وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللّهُ مِيثَاقَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ لَمَا آتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَابٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَاءكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُ قَالَ أَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكُمْ إِصْرِي قَالُواْ أَقْرَرْنَا قَالَ فَاشْهَدُواْ وَأَنَاْ مَعَكُم مِّنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ  فَمَن تَوَلَّى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ (٨١-٨٢)

أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ  قُلْ آمَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأَسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَالنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ  وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ  كَيْفَ يَهْدِي اللّهُ قَوْمًا كَفَرُواْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ وَشَهِدُواْ أَنَّ الرَّسُولَ حَقٌّ وَجَاءهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ  أُوْلَـئِكَ جَزَآؤُهُمْ أَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةَ اللّهِ وَالْمَلآئِكَةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ  خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لاَ يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَلاَ هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ  إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ مِن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ وَأَصْلَحُواْ فَإِنَّ الله غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ  إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِهِمْ ثُمَّ ازْدَادُواْ كُفْرًا لَّن تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُمْ وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الضَّآلُّونَ  إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَمَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِم مِّلْءُ الأرْضِ ذَهَبًا وَلَوِ افْتَدَى بِهِ أُوْلَـئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ (٨٣-٩١)

لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ (٩٢)

كُلُّ الطَّعَامِ كَانَ حِـلاًّ لِّبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلاَّ مَا حَرَّمَ إِسْرَائِيلُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تُنَزَّلَ التَّوْرَاةُ قُلْ فَأْتُواْ بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ  فَمَنِ افْتَرَىَ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ مِن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ  قُلْ صَدَقَ اللّهُ فَاتَّبِعُواْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ (٩٣-٩٥)

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِّلْعَالَمِينَ  فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّـنَاتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا وَلِلّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ الله غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ (٩٦-٩٧)

قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ شَهِيدٌ عَلَى مَا تَعْمَلُونَ  قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ تَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا وَأَنتُمْ شُهَدَاء وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ (٩٨-٩٩)

And remind them when God took a covenant from them about the prophets: “The law and wisdom which I have given to you, if a messenger1 comes forth in confirmation of what is before you, will you profess faith in him and support him?” [After this] He asked: “Do you accept this and acknowledge the responsibility of My covenant?” They replied: “We accept it.” [He said:] “Then bear witness and I bear witness with you.” He [said:] “After this, those who turn away [from this covenant], it is they who are the insolent.”2 (81-82)

 [These prophets came in this manner]. So do these people  [now] seek a religion other than God’s even though every thing in the heavens and the earth are obedient to Him, willingly or by compulsion and to Him shall they return.3 Tell them: “We have believed in God and what is revealed to us and to Abraham and Ishmael, to Isaac and Jacob and to their progeny and which was given by their Lord to Moses and Jesus and all other prophets. “We do not discriminate between them.4 [All these are prophets of God] and we are obedient to Him only.”5 [This is Islām] and He who chooses a religion other than Islām, it will certainly not be accepted from him and in the world to come he will surely be among the losers. [You want them to be guided?] How can God guide those who lapse into disbelief after embracing faith even though they bear witness of the veracity of this prophet6 and there has come to them clear signs and [in reality] God does not guide such wrong-doers. Their punishment is that the curse of God and [his] angels and all mankind is on them;7 they shall abide in it forever.8 Neither shall their punishment be reduced nor shall they be given respite. However, [those among them] who afterwards repent and mend their ways [they will be protected from it] because God is forgiving and ever-merciful. [On the contrary], those who denied after accepting [the truth] and continued to grow in disbelief [and now seeing death want to repent] their repentance shall not be accepted and in reality, they are the erring ones. [Similarly], those who disbelieved and died as disbelievers, no ransom [which they may give to save themselves] shall be accepted from them even if it is as much gold as would fill the entire earth.9 A painful punishment awaits them, and [there] they shall find none to help them.10 (83-91)

[This attitude of theirs is merely because after offering certain religious rituals they think themselves to be superior. Tell them:] You shall never be truly virtuous11 until you spend in [the way of God] what you dearly cherish. [Reflect on this] and [remember] whatever you spend [you will definitely be rewarded for it] because it is known to God.12 (92)

[They object that if this prophet confirms the Torah why does he regard those things as allowed which it regards as prohibited. Tell them:] all food was lawful to the Israelites [in the same way] except what Israel forbade himself before the Torah was revealed.13 Tell them: “Bring the Torah and read it, if you are truthful.”14 Then even after this those who impute falsehood to God, they are the wrong-doers. Tell them: “God has declared the truth, so [leave aside your prejudices and] follow the way of Abraham who was totally devoted [to Islam] and was not among the Idolaters.” (93-95)

[Similarly, they have objections on the qiblah also. Tell them:] the first temple ever to be built for mankind was surely the one at Makkah,15 as a centre for guidance and blessings for all people of the world. In it, there are manifest signs:16 the abode of Abraham; whoever enters it is secure and for those who are able to reach this place, the pilgrimage to the House is incumbent upon them. [These are His signs] and those who deny even after this [should know that] God can surely do without all people of the world. (96-97)

Ask [them]: “People of the Book! Why do you deny the revelations of God even though God sees whatever you are doing.” Ask [them]: “People of the Book! Why do you stop these people who have embraced faith from the path of God? You find errors in it even though you were made its witnesses? [Reflect on this] and [remember that] God is not unaware of what you do.” (98-99)

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1. The word “messenger” is mentioned in the general sense; however, it is evident that it refers specially to Muhammad (sws) who was sent in confirmation of the religion which was previously given to the Jews and the Christians. In the words of Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, it was their misfortune that they rejected the very person who was sent to corroborate their religion and whose testimonies of advent they had borne for ages.

2. This sentence has a specific context which if kept in consideration will be instrumental in understanding its real emphasis. Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī has explained it thus:

It was a tradition in the Mosaic sharī‘ah that when directives would be revealed from the Almighty, Moses (sws) would not merely read them out to his companions individually, he would gather all the leaders of the Israelites in the tabernacle, the ark would face them and Moses (sws) would read out to them the directives of God and would then take a promise from them to follow them. Once everyone made this solemn affirmation, he would stress upon them to bear witness to this and would make God a witness over this event; he would finally inform them of the consequences they would have to face in this world and in the next if they disobeyed. In this manner, every directive of the Almighty would occupy the status of a covenant between Him and the Israelites. How disgraceful it is to see that the sharī‘ah for which such measures were adopted for preservation has been utterly defied in every respect by its recipients. If in the light of this discussion, the words فَمَن تَوَلَّى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ are deliberated upon, the real stress sounded by بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ (after this) can be felt. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, 2nd ed., vol. 2 (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), 135)

3. This question expresses wonder: all the creatures of the heavens and the earth are obeying the Almighty in the spheres ordained for them; neither can anyone escape from Him in this world nor in the next. These People of the Book are aware of this. Then where do they want to run leaving this religion founded on their nature and followed by every object of this universe.

4. The implication is that Muslims are not selective in this matter: it is not that they believe in one prophet and reject another; they do not reject any guidance from God nor refute it; they profess faith in it without any exception.

5. The implication is that Muslims have professed faith in the religion which is the religion of all the universe and of all prophets of God. If the People of the Book want to forsake it and want to consign themselves to Satan, they are free to do so; as far as Muslims are concerned, they have decided to consign themselves to God.

6. The implication is that their hearts bear witness to the fact that he is the true messenger of God; however, in spite of this, their tongues are adamant on his denial.

7. The word أَجْمَعِينَ  occurs with النَّاسِ. This bears evidence to the fact that on the Day of Judgement everyone, pious or impious, will curse them. Cursing of the pious is obvious; the impious will also curse them as it was because of them that they were led astray.

8. The Qur’ānic words used are: خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا. They refer to Hell even though Hell has not been mentioned in words. However, the curse mentioned earlier has become an indication for its mention. In other words, it is as if the curse has taken the place of the punishment.

9. This style is merely adopted to convey the fact that their redemption would not be possible in any way otherwise neither will anyone have anything in the Hereafter to give away nor is it a place of such deals.

10. The implication is that the intercession of their forefathers and saints which they are expecting will be of no use to them. No one will be able to help anyone on that Day.

11. The essence of virtue is keeping promises and carrying out one’s obligations and fulfilling the rights imposed. Consequently, this is the real essence of the word الْبِر used. The implication is that if they want to acquire the essence of virtue they should be vigilant in these things. One cannot be virtuous by simply discharging certain religious rituals and by adopting a religious appearance.

12. The objective is to state the consequence of this knowledge: when God knows, then one should rest assured that He will reward a person from ten to seven hundred times. Not a penny spent in His way will go waste.

13. The reference is to things which the Prophet Jacob (sws) would not eat because of his personal or natural taste or because of some precaution and the Jews came to regard them as items prohibited by God and included them in the list of prohibited things mentioned in the Torah.

14. The implication is that they should see that the camel or certain other things which they regard as prohibited are not mentioned among prohibited items in the period of Abraham (sws).

15. The Qur’ānic word used is بَكَّة. Literally, it means “a city” as is evident from the word بَعْلبَكَّة (the city of Ba‘l). Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, while explaining why this word has been mentioned here, writes:

… this word is one example of the interpolations done by the Jews by distorting the recital of a word (called layy al-lisān by the Qur’ān) in order to do away with the signs of the advent of the last prophet. The Jews garbled it from Bakkah to Bukā’ and by regarding it to be a verbal noun translated it to mean “to cry”. In this manner, by converting the valley of Bakkah into the valley of Bukā’, they obliterated the greatest sign which could have guided people to the last prophet. By mentioning Makkah with its ancient name of Bakkah, in this verse the Qur’ān has reminded us of its name which was mentioned in the Torah and which even exists today in certain scriptures like the Psalms. (Amīn Ahsan Islāhī, Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, 2nd ed., vol. 2 (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1986), 145)

16. The manifest signs that this is the very house built by Abraham (sws) and therefore it only should be the qiblah. After that three of these manifest signs are specifically pointed: firstly, it is the place of Abraham (sws), secondly, he who enters this haram is rendered safe and secure and thirdly, offering pilgrimage to it has always been considered to be a religious obligation. All these three things were part of the tradition established by Abraham (sws) and validated by the consensus and perpetual adherence of the ummah to them and no man of justice could deny them. In the Torah also, existed undeniable evidence for these three and its readers could not deny the fact that the mention in it of the Bayt I%l from the hands of Abraham (sws) could only and only have referred to this house of Makkah and not the Bayt al-Maqdis.