• The Israelites Cursed By David And Jesus For Their Disobedience And Exceeding The Limits

• Jews’ Enmity And The Christian Friendship Of The Muslims

• The Pious Ones Among The Christian Priests And Monks

Al-Ma’idah Verses 78 – 86

لُعِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَىٰ لِسَانِ دَاوُودَ وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ

“Cursed1were those who believed not, from among the children of Israel, by the tongue of David and Jesus, son of Mary; this because they disobeyed and used to exceed the limits.” (5:78)

كَانُوا لَا يَتَنَاهَوْنَ عَنْ مُنْكَرٍ فَعَلُوهُ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ

“They used not to forbid each other the hateful things which they wrought; Surely how evil was that which they were doing.” (5:79)

تَرَىٰ كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ يَتَوَلَّوْنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَبِئْسَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لَهُمْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ أَنْ سَخِطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَفِي الْعَذَابِ هُمْ خَالِدُونَ

“Thou will see many of them2befriending those who disbelieve; surely evil is that which their selves have sent before for them, for God’s wrath is on them, and in torment shall they abide.” (5:80)

وَلَوْ كَانُوا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالنَّبِيِّ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَا اتَّخَذُوهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ وَلَٰكِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ

“And had they believed in God and the Apostle3and what was sent4down unto him, they would not have taken them for friends, but most of them are evil-doers.” (5:81)

لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَوَدَّةً لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّا نَصَارَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ

“Certainly, thou wilt find the most violent of people in enmity for those who believe, (to be) the Jews and those who are polytheists; and thou wilt certainly find the nearest in friendship to those who believe (to be) those who say; “We are Christians5;” This because there among them are priests and monks and because they are not elated with pride.” (5:82)

وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَىٰ أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنَ الْحَقِّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

“And when they6hear7(the Holy Qur’an) what hath been sent down to (Our) Apostle (Muhammad) thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears on account of what they recognise of the truth; say they: “O’ Our Lord! We believe, so write us down with the witnesses (of the truth).” (5:83)

وَمَا لَنَا لَا نُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَمَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَنَطْمَعُ أَنْ يُدْخِلَنَا رَبُّنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الصَّالِحِينَ

“And what reasons have we that we should not believe in God and in the truth that hath come unto us while we earnestly crave that Our Lord should admit us (to heaven) with the righteous ones.” (5:84)

فَأَثَابَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِمَا قَالُوا جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَاءُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

“Therefore, God rewarded them for what they said, with gardens neath which rivers flow, (for them) to abide therein; And this (is) the recompense of the righteous ones.” (5:85)

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ

“And (as for) those who disbelieve and belie our signs, these shall be the inmates of flaming (Hell) fire.” (5:86)

Commentary

Verse 78

This clearly indicates cursing the disbelievers has been an apostolic act commanded by God which he makes mention of in the Holy Qur’an. This is ‘Tabarra’ which the Islam-Original, (i.e., Shi’ism) has as the articles of the practice of the faith. Tabarra has been the practice even of the leading apostles of God like David and even of Jesus who is known to follow the policy of self-surrender and self-denial during his life.

Verse 79

This Verse makes it incumbent upon the Muslims to forbid each other the hateful things - which act is ‘Nahya’ anil munkar’, i.e., preaching abstinence from evil.

Verse 80

Befriending those who disbelieve - this is another Verse establishing the need to be away from the disbelievers, i.e., the wicked, which means that the Muslims must love and befriend only those who believe in God and hate those who disbelieve. In other words, be the friend of the virtuous and be away from the wicked. This is what is demanded under the articles of ‘Tawalla’ and ‘Tabarra’.

Verse 81

According to (M.S.) by the Prophet is meant the Holy Prophet Muhammad and by the Book is meant the Holy Qur’an. But some of the commentators say that by the Prophet, here is meant Moses and by the Book Torah, meaning that if the Jews had believed in God and faithfully adhered to what Moses said and had believed in the scripture, i.e., Torah which was sent down to Moses which clearly prophecies about the advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, then they would not have befriended themselves to the enemies of Truth and the Truthful.

Verse 82

This Verse depicts one of the unique aspects of Islam, i.e., it recognizes goodness, be that in those who might be even its declared enemies. The brighter side of the character and the conduct of the Christian priests has been referred to in the statement which quality is absent in the Jews and the polytheists.

The Jewish faith being based on rigid ritualism void of any grace or devotion and love had hardened their hearts against all non-Jewish ideology and made them arrogant and proud. But the creed of the Christians based on devotional love made some of their pious ones humble, lenient, tolerant and open to reason and accept the truth as described in the next Verse, 5:83. (A.P.)

Verse 83 & 84

This Verse and the following are said to have been revealed on the effect of Ja’far-Ibn-Abu- Talib’s recital of the Holy Qur’an, created on the Negus, the Emperor of Abyssinia and his people who were Christians. It happened thus that when the persecution of the heathens of Mecca became unbearably severe and more and more tortuous, the Holy Prophet was prepared to bear anything along with his kith and kin, and he did not mind his own sufferings and that of his family but became day by day more and more mindful of the sufferings of his followers, the converts to Islam.

At last, in the month of Rajab - in the 5th year of his mission (Bethat) he ordered the converts numbering about eighty-two in all, to migrate and take refuge in Abyssinia whose ruler he said though a Christian, was just and kind and Ja’far-Ibn-Abu-Talib - brother of Ali - was ordered to lead the emigration. When the party of the converts to Islam, had left Mecca, the news of their departure perturbed the Meccans and immediately the Meccans despatched a deputation under Amr Ibn ‘Aas, with many valuable presents to King Negus with the request to return the Muslim refugees to them.

The Meccan deputation approached the King and in order to excite tire religious hatred of the Christian Monarch against the Muslim refugees, represented to him that the refugees as Muslims were not only opposed to idolatry but also denounced the Christian religion and spoke disparagingly of Jesus Christ. The Emperor summoned the Muslim refugees and asked them to answer the charges against them. Whereupon Ja’far-Ibn-Abu-Talib, came forward and requested the Emperor to ask the Meccans if the refugees were their slaves to which the Meccans replied saying ‘No.’ Again Ja’far asked if the refugees were in any kind of debt to them, to which also the reply was ‘No.’ Then Ja’far spoke saying:

“O’ King! We mere indulged in all sorts of idolatrous faith and practised all sorts of evils. A prophet has risen from among us who has taught us to believe in One God, to give up all evils and to live a virtuous life, practice charity and to be good and to do good. For this ire are heartlessly persecuted.”

Negus asked Ja’far “Do thou rementberest anything of what has been revealed to the prophet.” Ja’far said, ‘Yes’ and recited the chapter ‘Mary.’ Tears began to role from the eyes of the Emperor and all those in the court were deeply impressed. Negus gave a slap on the back of Amru and said:

“I can never grant your request and if you talk ill of Ja’far or his party I will punish you.” Saying this, he refused to accept any of his presents from the Meccans. Negus and all his courtiers embraced Islam and ordered that the refugees be given every convenience they desire for. When the Holy Prophet had migrated to Madina and settled there and the Muslims as a people had gained a triumphant position, the Holy Prophet wrote to Negus to return the refugees to Madina. When Ja’far returned to Madina, the Holy Prophet had been to the defensive expedition at Khaybar and the news of the arrival of Ja’far at Madina reached the Holy Prophet in his camp at Khaybar, along with the news of the victory of Khaybar at the hands of Ali. The Holy Prophet was so much pleased that he said: ‘Which should I celebrate first? Either the victory of Ali or the return of Ja’far?’

Negus had sent along with Ja’far, many presents to the Holy Prophet with a deputation of some elected scholars from his people to learn the details of the faith, Islam, and return to educate the people of Abyssinia. When this deputation met the Holy Prophet, the Holy Prophet recited the Chapter ‘Yaseen.’ It is reported that along with this deputation was a similar group from Syria in which was the great Christian Monk Bohaira. When the people heard the Sura, tears flowed from their eyes, and they all embraced Islam.

Refers to the recital of the Qur’an by Ja’far Ibn Abu Talib and its effect on the Christian king Najjashi during the first immigration of the Muslims taking refuge there resulting in his embracing Islam along with a number of his clergy and the monks who accompanied Ja’far on his return to Madina which coincided with the victory of Khaybar. (A.P.)

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• 1. This is Tabarra. It was practised by the apostles of God. Refer to Verse 8:4.
• 2. The Jews.
• 3. The Holy Prophet Muhammad.
• 4. Qur’an.
• 5. Arabic - ‘Nasara’.
• 6. The pious Christians.
• 7. Reference to the recital of Qur’an by Ja’far Ibn Abu Talib and its effect on the Christian King Najjashi (Negus) of Abyssinia during the first immigration of the Muslims taking refuge there resulting in his embracing Islam along with a number of his Clergies and the monks who accompanied Ja’far on his return to Madina, which coincided with the victory of Khaybar at the hands of Ali Ibn Abi Talib.