Quote Originally Posted by syed_z View Post
Verily, those who believe (that is Muslims) and they who follow the Jewish faith, Christians and Sabians,,,,whosoever believes in God and the Last Day and does that which is right shall have their reward with the Lord. Fear shall not come upon them, nor shall they grieve. (Al Quran 2:62)
Unfortunately we have forgotten the message of the Quran, the message of tolerance, the message of acceptance of others and dignity of humans, regardless of their religious faith. We need to InshA'Allah come back to the way of tolerance towards others so they may see the light of Islam how bright it shines and how beautiful it is.
The intolerance that does exist in the Muslim world is due to ignorance of their Islamic scriptures or their misinterpretation by certain groups. May Allah (swt) guide the ignorant, Ameen.
https://islamqa.info/en/2912
I am pretty sure, that by christians and jews, Allah doesn't mean now-a-days Jews, or christians, but those of previous nations.
Allah knows best.
Asalaam O Alaikum Brother Serenity...
I firmly believe that when Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) said that the Quran was his greatest Miracle, he meant the book gives references to people for all times. If we understand the verses of the Quran in the historical context only then we are not truly honoring the Quran.
The above Verse that I shared earlier can best be expounded by Maulana Imran Hosein in his recent book named
Methodology of the Quran in its chapter called
The believing Christian, the believing Jew and the Quran sheds light on this subject as to the extent of recognition that Quran provides to those who are Ahle Kitab (The People of the Scriptures i.e. Jews and Christians)
Maulana Imran Hosein says:
"There are others, on the other hand, who examine the Qur’ān and are so impressed by it that they are not only convinced that it is indeed the Word of the One True God, but respond to it with tears in their eyes:
“For, when they come to understand what has been bestowed from on high upon this Apostle (i.e., when they realize the status of this Quran), you can see their eyes overflow with tears, because they recognize something of its truth; [and] they say: "O our Lord-God! We do believe; make us one, then, with all who bear witness to the truth.
(Quran, al-Māidah, 5:83)
The Quran confirms that such people would belong to Ahl al-Kitāb or the community of Christians and Jews
“And, behold, among the followers of earlier revelation (i.e., the Torah, Psalms, Gospel) there are indeed such as [truly] believe in Allah (i.e., the ‘One True God’) and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon you (i.e., this Quran) as well as in that which has been bestowed upon them (i.e., the Torah and the Gospel). Standing in awe of Allah, they do not barter away Allah’s messages for a trifling gain (hence they do not weigh what will be the consequence for them in accepting that which they recognize as Truth). They shall have their reward with their Lord-God – for, behold, Allah is swift in reckoning!”
(Quran, Āle ‘Imrān, 3:199)
What is here truly remarkable is that Allah Most Wise has chosen to describe as Ahl al-Kitāb a people who accept the Qur’ān as the word of the ‘One True God’. The implication is that Allah Most Wise has here informed us of a people who accept of the Qur’ān as His revealed Word even
while they still identify themselves as Christians and Jews. I pray with all my heart that this humble book might assist such Christians and Jews to now affirm their belief in the Qur’ān as the Word of the God of Nabī Ibrāhīm (Abraham ,)ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻟﺴﻼ' and hence that Nabī Muhammad ( )ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺳﻠﻢ is His Prophet and Messenger (
even while they may still choose to maintain their identity as Christians and Jews and follow the laws and rituals prescribed in their scriptures)
One of the reasons why such Christians and Jews respond in this way is because of their sincere attachment to their own scripture. The Qur’ān vividly describes that attachment:
“[But] they are not all alike: among the followers of earlier revelation there are upright people, who recite Allah’s revealed verses throughout the night, and prostrate themselves [before Him].”
(Qur’ān, Āle ‘Imrān, 3:113)
The Qur’ān is even more explicit that there will be Jews and Christians who will continue to identify themselves as Jews and Christians even while some of them recognize and accept the Qur’ān to be the Word of the One God, and recognize and accept Nabī Muhammad ( )ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺳﻠﻢ to be His true Prophet. The most explicit such recognition occurs in verses 144 to 148 of Sūrah alBaqarah where the Qur’ān describes the event of the change, by Divine decree, of the Qiblah or direction to which one must turn in prayer, from Jerusalem to the Ka’aba in Makkah, for the community of believers who followed Nabī Muhammad.
“We have seen you [O Prophet] often turn your face towards heaven [for guidance]: and now We shall indeed make you turn in prayer in a direction which will fulfil your desire. Turn, then, your face towards the Inviolable House of Worship; and wherever you all may be, turn your faces towards it [in prayer]. And, surely, those who have been received revelation prior to this, know well that this [commandment] comes in truth from their Lord-God; and Allah is not unaware of what they do.”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:144)
It is critically important for our discerning readers to carefully note that even after the change in Qiblah (or direction of prayer) from Jerusalem to Makkah had been proclaimed in the Qur’ān,
Allah Most High continued to extend recognition to Jerusalem as the Qiblah of the Ahl al-Kitāb (i.e., Christians and Jews) and to insist that each community must turn to its own Qiblah. In other words, while the Qiblah in Jerusalem was cancelled (Mansūkh) for the Prophet ( ) ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺳﻠﻢ and his followers, it was not similarly cancelled for Christians and Jews
“And yet, even if you were to place all evidence before those who have been received earlier revelation (prior to this Qur’ān),
they would not follow your direction of prayer; and neither may you follow their direction of prayer, nor even do they follow one another’s direction. And if you were to follow their errant views after all the knowledge that has come unto you, you would surely be among the evildoers.”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:145)
In His Wisdom, the Lord-God chose not to write-off or dismiss those previous communities known as Ahl alKitāb (i.e., Christians and Jews) in consequence of their withholding recognition of Muhammad ( ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ) ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺳﻠﻢ as His Prophet and the Qur’ān as His Word. Rather, He wisely gave them time, while urging patience, and while implicitly recognizing that they worshipped Him. He did so even while Christians worshipped Nabī ‘Īsa, i.e., Jesus ( ,)ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻟﺴﻼ' as the son of God and the third person in a triune God.
“
For every community faces a direction of its own, of which He is the focal point. Vie, therefore, with one another in doing good works. Wherever you may be, Allah will gather you all unto Himself: for, verily, Allah has the power to will anything.”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:148)
The Qur’ān is even more explicit on the subject of Allah, Most Wise, continuing to extend a measure of Divine recognition of the communities of Jews and Christians even while though they withhold recognition of Prophet Muhammad ( ) ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺳﻠﻢ and the Qur’ān:
“And unto you [O Prophet] have We vouchsafed this divine writ, setting forth the truth, confirming the truth of whatever there still remains of earlier revelations and determining what is true therein. Judge, then, between the followers of earlier revelation in accordance with what Allah has bestowed from on high, and do not follow their errant views, forsaking the truth that has come unto you.
Unto each of you have We appointed a [different] law and way of life. And if Allah had so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community: but [He willed it otherwise] in order to test you by means of what He has vouchsafed unto, you. Vie, then, with one another in doing good works! Unto Allah you all must return; and then He will make you truly understand all that on which you were wont to differ.”
(Qur’ān, al-Māidah, 5:48)
It is in respect of their relations with such Christians and such Jews that the Qur’ān has counseled Muslims to be patient and to build strong bonds (of friendship and alliance) with them in order that success can be achieved
“O you who have attained to faith! Be patient (with such Christians and Jews), and vie with one another in showing patience (with them), and build bonds of friendship and alliance (with them) and fear Allah (in this matter) that success can be achieved!”
(Qur’ān, Āle Imrān, 3:200)
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The Jews and the Christians that are condemned by the Quran are those who are evil and there are plenty Verses of the Quran that discusses them as well. However the Verse 62 of Surah Baqara refers to the Jews/Christians in the positive light and they are those whom Sheikh Imran Hosein has explained using the above Verses of the Quran. This is what I have learned, Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen.
and to follow him so that they may be guided. 
)