يٰبَنِىۡٓ اِسۡرَآءِيۡلَ اذۡكُرُوۡا نِعۡمَتِىَ الَّتِىۡٓ اَنۡعَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَاَنِّىۡ فَضَّلۡتُكُمۡ عَلَى الۡعٰلَمِيۡنَ‏ ﴿2:122﴾ وَاتَّقُوۡا يَوۡمًا لَّا تَجۡزِىۡ نَفۡسٌ عَنۡ نَّفۡسٍ شَيۡـئًـا وَّلَا يُقۡبَلُ مِنۡهَا عَدۡلٌ وَّلَا تَنۡفَعُهَا شَفَاعَةٌ وَّلَا هُمۡ يُنۡصَرُوۡنَ‏ ﴿2:123﴾

(2:122) Children of Israel!¹²³ Recall My favour which I bestowed upon you and I exalted you above the nations of the world, (2:123) and beware of the Day when no one shall avail another, when ransom shall be accepted from no one, when no one’s intercession will profit anyone, when there shall be no help from any quarter. 

Notes

123. A fresh subject is now broached. In order to appreciate it fully, the following should be clearly borne in mind: 

(1) After Noah, Abraham was the first Prophet appointed by God to spread the universal message of Islam. At the outset, he journeyed for many years from Iraq to Egypt, and from Syria and Palestine to various parts of Arabia inviting people to serve and obey God. Later he appointed deputies in various regions to carry on his mission. He sent his nephew Lot to Transjordan, his son Isaac to Syria and Palestine, and his eldest son Ishmael to Arabia. Then he built, in Makka, the shrine called the Ka’bah which subsequently, and under God’s own command, was made the centre of the prophetic mission. 

(2) Abraham’s progeny descended in two main branches. One of these, the Children of Ishmael, lived in Arabia. The Quraysh and other Arabian tribes belonged to this branch of Abraham’s line. Even those Arabian tribes which were not related to him by blood identified themselves with Abraham, since they had been influenced in varying degrees by his religious ideas. The other branch consisted of the Children of Isaac. In this branch there arose a great number of Prophets, for example Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, John, and Jesus. Since Jacob was called Israel, his offspring came to be known as the Children of Israel. Other peoples who accepted their faith as a result of preaching either lost their former identity and became assimilated with them, or remained separate from them ethnically but identified with them religiously. At the time when decadence flourished this branch of the Abrahamic family gave birth first to Judaism, and subsequently to Christianity. 

(3) The true mission of Abraham was to invite people to obey God and to mould the entire system of individual and collective life according to Divine Guidance. He was himself obedient to God and followed the teaching received from Him, and constantly strove to spread it and make all human beings live in obedience to it. It was because of this that he was appointed the religious leader and guide of the whole world. After his death, the task of guiding the world was entrusted to the branch which had issued from Isaac and Jacob, and which came to be known as the Children of Israel. It is in this branch that many Prophets were born. It was also this branch which was given the knowledge of the Straight Way, and was designated to lead all the nations of the world along that Way. It is of this favour that God again and again reminds these people. 

In the time of Solomon this branch took Jerusalem as the centre of its mission. Jerusalem maintained its central position for all devotees of God and remained the qiblah (direction) in which all worshippers of God were required to turn in their Prayer. 

(4) While addressing the Children of Israel in the last ten sections, God set forth the criminal record of the Jews, exposed their decadent state at the time of the revelation of the Qur’an, and made it clear to them that they had totally lacked gratitude to God for His favours and bounties. Not only had they ceased to guide the world, but had turned away from Truth and righteousness to such an extent that nearly all of them had lost the capacity to do good and to respond to Truth. 

(5) It is also intimated that the religious leadership of all mankind is not an exclusive privilege of Abrahamic blood, but rather the fruit of Abraham’s sincere obedience and service to God, to which he had wholly consecrated himself. Only those who follow the way of Abraham, and guide the world along that way, are therefore entitled to the position of guidance and leadership. And since the Jews had abandoned it and become incapable of carrying out the mission of Abraham they were being removed from that position. 

(6) At the same time it is hinted that the non-Israelite peoples who identified themselves with Abraham through Moses and Jesus had also veered from the way of Abraham. The same was true of the polytheists of Arabia, who felt proud of belonging to Abraham and Ishmael and based this pride on lineage alone. For, so far as their faith and conduct were concerned, they had not even the remotest tie with Abraham and Ishmael. They did not deserve, therefore, to be entrusted with the religious leadership of the world. 

(7) It is also made clear that by God’s will a Prophet, for whose advent Abraham and Ishmael had once prayed, was born in the other branch of the Abrahamic family, i.e. the Ishmaelites. The way propounded by this Prophet is exactly the same as that by Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob and in fact all the Messengers. His followers also confirm the truth of all those designated in the past to serve as God’s Messengers, and call mankind to the same message those Messengers preached earlier. Thus, leadership now naturally devolves on those who follow this Prophet.

(8) This proclamation of a transfer of leadership naturally called for the proclamation of a change in the direction of Prayer. As long as the Israelites held the reins of the world’s religious leadership, Jerusalem remained the centre of the mission of Islam and the qiblah of truth-loving people. The Arabian Prophet (peace be on him) as well as his followers had accepted Jerusalem as the qiblah until God duly proclaimed the removal of the Jews from their position of leadership. With this proclamation Jerusalem ceased to enjoy its central position. So it was proclaimed that from then on the centre of God’s true religion would be the place from which the message of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) had radiated. Since in the past it had been the centre of the mission of Abraham (peace be on him), it was difficult even for the polytheists and for the People of the Book to deny that the Ka’bah had a greater right to be made the qiblah. There was thus every reasonable ground for the decision to change the qiblah and its opponents could only object out of irrational adamance. 

(9) The proclamation that the followers of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) had been designated to the religious leadership of mankind, and that the Ka’bah would now be the focal point of man’s religious life, was followed by directives (beginning with( verse 153)and continuing to the end of the surah) addressed to the Muslims. These directives were aimed at enabling the Muslims to acquit themselves creditably of the duties laid upon their shoulders as the bearers of this mission.

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.