THEY MAKE A COVENANT, SOME OF THEM CAST IT ASIDE, BUT MOST OF THEM DO NOT BELIEVE.

101- WHEN A MESSENGER FROM ALLAH COMES TO THEM CONFIRMING WHAT THEY HAVE (OF THE SCRIPTURE), THEN A GROUP OF THOSE WHO WERE GIVEN THE SCRIPTURE CAST ALLAH’S BOOK BEHIND THEIR BACKS AS IF THEY DO NOT KNOW.

Allah the Highest is again condemning the Jews for not believing. As mentioned in the previous Ayahs, it was clear to them that the Quran comes from Allah the Highest, via the Archangel Gabriel, who they do not like, hence their disbelief. Does this make sense to any one?

This is nothing but evil doing by evil doers.

They made covenants with Allah the Highest, to believe in His prophets and messengers, prayer and peace upon them all, but none of them keep their covenant. They cast these covenants behind their backs, ignoring them, as if they had never heard of them.

They see Allah’s Word in the Quran, understand it, then they cast it away behind their backs, meaning ,, as if they throw it away or ignore it. Not out of lack or understanding or real disbelief over where it came from, but out of rejecting any thing threatening to the status they claim for themselves as God’s chosen people.

Would God’s chosen people reject God’s guidance, His prophets and messengers?

Would God’s chosen people kill God’s prophets and messengers?

Would God’s chosen people, disobey Allah and become so stubborn and proud of it?

As the saying goes; We all make our beds and then have to lie in them.

Baqarah 97-98

97- SAY: “WHOEVER AN ENEMY OF GABRIEL IS, HE BROUGHT IT DOWN UPON YOUR HEART WITH ALLAH’S PERMISSION; CONFIRMING WHAT HAS BEEN SENT DOWN BEFORE YOU, GUIDANCE AND GOOD NEWS FOR THE BELIEVERS.

98- WHOEVER IS ANY ENEMY OF ALLAH, HIS ANGELS, HIS MESSENGERS, GABRIEL AND MICHAEL, THEN ALLAH IS AN ENEMY TO THE DISBELIEVERS.

Ibn Jarir Al-Tabari reported that Qitadah reported that Omar Ibn El-Khatab went to speak to the Jews. He said to them: “I did not come to you because I like you or your company, but because I came to listen to what you have to say”. They asked Him: “Who is the companion of your companion (of the Angels)?” He said: “Gabriel”. They said: “He is our enemy, he tells Mohamed our secrets, and whenever he comes to us, he comes with war and destruction. Our friend is Michael, when he comes; he brings us prosperity and peace”. Omar said: “Do you recognize Gabriel and reject Mohamed?”

Meaning how they can recognize the fact the Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, receives revelations from Allah’s Archangel, then reject Mohamed as a messenger.

Omar left them and went to tell Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, to find that he received the above Ayahs.

The Jews spoke of Gabriel and Michael, Allah’s great Angels as if they have a will of their own, as if they do not do what they are commanded, but what they like. The Angels are but messengers from Allah the Highest. The prophets and messengers, prayer and peace upon them all, are human beings, therefore, they have a will, they have a choice, but the Angels do not have any choice. Allah the Highest said about them:

“ALLAH SELECTS MESSENGERS FROM THE ANGELS AND FROM PEOPLE”. (S: 22 A: 75)

Also said:

“THEY DO NOT DISOBEY A COMMAND THEY ARE GIVEN, THEY DO WHAT THEY ARE COMMANDED TO DO”. (S: 66 A: 6)

If they recognized that Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, received his revelations from Allah’s Archangel Gabriel, then the revelations, that is the Quran must be truly from God. Then the disbelief of the Jews had nothing to do with their disbelief in Mohamed being a true messenger of God, but with their own desires and intentions.

Hence they incur Allah’s Wrath and Anger.

Baqarah 92-96

92- AND MOSES CAME TO YOU WITH THE CLEAR SIGNS, BUT YOU WORSHIPPED THE CALF IN HIS ABSENCE, AND YOU WERE WRONG DOERS.

93- AND REMEMBER WHEN WE TOOK YOUR COVENANT AND RAISE THE MOUNTAIN ABOVE YOU SAYING: “TAKE WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN YOU EARNESTLY, AND LISTEN”, THEY SAID: “WE HEAR AND WE DISOBEY”. THEY TOOK THE CALF INTO THEIR OWN HEARTS BECAUSE OF THEIR DISBELIEVE. SAY: “EVIL IS WHAT YOUR BELIEF COMMANDS YOU TO DO IF YOU ARE REALLY BELIEVERS”.

Still answering the Jews, who said that their hearts are sealed because of what they received. Allah the Highest reminds them and us of how they disbelieved having received and seen all the miracles through Moses, peace upon him, immediately after he turned his back and went to his appointment with Allah for 40 days.

Their disbelieve must have been immediate, as it took them only 40 days to collect the gold from among themselves, design the calf, make the cast, and cast the golden calf and start to worship it. It was such an accomplishment, evil as it was, in such short time.

Then, the reminder of the time when they would not give their covenant to Allah until the mountain was raised to be dropped over them. They gave their covenant in words, but disobeyed in deeds and actions. This is because they were blinded by their disbelief and the love of the golden calf in their hearts.

They are of those Allah the Highest said about “THERE IS A DISEASE IN THEIR HEARTS AND ALLAH INCREASED THEIR DISEASE, AND A PAINFUL PENALTY IS THEIRS BECAUSE OF THEIR LYING”. (S: 2 A: 10)

Indeed the excessive love of any earthly thing blinds and deafens people. It stops us from seeing what should be seen and hearing what would be heard otherwise. Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Your love of a thing on this Earth blinds and deafens you”. (A: 5; 194 6; 450 & D: Tefseer Sorah 18, 3)

94- SAY: “IF THE HEREAFTER WITH ALLAH IS YOURS TO THE EXCLUSION OF OTHERS, THEN WISH DEATH FOR YOURSELVES IF YOU ARE TRUTHFUL”.

95- BUT THEY WILL NEVER WISH IT BECAUSE OF WHAT THEIR HANDS SENT BEFORE THEM TO THE HEREAFTER OF DEEDS, AND ALLAH KNOWS THE EVIL DOERS WELL.

96- AND YOU WILL FIND THEM THE KEENEST OF ALL FOR THIS LIFE, EVEN MORE THAN THE IDOLATORS. EACH OF THEM WISHES HIMSELF TO LIVE FOR A THOUSAND YEARS, AND IT WILL NOT MOVE HIM AWAY FROM THE PUNISHMENT TO LAST LONG, AND ALLAH SEES ALL THEY DO.

The Jews of the Medina had a dispute with Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him. They claimed that the Hereafter would be theirs only, not to be shared by others. It is only for the Jews. Allah’s command came to Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, to ask them to gather each other and their families and children along with the Muslims and their families and children, and then all pray to Allah the Highest that the liars should die. They did not turn up.

A similar thing happened with a party of the Christians of Yemen who came to Medina to meet Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him. Allah the Highest then said: “IF THEY ARGUE WITH YOU AFTER THE KNOWLEDGE WHICH CAME TO YOU, THEN SAY:’LET US GATHER OUR CHILDREN AND YOUR CHILDREN, OUR WOMEN AND YOUR WOMEN, AND OURSELVES AND YOURSELVES, THEN PRAY TO ALLAH TO INVOKE ALLAH’S CURSE ON THE LIARS”. (S: 3 A: 61)

They also declined and did not turn up.

This is because Allah the Highest knows what is inside them and what they hide. “ALLAH KNOWS WHAT YOU HIDE AND WHAT YOU REVEAL”. (S: 16 A: 19)

It is normal to fear death, but the deeper one’s faith is, the less attached to life one becomes. Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Life is the prison of the believer and the Paradise of the disbeliever’.

However, the Jews are attached to this life even more than the Idolaters, who do not even believe in the Hereafter. Living even for a thousand years will make no difference to their destiny in the Hell-Fire. Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “By Him who has the soul of Mohamed in His hand, there shall not be one of the nation who hears of me, Jew or Christian, and does not believe in what I was sent down with, who will not be of the people of the Fire”. (M: Eman; 240)

They hate to die, for they hate to meet their Judgment and to meet Allah the Highest. Allah the Highest also hates to meet them. Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “He who loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him, and he who hates to meet Allah, Allah hates to meet him”. (M: Zekr, 14-18 & T: Janaez; 67 & Da: Reqaq; 43)

This does not mean however, that the Muslims should wish for death, for the longer the believer lives, the more will be his/her good deeds. Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, forbad us from wishing for death saying: “None of you should ever wish death from Allah before it’s time to come, for when one of you dies, his deeds stop, and the life of the believer will only increase his goodness”. (M: Zekr; 13 & B: Dawat; 30 & N: Janaez; 2 & D: Janaez; 9)

B: Bukhari M: Muslim Mal: Malek A: Ahmed D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy Ma: Ibn Magah N: Nesae T: Termezi

Baqarah 88-91

88- AND THEY SAID: “OUR HEARTS ARE SEALED IN WRAPPINGS”, BUT ALLAH CURSED THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR DISBELIEF, THEY HAVE BUT LITTLE FAITH.

89- WHENVER A BOOK REACHES TO THEM FROM ALLAH, CONFIRMING WHAT THEY BELIEVE, WHILE THEY WERE FORTELLING ABOUT THE VICTORY OVER THE DISBELIEVERS WHEN THE MESSENGERCOMES TO THEM. WHEN WHAT THEY RECOGNIZE TO BE TRUE COMES THEY REJECT IT, ALLAH’S CURSE IS UPON THE DISBELIEVERS.

90- EVIL IS WHAT THEY SOLD THEIR SOULS FOR, TO DISBELIEVE BECAUSE OF INSULANT ENVY THAT ALLAH SENDS HIS GRACE DOWN UPON WHOM HE WILLS OF HIS SLAVES. THEY HAVE INCURED WRATH UPON WRATH, AND THERE WILL BE HUMILIATING PUNISHMENT FOR THE DISBELIEVERS.

91- WHEN IT IS SAID TO THEM: “BELIEVE IN WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN”, THEY SAY: “WE ONLY BELIEVE IN WHAT WAS SENT DOWN TO US”, AND THEY DISBELIEVE IN WHAT WAS SENT DOWN SINCE, ALTHOUGH IT IS THE TRUTH, CONFIRMING WHAT THEY HAVE. SAY: “WHY DID YOU SLAY THE PROPHETS OF ALLAH IN TIMES GONE BY IF YOU ARE TRUE BELIEVERS”.

The expression “OUR HEARTS ARE SEALED IN WRAPPINGS” meant that they say that they can not receive any more guidance as their hearts are sealed in the wrappings of their original guidance, the Torah.

There was a contradiction however, in that they knew about the coming of the new Messenger. In fact, they told their Arab neighbours in Yathrib about him coming and how they would then follow him and kill them all. This is how the Arabs learned about this prophet and were expecting him as well as the Jews of Medina and elsewhere did.

Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, used to take the opportunity of the Hajj to see Arabs from various parts of Arabia and tell them about Islam and himself as the messenger of Allah. On one occasion he met with six of the Khazrag tribe of Yathrib (Medina) and spoke to them. They said to each others that this must be the prophet the Jews told them about. After they heard from Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, they embraced Islam.

Next year there were 12 people, representing both tribes of Medina; Aws and Khazrag, who also embraced Islam. The year after at the time of Hajj; 75 people, including 2 women came, met Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him, embraced Islam and invited him and the Muslims to migrate to Medina and make it their new home which they did.

The Arabs of Yathrib (Medina) were ready to hear about and accept Islam, because of what they were told about expecting Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, from the Jews. However, the Jews did not accept him when he arrived, although knowing him, and knowing that the Book Allah the Highest sent with him; the Quran confirms the Torah. They disbelieved knowingly and intentionally, but why?

They expected the coming messenger to be of the descendants of Isaac, peace be upon him, not Ishmael. When they found that he was of the descendants of Ishmael, Ibrahim’s son, they did not believe. They would not accept that Allah the Highest chooses of his slaves whom He Wills, not any of his people wills.

Their position was to accept the Torah and nothing sent afterwards. In fact they did not accept the Engeel either, for they did not believe that Jesus, peace upon him, was a messenger. They fought Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, and conspired to kill him, as they fought Jesus, peace be upon him, and conspired to kill him. Hence they incurred Allah’s wrath.

Allah the Highest says that they incurred wrath upon wrath, showing how angry Allah the Highest is with them. Denying them the status of believers, because they fought and killed many of Allah’s prophets and messengers.

Baqarah 87

87- AND WE GAVE MOSES THE BOOK AND SEND MESSENGERS AFTER HIM, AND SENT JESUS THE SON OF MARY THE CLEAR SIGNS AND SUPPORTED HIM WITH THE HOLLY SPIRIT. WOULD EVERY TIME A MESSENGER COMES TO YOU WITH CLEAR SIGNS, YOU SHOW ARROGANCE, SOME YOU REJECT AND SOME YOU SLAY.

The Children of Israel claim to have been and still to be God’s chosen people.

Allah the Highest told us before about the many sins of the supposedly chosen nation. However, Allah the Highest did not leave them to go astray. He sent Moses, peace upon him, the Torah which Allah the Highest described in the Quran as “GUIDANCE AND LIGHT”, and then He sent many prophets and messengers after him. The last of them before Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, was Jesus the son of Mary, peace upon him.

Jesus, peace upon him, was sent with many signs and miracles. His own virgin birth which the Jews deny is in itself a clear sign. Jesus, peace upon him, was given many miracles, like bringing the dead back to life, feeding thousands of people with little food, healing the sick, making the shape of birds from clay then blowing into them and they became real birds. The Jews were often shown miracles to believe, and Allah the Highest supported Jesus, peace upon him, with many miracles as well as with the Holy Spirit. This did not lead the Jews to believe in Jesus.

The Jews throughout their history, rejected many prophets. They conspired to kill many of them, as they conspired to kill Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, many times, and as they conspired to kill Jesus, peace upon him. They managed to kill others like Yahia (John the Baptist). This has been their way throughout their history.

Change is difficult and the most important objectives for the prophets and messengers are to call people to believe in God and to induce changes in the people they are sent to. If they are sent to believing people, we might think that their job would be easier, as they are only trying to put right the ways of people who have faith, but this was not the case with the Jews.

Although change is difficult and can be painful to many people, yet if Faith exists, obeying Allah the Highest should be a very strong motive. One has to question the faith, of people who consider them to have faith in God, then disobey Him and kill His prophets and messengers.

What is more, they still claim to be God’s chosen people.

Baqarah 84-86

84- AND WE TOOK YOUR COVENANT “NEITHER TO SHED YOUR OWN PEOPLE’S BLOOD NOR TURN SOME OF YOUR OWN PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES”, AND THEN YOU RECTIFIED THE COVENANT AND WERE WITNESSES.

85- THEN HERE YOU ARE THE SAME PEOPLE (WHO RECTIFIED THE COVENANT), YOU ARE KILLING EACH OTHER, AND TURNING A GROUP OF YOU OUT OF THEIR HOMES, SUPPORTING THEIR ENEMEIES AGAINST THEM, SINFULLY AND TRANSGRESSING. HOWEVER, IF THEY COME TO YOU AS CAPTIVES, YOU RANSOM THEM (TO SET THEM FREE) WHILE IT WAS FORBIDDEN FOR YOU TO TURN THEM OUT. DO YOU BELIEVE IN SOME OF THE BOOK AND DISBELIEVE IN SOME? THE RECOMPENSE OF THOSE OF YOU WHO DO THIS IS DISGRACE IN THIS LIFE AND ON THE DAY OF RESURRECTION THEY WILL BE ALLOCATED THE MOST SEVERE PUNISHMENT, FOR ALLAH IS NOT UNAWARE OF WHAT YOU DO.

86- THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THIS LIFE AT THE COST OF THE HEREAFTER. THEIR PUNISHMENT WILL NOT BE LIGHTENED, NOR WILL THEY BE HELPED.

Allah the Highest is telling us about a covenant (a promise) the Jews gave Him. Which is not to fight and kill each other nor turn each other out of their homes? They did that in fact when they were in Medina. Some of the Jewish tribes had an allegiance with Arab tribes who were disbelievers at that time. When the disbelieving Arab tribes fought each other, the Jewish tribes fought with their allies against other Jewish tribes, killing each other and turning each other out of their homes.

When the war was over, the Jews collectively ransomed other Jews, as they should according to the Torah. They did not observe one part of the Torah, while observing another part. Allah the Highest promises those who do that, disgrace in this life and severe punishment in the Hereafter.

The same commands apply to the Muslims. Allah the Highest said: “HE WHO INTENTIONALLY KILLS A MUSLIM, HIS RECOMPENSE IS THE HELL-FIRE, WHERE HE WILL ABIDE FOREVER, ALLAH’S CURSE AND WRATH IS UPON HIM, AND HE PREPARED HIM A DREADFUL PUNISHMENT”. (S; 4 A: 93)

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said in his last Hajj sermon, on the Day of the stand on Arafat: “All that is a Muslim’s is sacred to the other Muslims, his blood, property and honor. It is as sacred as this day, in this month and in this town”.

(Ma: Fetan; 2 & T: Adab; 18 & A: 2; 277,360 3; 491)

Indeed, not only the killer will be sent to the Hell-Fire, but also the deceased, if he fought another Muslims wanting to kill him. Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Whenever two Muslims meet with their swords to fight each other; the killer and the deceased will go to the Hell-Fire”. He was asked: “We understand about the killer, but what about the deceased?” He said: “He was keen to kill his brother”.

(B: Eman; 22 & M: Fetan; 14, 15)

It is not surprising that in many respects, we are given the same commands as other nations. They all come from the same God. We are told about other nation’s history to learn from, particularly from their mistakes.

Very sadly, the Muslims of the present day do what the Jews used to do, while the Jews seem to have stopped doing this particularly sin.

Muslims fight other Muslims, even making allegiances with others against them. Muslims turn other Muslims out of their homes. Muslims even make allegiances with the Jews against other Muslims. The worldly punishment for this is here already. Disgrace and humiliation of Muslims before other Muslims is very apparent and manifest. We await the punishment of the Hell-Fire.

B: Bukhari M: Muslim Mal: Malek A: Ahmed D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy Ma: Ibn Magah N: Nesae T: Termezi

Baqarah 83

83- AND WE TOOK THE COVENANT OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THAT YOU WORSHIP NONE BUT ALLAH, AND TREAT YOUR PARENTS KINDLY, AS WELL AS YOUR KINDRED, THE ORPHANS AND THE POOR. AND TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE RIGHTEOUSLY, ESTABLISH REGULAR SALAH, GIVE THE ZAKAH, THEN YOU TURNED AWAY, EXCEPT FOR A FEW OF YOU, AND YOU TOOK NO HEED.

A Covenant is an agreement and a promise and commitment between two people or groups. In this case it is between Allah the Highest and the Children of Israel. They gave Allah the Highest these promises and commitments. These are not the only covenant they gave Allah the Highest, indeed, there are a number of covenants.

The importance of these to us is not that it is history, but that the same covenants apply to us too.

What are these covenants? They are:-

1- To worship Allah the Highest only, meaning worshiping no partners with him. These partners might be gods, nature, people, money, power, whatever we might consider equal to Allah and worthy of being followed and obeyed as Allah the Highest is, or even more. The purpose for our creation in the first place, is worshipping Allah “I CREATED JINN AND MANKING ONLY TO WORSHIP ME”. (S:51 A:56)

2- Being kind and good to one’s parents. It is interesting that this followed worshiping Allah the Highest directly. This is not the only time this happened. This command to be kind to one’s parents came in the Quran 5 times, 4 of them it was following a command to worship Allah the Highest only. This shows the great reverence of the parents in the Eyes of Allah the Highest. Being good to one’s parents is an order made by decree from Allah the Highest saying: “YOUR LORD DECREAD THAT YOU WORSHIP NONE BUT HIM AND TO BE GOOD AND KIND TO YOUR PARENTS”. (S:17 A:23)

Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, was asked by Abd Allah Ibn Masoud: “Allah’s messenger, which of our deeds are best?” he said: “Praying the Salah at it’s time”. I said: “Then what?” He said: “Being good and kind to your parents”. I said: “Then what? He said: “Jihad in the cause of Allah”. (B: Eman; 18 & M: Eman; 137 & D: Salah; 24 & A: 5:150,171)

3- Then one should be kind to one’s blood relations and close kin, as well as the weakest in the society, including the orphans and the poor and needy.

4- Then, Allah the Highest commands us, to speak to people in general, righteously. Meaning to be right and truthful in what one says. Also not to be insulting or offensive, rude or calling a person names they do not like. Allah the Highest clarifies this idea in this very eloquent Ayah” “DO YOU NOT SEE THAT ALLAH HAS SENT DOWN A PARABLE OF A GOOD WORD LIKE A GOOD TREE, IT’S ROOT IS FIRM AND IT’S BRANCH IS IN THE SKY * GIVING IT’S FRUIT EVERY SEASON BY IT’S LORD’S PERMISSION * AND THE PARABLE OF AN EVIL WORD IS THAT OF AN EVIL TREE, TORN OUT OF THE EARTH HAVING NO ROOTS. (S:14 A:24-26)

And Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “A kind word is a charity”. (Bukhari & Muslim)

5- Praying regularly:-

The praying of the Salah, 5 times a day, at the correct time, as ordered by Allah the Highest.

6- Giving Zakah.

This is the charity money which we have been ordered to give by Allah the Highest. It is a stated amount of our income, of cause we are not restricted to this and giving more than this minimum is always better.

Allah the Highest tells us that only few of the Jews followed these commands and obeyed them, the majority did not.

B: Bukhari M: Muslim Mal: Malek A: Ahmed D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy Ma: Ibn Magah N: Nesae T: Termezi