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Shared Prophets

Allah and People of the Book

57:28 O believers, fear Allah and believe in His Messenger, so that he might show you His Mercy twofold, give you a light by which you might walk about and forgive you. Allah is All-Forgiving, Merciful;

57:29 That the People of the Book may know that they have no power over anything of Allah’s Bounty, and that Bounty is in Allah’s Power; He gives it to whoever He pleases. Allah is the Great Bounty.

Allah is a god Who is very much into threats, as you may now appreciate, even threatening to annihilate Jesus and his mother along “with all those on the face of the earth”—and who is going to stop Him?

5:17 Unbelievers are those who say: “Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary.” Say (O Muhammad): “Who could prevent Allah, if He wished, from destroying the Messiah, son of Mary, and his mother too, together with all those on the face of the earth?” To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what lies between them. He creates whatever He pleases, and Allah has power over everything!

In a radical departure from Christian doctrine, God makes it clear that you are not His children; not literally, not metaphorically. The word He uses most often to describe humanity is servants. Would a father punish His children the way He has?

5:18 The Jews and the Christians have said: “We are Allah’s children and His beloved.” Say: “Why then does He punish you for your sins? You are rather human beings, part of those Whom He has created. He forgives whom He pleases and punishes whom He pleases.” And to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is in between, and unto Him is the final return!

Moududi writes that Revelation 5:19, which introduces the Prophet Muhammad to the Jews and Christians, is also a warning “not to treat the message of this warner and bearer of glad tidings lightly.”

5:19 O People of the Book, Our Messenger has come to you to make clear to you [the religious tenets) after a cessation of Messengers, lest you should say: “No bearer of good news and a warner has come to us.” So now of a bearer of good news and a warner has come to you; and Allah has power over everything!

Christians and Jews have no proof that they will be allowed into Paradise, unlike those who “submit themselves to Allah.”

2:111 They say: “None will enter Paradise except those who are Jews and Christians.” Such are their vain wishes. Say: “Bring forth your proof if you are truthful.” If I have not given you the answer, Muhammad, it is because it will be revealed on Judgement Day (Resurrection Day).

2:112 Indeed, those who submit themselves to Allah, while doing good work (believing in the unity of Allah), will have their reward with Allah (Paradise). They will have nothing to fear and will not grieve.

God will decide on Judgement Day, between the Christians and Jews, as to which group followed anything substantial.

2:113 The Jews say: “The Christians follow nothing [substantial]” and the Christians say: “The Jews follow nothing [substantial],” while both recite the Book. Thus say too, those who know not.

Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection regarding what they differ on. Reading the following series of revelations, you might think that Christians, Jews, and Muslims all believe in the same thing; they don’t. Jews and Muslims don’t believe in the Christian Messiah, and both Jews and Christians don’t believe the Koran supersedes the Torah and the Gospels respectively, i.e., what Muhammad believes (Revelation 2:137).

2:135 They say: “If you become Jews or Christians you shall be well-guided.” Say: “Rather, we follow the religion of Abraham, who was upright and no polytheist.”

2:136 Say: “We believe in Allah, in what has been revealed to us, what was revealed to Abraham, Isma‘il, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, and in what was imparted to Moses, Jesus and the other Prophets from their Lord, making no distinctions between any of them, and to Him we submit.”

2:137 If they believe in what you (Muhammad) have believed, they will be well guided; but if they turn away: they are indeed dissenting: and Allah will protect you against them; for He is All-Hearing, Omniscient.

Allah’s Colours:

2:138 [We take on] Allah’s Own Colour (religion); and what colour is better than Allah’s? And we do worship Him. By what you believe you shall be judged! 2:139 Say: “Do you dispute with us concerning Allah when He is our Lord and your Lord? We have our works (by which we shall be judged) and you have your works (by which you shall be judged). To Him alone we are devoted.

Jesus, Abraham and his progeny are Muslims.

2:140 Or do you say: ‘Abraham, Isma‘il, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes were Jews and Christians?” Say: “Who knows better, you or Allah?” And who is more unjust than he who conceals a testimony which he has received from Allah? Allah is not unaware of what you do.”

On Dealing with People of the Book

3:186 You shall be tried in your possessions and yourselves, and shall hear from those who received the Book before you (the Jews and Christians) and from the idolaters, a lot of abuse; but if you forebear and guard against evil, that indeed is a mark of great determination.

3:187 And when Allah made a covenant with those who were given the Book: “You shall reveal it to mankind and not conceal it”, they simply cast it behind their backs, and sold it for a small price (rejecting God’s directives, Moududi). Evil then is their deal. 3:188 Do not think those who are pleased with what they have done and loved to be praised for what they have not done, immune from punishment; a painful punishment is in store for them.

The following revelations were meant to guide Muhammad in his dealings with Jews and Christians who questioned what he preached.

42:13 He has enacted for you as a religion that which He charged Noah with and that which We revealed to you (Muhammad), and what We charged Abraham, Moses and Jesus with: “Perform the religion and do not diverge therein.” Outrageous in the sight of the idolaters is what you called them to. Allah elects onto Himself whomever He pleases and guides to Himself whoever repents.

42:14 They did not split except after the Knowledge came to them out of contention among themselves. Yet, but for a Word which preceded from your Lord deferring them until an appointed term, judgement would have been pronounced upon them. Indeed, those to whom the Book was bequeathed, after them, are in disquieting doubt concerning it.

42:15 Therefore, summon and be upright as you were commanded, and do not follow their fancies, but say: “I believe in whatever Book Allah has sent down. I have been commanded to judge justly between you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord; we have our deeds and you have your deeds. There is no dispute between us and you; Allah will gather us together and unto Him is our ultimate return.”

42:16 Those who argue concerning Allah, after His call was answered, their argument is null and void in the sight of their Lord, and upon them is a scourge, and a terrible punishment awaits them.

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29:46 Do not dispute with the people of the Book save in the fairest way; except for those of them who are evildoers. And say: “We believe in what has been sent down to us and what has been sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and to Him we are submissive.”

29:47 And thus We have sent down to you the Book. Those to whom We gave the Book (the people of the Book, Jews and Christians) believe in it, and of these (the Prophet’s Meccans contemporaries) some believe in it. Our Signs are only denied by the unbelievers.

A reminder that God authored two previous books before the Koran: the Torah and its sequel, the Gospels.

5:46 After them (the prophets of the Torah) We sent Jesus son of Mary, confirming what he had before him of the Torah, and We gave Him the Gospel, wherein is guidance and light, confirming what he had before him of the Torah and a guidance and admonition to the God-fearing.

In the following revelation, Allah gives the impression that He is okay with Christians living according to what He revealed in the Gospels.

5:47 And let the People of the Gospel judge in accordance with what Allah has revealed in it. He who does not judge according to what Allah has revealed those are the transgressors.

Yes, but what God revealed to you through Muhammad is the superseding Truth from which you, and everyone else, must not diverge (Verse 5:48). In the same revelation, Allah acknowledges that He considered making Jews and Arabs one nation, but did not because He wanted to see what they would do with His Revelations.

5:48 And We have revealed to you (Muhammad) the Book in truth, confirming the scriptures that preceded it and superseding it. Judge between them, then, according to what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their illusory desires, diverging from what came to you of the Truth. To each of you (Arabs and Jews), We have laid down an ordinance and a clear path; and had Allah pleased, He would have made you one nation, but [He wanted] to test you concerning what He gave to you. Be, then, forward in good deeds. To Allah is the ultimate return of all of you, that He may instruct you regarding that on which you differed.

More cautionary advice about following the fancies of Christians and Jews:

5:49 And judge between them in accordance with what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their fancies. Beware of them lest they lure you away from part of what God has revealed to you. Should they turn away, know that Allah only wishes to afflict them for some of their sins, and that many people are indeed grave sinners!

There would be no turning back, no returning to what Islam considers the “time of Ignorance”, the pre-Islamic time when speculation about the Divine and our place in His Creation was a source of much discussion. The Koran ushered in a new age where ignorance, i.e., uncertainty, has been banished forever.

5:50 Now, is it the judgement of the “period of ignorance” that they desire? Yet who is a better judge than Allah for a people who believe with certainty?

The True Religion

3:19 The [true] religion with Allah is Islam. Those who were given the Book (the Jews and the Christians) did not disagree among themselves, except after certain knowledge came to them, out of envy among themselves. Whoever disbelieves in Allah’s Revelations will find Allah Swift in retribution!

3:20 So, if they dispute with you, say: “I have submitted myself to Allah and so have those who followed me”; and say also to those who have received the Book and to the unlearned (the Arab idolaters of Mecca): “Have you submitted?” If they have submitted, then they are rightly guided; but if they have turned their backs, then your duty is simply to deliver the Message. Allah perceives His servants well.

3:21 Those who disbelieve in Allah’s Revelations and kill the Prophets unjustly, and kill those people who enjoin fair dealing, announce to them a painful punishment.

3:22 Those are the people whose works have come to naught in this world and the next, and they will have no supporters whatsoever!

3:23 Have you not considered those who have received a portion of the Book (Jews the Torah and Christians the Gospel)? Upon being called to let the Book of Allah (the Koran) decide between them, some of them turn their backs, refusing to pay attention.

3:24 That is because they say: “The Fire will only touch us for a few days.” They have been deluded in their religion by their lies.

3:25 But how will they fare when We gather them together on a Day (Judgement Day) which is undoubted, and each soul shall be paid in full for whatever it has earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly?

3:26 Say: “O Allah, Master of the Kingdom, You give the kingship to whom You please and take away the kingship from whom You please. You exalt whom You please and humble whom You please. In Your Hand is all the good, and You have the power over everything!

3:27 “You cause the night to pass into the day, and the day to pass into the night. You bring forth the living from the dead and You bring forth the dead from the living, and You provide for whomever You please without measure.”

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Just like He brings vegetation back to life so shall you be brought back.

30:19 He brings the living out of the dead and He brings the dead out of the living. He brings the earth to life after it was dead, and you shall be brought out likewise.

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3:98 Say: “O People of the Book, why do you disbelieve in the Revelations of Allah, when Allah witnesses whatever you do?”

3:99 Say: “O People of the Book, why do you debar those who have believed from the Path (the religion) of Allah, seeking to make it crooked, while you are witnesses (while you know it is the right religion)? Allah is not unaware of what you do!”

Another warning, and not the last, about those who received the prequels to the Koran:

3:100 O believers, if you obey a group of those who have received the Book, they will turn you, after you have believed, into unbelievers.