وَلَنۡ تَرۡضٰى عَنۡكَ الۡيَهُوۡدُ وَلَا النَّصٰرٰى حَتّٰى تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمۡ​ؕ قُلۡ اِنَّ هُدَى اللّٰهِ هُوَ الۡهُدٰى​ؕ وَلَـئِنِ اتَّبَعۡتَ اَهۡوَآءَهُمۡ بَعۡدَ الَّذِىۡ جَآءَكَ مِنَ الۡعِلۡمِ​ۙ مَا لَـكَ مِنَ اللّٰهِ مِنۡ وَّلِىٍّ وَّلَا نَصِيۡرٍ‏  ﴿2:120﴾ اَلَّذِيۡنَ اٰتَيۡنٰهُمُ الۡكِتٰبَ يَتۡلُوۡنَهٗ حَقَّ تِلَاوَتِهٖؕ اُولٰٓـئِكَ يُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِهٖ​ ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّكۡفُرۡ بِهٖ فَاُولٰٓـئِكَ هُمُ الۡخٰسِرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:121﴾

(2:120) Never will the Jews be pleased with you, (O Prophet), nor the Christians until you follow their way.¹²¹ Say: “Surely Allah’s guidance, is the true guidance.” Should you follow their desires disregarding the knowledge which has come to you, you shall have no protector or helper against Allah. (2:121) Those to whom We have given the Scripture, and who recite it as it ought to be recited, they truly believe in it;¹²² and those who disbelieve in it, they are the real losers. 

Notes

121. The cause of their disconcertment with the Prophet (peace be on him) was not that they were earnest seekers after the Truth which the Prophet had failed to make clear to them. The real cause of their unhappiness was that he had not resorted to hypocrisy and trickery, in regard to religious matters, that unlike them he did not pursue self-interest and self-indulgence under the facade of godliness and piety, that he did not twist religious principles and injunctions without scruple, as the Jews were wont to do in order to make them suit their desires and fancies, that he did not resort to the chicanery and duplicity which characterized the religious life of the Jews. As a result, it was no use trying to appease them. For unless the Muslims were prepared to assume the attitude and orientation of the Jews and to follow all their errors in belief and practice, there was no question of their being able to bring about any reconciliation with them. 

122. This refers to the pious element among the People of the Book. Since these people read the Book with sincerity and honesty of purpose, they are inclined to accept whatever they find to be true according to it.

وَقَالَ الَّذِيۡنَ لَا يَعۡلَمُوۡنَ لَوۡلَا يُكَلِّمُنَا اللّٰهُ اَوۡ تَاۡتِيۡنَآ اٰيَةٌ ​ ؕ كَذٰلِكَ قَالَ الَّذِيۡنَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِهِمۡ مِّثۡلَ قَوۡلِهِمۡؕ​ تَشَابَهَتۡ قُلُوۡبُهُمۡ​ؕ قَدۡ بَيَّنَّا الۡاٰيٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ يُّوۡقِنُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:118﴾ اِنَّاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنٰكَ بِالۡحَـقِّ بَشِيۡرًا وَّنَذِيۡرًا ۙ​ وَّلَا تُسۡـئَـلُ عَنۡ اَصۡحٰبِ الۡجَحِيۡمِ‏ ﴿2:119﴾

(2:118) The ignorant say: “Why does Allah not speak to us?¹¹⁷ Why does no Sign come to us?” The same was said by people before them. Their hearts are all alike.¹¹⁸ We have made the Signs clear for people of firm faith.¹¹⁹ (2:119) (What greater Sign can there be than that) We sent you with the Truth as a bearer of good tidings and a warner!¹²⁰ And you will not be answerable about the people of the Blazing Flame! 

Notes

117. What they meant was that God should either appear before them Himself, tell them plainly that the Qur’an was a revelation from Him, and proclaim His injunctions, or cause them to see some extraordinary sign that would convince them that whatever Muhammad (peace be on him) told them was from Him. 

118. The fact is that the misguided people of the time of the revelation of the Qur’an did not raise any objection or make any demands essentially different from those of the misguided people of the past. From the remote past till today, error and misguidedness seem to have the same character, so the same doubts and objections are repeated over and over again. 

119. The demand that God should speak to them directly was too absurd even to be answered. The question dealt with here concerns the demand for a sign that would convince them of the Truth. In response to this it is pointed out that many signs do exist, but all such signs are of profit only to those who are inclined to believe. As for those who are bent on disbelief, what sign can be shown to them, and to what avail? 

120. Why speak of other signs when the most conspicuous sign of Truth is the very person of Muhammad? Let us recall his life before the commencement of his prophethood, the conditions existing in the area where, and the people among whom, he was born, the manner in which he was brought up and spent the first forty years of his life, and then his glorious achievements as a Prophet. What further signs could we want in support of his message?

وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللّٰهُ وَلَدًا ۙ​ سُبۡحٰنَهٗ ​ؕ بَل لَّهٗ مَا فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ كُلٌّ لَّهٗ قَانِتُوۡنَ‏﴿2:116﴾ بَدِيۡعُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ وَ اِذَا قَضٰٓى اَمۡرًا فَاِنَّمَا يَقُوۡلُ لَهٗ كُنۡ فَيَكُوۡنُ‏﴿2:117﴾

(2:116) They say: “Allah has taken to Himself a son.” Glory to Him! Nay, whatever is in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him; to Him are all in obeisance. (2:117) He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth; whenever He decrees a matter He (merely) says: “Be”, and it is.

وَلِلّٰهِ الۡمَشۡرِقُ وَالۡمَغۡرِبُ​ فَاَيۡنَمَا تُوَلُّوۡا فَثَمَّ وَجۡهُ اللّٰهِ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيۡمٌ‏ ﴿2:115﴾

(2:115) The East and the West belong to Allah. To whichever direction you turn, you will be turning to Allah.¹¹⁵ Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.¹¹⁶

Notes

115. God is neither eastern nor western. East and west, north and south, and indeed all places and directions are His, though He is not confined to any particular place or direction. Hence, if any place or direction is fixed for worship this does not mean that God dwells there. Likewise, changes in the direction of Prayer is not a proper subject for controversy and dispute. 

116. That is, God is neither limited, mean, narrow-minded, nor poor in resources. All such notions about God, which arise from considering Him as essentially similar to human beings, are erroneous. God’s realm is boundless and so is His vision and the range of His benevolence and mercy. Moreover, God’s knowledge is all-embracing. He knows who remembers Him, as well as where, when and why he does that.

وَمَنۡ اَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنۡ مَّنَعَ مَسٰجِدَ اللّٰهِ اَنۡ يُّذۡكَرَ فِيۡهَا اسۡمُهٗ وَسَعٰـى فِىۡ خَرَابِهَا ​ؕ اُولٰٓـئِكَ مَا كَانَ لَهُمۡ اَنۡ يَّدۡخُلُوۡهَآ اِلَّا خَآئِفِيۡنَ ؕ لَهُمۡ فِى الدُّنۡيَا خِزۡىٌ وَّلَهُمۡ فِى الۡاٰخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيۡمٌ‏ ﴿2:114﴾

(2:114) Who is more iniquitous than he who bars Allah’s places of worship, that His name be mentioned there, and seeks their destruction? It does not behove such people to enter them, and should they enter, they should enter in fear.¹¹⁴ There is degradation for them in this world and a mighty chastisement in the Next. 

Notes

114. Places of worship should properly remain in the custody of devout and God-fearing people, so that even if bad people did go there they would be deterred from committing misdeeds through fear of punishment. This is a subtle reference to the wrong perpetrated by the unbelievers of Makka, who had barred their own compatriots – the Muslims – from worshipping in the House of God.

وَقَالُوۡا لَنۡ يَّدۡخُلَ الۡجَـنَّةَ اِلَّا مَنۡ كَانَ هُوۡدًا اَوۡ نَصٰرٰى​ؕ تِلۡكَ اَمَانِيُّهُمۡ​ؕ قُلۡ هَاتُوۡا بُرۡهَانَکُمۡ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ صٰدِقِيۡنَ‏ ﴿2:111﴾ بَلٰى مَنۡ اَسۡلَمَ وَجۡهَهٗ لِلّٰهِ وَهُوَ مُحۡسِنٌ فَلَهٗۤ اَجۡرُهٗ عِنۡدَ رَبِّهٖ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:112﴾

(2:111) They say: “None shall enter the Garden unless he be a Jew or (according to the Christians), a Christian.” These are their vain desires.¹¹² Say: “Bring your proof if you are speaking the truth.” (2:112) (None has any special claim upon reward from Allah.) Whoever submits himself completely to the obedience of Allah and does good will find his reward with his Lord. No fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve. 

Notes

112. That is, all this is merely wishful thinking, even though they express thoughts as if they were really going to happen.

وَاَقِيۡمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّکٰوةَ  ​ؕ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوۡا لِاَنۡفُسِكُمۡ مِّنۡ خَيۡرٍ تَجِدُوۡهُ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ بَصِيۡرٌ‏ ﴿2:110﴾

(2:110) Establish Prayer and dispense Zakah. Whatever good deeds you send forth for your own good, you will find them with Allah. Surely Allah sees all that you do. 

Notes

وَدَّ کَثِيۡرٌ مِّنۡ اَهۡلِ الۡكِتٰبِ لَوۡ يَرُدُّوۡنَكُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ اِيۡمَانِكُمۡ كُفَّارًا ۖۚ حَسَدًا مِّنۡ عِنۡدِ اَنۡفُسِهِمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الۡحَـقُّ​ ۚ فَاعۡفُوۡا وَاصۡفَحُوۡا حَتّٰى يَاۡتِىَ اللّٰهُ بِاَمۡرِهٖ ​ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى کُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ‏ ﴿2:109﴾

(2:109) Out of sheer envy many People of the Book would be glad to turn you back into unbelievers after you have become believers even though the Truth has become clear to them. Nevertheless, forgive and be indulgent¹¹¹towards them until Allah brings forth His decision. Surely Allah is All-Powerful.

Notes

111. This means that one should neither allow oneself to get angry at their spite and hostility, nor waste one’s valuable time by engaging in useless debates and acrimonious polemics. It is better to wait patiently and observe how God deals with them. Instead of wasting energy in frivolous pursuits such as those mentioned above one should spend it in the remembrance of God and in acts of goodness, for it is these rather than barren controversies that will benefit man in the Life to Come.

اَمۡ تُرِيۡدُوۡنَ اَنۡ تَسۡـئَـلُوۡا رَسُوۡلَـكُمۡ كَمَا سُـئِلَ مُوۡسٰى مِنۡ قَبۡلُ​ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّتَبَدَّلِ الۡکُفۡرَ بِالۡاِيۡمَانِ فَقَدۡ ضَلَّ سَوَآءَ السَّبِيۡلِ‏  ﴿2:108﴾

(2:108) Or would you ask your Messenger in the manner Moses¹¹⁰ was asked before? And whoever exchanges faith for unbelief has surely strayed from the Right Way. 

Notes

110. The Jews, who were addicted to hair-splitting arguments, instigated the Muslims to ask the Prophet a great many questions. God, therefore, cautioned the Muslims against following the example of the Jews in this matter, and admonished them against unnecessary inquisitiveness. The Prophet himself often warned the Muslims that excessive inquisitiveness (which was devoid of religious earnestness and the sincere desire to do God’s will) had been the ruin of earlier religious communities. (Muslim, ‘Fadail’, 130; Bukhari, ‘1’tisim’, 2 – Ed.) He stressed that people need not delve too deeply into questions left unelucidated by God or His Messenger. It was better to follow the injunctions which were clearly laid down, abstain from things prohibited, and avoid excessive inquiry about far-fetched, hypothetical issues, attending instead to questions of practical significance.

مَا نَنۡسَخۡ مِنۡ اٰيَةٍ اَوۡ نُنۡسِهَا نَاۡتِ بِخَيۡرٍ مِّنۡهَآ اَوۡ مِثۡلِهَا ​ؕ اَلَمۡ تَعۡلَمۡ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدِيۡرٌ‏ ﴿2:106﴾ اَلَمۡ تَعۡلَمۡ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ لَهٗ مُلۡكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ وَمَا لَـکُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ مِنۡ وَّلِىٍّ وَّلَا نَصِيۡرٍ‏ ﴿2:107﴾

(2:106) For whatever verse We might abrogate or consign to oblivion, We bring a better one or the like of it.¹⁰⁹ Are you not aware that Allah is All-Powerful? (2:107) Are you not aware that the dominion of the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah, and that none apart from Allah is your protector or helper?

Notes

109. This is in response to a doubt which the Jews tried to implant in the minds of the Muslims. If both the earlier Scriptures and the Qur’an were revelations from God, why was it – they asked – that the injunctions found in the earlier Scriptures had been replaced by new ones in the Qur’an? How could the same God issue divergent injunctions? Furthermore, they expressed their amazement at the Qur’anic indictment of the Jews and Christians for having allowed part of the revelation to be forgotten and lost, pointing out that it was impossible that Divine revelation should be erased from human memory. In all this, their motive was not to know the truth but to cast doubt on the Divine origin of the Qur’an. In refutation God states that He being the Absolute Sovereign has unlimited authority both to abrogate previous injunctions and to cause people to forget the injunctions He wants them to forget. However, God ensures that whatever He abrogates or causes to be erased from people’s memories is replaced by something equally or even more beneficial.