know Allah

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

Baqarah 81-82

81- TRULY, WHOEVER EARNS AN EVIL DEED AND IS SURROUNDED BY HIS SINS, THOSE ARE THE PEOPE OF THE FIRE, WHERE THEY SHALL ABIDE FOREVER.

82- YET THOSE WHO BELIEVE AND DO RIGHTEOUS DEEDS, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE PARADISE, WHERE THEY SHALL ABIDE FOREVER.

Allah the Highest is continuing to answer the claims of the Jews that they will be in the Hell-Fire only for numbered days, 40 or 7 days.

Earning evil deeds is an important concept and understanding in Islam. A person can not sin accidentally, or by chance. To commit a sin, a person has to have the intention to commit that sin, followed by the deed. Both the intention and deed have to co-exist. One of them is not enough.

Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Allah records the good deeds and the bad deeds and He clarifies them. He who intends to do a good deed, but does not do it, Allah will record it as a full good deed. If he intends to do it and he does it, Allah the Exalted and Majestic records it as ten good deeds to seven hundred folds, to many more folds. If a person intends to do a bad deed and he does not do it, Allah records it as a full good deed, and if he intends to do it and does it, Allah records it as a single bad deed”. (M: Eman; 203 & T: Tafseer Sorah 6; 10 & A: 1; 227,242)

Then Allah the Highest draws us a mental picture of those who sin repeatedly without repenting. It is like being besieged by their sins or engulfed by them. Indeed, sins are like enemies surrounding a person from every direction and besieging him/her.

Sins can be generally classified into two types:

1- General sins; great or small. They may be forgiven, except those which involve other people rights and dues, those people have to forgive for Allah the Highest to forgive. As when, not giving someone their money, or cheating them, or overpowering them to withhold what is due to them, monetary or morally.

2- The Unforgivable sin; which is to disbelieve in Allah the Highest or to worship partners besides him.

This sin engulfs a person and leads to him/her being engulfed in the Fire.

Allah the Highest never mentions what awaits the sinful of punishment, without mentioning what awaits the believer who is a good doer, the reward of the Paradise. It is Allah’s promise to them, and it is Eternal.

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

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

Baqarah 78-80

78- AMONGST THEM ARE ILLITERATES WHO KNOW NOT THE BOOK EXCEPT THROUGH THEIR OWN DEISRES, THEY ARE ONLY GUESSING.

79- WOE IS FOR THOSE WHO WRITE THE BOOK WITH THEIR OWN HANDS THEN SAY: ‘THIS IS FROM ALLAH’, WHILE IT IS NOT FROM ALLAH, IN ORDER TO SELL IT FOR A MISERLY PRICE. WOE TO THEM BECAUSE OF WHAT THEIR HANDS HAVE WRITTEN AND WOE TO THEM BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY HAVE EARNED”.

80- THEY SAID: “WE WILL BE TOUCHED BY THE FIRE FOR ONLY A FEW NUMBERED DAYS”. SAY: “DO YOU HAVE A COVENANT FROM ALLAH THEN ALLAH WILL NOT FULFULL HIS COVENANT, OR DO YOU SAY THINGS YOU DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ALLAH?”

Allah the Highest is telling us that most of the ordinary Jews are illiterate in their own religion. What they know about their faith is what they are told by the Rabies and now we should no doubt include the media, and what they guess. Meaning that most of what they know is not right. It is guessing, wishing, myths and hopes.

Unfortunately, the same can be applied to many of the Muslims, if not the majority of us. We learn many things concerning our religion through our culture, and often the two are mixed up in a way which makes it difficult to differentiate one from the other. Many think that a particular practice is part of their religion while it is part of the culture.

I remember hearing from a number of Muslims that “arranged marriage” for example is part of their religion. The same belief is shared by other faiths in the same country including; Christians, Buddhists and Hindus. It is clearly a cultural tradition not a religious instruction.

There are many more examples, but this is not the place to expand on these.

The Jews, claim that they will not be in the Hell-Fire for more than 40 days, the number of days they went astray when Moses, peace upon him, went on the mountain to meet his Lord. In fact, others say it is only 7 days. As if a second in the Hell-Fire is not bad enough.

These and other lies are not part of the Torah, but are their own additions. Severe punishment awaits those who alter Allah’s words with their own hands.

In fact, speaking falsely in Allah’s name without the authority of knowledge is a serious sin. It is not an easy task or light responsibility to speak in Allah’s name. It is done these days with great ease on the Satellite Channels, Radio and T.V. Stations. Self appointed sheikhs and scholars are increasing in number.

Allah the Highest tells us in a number of Ayahs how serious this offence is:

“WHO DOES MORE WRONG THAN HE WHO INVENTS LIES CONCERNING ALLAH IN ORDER TO MISGUIDE PEOPLE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, AND ALLAH DOES NOT GUIDE THE EVIL DOERS”? (S: 6 A: 144)

“AMONGST PEOPLE THOSE WHO AGRUE CONCERNING ALLAH WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, THEY FOLLOW THEIR REJECTED DEVIL * CONCERNING WHO IT HAS BEEN DECREED THAT HIS FOLLOWERS WILL BE GUIDED TO THE SEVERE PUNISHMENT OF THE FIRE”. (S: 22 A: 3-4)

Speaking in Allah’s name places one between the people who listen and their God. This is a serious place to be, and if one does not have the right knowledge to advice people about what Allah means, they would be better off to be silent.

Baqarah 76-77

76- WHEN THEY MEET THOSE WHO BELIEVE, THEY SAY: ‘WE BELIEVE’, BUT WHEN THEY MEET IN PRIVATE THEY SAY (TO EACH OTHER): ‘DO YOU TELL THEM WHAT ALLAH REVEALED TO YOU SO THAT THEY MAY USE IT TO ARGUE AGAINST YOU BEFORE YOUR LORD, DO YOU HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING.

77- DO THEY NOT KNOW THAT ALLAH KNOWS WHAT THEY HIDE AND WHAT THEY REVEAL?

These Ayahs show the hypocrisy of the Jews themselves and their own lack of faith.

As mentioned earlier, the Jews had knowledge from the Torah about the imminent arrival of a prophet, the last prophet. They spoke about him to the Arabs of Medina. However they would not believe in him because they hoped that the prophet would be of the descendants of Isaac not Ismail. This was not really true, for they also rejected Jesus, peace upon him.

They did not wish the Muslims to know what is mentioned earlier in the Torah about the coming of Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him

They thought of deceiving the Muslims, and they thought of deceiving Allah .the Highest, and this was worse.

- They thought to deceive the Muslims by pretending to be Muslims themselves.

- However thinking of deceiving Allah the Highest shows real weakness of their own faith or lack of it.

How?

They thought that if they continued to hide, what Allah revealed to them in the Torah about the coming of a prophet, then the Arabs will not have this knowledge to use against them on the Day of Judgment. As if Allah the Highest does not know, and does not know what is inside them. This definitely shows lack of Faith. Allah the Highest said in the Quran: “TO ALLAH BELONGS ALL THERE IS IN THE HEAVENS AND IN THE EARTH AND WHETHER YOU REVEAL WHAT IS INSIDE YOU OR CONCEAL IT, ALLAH WILL HOLD YOU TO ACCOUNT FOR IT, THEN FORGIVES WHOM HE WILLS AND PUNISHES WHOM HE WILLS, FOR ALLAH HAS POWER OVER EVERY THING”. (S:2 A:284)

Baqarah 63-66

63- AND AS WE MADE A COVENANT WITH YOU AND RAISED THE MOUNTAIN ABOVE YOU. TAKE WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN YOU EARNESTLY AND REMEMBER WHAT IS THEREIN SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME PIOUS.

64- THEN YOU TURNED AWAY AFTER THAT AND IF IT WAS NOT BECAUSE OF ALLAH’S FAVOURS AND MERCY UPON YOU, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN OF THE LOSERS.

Allah the Highest,is telling us more about the Children of Israel and His favours upon them.

During Allah’s appointment with Moses, peace upon him, He gave him the commandments engraved on plates. The Children of Israel found them difficult and refused to give Moses, peace upon him, their covenants to obey them. Allah the Highest, threatened them with the mountain which was raised above them and about to be dropped on them, only then did they give their covenant.

“WHEN WE RAISED THE MOUNTAIN ABOVE YOU LIKE A CANOPY, AND THEY THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD FALL UPON THEM, TAKE WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN YOU EARNESTLY AND REMEMBER WHAT IS THEREIN, SO THAT YOU MIGHT BE PIOUS”. (S: 7 A: 171)

The important principle here is, that following Allah’s commands and law, is not an option for the believers to take or leave. It is an obligation, if we do not fulfill His commands, punishment follows.

Allah’s principles and policies are the same from the beginning of time and will remain so. The Muslims should remember that the same applies to us, for Allah the Highest is not narrating these as stories, or for the sake of history or for entertainment, there is a great lesson for us too. The same meaning has been stated many more times, here are some of them.

“THOSE WHO DO NOT JUDGE ACCORDING TO WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN, THOSE ARE THE DISBELIEVERS”. (S: 5 A: 44)

“THOSE WHO DO NOT JUDGE ACCORDING TO WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN, THOSE ARE THE UNJUST”. (S: 5:45)

“THOSE WHO DO NOT JUDGE ACCORDING TO WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN, THOSE ARE THE EVEIL DOERS”. (S: 5 A: 47)

Allah’s principles are the same at all times and for all nations.

65- AND YOU HAVE KNOWN THOSE OF YOU WHO TRANSGRESSED ON THE SABBATH, AND WE HAVE SAID TO THEM: BE APES, DESPISED AND REJECTED.

66- THIS WAS MADE TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE TIME AND THE SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS, AND A LESSON FOR THE PIOUS.

Another event in the chronicles of the Children of Israel, happened in a town believed to be Al-Aqaba. The people in that town lived mostly by fishing. They were not righteous people; however they used to be very particular about religious appearances, rather than the core spirit and the meaning. Allah the Highest decided to test them and show their hypocrisy by testing them in the things that they upheld as highest, like not working on the Sabbath.

Allah the Highest made the fish disappear from the sea all week, so that they could not catch any fish, however on the Sabbath, there were be fish in the sea, the sea was so full of fish that they could be seen jumping in the water. They soon decided to violate the Sabbath and went on fishing of that day. Allah the Highest said about them “AND ASK THEM ABOUT THE TOWN BY THE SEA AS THEY VIOLATED THE SABBATH, WHEN THE FISH CAME TO THEM VISIBLY ON THE DAY OF THEIR SABBATH, WHILE ON OTHER DAYS THEY DID NOT COME. SUCH WE TRIED THEM FOR THEIR EVIL DOING”. (S: 7 A: 163)

This means that this test was because of their evil doing and hypocrisy, and in order to uncover it.

The righteous people of the town warned them, but they did not take head “AND WHEN SOME OF THEM SAID: WHY DO YOU ADVISE PEOPLE ALLAH WILL DESTROY OR PUNISH SEVERELY? THEY SAID: TO BE FREE FROM BLAME BEFORE YOUR LORD, AND HOPING THAT THEY MAY BECOME PIOUS * WHEN THEY FORGOT WHAT THEY WERE REMINDED OF, WE SAVED THOSE WHO FORBAD THE EVIL AND TOOK THE EVIL DOERS WITH SEVERE PUNISHMENT BECAUSE OF THEIR EVIL DOING * WHEN THEY TOOK PRIDE IN DOING WHAT THEY WERE FORBIDDEN TO DO, WE SAID TO THEM: BE APES, DESPISED AND REJECTED”. (S: 7 A: 164-166)

So, it is important that the righteous people continue to advise and to warn the others about evil, even if they think that it will be all in vain.

Allah the Highest tested the evil doers in what they held highest, to show that is all part of the facade. This test was to show what was inside them, which Allah the Highest knows, but the others do not.

Baqarah 62

62- THOSE WHO BELIEVE, THOSE WHO ARE JEWS, THE NASARENS, AND THE SABAEAN, WHOEVER BELIEVE IN ALLAH AND THE LAST DAY AND DO GOOD DEEDS, THEY SHALL HAVE THEIR REWARD WITH THEIR LORD, THERE IS NO FEAR UPON THEM, NEITHER SHALL THEY BE SADDENED.

Salman Al-Faresy, asked Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, about the fate of some of the Christians he met before coming to Medina and before becoming a Muslim. Many of whom, did not worship partners besides Allah. This was the answer from Allah the Highest. It included, also the Children of Israel, and the Sabaean, who were people, who worshiped Allah the Highest without following any particular creed.

All these groups share the following:

1- Believe in Allah and the Last Day i.e. the Day of Resurrection.

2- Do good deeds in this life.

Allah the Highest will reward them, and on that day there will be no fear upon them and they will not be saddened by what awaits them.

However, this will apply to those who lived before the Prophecy of the last prophet and messenger, prayer and peace upon him. After his Prophecy, Allah the Highest does not accept any religion other than Islam. “WHOEVER TAKES A RELIGION OTHER THAN ISLAM, IT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FROM HIM, AND IN THE HEREAFTER HE WILL BE OF THE LOSERS”. (S: 3 A: 85)

Islam is Allah’s religion from the very beginning. It is the religion of all the prophets and messengers, peace upon them all. People perverted these religions and their prophets’ teachings, becoming Jews or Christians. However, their prophets and those who truly followed them were Muslims. Indeed, Allah the Highest spoke of His prophets and messengers in the Quran as Muslims:

“OR WERE YOU WITNESSES WHEN DEATH CAME TO YACOB (JACOB) WHEN HE SAID TO HIS CHILDREN: ‘MY CHILDREN, WHOM ARE YOU GOING TO WORSHIP AFTER ME?’. THEY SAID: ‘WE SHALL WORSHIP YOUR GOD AND THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER, IBRAHIM, ISMAEL, AND IS, HAQ (ISAAC), ONE GOD AND WE ARE MUSLIMS TO HIM”. (S: 2 A: 133)

The word Muslim, means submitter

.

Moses, peace upon him, said to his people: “O MY PEOPLE, IF YOU BELIEVE IN ALLAH, HAVE YOUR TRUST IN HIM IF YOU ARE MUSLIMS”. (S: 10 A: 84)

Jesus, peace upon him, and his disciples described themselves as Muslims: “AND WHEN I INSPIRED THE DISCIPLES TO BELIEVE IN ME AND MY MESSENGER, THEY SAID: ‘WE BELIEVE, BE OUR WITNESS THAT WE ARE MUSLIMS”. (S: 5 A: 111)

Noah, peace upon him, said the same about himself: “BUT IF YOU TURN AWAY, I DID NOT ASK YOU FOR RECOMPENSE, FOR MY RECOMPENSE IS WITH ALLAH, AND I AM COMMANDED TO BE OF THE MUSLIMS”. (S: 10 A: 72)

The final and perfect form of Islam, which has been cleared of all perversions and alterations, was sent down on the last of Allah’s prophets and messengers, Mohamed, Allah’s prayer and peace upon them all. The Quran is the only unaltered and preserved scripture from Allah which is available. “TODAY; I PERFECTED YOUR RELIGION FOR YOU, COMPLETED MY BOUNTY UPON YOU AND AM SATISFIED WITH ISLAM AS YOUR RELIGION”. (S: 5 A: 3)

Therefore, no other religion is now accepted from a believer except Islam, as shown in the teachings of the Quran and by the teachings of Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him and by the following of those teachings. Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, said: “By he who has my soul in his hand, there is not one of the nations, Jewish or Nazarene, who will hear of me and not believe in what I have been sent with, who will not be of the people of the Hell-Fire”. (M: Eman; 240)

Gabriel, peace be upon him, came to the mosque in Medina in the form of a man, sat in front of Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, and asked him, while the Muslims were watching: “O Mohamed, tell me about Islam?”. He said: “Islam is to believe that there is no God other than Allah and that Mohamed is the messenger of Allah, uphold regular Salah, Give the Zakah, Fast in Ramadan, and go on Hajj if you can”. Gabriel said: “You said the truth”. (M:Eman;1 & B:Eman;37 & D:Sonah;15 & Ma:Moqademah;9 & A:1;27)

B: Bukhari M: Muslim Mal: Malek A: Ahmed D: Abu Dawood Da: Daremy Ma: Ibn Magah N: Nesae T: Termezi