METHODOLOGY FOR STUDY OF THE QUR'AN
by Sheikh Imran Nazar Hosein
CHAPTER EIGHT
System of meaning in the Qur’ān in the
matter of Muslim relations with
the Christian, the Jew,
the Torah, Psalms and Gospel
“… And if Allah had so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community …”
(Qur’ān, al-Māidah, 5:48)
“VERILY, those who have attained to faith [in this divine scripture], as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians – all who believe in Allah and the Last Day and do righteous deeds – shall have their reward with their Lord-God; and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve.”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:62)
“… And say (to them, i.e., Christians and Jews) we believe in that which was sent down (as Divine revelation) to us, as well as in that which was sent down to you; and our God and your God is One (i.e., one and the same) …”
(Qur’ān, al-Ankabūt, 29:46)
The Qur’ān has made mention of previously revealed scriptures by name. It has referred to the Taurāt (i.e., Torah) that was sent down to Nabī Mūsa (Moses (a), the Zabūr (i.e., Psalms) that were sent down to Nabī Dāūd (David (a)), and the Injīl (i.e., Gospel) that was sent down to Nabī ‘Īsa (Jesus (a)). But at the very beginning of the Qur’ān, when Allah Most High declared that this scripture was sent down as guidance to those who have fear of Him in their hearts, He proceeded to describe the beliefs of those who truly fear Him, and declared that, among other things, they have faith in previously revealed scriptures:
“And who believe in that which has been bestowed from on high upon you, [O Prophet, i.e., the Qur’ān] as well as in that which was sent down before your time (i.e., the Torah, the Psalms and the Gospel): for it is they who in their innermost are certain of the life to come!”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:4)
The Qur’ān proceeded to make specific mention concerning names and scriptures, previous to Nabī Muhammad (s) and the Qur’ān, and ordered those who followed him and submitted to the Qur’ān, that they must declare their belief in that which came before:
Say ye: “We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them: And we bow to Allah (in Islam).”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:136)
Shortly after this opening statement the Qur’ān proceeded to address those who received those previous revealed scriptures, advising them to believe in this new scripture which confirmed what they had received in the scriptures sent down to them, and warned them not to be the first to reject this new scripture:
“And do believe in that which I have [now] bestowed from on high, which confirms the truth that is already with you, and be not the first of those who deny its truth …”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:41)
Finally the Qur’ān declared that the function of the new scripture was not just to confirm truth that had previously been sent down in the Torah, Psalms and Gospel, but also to guard and protect that truth so that it cannot ever be distorted or lost. The Qur’ān can, of course, perform this function since it is divinely protected and thus can never itself be changed in any way, and can never be lost.
The verse continued to recognize that while Truth is one, the Divine wisdom has ordained that several separate religious communities should emerge, each with its one code of law and own spiritual path to that one truth:
To you (O Muhammad (s)) We sent the Scripture (i.e., the Qur’ān) in Truth, confirming the Scriptures that came before it (i.e., the Torah, Psalms and Gospel), and guarding (them) in safety: so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging from the Truth that hath come to you. To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah. It is He Who will show you the truth of the matters in which you dispute;
(Qur’ān, al-Māidah, 5:48)
The Qur’ān was not revealed, therefore, to invalidate and replace the previous scriptures, and the laws and spiritual paths that were prescribed for those religious communities of mainly Christians and Jews. While it is true that Allah Most High has sometimes changed the old law and replaced it with a new law for a new religious community, it is important to note that the new law never differed from the old law. Rather, the new law was either similar or better than the old law:
“None of Our (previous) revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Do you not know that Allah has power over all things?”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:106)
It is also important for us to note that the new law did not invalidate the old law for the religious community which followed the old law. Sometimes the new law emerged in order to distinguish the new community from the older ones. This is precisely what happened when the Qiblah (i.e., direction of prayer) was changed from the old Qiblah, i.e., in Jerusalem, to the new Qiblah, i.e., in Makkah:
“We see the turning of your face (for guidance to the heavens: now We will turn you to a Qiblah that shall please you. Turn then your face in the direction of the sacred Mosque: Wherever you are, turn your faces in that direction. The people of the Book know well that, that is the truth from their Lord. Nor is Allah unmindful of what they do.”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:144)
Those who criticized the change from Jerusalem to Makkah were castigated in the Qur’ān in unusually harsh language as fools:
“The fools among the people will say: “What hath turned them from the Qiblah to which they were used?” Say: To Allah belong both east and west: He guides whom He will to a Way that is straight.”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:142)
The Qur’ān proceeded to explain that Nabī Muhammad (s) was guided, upon his arrival in Madīna after his migration from Makkah, to turn to Jerusalem in prayer. This was indeed a very difficult thing for an Arab to do since he venerated the Ka’aba that was built by Nabī Ibrāhīm (Abraham (a), in Makkah as the center of the sacred world, and it had functioned as his Qiblah for ages. If he turned, while located in Madīna, towards Jerusalem, his back would be turned to the Ka’aba in Makkah.
The divine wisdom in this matter was explained in the Qur’ān as Allah’s way wherewith He distinguished those Muslims who truly followed the Prophet (s) from those who would refuse to do so (because it would be so difficult for them to turn their backs to Makkah in prayer):
“… and We appointed the Qiblah to which you were accustomed, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels (from the Faith). Indeed it was (a change) momentous, except to those guided by Allah. And never would Allah make your faith of no effect. For Allah is to all people most surely, full of Kindness, Most Merciful.”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:143)
The Qur’ān concluded the divine explanation of the subject by informing the Prophet and his followers that Christians and Jews will never give up Jerusalem as their Qiblah. Hence when they, the Christians and Jews, turn to their Qiblah, the Muslims should remain steadfast in turning to the Ka’aba, and neither they (Christians and Jews) nor the Muslims should turn to each other’s Qiblah:
“Even if you were to bring to the people of the Book all the Signs (together), they would not follow your Qiblah; nor should you follow their Qiblah; nor indeed will they follow each other’s Qiblah. If, after knowledge has reached you, you were to follow their (vain) desires, then you would indeed be (clearly) in the wrong.”
(Qur’ān, al-Baqarah, 2:145)
In other words, even though Allah Most High had ordained Naskh (i.e., cancellation or abrogation) in the matter of the old Qiblah in Jerusalem and had replaced it with a new Qiblah in Makkah, the Jews and Christians were not only permitted to continue to pray in the direction of the old Qiblah in Jerusalem but, in addition, both the old religious communities and the new religious community were ordered to respect each other’s Qiblah.
The implication of Jews and Christians retaining Jerusalem as their Qiblah, is a Divine recognition that they were a people who still had a significant part of Truth with them. It is to that status of Christians and Jews that we must now direct our attention.
to be continued .....
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