We have prepared a humiliating chastisement. (152) For those who believe in Allah and His Messengers, and do not dif- ferentiate between them, We shall certainly give them their reward. Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate.
(153) The People of the Book now ask of you to have a Book come down on them from heaven; indeed they had asked of Moses even greater things than this, for they said: “Make us see Allah with our own eyes” – whereupon a thunder-bolt suddenly smote them for their wickedness. Then they took to worshipping the calf after Clear Signs had come to them. We forgave them, and conferred a manifest commandment upon Moses, (154) and We raised the Mount high above them and took from them a covenant (to obey the commandment), and ordered them: ▶
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“Enter the gate in the state of prostration.”90 And We said to them: “Do not violate the law of the Sabbath,” and took from them a firm covenant. (155) (They have incurred Allah’s wrath) for their breaking the covenant, and their rejection of the Signs of Allah, and for slaying Prophets without right, and for saying: “Our hearts are wrapped up in covers”91 – even though in fact Allah has sealed their hearts because of their disbelief, so that they scarcely believe – (156) and for their going so far in disbelief as uttering against Mary a mighty calumny, (157) and their saying: “We slew the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary,” the Messenger of Allah92 – whereas in fact they had neither slain him nor crucified him ▶
90 See al-Baqarah 2: 58-9.
91 Whenever the Messengers of God tried to admonish the Israelites, they said point-blank that no matter what argument or evidence the former might adduce in support of their message, they would remain unmoved.
92 Their criminal boldness had reached such proportions that they even attempted to put an end to the life of the person whom they themselves knew to be a Prophet, and subsequently went around boasting of this achievement. Were we to refer to Surah Maryam 19: 16-40, along with the relevant notes, it will be clear that the Jews recognized Jesus to be a Prophet. Despite this, they carried out the crucifixion of someone who, in their belief, was none other than Jesus.
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but the matter was made dubious to them93 – and those who differed about it too were in a state of doubt. They have no definite knowledge of it, but merely follow conjecture; and they surely slew him not, (158) but Allah raised him to Himself. Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. (159) There are none among the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death,94 and he will be a witness against them on the Day of Resurrection. (160) Thus, We forbade them many clean things which had earlier been made lawful for them95 for the wrong-doing of those who became Jews, for their barring many from the Way of Allah, ▶
93 This verse categorically states that Jesus was raised on high before he could be crucified, and that the belief of both the Jews and the Christians that Jesus died on the cross is based on a misconception. Before the Jews could crucify him God raised Jesus up to the heavens. The person whom the Jews subsequently crucified was someone else rather than Jesus, someone who for one reason or another was mistaken as Jesus.
94 The text lends itself to two meanings. We have adopted the first meaning in our translation. If we accept the alternative meaning, the verse would mean: “There is no one among the People of the Book who, before his death, will not believe in Jesus.”
95 This may refer to the regulation mentioned in Surah al-An[am 6: 146 that all beasts with claws and the fat of both oxen and sheep were prohibited to the Jews. It might also refer, however, to the highly elaborate set of prohibitions found in Judaic Law. To restrict the choice of alternatives in a people’s life is indeed a kind of punishment for them.
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(161) and for their taking interest which had been prohibited to them, and for their consuming the wealth of others wrongfully. As for the unbelievers among them, We have prepared a painful chasti- sement. (162) Those among them who are firmly rooted in knowledge and the believers, they believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you. (Those who truly believe) establish the Prayer and pay Zakah, firmly believe in Allah and in the Last Day, to them We shall indeed pay a great reward.
(163) (O Muhammad), We have revealed to you as We revealed to Noah and the Prophets after him, and We revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the offspring of Jacob, and Jesus and Job, and Jonah, and Aaron and Solomon, and We gave to David Psalms. (164) We revealed to the Messengers We have already told you of, and to the Messengers We have not told you of; and to Moses Allah spoke directly. ▶
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(165) These Messengers were sent as bearers of glad tidings and as warners so that after sending the Messengers people may have no plea against Allah.96 Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. (166) (Whether people believe or not) Allah bears witness that whatever He has revealed to you, He has revealed with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness to it too, though the witness of Allah is sufficient. (167) Those who denied this Truth and barred others from the way of Allah have indeed strayed far away. (168) Likewise, Allah will neither forgive those who denied the Truth and took to wrong-doing nor will He show them any other way (169) save that of Hell wherein they will abide. And that is easy for Allah.
(170) O people! Now that the Messenger has come to you bearing the Truth from your Lord, believe in him; it will be good for you. ▶
96 God’s purpose in raising the Prophets was to establish His argument against mankind. God did not want criminals to have any basis on which to plead that their actions were done in ignorance and that no arrangement had been made to guide man to the Truth.
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If you reject, know well that to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.97
(171) People of the Book! Do not exceed the limits in your religion,98 and do not attribute to Allah anything except the Truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a Messenger of Allah, and His command that He conveyed unto Mary,99 and a spirit from Him100 ▶
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