"O you who have believed, if you obey a party of those who were given the Scripture, they would turn you back, after your belief, [to being] unbelievers."
[Aal-e-Imran 3:100]
In this verse, Allah warns the Muslims about the people of the Scripture (ahlul-kitaab) i.e Jews (who follow Torah), Christians (who follow Bible), Zoroastrians and Sabians.
The word 'obey' is used which refers to following or taking part in their activities or being in their company. Allah has confirmed that they won't rest until they have deviated us from the right path hence we must be aware of them and not let them falter our beliefs.
Allah has specificied that even after believing in Allah and entering Islam, people of the Scripture can corrupt our minds so much that a believer can turn in an unbeliever.
"O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people."
[Al-Maidah 5:51]
This verse refers to the fact that a Muslim should not take certain Jews or Christians as friends. Within the same surah, Al-Maidah, Allah confirms that it is not forbidden to take Christians and Jews as friends. Only some specific type of Jews and Christians who are hell-bent on deviating us from the right path are considered forbidden for us. Allah says;
"You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers (to be) the Jews and those who associate others with Allah; and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say "We are Christians". This is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant."
[Al-Maidah 5:82]
By discussing all the verses together, it can be made clear that the main warning is toward the Jews who are intense in the enmity towards believers.
In the main verse, it is stated that people of Scripture (Jews, Christians and Sabians) are not to be obeyed. In the second verse (referance verse), which is from Surah Al-Maidah, it is stated that Jews and Christians should not be taken as allies. In the next verse used for referance, it is warned that Jews and Mushrikeen (those who associate things with Allah) are the worse enemies of Islam. Hence it is concluded that Jews are mentioned in three spots while Mushrikeen are mentioned once and Christians are said to be closest in affection to Muslims. The ultimate answer is that Jews are the most dangerous. The main warning is towards them.
Dajjal, the deceiver who is the biggest sign of the Last Hour will also be a Jew.
Hence it is ordered, in this verse, that some kinds of Christians and most Jews who want to deviate us from the right path must not be obeyed because they can turn a believer in an unbeliever by corrupting and maligning his thinking.
Things we learnt:
> People of the Scripture have the ability to turn a believer in an unbeliever hence they must not be obeyed.
> Jews are the intense enemies of Islam. A person is described by the company he keeps so we should mark a line between the astray and ourself so we are not misguided by them.
> We should not let the people of the Scripture malign our thoughts for our belief in Allah should be stronger.
May Allah guide us to the right path.
Ameen.
Wama alayna illal balahhul mubeen.
YOU ARE READING
O You Who Believe
SpiritueelIn the name of Allah, The Most Beneficient, The Most Merciful. Here, we will discuss the number of times Allah has directly referred to the Believers in the Qur'an and the orders He has directly betided upon us.
