Tolerance of prophet PBUH towards other religions

[syed_z]

you have wrongfully misunderstood 2:62. we can NOT go to Jannah just by believing in God, day of Judgment and doing righteous deeds. One has to follow Islam. What 2:62 says is that those who believe in The Quran, The Prophet Muhammad :saw:, Allah, and the Jews and Christians (BEFORE the Prophet Muhammad :saw they will have the reward with Allah.

As for those christians of today, they do NOT fall into 2:62.
Allahu alam.

Brother Serenity,

I thank you for sharing your thoughts. We can agree to disagree. Pray for me and I will pray for my brother.

Thanks

 

[Abz2000]

Really depends on whether they've seen the indications of the Prophethood of Muhammad pbuh and refused to follow him.
you can't go to to your king and say that you'll reject the laws of the current prime minister and abide by the laws of any previous prime minister of your choosing or that you'll reject all the kings laws all together, it would be anarchy.
If you wouldn't dare to do that with your earthly king or queen how could you dare to do that with the master of the universe, Muhammad pbuh was indeed sent with the final message and rejecting him means rejecting peace with the Master of the universe.
A governer doesn't receive a clear and final edict from the commander in chief and then say, i'll cast that behind my back and follow the edict you sent via the previous messenger but that doesn't mean i'm rejecting you, i'm still your humble subject.
It would just make apparent the mutiny in such a governor's heart and his will to follow his own vain desires - and which commander in chief would accept that?



مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلّهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَجِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَالَ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكَافِرِينَ {98

002:098-99
:
"Whoever is an enemy to Allah, His Angels, His Messengers, Jibrael (Gabriel) and Mikael (Michael), then verily, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers."

وَلَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ وَمَا يَكْفُرُ بِهَا إِلاَّ الْفَاسِقُونَ {9
And indeed We have sent down to you manifest signs, and none disbelieve in them but Fasiqun (those who rebel against Allah's Command).


-------

And his people disputed with him. He said: Do you dispute with me respecting Allah and He has guided me indeed? And I fear not in any way those that you set up with Him, unless my Lord please. My Lord comprehends all things in His knowledge. Will you not then mind?

And how should I fear what you have set up (with Him), while you fear not to set up with Allah that for which He has sent down to you no authority. Which then of the two parties is surer of security, if you know?

Those who believe and mix not up their faith with iniquity -- for them is security and they go aright.

And this was Our argument which We gave to Abraham against his people. We exalt in degrees whom We please. Surely thy Lord is Wise, Knowing.

Quran 6-79-83


Would be useful at this juncture to revise surah al jinn (chapter 72)
http://www.islam101.com/quran/yusufAli/index.htm

 

[AabiruSabeel]

Absolutely not. Do Dawah because the Quran orders us to. And InshA'Allah Dawah will continue till the end of the world. Allah (swt) says in the Quran:

And do not argue with the followers of earlier revelation otherwise than in a most kindly manner unless it be such of them as are bent on evildoing and say: "We believe in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us as well as that which has been bestowed upon you: for our God and your God is one and the same, and it is unto Him that We [all] surrender ourselves."
(Surah Al Ankabut Verse 46)

Where does it say by Allah (swt) after giving them Dawah to conclude that they are going to the hellfire because they choose to maintain their identity as jews and christians? And that includes all modern Jews and Christians.

As brother Abz2000 mentioned in one of his posts above, there is a big difference between tolerance and encouragement to stay on error.

He has mentioned a number of examples of tolerance and good treatment of non-Muslims in his post.


But what you are saying here [MENTION=28376]syed_z[/MENTION] is active encouragement to stay on error even after being knowing and believing that Qur'an and Islam is the Truth. You are reading the Ayaat selectively and partially.

See the explanation of above Ayah from Ma'ariful Quran:

The advice given in this verse for a polite and dignified treatment in the case of a debate with the people of the book is also accorded in Surah An-Nahl with regard to the pagans. At this place the people of the book are especially identified for the reason given right after this. That is, if they were to ponder, there is a great deal common in the two faiths, which should help them accept Islam. Hence it is said قُولُوا آمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ (And say: We believe in what is sent down to us and sent down to you - 29:46). It means that the Muslims should tell the people of the book at the time of argument 'we have faith in the revelations sent to us through our Prophet :saws1:, and also on those revelations which were sent to you through your prophets. Hence, you have no reason for any hostility against us'.
​

Does this verse endorse the authenticity of Torah and Injil in their present form?​

The manner in which this verse endorses the belief of Muslims in Torah and Injil is their general faith in them, as they were revealed in their original form. It means that whatever Allah Ta'ala had revealed in these books, they had faith in that. It does not mean that they have faith in their altered and distorted form of the text as well. Many of the alterations were made in the books even before the time of the Holy Prophet :saws1:, and many more were carried out later. This work on amendments has not ceased yet. Muslims have faith only on that part of Torah and Injil that were revealed on Sayyidna Musa :as: and Sayyidna 'Isa' :as: respectively. The altered part of the books is excluded from that.​

Torah and Injil in their present form can neither be believed nor rejected altogether​

​

It is recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari that Sayyidna Abu Hurairah :ra: has reported that the People of the Book used to read Torah and Injil in their original language, Hebrew, but for Muslims they would relate only its translation in Arabic. the Holy Prophet :saws1: instructed the Muslims in this regard that they should neither believe nor reject what they (Jews and Christians) tell them, and instead simply say آمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ (We believe in what is sent down to us and sent down to you - 29:46). That is 'We have symbolic faith in that what was revealed on your prophets, but what you are telling us we do not consider it as authentic. Therefore, we abstain from endorsing or rejecting it'.

​

I can also put that question to you as to why would you do Dawah to them because according to you the above Verse was revealed at the time of the Prophet (sallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) so why are going to apply it in our modern times? If I was to take the methodology that the above Verse was revealed in history and has historical significance only then it means we shouldn't do Dawah to them? Right?

I am not implying that, neither do I say that those verses have only historical significance. Instead of taking one or two ayat selectively and partially, you should read them in context and understand the complete message.

Once again, see the tafsir:

The previous verse spoke of how the Israelites drew upon themselves the wrath of Allah through their habitual insolence and disobedience. Now, this account may lead the listeners, or the Jews themselves, to suppose that, in view of such transgression, their Taubah (repentance), if they agree to offer it, would not be acceptable to Allah. In order to dispel such a misgiving, the present verse lays down a general principle: no matter how a man has been behaving earlier, so long as he submits himself fully to the commandments of Allah in his beliefs and in his deeds both, he is acceptable to Allah, and will get his reward.

It is obvious enough that after the revelation of the Holy Qur'an, which is the last message of Allah, perfect obedience to Allah can only mean accepting Islam and following the Last Prophet Muhammad :saws1:.[SUP]23[/SUP] The verse, in effect, assures everyone that once a man has accepted Islam, all his former transgressions, whether in the matter of beliefs or in that of deeds, will be forgiven, and he will become worthy of receiving the rewards of the other world.​

Let us note, in passing, that nothing is definitely known as to the beliefs and the practices of the Sabeans, and different opinions have been expressed on the subject. (Most probably they used to worship the stars).​

One might also ask why the verse mentions the Muslims, for if it is an invitation to Islam, there is no need to extend the invitation to those who have already accepted Islam. But if we keep in mind the richly concentrated style of the Holy Qur'an, and try to look beyond the literal sense of the words into the implications and suggestions contained in the verse, we would find that the inclusion of the Muslim factor has added a new dimension to the meaning. It is as if a king should, in a similar situation, say that his laws are impartially applicable to all his subjects, and that whosoever obeys them shall receive his reward for obedience irrespective of whether he has earlier been a friend or a foe. Obviously, the friend has always been loyal and obedient, and the warning and the promise have really been addressed to the foe. But the suggestion contained in such a formulation is that the favours of the king do not proceed from any personal attachment to the friends, but depend on the quality of obedience and loyalty, and hence the foes too will become worthy of his favours if they acquire the necessary quality. This is the raison d'etre of mentioning the Muslims along with the non-Muslims in this verse, which should never be taken to imply that salvation can be attained without accepting Islam.

​

We had better dispel another misunderstanding which is likely to arise from the wordings of the present verse -- and, which is actually being promoted by certain 'modernizers'. The verse mentions only two articles of faith of the Islamic creed -- faith in Allah and faith in the Day of Judgment. This should not be taken to mean that in order to attain salvation it is enough to have faith only in Allah and in the Day of Judgment. For, the Holy Qur'an repeatedly declares that he who does not believe in the prophets, in angels and in the Books of Allah is not a Muslim. Faith in Allah is the first article in the Islamic creed, while faith in the Day of Judgment is the last. By mentioning only these two, the verse intends to say in a succinct manner that it is necessary to have faith in all the articles of the creed, from the first to the last. Moreover, it is through the prophets and the Books of Allah alone that man can acquire any knowledge of the essence and the attributes of Allah and of what is to happen on the Day of Judgment, while the Books of Allah are revealed to the prophets through an angel. So, it is not possible to have faith in Allah and the Day of Judgment until and unless one has faith in the angels, in the Books of Allah and in the prophets.
​

---

[SUP]Footnote
23.[/SUP] Contrary to the flaccid fancies of some "modernizers" who are very happy with themselves over their "liberalism" and "tolerance", the present verse does not open the way to salvation for each and every "man of good will" irrespective of the creed he follows. If one reads the verse in its proper context and along with other relevant verses of the Holy Qur'an, one will easily see that the verse, in fact, promises salvation in the other world only to those who accept Islam. It is an invitation to Islam extended to the Jews, the Christians, the Sabeans and, as a matter of fact, to the followers of all possible religions, and even to non-believers -specific names only serve as examples.​

Please stop doing your own tafsir and always refer to the authentic Tafsir of Qur'an. Ma'ariful Qur'an is one the of the authentic Tafsir of the Qur'an, compiled by Mufti Shafi 'Uthmani :rh:, father of Mufti Taqi 'Uthmani.

Yes correct I agree that is an errant view. But who is it for? Allah (swt) says "And if you were to follow their errant views after all the knowledge that has come unto you" ...

Once again, it is an out-of-context and selective reading of the Qur'an. Please read the Ayaat from the beginning of the passage, from Ayah 142:
The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?" Say, "To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path." [2:142]
And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allah has guided. And never would Allah have caused you to lose your faith. Indeed Allah is, to the people, Kind and Merciful. [2:143]

Do you not see how Allah :swt: calls them foolish, and that the changing of the Qiblah as a test for those who are stubborn and refuse to follow the Last Prophet and remain on their own path?

And now for the tafsir:

Now, when the Ka'bah was finally established as the Qiblah sixteen or seventeen months after the Hijrah, some Jews, associators and hypocrites began to scoff at the Holy Prophet :saws1: and his Companions :rahm: for being so capricious in the matter of their Qiblah. The Holy Qur'an reports this objection, adding that such an objection can come only from stupid people - just as earlier in this Surah those who turn away from the religion of Sayyidna Ibrahim :as: have been described as people who have besotted themselves. In replying to this objection, the second part of the verse shows that their stupidity lies in not realizing that the East and the West both belong to Allah Himself, and that He guides whomsoever He likes on the straight path. The verse, thus, explains the meaning of adopting an orientation - that is to say, neither does the Ka'bah nor the Baytul-Maqdis by itself possess any exclusive merit in this regard, and it is the divine commandment alone which gives to it the distinction of being the Qiblah - it could have as easily chosen some other place to serve the purpose. Moreover, the only merit in adopting a particular Qiblah lies in one's obedience to the divine commandment and in one's total submission to the will of Allah, which is the basic principle of the religion of the founder of the Ka'bah, Sayyidna Ibrahim :as:.​

...​

When the Holy Prophet :saws1: came to Madinah, he had to deal with the Jews, and in order to familiarize them with Islam he adopted their Qiblah under divine commendment. But, by and by it became evident that a stubborn people like the Jews would not easily give up their hostility to Islam. So, Allah allowed him to go back to the original Qiblah, which, being the Qiblah of his forefathers, Sayyidna Ibrahim :as: and Sayyidna Isma'il :as:, was naturally dearer to him. In fact, the mosque of Sayyidna Salih :as: was oriented towards the Baytullah, as is shown by an incident reported by al-Qurtubi from Abu al-'Aliyah al-Riyahi.
...
...​

Now, according to those who prefer the first of the two views, the raison d'etre was that it was necessary at Makkah to differentiate the Muslims from the idol-worshippers and to emphasize the distinction between the two, and hence the Baytul-Maqdis was appointed as the Qiblah of the Muslims instead of the Baytullah which was at that time the Qiblah of the mushrikin. Then, after the Hijrah, there arose a new need at Madinah - that of highlighting the distinction between the Muslims and the Jews. So, the Qiblah of the Jews was given up, and the Baytullah was adopted as the Qiblah of the Muslims.
...​

... the commandment with regard to the change in orientation is a test of the faith of those who claim to be the followers of the Holy Prophet :saws1:, which would openly demonstrate the distinction between those who are genuinely obedient to Allah and His Messenger :saws1:, and those who follow their individual opinion. History records that after this verse had been revealed, those who were weak in their faith, or were just hypocrites, forsook Islam, and even accused the Holy Prophet :saws1: of having gone back to the ways of his own people - that is, of the mushrikin.​

...
...​

In continuing the discussion on the subject of the Qiblah, or the divinely-ordained orientation, the present verse provides yet another instance of the maliciousness of the People of the Book. It is not that they demand solid and convincing arguments in order to be able to accept the new injunction with regard to the Qiblah: it is sheer stubbornness which does not allow them to give their assent, and no proof in the world, declares the Holy Qur'an, is ever going to satisfy them. In fact, their two groups display an equal malice even towards each other - the Jews have adopted the Baytul-Maqdis as their Qiblah, while the Christians have chosen the East, and each group rejects the Qiblah of the other. On the other hand, the Holy Prophet :saws1:, cannot accept either of these two orientations, for the new Qiblah of the Muslims - the Baytullah - has been instituted by a divine commandment, and is never going to be abrogated. So, there is no likelihood of an agreement between the People of the Book and the Muslims in this matter. The Baytul-Maqdis, no doubt, had once been instituted by a divine commandment, but that commandment has now been abrogated. Anyone who follows an abrogated injunction, and ignores the new injunction which has replaced the earlier one, is actually disobeying Allah, and acting upon his individual opinion and personal desire. Naturally, it is impossible for the Holy Prophet :saws1: to follow the desires of the People of the Book. But, supposing for the sake of supposition, were he to do so even after having received a definite injunction through the Wahy (Revelation), he would be counted among the unjust - that is, among those who disobey divine commandments. Such a situation, however, can never arise. Being a prophet, he is essentially sinless, and as such cannot possibly be among the unjust. From this principle it logically follows that it is impossible for him to favour the desires of the People of the Book, and to accept their Qiblah as his own.​

Let us make it quite clear that this warning is outwardly addressed to the Holy Prophet :saws1:, but is, in fact, intended for his Ummah, which is being asked to realize fully the gravity of the sin of ignoring or disobeying the injunction which has finally established the Baytullah as the Qiblah of the Muslims.​

As for the phrase, "You are not to follow their Qiblah", it is meant to declare that the Baytullah shall now stay as the Qiblah upto the end of the world. Thus, the declaration refutes the scoffing allegation of the People of the Book that there was no stability in the Islamic injunctions, and that the Muslims might again adopt the Baytul-Maqdis as their Qiblah. (Al-Bahr al-Muhit)​

Verses 144 and 145 have told us how the People of the Book knew in their hearts that a divine commandment itself had instituted the Baytullah as the Qiblah of the Muslims, and yet denied this fact in public. Now, the two present verses show that their conduct towards the Holy Prophet :saws1: was equally dishonest and malicious.
The Torah and the Evangile had already foretold the coming of the Holy Prophet :saws1:, and set down the signs and indications which should help the people to recognize him. On the basis of the irrefutable evidence provided by their own Sacred Books, the Jews and the Christians knew him to be the promised Last Prophet :saws1:, but many of them refused to acknowledge him as such out of sheer obstinacy.​

​

Yes Muslims are asked to be just according to the Quran and that methodology accepted Najashi as a man of God even though he died Christian.

Najashi had accepted Islam. He did not die a Christian. Qur'an specifically prohibits the Messenger and the Muslims from praying for non-Muslims (for their forgiveness).

Najashi's aceptace Of Islam:
---------------------------------
Ishaq also reports that Muhammad sent a letter to the Negus, inviting the latter to embrace Islam:

"The apostle sent Shuja' b. Wahb, brother of B. Asad b. Khuzayma, to al-Mundhir b. al-Harith b. Abu Shimr al-Ghassani, lord of Damascus... (T. via Salama. The apostle sent 'Amr b. Umayya al-Damri to the Negus about Ja'far b. Abu Talib and his companions and sent a letter with him ... 'From Muhammad the apostle of God to the Negus al-Asham king of Abyssinia, Peace. I praise Allah unto you the King, the Holy, the Peace, the Faithful, the Watcher, and I bear witness that Jesus son of Mary is the spirit of God and His word which he cast to Mary the Virgin, the good, the pure, so that she conceived Jesus. God created him from His spirit and His breathing as He created Adam by His hand and His breathing. I call you to God the Unique without partner and to His obedience, and to follow me and to believe in that which came to me, for I am the apostle of God. I have sent to you my nephew Ja'far with a number of Muslims, and when they come to you entertain them without haughtiness, for I invite you and your armies to God. I have accomplished (my work) and my admonitions, so receive my advice. Peace upon all those that follow the true guidance.'


"The Negus replied: ... 'From Negus al-Asham b. Abjar, Peace upon you, O prophet of Allah, and mercy and blessing from Allah beside Whom there is no God, who has guided me to Islam. I have received your letter in which you mention the matter of Jesus and by the Lord of heaven and earth he is not one strap more than what you say. We know that with which you were sent to us and we have entertained your nephew and his companions . I testify that you are God's apostle, true and confirming (those before you). I have given my fealty to you and to your nephew and I have surrendered myself through him to the Lord of the worlds. I have sent to you my son Arha. I have control only over myself and if you wish me to come to you, O apostle of God, I will do so. I bear witness that what you say is true. '


"I was told that the Negus sent his son with sixty Abyssinians by boat, and when they were in the middle of the sea the boat foundered and they all perished.)" (Ishaq, pp. 657-658)

Allah knows best.


See also: http://www.muftisays.com/qa/question/3672/al-najashi-ethiopian-king.html

 

[Serinity]

What the Laws was for the previous nations are NOT for us, or mankind. The Law (Shariah Law) sent to Prophet Muhammad :saw: is what counts. So anyone who doesn't turn to the Qiblah in prayer, has disobeyed Allah, and the only way to approach Allah is the way Allah ordained (The Islamic way)

So Christians are misguided for not following the Law sent to Prophet Muhammad :saw:, the Jews are misguided for not following the Prophet :saw: .

It might have been for the Isrealites to turn to Jerusalem in prayer, and the Prophet :saw: did pray (afaik) facing Jerusalem, UNTIL the command of Allah, saying to face the Qiblah came, and Jews who CONTINUED to pray facing Jerusalem, out of envy DISOBEYED Allah. Meaning, while facing Jerusalem may have been valid at the time of Musa :as: . The moment Allah changed the orientation, facing the Qiblah. Facing Jerusalem would be impermissible, invalid and misguided for this nation (all mankind - from the advent of Prophet Muhammad :saw: )

you can not say it is acceptable for someone to approach God as they wish. One can not say it is ok for them to be on Christianity or follow Jesus :as: or Musa :as: after knowing that about the Last Prophet :saw: .

To each nation, Allah ordained a way and law, and for the nation of Prophet Muhammad :saw: (ALL mankind) Allah ordained to face The Qiblah.

may Allah :swt: forgive me if I erred. Ameen.

Allah knows best.

 

[M.I.A.]

The only religion that is valid in the Eyes of Allah is Al-Islam. Any other religion will turn one to Hell. That is what I've learnt. and that is what I go by. Christianity won't bring you to Jannah, nor will Judaism, they both will bring one to Hellfire. Both christianity and Judaism has been corrupt and are outdated (although I'd say christianity is more corrupt than Judaism)

The only way to Allah is with Islam. Not christianity, not Judaism. Whosoever turns away from Islam, they will be losers.

Christianity and Judaism are both invalid and are not to be followed. I hope you aren't saying that Christianity or Judaism will bring one to Allah, cuz it won't. It will bring one to Hellfire. Cuz Islam is the only Valid religion now.

I am pretty sure 2:62 speaks of the previous nations, not the current Jews and christians.

And whoever seeks religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers) (3:85).




This statement by Ibn `Abbas indicates that Allah does not accept any deed or work from anyone, unless it conforms to the Law of Muhammad that is, after Allah sent Muhammad . Before that, every person who followed the guidance of his own Prophet was on the correct path, following the correct guidance and was saved.

And for 2:62

[TABLE="class: contentpaneopen"]
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[TR]
[TD="class: AyahAndHadith"]After Allah described the condition - and punishment - of those who defy His commands, fall into His prohibitions and transgress set limits by committing prohibited acts, He stated that the earlier nations who were righteous and obedient received the rewards for their good deeds. This shall be the case, until the Day of Judgment. Therefore, whoever follows the unlettered Messenger and Prophet shall acquire eternal happiness and shall neither fear from what will happen in the future nor become sad for what has been lost in the past.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=372

Allah knows best.

ok so now I have to play devil's advocate do I? highly unfair to bring inferiority complexes to those people who seem different to ourselves on the face of it.

say I'm a biologist.. I meet someone who is interested in biology.. there is much converstion to be had.

the acceptance of any formed theory is personal choice. it does not detract from biology being a universal field.. all encompassing.

to dismiss those theories would be willfully ignorant.. to disprove or expand upon someone's else's understanding is usually how things are moved forward.

how the field of biology is better explained.. because although biology may be complex and vast.. it's been around for a long time!

and I would assume rightfully so, that as long as man has been able to communicate his interest in biology.. and it's vastness and complexity and universalness..ness.. people who are able to understand..

or at least pay attention to the world, have been able to distinguish how things work..

and how they don't.

in the end, wrong concepts are removed.. to be replaced by slightly less wrong ones.

Maybe i meant small steps towards the truth.. but ask someone from a while ago how adamantly they follow theory and they would probably tell you.

I have no idea how you would be able to discern what is correct and wrong..when they did so.

or why you picked physics to study!!

...not a Richard Dawkins fan.

or how bout Islamic state?

to keep it relevant to the thread..

we should not be judged by who we claim to be.. rather what we do with the things we have..

knowledge Is not power, application of knowledge is power.

...although most people are just under some sort of compulsion..

self interest or self preservation.. most people struggle.. most never show the better side they have..

or are never able to do so.. it is there for those that don't discard it.

 

[syed_z]

See the explanation of above Ayah from Ma'ariful Quran:

The advice given in this verse for a polite and dignified treatment in the case of a debate with the people of the book is also accorded in Surah An-Nahl with regard to the pagans. At this place the people of the book are especially identified for the reason given right after this. That is, if they were to ponder, there is a great deal common in the two faiths, which should help them accept Islam. Hence it is said قُولُوا آمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ (And say: We believe in what is sent down to us and sent down to you - 29:46). It means that the Muslims should tell the people of the book at the time of argument 'we have faith in the revelations sent to us through our Prophet , and also on those revelations which were sent to you through your prophets. Hence, you have no reason for any hostility against us'.

Does this verse endorse the authenticity of Torah and Injil in their present form?

The manner in which this verse endorses the belief of Muslims in Torah and Injil is their general faith in them, as they were revealed in their original form. It means that whatever Allah Ta'ala had revealed in these books, they had faith in that. It does not mean that they have faith in their altered and distorted form of the text as well. Many of the alterations were made in the books even before the time of the Holy Prophet , and many more were carried out later. This work on amendments has not ceased yet. Muslims have faith only on that part of Torah and Injil that were revealed on Sayyidna Musa and Sayyidna 'Isa' respectively. The altered part of the books is excluded from that.

Torah and Injil in their present form can neither be believed nor rejected altogether

It is recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari that Sayyidna Abu Hurairah has reported that the People of the Book used to read Torah and Injil in their original language, Hebrew, but for Muslims they would relate only its translation in Arabic. the Holy Prophet instructed the Muslims in this regard that they should neither believe nor reject what they (Jews and Christians) tell them, and instead simply say آمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ (We believe in what is sent down to us and sent down to you - 29:46). That is 'We have symbolic faith in that what was revealed on your prophets, but what you are telling us we do not consider it as authentic. Therefore, we abstain from endorsing or rejecting it'.

I believe there is a miscommunication (and why wouldn't it be as we're online and not in person) trying to help me understand that the Bible is not in its original form even though that is not my discussion and even though I never claimed that they are in their original form and that is absolutely not what I meant when I quoted the above Verse. It was to show you that Dawah will continue till the end of the world to the Non Muslims thats why I quoted that Verse.

A word of advice ask questions before you jump to conclusions about me.


I guess I'm going to have to remind you about the hadith.... 'Find excuses for your Muslim Brother' in some narration it is said '..a 100 excuses'

As for the why you keep using the option of 'mention' I don't know what that is I never used it for any one. But anyways.


In response to your above I would suggest that I have a better explanation than the Maariful Quran about the Verse and the corruption of the previous scriptures i.e. Bible:


Surah Imran Verse 1 - 4

Step by step has He bestowed upon thee from on high this divine writ, setting forth the truth which confirms whatever there still remains [of earlier revelations]: for it is He who has bestowed from on high the Torah and the Gospel (3:4) aforetime, as a guidance unto mankind,and it is He who has bestowed [upon man] the standard by which to discern the true from the false.

(Muhammad Asad Translation)

The fact that Allah (swt) mentions the Quran with the word Furqan (standard by which to discern) in the above Verse is sufficient to say that the words of the Bible in its present form are not authentic. Infact we don’t know what is the word of God in Bible and whats not.

Ma bayna yadayhi does not only mean what came before it as generally translated but it is best translated by the Allama Asad as ‘whatever there still remains of the previous scripture’ meaning whatever still remains of the truth and only the Furqan which is Quran can confirm what is that truth.


That is not the point we’re discussing. The point we’re discussing is that the God Al Mighty does not doom all Jews and Christians to the hellfire. He accepts them as well and will deal with them according to their way of life. Accepting them does not mean that He will accept their errors, obviously. But because all nations follow their own way and our firmly grounded in those set of practices, Allah (swt) understand human nature and some scholars who have the Basira (Internal Insight) have penetrated the deeper meaning of the Quran's Verses and have related these Verses that can help build a stronger bridge and strengthen our relations with the Jews and Christians of our times.

This will eventually inShA'Allah help many of them come closer to understanding that Allah (swt) is the same God who sent the Bible and loves them.

Its best you read the Methodology of the Study of the Quran by Maulana Imran Hosein to understand where is he coming from. I have already quoted below and it does not make sense for me to repeat.

Now, when the Ka'bah was finally established as the Qiblah sixteen or seventeen months after the Hijrah, some Jews, associators and hypocrites began to scoff at the Holy Prophet and his Companions for being so capricious in the matter of their Qiblah. The Holy Qur'an reports this objection, adding that such an objection can come only from stupid people - just as earlier in this Surah those who turn away from the religion of Sayyidna Ibrahim have been described as people who have besotted themselves. In replying to this objection, the second part of the verse shows that their stupidity lies in not realizing that the East and the West both belong to Allah Himself, and that He guides whomsoever He likes on the straight path. The verse, thus, explains the meaning of adopting an orientation - that is to say, neither does the Ka'bah nor the Baytul-Maqdis by itself possess any exclusive merit in this regard, and it is the divine commandment alone which gives to it the distinction of being the Qiblah - it could have as easily chosen some other place to serve the purpose. Moreover, the only merit in adopting a particular Qiblah lies in one's obedience to the divine commandment and in one's total submission to the will of Allah, which is the basic principle of the religion of the founder of the Ka'bah, Sayyidna Ibrahim .
...
When the Holy Prophet came to Madinah, he had to deal with the Jews, and in order to familiarize them with Islam he adopted their Qiblah under divine commendment. But, by and by it became evident that a stubborn people like the Jews would not easily give up their hostility to Islam. So, Allah allowed him to go back to the original Qiblah, which, being the Qiblah of his forefathers, Sayyidna Ibrahim and Sayyidna Isma'il , was naturally dearer to him. In fact, the mosque of Sayyidna Salih was oriented towards the Baytullah, as is shown by an incident reported by al-Qurtubi from Abu al-'Aliyah al-Riyahi.
...
...
Now, according to those who prefer the first of the two views, the raison d'etre was that it was necessary at Makkah to differentiate the Muslims from the idol-worshippers and to emphasize the distinction between the two, and hence the Baytul-Maqdis was appointed as the Qiblah of the Muslims instead of the Baytullah which was at that time the Qiblah of the mushrikin. Then, after the Hijrah, there arose a new need at Madinah - that of highlighting the distinction between the Muslims and the Jews. So, the Qiblah of the Jews was given up, and the Baytullah was adopted as the Qiblah of the Muslims.
...
... the commandment with regard to the change in orientation is a test of the faith of those who claim to be the followers of the Holy Prophet , which would openly demonstrate the distinction between those who are genuinely obedient to Allah and His Messenger , and those who follow their individual opinion. History records that after this verse had been revealed, those who were weak in their faith, or were just hypocrites, forsook Islam, and even accused the Holy Prophet of having gone back to the ways of his own people - that is, of the mushrikin.

I completely agree to this. Infact I even have a better historical account of this but its not necessary to repeat ourselves since I agree to this Tafsir of the Maariful Quran and I'm not in disagreement. But again this is a historical reference which does abrogate the Qiblah (direction of prayer) and we as Muslims have to accept it, MashA'Allah.

But is the historical account sufficient? Does something else appeals to the mind of those who are Ulul Albaab - Those who do Firk (thought and ponder)? Those who are Rasikhun Fil Al Ilm (Possessing Knowledge) - Surah Imran Verse 7 ?

That is what generally people fail to realize. Allah (swt) bestows his Knowledge on to whomsoever He wills. InshA'Allah I will explain what I meant by these words in my next post.

Najashi had accepted Islam. He did not die a Christian. Qur'an specifically prohibits the Messenger and the Muslims from praying for non-Muslims (for their forgiveness).

Najashi's aceptace Of Islam:
---------------------------------
Ishaq also reports that Muhammad sent a letter to the Negus, inviting the latter to embrace Islam:

"The apostle sent Shuja' b. Wahb, brother of B. Asad b. Khuzayma, to al-Mundhir b. al-Harith b. Abu Shimr al-Ghassani, lord of Damascus... (T. via Salama. The apostle sent 'Amr b. Umayya al-Damri to the Negus about Ja'far b. Abu Talib and his companions and sent a letter with him ... 'From Muhammad the apostle of God to the Negus al-Asham king of Abyssinia, Peace. I praise Allah unto you the King, the Holy, the Peace, the Faithful, the Watcher, and I bear witness that Jesus son of Mary is the spirit of God and His word which he cast to Mary the Virgin, the good, the pure, so that she conceived Jesus. God created him from His spirit and His breathing as He created Adam by His hand and His breathing. I call you to God the Unique without partner and to His obedience, and to follow me and to believe in that which came to me, for I am the apostle of God. I have sent to you my nephew Ja'far with a number of Muslims, and when they come to you entertain them without haughtiness, for I invite you and your armies to God. I have accomplished (my work) and my admonitions, so receive my advice. Peace upon all those that follow the true guidance.'


"The Negus replied: ... 'From Negus al-Asham b. Abjar, Peace upon you, O prophet of Allah, and mercy and blessing from Allah beside Whom there is no God, who has guided me to Islam. I have received your letter in which you mention the matter of Jesus and by the Lord of heaven and earth he is not one strap more than what you say. We know that with which you were sent to us and we have entertained your nephew and his companions . I testify that you are God's apostle, true and confirming (those before you). I have given my fealty to you and to your nephew and I have surrendered myself through him to the Lord of the worlds. I have sent to you my son Arha. I have control only over myself and if you wish me to come to you, O apostle of God, I will do so. I bear witness that what you say is true. '


"I was told that the Negus sent his son with sixty Abyssinians by boat, and when they were in the middle of the sea the boat foundered and they all perished.)" (Ishaq, pp. 657-658)

I appreciate you sharing this explanation of the Mufti Sahab. But I kindly would like to disagree and there are several reasons for that. First and the formost this account has been quoted in Ibn Ishaq and not all commentators of the Quran agree to this account, for if they did they would definitely had mentioned in their commentaries and I mean all of them would've mentioned this same account. Other commentators have mentioned a different account and InshA'Allah you can view the below:

First of all why was the following Verse revealed, what was the Asabaab e Nuzul (Reasons for the revelations) of Surah Imran Verse 199?

An event took place due to which this Verse was revealed. What was that event?

Said Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah, Anas, Ibn ‘Abbas and Qatadah: “This was revealed about the Negus. When the latter died, Gabriel, peace be upon him, informed the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, about his death on the same day he died. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to his Companions: ‘Go out and perform the prayer of the dead on one of your brothers who died in a different land’. They asked him: ‘Who is he?’ And he told them it was the Negus. Then the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, went out to the Baqi‘ and all that was between Medina and the land of Abyssinia was revealed to him such that he saw the bed of the Negus. He performed the prayer of the dead, uttering the expression Allahu akbar [Allah is the greatest] four times, and requested forgiveness for him. He then told his Companions: ‘Request forgiveness for him!’ The hypocrites commented: ‘Look at this one, performing the prayer of the dead on a foreign Christian Abyssinian whom he has never seen and who does not even follow his religion’. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed this verse”.

“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 Qur’ān) 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!”

(Qur’ān, Āle ‘Imrān, 3:199

Abu’l-Fadl Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Yusuf informed us> Abu ‘Amr Muhammad ibn Ja‘far ibn Matar (by dictation)> Ja‘far ibn Muhammad ibn Sinan al-Wasiti> Abu Hani’ Muhammad ibn Bakkar al-Bahili> al-Mu‘tamir ibn Sulayman> Humayd> Anas who reported that the Prophet of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to his Companions: “Get up and perform the prayer of the dead on your brother the Negus”. Some of them said to others: “He is asking us to pray on a non-believer from Abyssinia!” And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed (And lo! of the People of the Scripture there are some who believe in Allah…). Mujahid, Ibn Jurayj and Ibn Zayd stated that this was revealed about all the believers of the people of the Book.


The above is taken from Kitab Asbab al-Nuzul ("Book of occasions of revelation") of Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi (d. 1075 CE). Wahidi's work is not only the first attempt to collect all the material regarding the occasions of revelation in one single volume, but it is also the standard upon which all subsequent works were based.

http://www.altafsir.com/AsbabAlnuzol.asp?SoraName=3&Ayah=199&search=yes&img=A&LanguageID=2

My questions, and these I am not posing them to you but that I ask myself as to why isn't the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) not correcting the hypocrites or those opposing him, that their brother i.e. Negus was a Muslim now and he has accepted Islam? Even though he knew their muttering amongst themselves that ....'He is asking us to pray on a non-believer from Abyssinia'. He does not mention about this response of Najashi's acceptance of Islam, meaning he never gave reference to Najashi's reply that he accepted Islamic belief wholeheartedly sitting in Abyssinia even though he (sallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) was able to see the unseen and saw his bed as mentioned in the above tradition.

Which to me means that the ones praying including the Prophet himself had the understanding that they were about to ask for forgiveness for a Christian. Now when this talk was happening amongst themselves is when the above Verse 199 was revealed with endorsement from the Al Mighty Allah thus confirming that our Beloved Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) was right to pray for a Christian who was a believer.

Also surprisingly Allah (swt) Himself does not mention the word Muslim or Islam in the above Verse but confirms that these People of the Book believed and feared Him as He should be. He explained their characteristics while accepting their identity of Christian or Jew.

Personally I believe it would be absurd to just understand this Verse in the context of a past isolated event. It would be incorrect understanding of the Quran that it should be only interpreted about Negus and no one else after him, even though the Quran is a Universal Message and the only Divine Scripture which is still in its original form after 15 centuries. I pray that InshA'Allah you also understand that.

Based on the above Tafsir of Al Wahidi and other scholars including Tafsir Tabari (I can provide reference if you wish to) also explained the background of this Verse with same incident and did not mention anything about this letter of Ibn Ishaq. Allah (swt) knows best.

Based on the above and similar Tafsirs of this Verse (I'm pretty sure) Maulana Imran Hosein in his Methodology of the Study of the Quran gave the following comments on Najashi:

Christians who displayed love and affection for Islam and for Muslims did appear in early Islam when the Negus of Abyssinia (i.e., modern-day Ethiopia) rejected the request of Makkah to repatriate the Muslims (who were slaves or semi-slaves) who had fled from persecution and oppression in Makkah, and had sought asylum in
Abyssinia. Indeed, when the Negus died, and the news of his death reached Nabī Muhammad ( )ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺳﻠﻢ in Madīna, he performed the funeral prayer for him, thus recognizing him as a Christian who had faith in Allah Most High despite some of his Christian beliefs. There is absolutely no evidence from Prophet Muhammad ( , )ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺳﻠﻢ who conducted that funeral prayer, that the Negus had renounced his belief in Jesus as the son of God, or that he had ceased to worship Jesus as God; nor do we have any such evidence from the community of Christians of whom he was the leader. When there is no such evidence from these two primary sources, evidence from self-serving secondary sources is of no scholarly value.


Before I end this post I would like to mention a Verse of the Quran which I believe is in reference to all mankind and it is due to this why the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) once stood up for a Jew's funeral:

They said, "A funeral procession passed in front of the Prophet and he stood up. When he was told that it was the coffin of a Jew, he said, "Is it not a living being (soul)? (Sahih Bukhari)

I have made every human being in virtue of him being a human being honorable

(Surah Al Isra Verse 70)



May Allah (swt) help us understand each other, Ameen.

 

[syed_z]

The Quraish had their own way as well.

Salaam,

Thats right, but the Quran speaks positively about Jews and Christians who do not show hostility to the Muslims and the message of Islam and does not categorize all of them as disbelievers and people of the hellfire, it does not put all of them in one basket. And I believe I have shared more than enough Verses below which you may feel free to read.

May Allah (swt) help us understand each other. Ameen


By the way in addition to the above It reminded me of another important affection that is displayed in the Quran between Muslims and people of the book unlike any one else including the idolators like Disbelievers of Quraish:


God also refers to the joy of the Muslims when the Christians of Byzantium defeated the pagan Persians:

Alif lam mim. / The Byzantines have been vanquished / in the nearer [part of the] land. But they, after their vanquishing, shall be the victors / in a few years. To God belongs the command before and after, and on that day, the believers shall rejoice. (Al-Rum, 30:1-4)

God knew full well of course that Muslims would later face the same Christians of Byzantium in battle (including at the Battle of Mu’tah during the Messenger’s ! own lifetime in 630 CE), yet He immortalized the Muslims’ joy about the Christian victory over the idolaters in the Holy Qur’an (disbelievers of Makkah). Moreover, God speaks of their victory in the form of a happy promise to the Muslims that would cause the Muslims to rejoice, and so this means that there is special affection between Muslims and Christians. Indeed, this is precisely what God promises in the following verse:

You will truly find the most hostile of people to those who believe to be the Jews and the idolaters; and you will truly find the nearest of them in love to those who believe to be those who say ‘Verily, we are Christians’; that is because some of them are priests and monks, and because they are not proud. (Al-Ma’idah, 5:82)

Although God warns His Messenger about the hostility of some Jews towards him, and praises Christians in this verse, in other verses God praises the Children of Israel (or at least the faithful and pious among them).


(Love in the Holy Quran by Prince Ghazi - Kazi Publications)

 

[AabiruSabeel]

I believe there is a miscommunication (and why wouldn't it be as we're online and not in person) trying to help me understand that the Bible is not in its original form even though that is not my discussion and even though I never claimed that they are in their original form and that is absolutely not what I meant when I quoted the above Verse. It was to show you that Dawah will continue till the end of the world to the Non Muslims thats why I quoted that Verse.

Yes, that is not the point of our discussion. The main point is, as quoted from Ma'ariful Qur'an in my previous post:
It is obvious enough that after the revelation of the Holy Qur'an, which is the last message of Allah, perfect obedience to Allah can only mean accepting Islam and following the Last Prophet Muhammad :saws1:.[SUP]23[/SUP] The verse, in effect, assures everyone that once a man has accepted Islam, all his former transgressions, whether in the matter of beliefs or in that of deeds, will be forgiven, and he will become worthy of receiving the rewards of the other world.
[SUP]Footnote
23.[/SUP]Contrary to the flaccid fancies of some "modernizers" who are very happy with themselves over their "liberalism" and "tolerance", the present verse does not open the way to salvation for each and every "man of good will" irrespective of the creed he follows. If one reads the verse in its proper context and along with other relevant verses of the Holy Qur'an, one will easily see that the verse, in fact, promises salvation in the other world only to those who accept Islam. It is an invitation to Islam extended to the Jews, the Christians, the Sabeans and, as a matter of fact, to the followers of all possible religions, and even to non-believers -specific names only serve as examples.


And the other Ayaat that I quoted earlier:


And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.[3:85]

Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam. [3:19]


And the Hadith:
'Umar :ra: came to the Prophet :saws: said: "We hear from the Jews narrations that impress us, do you think we should write down some of them?" The Prophet :saws: replied: "Are you all going to fall into the same chaos (amutahawwikun) in which fell the Jews and Christians? I brought it [the Religion] to you pristine and pure. If Musa were alive, he would have no alternative but to follow me!" Narrated from Jabir by al-Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-Iman (1:200) and mursal from al-Hasan by al-Khatib in al-Jami` li Akhlaq al-Rawi


When even Musa :as: cannot follow the Taurah after the advent of Muhammad :saws:, then how can the Jews and Christians follow it and remain on their own religion? Are they better than Musa :as:?

My questions, and these I am not posing them to you but that I ask myself as to why isn't the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) not correcting the hypocrites or those opposing him, that their brother i.e. Negus was a Muslim now and he has accepted Islam? Even though he knew their muttering amongst themselves that ....'He is asking us to pray on a non-believer from Abyssinia'. He does not mention about this letter that Ibn Ishaq has shared in his Tarikh.

Which to me means that the ones praying including the Prophet himself had the understanding that they were about to ask for forgiveness for a Christian. Now when this talk was happening amongst themselves is when the above Verse 199 was revealed with endoresement from the Al Mighty Allah thus confirming that our Beloved Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) was right to pray for a Christian who was a believer.
...

Indeed, when the Negus died, and the news of his death reached Nabī Muhammad ( )ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺳﻠﻢ in Madīna, he performed the funeral prayer for him, thus recognizing him as a Christian who had faith in Allah Most High despite some of his Christian beliefs. There is absolutely no evidence from Prophet Muhammad ( , )ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺳﻠﻢ who conducted that funeral prayer, that the Negus had renounced his belief in Jesus as the son of God, or that he had ceased to worship Jesus as God; nor do we have any such evidence from the community of Christians of whom he was the leader. When there is no such evidence from these two primary sources, evidence from self-serving secondary sources is of no scholarly value.

The Prophet :saws: did not reply to the hypocrites because it is not necessary to reply every troll and mischief maker.

You are saying above that there is no evidence of Najashi reverting to Islam. It seems like those who make this claim are not well versed in history. If you read the Seerah and the details of the migration to Abyssinia, you will find that the Quraysh sent 'Amr bin al-'As bin Wa'il and 'Abdullah bin Rabi'ah to convince Najashi to return the Muslims back to them. Najashi refused to extradite the Muslims.
Then on the second day, they made a plan and tried to provoke Najashi against Muslims by saying that Muslims do not believe 'Isa :as: to be the son of Allah and that they belittle his status. Najashi called the Muslims again and Ja'far :ra: informed him that “We say about him that which our Prophet brought, saying, he is the slave of Allah and His Messenger, and His spirit, and His word, which He cast into Maryam the blessed virgin.”
Najashi agreed with it saying he is no more than what Muslims say about him, much to the dismay of all the Christian scholars around him.


The second evidence of his acceptance of Islam is the letter which sent back to Rasulullah :saws:.
"In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Negus Ashama to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah! and mercy and blessing from Allah beside Whom there is no god. I have received your letter in which you have mentioned about Jesus and by the Lord of heaven and earth, Jesus is not more than what you say. We fully acknowledge that with which you have been sent to us and we have entertained your cousin and his companions. I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah, true and confirming (those who have gone before you), I pledge to you through your cousin and surrender myself through him to the Lord of the worlds."[Za'd Al-Ma'ad 3/61]


And the third evidence of his acceptance of Islam is that Jibreel :as: asked the prophet to pray his Janazah, even though Allah says in the Qur'an:
It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire. [9:113]

Note that if Najashi had still believed in 'Isa :as: to be the son of Allah then he would have been a polytheist. And also note that the above Ayah was revealed in Makkah at the death of Abu Talib, several years before the death of Najashi. It means this command was revealed much earlier. If Najashi was not a Muslim, then Jibreel :as: would not have asked the Prophet :saws: to pray for him.

 

[syed_z]

May Allah (swt) help us understand each other. Ameen


The following verse - as you have quoted it - does not leave members of the Quraish out.

Quote Originally Posted by syed_z View Post
Verily those who have attained to faith (in this divine writ) as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians - all who believe in God and the Last day and do the righteous deeds - shall have their reward with their sustainer: no fear need the

Thanks for that question Brother Najmuddin. May be you're right, may be it does include the righteous among the Quraish before the Quran was revealed.

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: The Prophet met zaid bin 'amr bin nufail in the bottom of (the valley of) Baldah before any Divine Inspiration came to the Prophet. A meal was presented to the Prophet but he refused to eat from it. (Then it was presented to zaid) who said, "I do not eat anything which you slaughter in the name of your stone idols. I eat none but those things on which Allah's Name has been mentioned at the time of slaughtering." zaid bin 'amr used to criticize the way Quraish used to slaughter their animals, and used to say, "Allah has created the sheep and He has sent the water for it from the sky, and He has grown the grass for it from the earth; yet you slaughter it in other than the Name of Allah. He used to say so, for he rejected that practice and considered it as something abominable.

(Sahih Bukhari)


Narrated Asma bint Abi Bakr: I saw zaid bin Amr bin nufail standing with his back against the Ka'ba and saying, "O people of Quraish! By Allah, none amongst you is on the religion of Abraham except me." He used to preserve the lives of little girls: If somebody wanted to kill his daughter he would say to him, "Do not kill her for I will feed her on your behalf." So he would take her, and when she grew up nicely, he would say to her father, "Now if you want her, I will give her to you, and if you wish, I will feed her on your behalf." (Sahih Al Bukhari)



If you may ask many Ulema who follow the literalist interpretation might hastily conclude that even Zaid bin Amr is in hell fire. I don't know may be. But ask yourself what about his righteous deeds?

After all isn't Islam a deen of Fitrah and many good deeds are in conformity to our faith that Allah (swt) has instilled in the hearts of Mankind:

So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people.

(Surah Al Rum Verse 30)


Abu Umamah reported that a man once asked RasulAllah (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) "What is faith" He replied: When your good deed make you happy and your bad deeds make you sad, you have faith.
And then the man asked him: "What is Sin?" and RasulAllah (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) replied: When anything pricks your conscience, avoid it. (Ahmad)

(Guidance from Hadith and Sunnah)

I believe that Zaid bin Amr had that same connection to his deeds, he could connect them to his Fitrah Allah.

 

[AabiruSabeel]

Absolutely not. Do Dawah because the Quran orders us to. And InshA'Allah Dawah will continue till the end of the world.

Your premise of saying Jews and Christians do not go to hell for disbelieving in the last and final Messenger and not following him negates the purpose of Da'wah to them completely. Why would anyone accept Islam if they can still go to Jannah while following their own religion?

The Qur'an does not ask us to invite Jews and Christians towards Islam for nothing. It would be useless to do that.


I request you to not take anything from maulana Imran Hosein. Several of his views are controversial and not authentic. Please see http://www.muftisays.com/blog/Muadh...aykh-imran-hosein-amp-some-strange-views.html for details.

 

[AabiruSabeel]

Thanks for that question Brother Najmuddin. May be you're right, may be it does include the righteous among the Quraish before the Quran was revealed.

Exactly, in the same way, the Jews and Christians who are saved are the ones who believed in the correct teaching revealed on Musa :as: and 'Isa :as: until before the revelation of Qur'an. This is what I am trying to say all this time.

 

[syed_z]

23.Contrary to the flaccid fancies of some "modernizers" who are very happy with themselves over their "liberalism" and "tolerance", the present verse does not open the way to salvation for each and every "man of good will" irrespective of the creed he follows. If one reads the verse in its proper context and along with other relevant verses of the Holy Qur'an, one will easily see that the verse, in fact, promises salvation in the other world only to those who accept Islam. It is an invitation to Islam extended to the Jews, the Christians, the Sabeans and, as a matter of fact, to the followers of all possible religions, and even to non-believers -specific names only serve as examples.

Mufti Muhammad Shafi whom you quote is no doubt one of the literary figures in Islam in Pakistan and his Maariful Quran is very good Tafsir MashA'Allah and I respect him for that as I myself read that tafsir sometimes and have learned a lot from it. We should respect what someone has achieved and attest to it.

The difference what is between Scholars like Mufti Muhammad Shafi and Scholars like Maulana Imran Hosein and Muhammad Asad is quite apart.

The reason, and I pray that you understand for you are quick to jump to conclusions from my post. You don't read and udnerstand. Sadly.

Mufti Muhammad Shafi has lived, learned, educated, practiced and taught in the South Asian society only and has understood Islam and taught Islam from a perspective based on his understanding of the Deen from an environment which is Muslim only and strictly traditional (If I may use the word).


Maulana Imran Hosein has been raised in an environment completely different. He was raised not as scholar from his childhood, instead he in his very early teens had his heart turned towards Islam after listening to Mualana Fazlur Rehman Ansaari who went and gave a lecture on Islam and Science in Caribbean. He is not only learned in Islamic sciences but thoroughly in secular sciences and especially international relations. He born and raised and taught and studied in the Universities of the East and West and taught in US. His exposure in the international area and especially people who belong to the Jewish and Christian faith is quite a bit.

Muhammad Asad formerly born as Leopold Weis (born to Jewish Parents) accepted Islam in his teen years and he became most influential Muslims of the Europe in the 20th century.

These people, their upbringing and learning in Islam and their exposure is quite apart from Mufti Shafi. The view and understanding of the culture of the modern world especially Europe and the approach of the Quran towards those people who are referred to as the Ahle Kitab (Jews and Christians) is something they did not only have bookish knowledge but had also experienced it by interactions on a daily basis.


Allah reveals His Knowledge to whomsoever He wills of His Servants so that the Message is given to those however He wants. He then inspires them to deliver His message to the world by making them understand the Quran. He (swt) says in the Quran:

(Surah Al Ankabut)
CONVEY [unto others] whatever of this divine writ has been revealed unto thee,

(18:27)
AND CONVEY [to the world] whatever has been revealed to thee of thy Sustainer's writ. There is nothing that could alter His Words



Hujjatul Islam Imam Muhammad Ghazali says the below in his Ihya Ulum Al Din in the Chapter 8 'Recitation of the Quran'

The Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) said "There are surely for the Quran open meaning, secret meaning, limits and different steps. Harat Ali (r.a) said "If I wish I can load seventy camels with the Tafsir of chapter Surah Fatiha. Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Masud (R.a) said If a man desires to gain knowledge of the earlier and future people, he should ponder over the Quran. It is not acquired by only external Tafsirs. The Quran speaks of His glory and might which are unlimited.Therefore explanations of the Quran are unlimited.

(2:269) granting wisdom unto whom He wills: and whoever is granted wisdom has indeed been granted wealth abundant. But none bears this in mind save those who are endowed with insight.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (r.a) explained this word 'Wisdom' in the above verse as the knowledge of the Quran. Regarding the external meaning of the Quran, there are innumerable sayings of the Prophet. The Prophet said 'He who interprets the Quran according to his own opinion should seek his abode in Hell.' Thus he prohibted individual interpretation and this prohibition has 2 objects. The first object is to limit it in hadith and tafsir, not discover new meanings and to give up independent thinking. The second object is other than that. If its object is that a man cannot interpret the Quran except according to the standard Tafsir, it is void for the reasons below.


1. There are different opinions regarding the interpretation of some Verses among the companions. It was not possible for them to be unanimous. Everybody did not interpret it only after hearing from the Prophet, then their own opionions are fit to be rejected. It is well known that the interpreters extracted many meanings by applying their intellect. Even they had seven interpretation of the abbreviated words at the beginning of each Surah.

Imam Ghazali also says that "He who is not expert in external meanings and discovers their meanings only by intellect commit mistakes. He belongs to that class of men who intepret it according to their own opinions. At first, there is necessity of Hadith and Tafsir for external meaning in order to be free from mistakes and then with the advancement of knowledge and wisdom, meanings come out from the intellect."

All of the great people of Islam in the past have explained in Imam Ghazali's book that to have a deeper understanding of the Quran i.e. beyond the traditional tafsirs and hadith is not only not wrong but commendable. The traditional sciences should be studied and then pondering to derive deeper meanings by Scholars is highly commendable. But who can do that? Those who have knowledge, who are people of knowledge.

Muhammad Asad and Maulana Imran Hosein gave explanations which is through wisdom, experience and intellect. Therefore I respectfully do not agree with Mufti Shafi calling such people 'Modernizers' or labeling them 'liberalist' etc.

The Prophet did not reply to the hypocrites because it is not necessary to reply every troll and mischief maker.

This is your answer and not the Prophet's answer. Rather the Prophet's answer and actions said to go to Baqi and recite prayer and make Dua for forgiveness.

You are saying above that there is no evidence of Najashi reverting to Islam. It seems like those who make this claim are not well versed in history. If you read the Seerah and the details of the migration to Abyssinia, you will find that the Quraysh sent 'Amr bin al-'As bin Wa'il and 'Abdullah bin Rabi'ah to convince Najashi to return the Muslims back to them. Najashi refused to extradite the Muslims.
Then on the second day, they made a plan and tried to provoke Najashi against Muslims by saying that Muslims do not believe 'Isa to be the son of Allah and that they belittle his status. Najashi called the Muslims again and Ja'far informed him that “We say about him that which our Prophet brought, saying, he is the slave of Allah and His Messenger, and His spirit, and His word, which He cast into Maryam the blessed virgin.”
Najashi agreed with it saying he is no more than what Muslims say about him, much to the dismay of all the Christian scholars around him.

If what you quoted above means that he accepted Islam and became a Muslim then he should've joined the Muslims in Madinah. He should've become part of the new Islamic State of Madinah. In fact he should've asked for a dispatch of warriors and soldiers from his territory to go back to Madinah and assist the Prophet in his Ghazwaat (battles) that he had with the Quraish and especially with the Jews. Did any of such thing happened? The answer is very obvious.

The second evidence of his acceptance of Islam is the letter which sent back to Rasulullah .
"In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Negus Ashama to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah! and mercy and blessing from Allah beside Whom there is no god. I have received your letter in which you have mentioned about Jesus and by the Lord of heaven and earth, Jesus is not more than what you say. We fully acknowledge that with which you have been sent to us and we have entertained your cousin and his companions. I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah, true and confirming (those who have gone before you), I pledge to you through your cousin and surrender myself through him to the Lord of the worlds."[Za'd Al-Ma'ad 3/61]

The Prophet (SalllAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) himself never mentioned the contents of this letter to the people of Madinah especially when he was going to pray for him and neither do we have anything from the Christian sources from Abyssinia saying this.

That is why Maulana Imran is right when he says the following "There is absolutely no evidence from Prophet Muhammad ( , )ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺳﻠﻢ who conducted that funeral prayer, that the Negus had renounced his belief in Jesus as the son of God, or that he had ceased to worship Jesus as God; nor do we have any such evidence from the community of Christians of whom he was the leader. "

Surprisingly the traditional tafsirs also don't mention this letter.

In fact what really surprises me that when Allah (swt) revealed the Verse 199 He did it right at the moment when Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) was going to pray and He referred to Najashi while maintaining his Christian identity. Should we take Ibn Ishaq's word over the Word of Allah (swt) and His Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam)?:

“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 Qur’ān) as well as in that which has been bestowed upon them (i.e., the Torah and the Gospel)"


Maulana comments on this Verse

"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)

(Methodology of the study of the Quran)

And the third evidence of his acceptance of Islam is that Jibreel asked the prophet to pray his Janazah, even though Allah says in the Qur'an:
It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire. [9:113]

Note that if Najashi had still believed in 'Isa to be the son of Allah then he would have been a polytheist. And also note that the above Ayah was revealed in Makkah at the death of Abu Talib, several years before the death of Najashi. It means this command was revealed much earlier. If Najashi was not a Muslim, then Jibreel would not have asked the Prophet to pray for him.

You made a very good point and I'm glad you did because after reading the above we can ask that question that are all Ahle Kitab Polytheist/Mushrik? If they are all polytheist then why did Allah (swt) mention them as "Associators" and Mushriks and Idolators while mentioned the Jews and Christians as Ahle Kitab (People of the book)? Why did He choose to distinguish them?

"And the food of those who have been vouchsafed revelation aforetime is lawful to you, and your food is lawful to them. And [lawful to you are], in wedlock, women from among those who believe [in this divine writ], and, in wedlock, women from among those who have been vouchsafed revelation before your time "

(Al Maidah Verse 5)

AND DO NOT many women who ascribe divinity to aught beside God (Mushriks/Idolators) ere they attain to [true] belief: for any believing bondwoman [of God] 208 is certainly better than a woman who ascribe divinity to aught beside God (Mushrik), even though she please you greatly.

(Surah Al Baqara Verse 221)

Since Christians commit Shirk (blasphemy) when they worship Nabī ‘Isa (Jesus )ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻟﺴﻼ' , and are hence Mushrikūn, and since Allah Most High has prohibited marriage between a Muslim and someone who is Mushrik, then why has He permitted Muslim men to marry Christian women? Is the Qur’ān inconsistent? Obviously not.


Thou wilt surely find that, of all people, the most hostile to those who believe [in this divine writ] are the Jews as well as those who are bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God (Mushriks); and thou wilt surely find that, of all people, they who say, "Behold, we are Christians," come closest to feeling affection for those who believe [in this divine writ]: this is so because there are priests and monks among them, and because these are not given to arrogance.97



(Surah Al Maidah Verse 82)


Allama Asad comments on the above Verse

97"I.e., they do not believe, as do the Jews, that revelation is God's exclusive gift to the children of Israel; and their "priests and monks" teach them that humility is the essence of all true faith. It is noteworthy that the Qur'an does not in this context include the Christians among "those who are bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God" (alladhina ashraku - the element of intent being expressed in the use of the past tense, similar to alladhina kafaru, alladhina zalamu, etc.): for although, by their deification of Jesus, they are guilty of the sin of shirk ("the ascribing of divinity to anyone or anything beside God"), the Christians do not consciously worship a plurality of deities inasmuch as, theoretically, their theology postulates belief in the One God, who is conceived as manifesting Himself in a trinity of aspects, or "persons", of whom Jesus is supposed to be one. However repugnant this doctrine may be to the teachings of the Qur'an, their shirk is not based on conscious intent, but rather flows from their "overstepping the bounds of truth" in their veneration of Jesus (see 4:171, 5:77). Cf. in this context Razi's remarks mentioned in note 16 on 6:23"

(Message of the Quran)

https://www.usc.edu/schools/college...he_Message_of_The_Quran__by_Muhammad_Asad.pdf


In the above instances Allah (swt) Himself differentiates a Christian or Ahle Kitab from a Mushrik/Idol Worshipper or Associator. If Allah (swt) Himself differentiates then who are we to call all Christians polytheist or idolators?

And keeping this in mind if Allah (swt) Himself accepts that there are believers among the Ahle Kitab till the day of judgment then why wouldn't Gabriel (alaihi Salaam) descend at the death of Najashi even though he died a Christian believer.

 

[AabiruSabeel]

You don't read and udnerstand. Sadly.

Rather it seems like you have not read any of the links I posted above. Those links have detailed explanation on why your points are wrong.

If what you quoted above means that he accepted Islam and became a Muslim then he should've joined the Muslims in Madinah. He should've become part of the new Islamic State of Madinah. In fact he should've asked for a dispatch of warriors and soldiers from his territory to go back to Madinah and assist the Prophet in his Ghazwaat (battles) that he had with the Quraish and especially with the Jews. Did any of such thing happened? The answer is very obvious.

This is the first example of not reading and researching completely. It has been reported by Ishaq:

"I was told that the Negus sent his son with sixty Abyssinians by boat, and when they were in the middle of the sea the boat foundered and they all perished.)" (Ishaq, pp. 657-658)

How can the Prophet :saws: ask Najashi to come and assist him when the Prophet himself was sending the Muslims as migrants to Abyssinia?

Each person has his own role and the role of Najashi was to protect the Muslims who migrated to his country. There was no need for him to leave his people and migrate to Madinah. His stay in his own country was more important to help spread Islam in African nations.

Muhammad Asad and Maulana Imran Hosein gave explanations which is through wisdom, experience and intellect. Therefore I respectfully do not agree with Mufti Shafi calling such people 'Modernizers' or labeling them 'liberalist' etc.

With all due respect to Maulana Imran Hosein, he has erred in his explanation of several issues as is evident by the explanation give here: http://www.muftisays.com/blog/Muadh...aykh-imran-hosein-amp-some-strange-views.html

Not everyone who applies their wisdom, experience and intellect arrives at the correct conclusion, if his conclusion is not in accordance with the Qur'an, Sunnah, practice of the Sahabah and Tabi'een, and the ijma' of the scholars of the ummah.

Please see the fatwa http://www.askimam.org/public/question_detail/30211 which states:

Shaykh Imran Hosein has chosen to interpret such texts based on logic and self-interpretation, rather than staying under the light of Quran and Sunnh.

The fact of the matter is that all such interpretations are based on mere intellect and are not substantiated by explanations provided by the muhaddithin or mufassirin in the past.

As stated before, we as Muslims are not bound to interpret such Ahadith with our own logic and reasoning. We accept the Ahadith as they are with their apparent meanings without delving into details not explicitly mentioned by the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) or his companions (may Allah be pleased with them).​

The Fatwa also says:

... it is not suitable and not appropriate to listen to his talks.​

Henceforth, we will not allow his teachings to be promoted on IslamicBoard.

That is why Maulana Imran is right when he says the following "There is absolutely no evidence from Prophet Muhammad ( , )ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺳﻠﻢ who conducted that funeral prayer, that the Negus had renounced his belief in Jesus as the son of God, or that he had ceased to worship Jesus as God; nor do we have any such evidence from the community of Christians of whom he was the leader. "

I have already provided ample proof that Najashi had accepted Islam. If you had read the link I posted earlier http://www.muftisays.com/qa/question/3672/al-najashi-ethiopian-king.html you will find that it states:

Dr. Hameedullah (Paris), a reliable verifier, has adduced a version of the above letter disclosed only a short time ago and identical to Ibn Al-Qaiyim's narration. Dr. Hameedullah exerted painstaking effort and used all means of modern technology to verify the text of the letter, which reads as follows:

"In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Muhammad the Messenger of Allah to Negus, king of Abyssinia (Ethiopia). Peace be upon him who follows true guidance. Salutations, I entertain Allah's praise, there is no god but He, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Source of peace, the Giver of peace, the Guardian of faith, the Preserver of safety. I bear witness that Jesus, the son of Mary, is the spirit of Allah and His Word which He cast into Mary, the virgin, the good, the pure, so that she conceived Jesus. Allah created him from His spirit and His breathing as He created Adam by His Hand. I call you to Allah Alone with no associate and to His obedience and to follow me and to believe in that which came to me, for I am the Messenger of Allah. I invite you and your men to Allah, the Glorious, the All-Mighty. I hereby bear witness that I have communicated my message and advice. I invite you to listen and accept my advice. Peace be upon him
who follows true guidance."[Za'd Al-Ma'ad 3/60]

The text of this letter is doubtlessly authentic, but to maintain that it was written after Al- Hudaibiyah event is still a question lacking in definite evidence. When 'Amr bin Omaiyah Ad-Damari communicated the Apostolic letter to Negus, the latter took the parchment and placed it on his eye, descended to the floor, confessed his faith in Islam and wrote the following reply to the Prophet [pbuh]:

"In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
From Negus Ashama to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah! and mercy and blessing from Allah beside Whom there is no god. I have received your letter in which you have mentioned about Jesus and by the Lord of heaven and earth, Jesus is not more than what you say. We fully acknowledge that with which you have been sent to us and we have entertained your cousin and his companions. I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah, true and confirming (those who have gone before you), I pledge to you through your cousin and surrender myself through him to the Lord of the worlds."[Za'd Al-Ma'ad 3/61]

The Prophet [pbuh] had asked Negus to send Ja'far and his companions, the emigrants to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), back home. They came back to see the Prophet [pbuh] in Khaibar. Negus later died in Rajab 9 A.H. shortly after Tabuk Ghazwa. The Prophet [pbuh] announced his death and observed prayer in absentia for him. Another king succeeded Negus to the throne and another letter was sent to him by the Prophet [pbuh] but whether or not he embraced Islam is still a question not answered yet. [Sahih Muslim 2/99]
​

 

[AabiruSabeel]

Please see the nullifiers of Iman posted by Maulana Huzaifah here: http://www.islamicboard.com/-ilm-knowledge/134340317-daily-fiqh-thread-post2913732.html#post2913732

1. Shirk (ascribing partners unto Allaah Ta`aalaa).
2. Placing intermediaries between oneself and Allaah Ta`aalaa, calling upon them and having Tawakkul upon them instead of Him.
3. Doubting the Kufr of the Kuffaar such as the Christians, Jews, Hindus, Atheists, Buddhists, Agnostics, etc.
4. Believing that any guidance is better or more complete than the guidance of Rasoollullaah صلى الله عليه وسلم.
5. Hating anything which Rasoolullaah صلى الله عليه وسلم brought (i.e. hating any part of Islaam).
6. Mocking Islaam or anything to do with Islaam, whether it be the Qur'aan, or the Ambiyaa, etc.
7. Performing Sihr (Jaadu/Black magic).
8. Assisting the Kuffaar against the Muslimeen (i.e. assisting a Kaafir army to kill Muslims, etc.)
9. Believing that it's okay for some people to not follow the Sharee`ah.
10. Turning away from the Deen of Allaah Ta`aalaa, neither learning it nor acting upon it (i.e. just claiming to be a Muslim whilst not even knowing what being a Muslim means, not believing in Allaah, not believing in the Ambiyaa, not believing in the Qur'aan, etc. and not bothering to learn about any of these things.)

 

[AabiruSabeel]

Since Christians commit Shirk (blasphemy) when they worship Nabī ‘Isa (Jesus )ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻟﺴﻼ' , and are hence Mushrikūn, and since Allah Most High has prohibited marriage between a Muslim and someone who is Mushrik, then why has He permitted Muslim men to marry Christian women? Is the Qur’ān inconsistent? Obviously not.

This has been answered in Tafsir ibn Kathir. Please read below:

The Prohibition of marrying Mushrik Men and Women

Allah prohibited the believers from marrying Mushrik women who worship idols. Although the meaning is general and includes every Mushrik woman from among the idol worshippers and the People of the Scripture, Allah excluded the People of the Scripture from this ruling. Allah stated:

﴾ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ ﴿​

((Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time when you have given their due dowry, desiring chastity (i.e., taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse.) (5:5)

`Ali bin Abu Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said about what Allah said:

﴾ وَلاَ تَنْكِحُواْ الْمُشْرِكَـتِ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنَّ ﴿​

(And do not marry Al-Mushrikat (female idolators) till they believe (worship Allah Alone).) "Allah has excluded the women of the People of the Scripture.'' This is also the explanation of Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Makhul, Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, Zayd bin Aslam and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and others. Some scholars said that the Ayah is exclusively talking about idol worshippers and not the People of the Scripture, and this meaning is similar to the first meaning we mentioned. Allah knows best.

Abu Ja`far bin Jarir (At-Tabari) said, after mentioning that there is Ijma` that marrying women from the People of the Scripture is allowed, "`Umar disliked this practice so that the Muslims do not refrain from marrying Muslim women, or for similar reasons.'' An authentic chain of narrators stated that Shaqiq said: Once Hudhayfah married a Jewish woman and `Umar wrote to him, "Divorce her.'' He wrote back, "Do you claim that she is not allowed for me so that I divorce her'' He said, "No. But, I fear that you might marry the whores from among them.'' Ibn Jarir related that Zayd bin Wahb said that `Umar bin Khattab said, "The Muslim man marries the Christian woman, but the Christian man does not marry the Muslim woman.'' This Hadith has a stronger, authentic chain of narrators than the previous Hadith.

Ibn Abu Hatim said that Ibn `Umar disliked marrying the women from the People of the Scripture. He relied on his own explanation for the Ayah:

﴾ وَلاَ تَنْكِحُواْ الْمُشْرِكَـتِ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنَّ ﴿​

(And do not marry Al-Mushrikat (female idolators) till they believe (worship Allah Alone).)

Al-Bukhari also reported that Ibn `Umar said, "I do not know of a bigger Shirk than her saying that Jesus is her Lord!''

 

[syed_z]

The Prohibition of marrying Mushrik Men and Women

Allah prohibited the believers from marrying Mushrik women who worship idols. Although the meaning is general and includes every Mushrik woman from among the idol worshippers and the People of the Scripture, Allah excluded the People of the Scripture from this ruling. Allah stated:

﴾ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَآ ءَاتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ ﴿
((Lawful to you in marriage) are chaste women from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) before your time when you have given their due dowry, desiring chastity (i.e., taking them in legal wedlock) not committing illegal sexual intercourse.) (5:5)

`Ali bin Abu Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas said about what Allah said:
﴾ وَلاَ تَنْكِحُواْ الْمُشْرِكَـتِ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنَّ ﴿
(And do not marry Al-Mushrikat (female idolators) till they believe (worship Allah Alone).) "Allah has excluded the women of the People of the Scripture.''

Allah (swt) has not included and excluded the women of the Ahle Kitab (Jews and Christians) amongst the idol worshipers. Thats what I understood from the above and thats what I agree.

bu Ja`far bin Jarir (At-Tabari) said, after mentioning that there is Ijma` that marrying women from the People of the Scripture is allowed, "`

Yes, thats correct there has always been an ijma.

An authentic chain of narrators stated that Shaqiq said: Once Hudhayfah married a Jewish woman and `Umar wrote to him, "Divorce her.'' He wrote back, "Do you claim that she is not allowed for me so that I divorce her'' He said, "No. But, I fear that you might marry the whores from among them.''

I don't know if the word hore is right to use or I'm not sure why this translation has been used in English but I don't agree to that word.


However this is what I have read and heard from scholars as well.

"With the conquest of Iraq and Syria, Iraqi and Syrian women became available to the Muslims. Attracted by the beauty of these women, the Muslims divorced their Arab wives. That created a social crisis which led to sexual laxity. Umar accordingly ordered that marriages with foreign ladies should be permitted under exceptional circumstances. Hudhaifa was the administrator of al Madina and he married a Christian beauty of Iraq. When this was brought to the notice of Umar he required Hudhaifa to divorce the Christian beauty, Hudhaifa said that he would not comply with the order unless he was told whether his marriage was unlawful or else; the Caliph referred to the authority under which he wanted him (Hudhaifa) to divorce his legally wedded wife. Umar wrote to say that the marriage he had contracted was not unlawful, but he had been advised to divorce the Christian beauty as it was bound to adversely affect the interests of Arab ladies. Moreover if the Muslims married non-Muslim ladies merely for their beauty that would encourage sexual laxity. Thereupon Hudhaifa divorced his Christian wife."


Umar (r.a) never agreed that it was unlawful to marry the women among Jews and Christians because the Quran clearly states that. What Umar (r.a) is using this temporary rule as a deterrent to keep the companions of the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wassallam) from falling in to the traps of Duniya (worldly beauties).

As the Prophet (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) referred to the 1st three generation as the best generation, the rule that Umar (r.a) ordered to ensure that if the 1st generation of the Muslims was to become lax then what will happen of the remaining Muslims generations? Who would they refer to for guidance? And so it is pretty clear that this decree by Umar was not due to him believing that idol worshippers (Mushriks) and People of the book fall in to same category.


Secondly there was another temporary ruling in the time of Umar (r.a) to the effect which he decreed as a means to protect the society and maintain that its citizens remain safe and the Shariah Law whose basic function is to protect the honor and lives of the Muslims does not become a burden instead and people begin to dislike.


NOW AS FOR the man who steals and the woman who steals, cut off the hand of either of them in requital for what they have wrought, as a deterrent ordained by God:for God is almighty, wise. But as for him who repents after having thus done wrong, and makes amends, behold, God will accept his repentance: verily, God is much forgiving, a dispenser of grace


(Surah Al Maidah Verse 38 and 39)


During famine in Arabia poverty amongst the citizens increased and therefore people were prone to steal or cheat in such times, Umar (r.a) gave the ruling to lift the punishment of cutting off the hands. Now does that mean he was against the ruling or was his ruling of permanent nature? Obviously not, as the word of Allah (swt) is the highest no one can make arbitrary rulings based on our own understandings. What explicitly mentioned is mentioned.

Similarly in this same light one has to understand the temporary lifting of the law by the Islamic authority of marrying women from amongst the Jews and Christians.

Ibn Abu Hatim said that Ibn `Umar disliked marrying the women from the People of the Scripture. He relied on his own explanation for the Ayah:
﴾ وَلاَ تَنْكِحُواْ الْمُشْرِكَـتِ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنَّ ﴿
(And do not marry Al-Mushrikat (female idolators) till they believe (worship Allah Alone).)

Al-Bukhari also reported that Ibn `Umar said, "I do not know of a bigger Shirk than her saying that Jesus is her Lord!''

This is Abdullah Ibn Umar (r.a) own opinion and understanding of the above verse but that still does not make the Ahle Kitab and Idolators/Mushriks as one. They are separately mentioned and there is Divine Wisdom why they have been mentioned in the Quran as such.


If we categorize people as the way we want and do not consider them separately as the Quran puts them, wouldn't that be considered as a nullifier of Iman?

"And the food of those who have been vouchsafed revelation aforetime is lawful to you, and your food is lawful to them. And [lawful to you are], in wedlock, women from among those who believe [in this divine writ], and, in wedlock, women from among those who have been vouchsafed revelation before your time "

(Al Maidah Verse 5)

AND DO NOT many women who ascribe divinity to aught beside God (Mushriks/Idolators) ere they attain to [true] belief: for any believing bondwoman [of God] 208 is certainly better than a woman who ascribe divinity to aught beside God (Mushrik), even though she please you greatly.

(Surah Al Baqara Verse 221)

Thou wilt surely find that, of all people, the most hostile to those who believe [in this divine writ] are the Jews as well as those who are bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God (Mushriks); and thou wilt surely find that, of all people, they who say, "Behold, we are Christians," come closest to feeling affection for those who believe [in this divine writ]: this is so because there are priests and monks among them, and because these are not given to arrogance.97

(Surah Al Maidah Verse 82)

The Messenger of Allah (SallAllahu Alaihi Wassallam) emphasised this when he said: ‘By Him in whose hand is my soul, no servant believes until he loves for his neighbour (or he said: ‘his brother’) what he loves for himself.

Thus mercy and empathy should be shown to all people—every single human being—whether they be believers or not. If we would be too quick to make them and judge them as disbelievers and people of the hellfire in the hereafter then how are we doing justice?

If we are making no difference between them and idol worshippers - even though Quran explicitly makes - then are we fulfilling our duty to the Quran? Something we need to ask ourselves.


Sheikh Hamza Yusuf has also said "Scholars differentiate between idolatry (shirk) and disbelief (kufr). Every shirk is kufr, but not every kufr is shirk"

This is a topic which needs deeper understanding in the light of human nature before you or I start labeling people as disbelievers and judge that their hearts carry disblief. We cannot pass judgment on all Jewish and Christian world that they are Kafirs and Muhriks that they knowingly understanding everything and carry conscious rejection in their hearts.

Sadly, leave alone the Jews and Christians, today we don't even think before we label our brothers with the word Kafir.

 

[AabiruSabeel]

Brother, I think you are missing the point. We are not debating whether it is allowed to marry women from Ahle Kitab. It is an established ijma' (unless they are completely devoid of their faith and have become atheists). And we are not treating Ahle Kitab and idol worshipers as the same.


The point that we are making is, Jews and Christians are disbelievers and they are not Muslims anymore, because they have rejected the message of the last and final Messenger of Allah, Muhammad :saws:. Anyone who doubts their disbelief is also a kafir, as mentioned by the 'ulama in nullifiers of Imaan.



Allah :swt: says:

وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
​

And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. [3:85]

يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْحَقَّ ۚ إِنَّمَا الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِّنْهُ ۖ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ۖ وَلَا تَقُولُوا ثَلَاثَةٌ ۚ انتَهُوا خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا اللَّهُ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۖ سُبْحَانَهُ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ ۘ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلًا
​

O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs. [4:171]

وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَلَدًا
لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمْ شَيْئًا إِدًّا
تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنشَقُّ الْأَرْضُ وَتَخِرُّ الْجِبَالُ هَدًّا
أَن دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ وَلَدًا
وَمَا يَنبَغِي لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا
إِن كُلُّ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَٰنِ عَبْدًا
لَّقَدْ أَحْصَاهُمْ وَعَدَّهُمْ عَدًّا
وَكُلُّهُمْ آتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَرْدًا
​

And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son."
You have done an atrocious thing.
The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation
That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son.
And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son.
There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant.
He has enumerated them and counted them a [full] counting.
And all of them are coming to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone. [19:88-95]

وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّا نَصَارَىٰ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَهُمْ فَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَأَغْرَيْنَا بَيْنَهُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ۚ وَسَوْفَ يُنَبِّئُهُمُ اللَّهُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ
يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِّمَّا كُنتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ ۚ قَدْ جَاءَكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ
يَهْدِي بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلَامِ وَيُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۚ قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ۗ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۚ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
​

And from those who say, "We are Christians" We took their covenant; but they forgot a portion of that of which they were reminded. So We caused among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. And Allah is going to inform them about what they used to do.
O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book.
By which Allah guides those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace and brings them out from darknesses into the light, by His permission, and guides them to a straight path.
They have certainly disbelieved who say that Allah is Christ, the son of Mary. Say, "Then who could prevent Allah at all if He had intended to destroy Christ, the son of Mary, or his mother or everyone on the earth?" And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them. He creates what He wills, and Allah is over all things competent. [5:14-17]

لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۖ وَقَالَ الْمَسِيحُ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ ۘ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ إِلَّا إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۚ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُوا عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
أَفَلَا يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
مَّا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ ۖ كَانَا يَأْكُلَانِ الطَّعَامَ ۗ انظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ الْآيَاتِ ثُمَّ انظُرْ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ
​

They have certainly disbelieved who say, " Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary" while the Messiah has said, "O Children of Israel, worship Allah , my Lord and your Lord." Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.
They have certainly disbelieved who say, " Allah is the third of three." And there is no god except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment.
So will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded. [5:72-75]

Thus mercy and empathy should be shown to all people—every single human being—whether they be believers or not. If we would be too quick to make them and judge them as disbelievers and people of the hellfire in the hereafter then how are we doing justice?

Mercy and empathy can and should be shown to every living being, not just a human being. It has nothing to do with calling them disbelievers. Please read Abz200's post on first page where he has given some examples of mercy and empathy towards disbelievers.

In fact, the best form of mercy that you can show to your disbelieving neighbour is to call him towards Islam and save him from the fire. That is why the Prophet :saws: is known as Rahmatul lil-'Alameen.

 

[muslim brother]

 

[Eric H]

Greetings and peace be with you AHMED PATEL;

Thanks for sharing your video, An Islamic view to 'Muslim Street Patrol'. I believe that with training these Muslim patrols could be a force for good. It would be my prayer that we could have interfaith street patrols, but that is something for the future.

I have been a Christian Street Pastor for almost nine years, we walk around the streets in teams of three or four, with the thought of trying to make our town a kinder and more caring place to be in. We don't go out to preach, but if people ask us about God, and they do, we will try and respectfully dialogue with them.

In our town, the police have designated 'no alcohol zones' however, if we see people drinking, we do not stop to critisize them. We might remind them of the no dinking zone and to be careful if there are police about, but they know this. I have had conversations with people about the dangers of drinking, my dad died an alcoholic. If they are drinking from a glass bottle, we ask them to put the bottle in the bins when they have finished drinking. We often end up sweeping broken glass, and when the pubs close, we see women carrying their high heel shoes and walking in bare feet. We remind drinkers that they have to be more responsible to their fellow neighbours.

It troubles me to see scantily dressed women late at night, we have walked home with a number of them; who have been abandoned by their mates. We often talk to groups of women, and ask them to look after each other, and not leave someone on their own. This has led to a number of interesting conversations. If they are being pestered by someone, we will walk with them. We give out flip flops to women who cannot walk in their heels, give water to people who have had too much to drink and much more.

Most of what we do is just trying to care in practical ways, we help the vulnerable, the homeless, drunks, angry and depressed people. I think every night we go out, at least one person comes up to us and thanks us for being there for them, they know we are volunteers, who can be out until 4 - 5 am because we care.

We go through a very comprehensive training with the police, social services, probation, scriptural, drugs, counselling and more to equip us for life on the streets.

If you were interested in doing something similar with other Muslims, then talk to your local police and council, I am sure they would welcome any extra help. If you go to youtube and search for street pastors, you will find a number of short videos that give a flavour of what we do, I am sure you could come up with an Islamic solution to the problems in our towns.

In the spirit of praying for peace in our towns.

Eric

 

[muslim brother]

Greetings and peace be with you AHMED PATEL;

Thanks for sharing your video, An Islamic view to 'Muslim Street Patrol'. I believe that with training these Muslim patrols could be a force for good. It would be my prayer that we could have interfaith street patrols, but that is something for the future.

I have been a Christian Street Pastor for almost nine years, we walk around the streets in teams of three or four, with the thought of trying to make our town a kinder and more caring place to be in. We don't go out to preach, but if people ask us about God, and they do, we will try and respectfully dialogue with them.

In our town, the police have designated 'no alcohol zones' however, if we see people drinking, we do not stop to critisize them. We might remind them of the no dinking zone and to be careful if there are police about, but they know this. I have had conversations with people about the dangers of drinking, my dad died an alcoholic. If they are drinking from a glass bottle, we ask them to put the bottle in the bins when they have finished drinking. We often end up sweeping broken glass, and when the pubs close, we see women carrying their high heel shoes and walking in bare feet. We remind drinkers that they have to be more responsible to their fellow neighbours.

It troubles me to see scantily dressed women late at night, we have walked home with a number of them; who have been abandoned by their mates. We often talk to groups of women, and ask them to look after each other, and not leave someone on their own. This has led to a number of interesting conversations. If they are being pestered by someone, we will walk with them. We give out flip flops to women who cannot walk in their heels, give water to people who have had too much to drink and much more.

Most of what we do is just trying to care in practical ways, we help the vulnerable, the homeless, drunks, angry and depressed people. I think every night we go out, at least one person comes up to us and thanks us for being there for them, they know we are volunteers, who can be out until 4 - 5 am because we care.

We go through a very comprehensive training with the police, social services, probation, scriptural, drugs, counselling and more to equip us for life on the streets.

If you were interested in doing something similar with other Muslims, then talk to your local police and council, I am sure they would welcome any extra help. If you go to youtube and search for street pastors, you will find a number of short videos that give a flavour of what we do, I am sure you could come up with an Islamic solution to the problems in our towns.

In the spirit of praying for peace in our towns.

Eric

thank you/jazakallah

this is one of many projects i have in mind,i am busy formulating many plans and partners
remember me in your prayers,i aim to address and be proactive in many new endeavours :inshallah
just gathering the support and waiting for allahs divine providence,which has started :Alhumdill

you can pm me too