بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Part 2
Calling Bani Israeel to embrace Islam
Verse 40 to 162
In the first part, it is as if Allah calls all people other than the People of the Scripture to Islam. In the second part, Allah calls the People of the Scripture to Islam who already received the book and believed in Allah. When you call a person to Islam you have to know his background first because the way you deal with each person differs accordingly.
Verse 73:
فَقُلْنَا اضْرِبُوهُ بِبَعْضِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُحْيِي اللَّهُ الْمَوْتَىٰ وَيُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
“So We said: "Strike him (the dead man) with a piece of it (the cow)." Thus Allah brings the dead to life and shows you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) so that you may understand.”
Allah is able to give life to the dead by saying “كن” (Be) and it will be. However, He commanded Bani Israeel to slaughter a cow and strike a part of it onto the dead body. Allah is able to give you what you want to achieve, but as humans, we are commanded to take the means to achieve what we want. The means is like the dead part of the cow; when you use it, Allah will make it work if He wills. If He wills, because not every time we take the means will we attain what we want. The existence of the means does not necessitate the result - it is dependent on the will if Allah, and His will is based on His knowledge and wisdom.
Allah says “و يريكم ءاياته”
This is one of Allah’s actions - that He shows His signs to the people. If someone says they do not have a proof that there is a God and that He is perfect, then Allah shows His signs to all people. There are:
a) Universal signs
The alternation of the day and night, for example, is a universal sign of Allah.
Look at the sun. Who controls it and moves it in its orbit? It does not stray from it for even a second.
Allah is a just Lord. He shows His signs to everybody. He guided the People of the Cave to believe in Him without sending a Messenger or Book, as is indicated by the story in Surah Al-Kahf.
Allah says in Surah Ghafir [40:13]:
هُوَ الَّذِي يُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُنَزِّلُ لَكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ رِزْقًا ۚ وَمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ إِلَّا مَن يُنِيبُ
“It is He, Who shows you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and sends down (rain with which grows) provision for you from the sky. And none remembers but those who turn (to Allah) in obedience and in repentance (by begging His Pardon and by worshipping and obeying Him Alone and none else).”
And in [40:81]:
وَيُرِيكُمْ آيَاتِهِ فَأَيَّ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ تُنكِرُونَ
“And He shows you His Signs and Proofs (of His Oneness in all the above mentioned things). Which, then of the Signs and Proofs of Allah do you deny?”
In the same way Allah provides for all the creatures in the heavens and the earth, He sends His guidance to everyone. He does not leave a person without sending him signs. Nobody has an excuse for his disbelief before Allah.
b) Allah gave humans intellect
c) and a Fitrah (natural disposition) that can distinguish truth from falsehood. Our natural disposition dictates that it is impossible that the Universe could have been created without a creator. A child hears a knock on the door and says, “Who is it?” because he knows that for every action there is a doer. This is not something you taught him, but Allah put it in us, to guide us to Him.
d) On top of that, Allah sent Messengers and Books.
This verse refutes the claim of those who justify their disbelief by saying that Allah sent no sign to them. Allah shows His great signs which prove His Ruboobiyah which then accordingly necessitates His Uloohiyah (sole right to be worshipped). If people are truthful in seeking guidance, Allah will surely guide them. Guidance is dependent on the person, if he is truthful, Allah knows about it and will guide him.
This verse is not particular to Bani Israeel or the disbelievers. Allah also shows His signs to the believers to increase them in faith and certainty. This is the تربية of Allah for His believing slaves - He makes them go through situations where He shows them His ability, power, wisdom, knowledge, etc.
Allah made the Story of the Cow a sign to increase Bani Israeel in faith, however, because of their stubbornness and obstinance, instead of submitting to Allah, they occupied themselves with details that did not concern them.
Allah shows us His signs, like He did to Bani Israeel, to increase us in knowledge, faith, certainty, and in order for us to think good about Allah. When you know Allah, you will think good about Him. This is a benefit that comes out of contemplating the signs of Allah.
E.g. You see how falsehood is prevalent and the truth is suppressed. You read the Qur’an. How do you explain this situation? Allah said in many verses that falsehood will never prevail forever.He never lets falsehood completely overcome the truth;He does do as a test for the believers A day will come, sooner or later, where the truth will be prevalent and the falsehood will go away. Allah said in Surah Al-Anfal [8:36]:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ لِيَصُدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ فَسَيُنفِقُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسْرَةً ثُمَّ يُغْلَبُونَ ۗ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ يُحْشَرُونَ
“Verily, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder (men) from the Path of Allah, and so will they continue to spend it; but in the end it will become an anguish for them. Then they will be overcomed. And those who disbelieve will be gathered unto Hell.”
Allah says in so many verses in the Qur’an that العاقبة للمتقين (The end is for those who have Taqwa). Allah shows us His ءايات but we need to repeat them to ourselves.
What happened to Bani Israeel after that?
Verse 74:
ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّن بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِيَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ الْأَنْهَارُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْمَاءُ ۚ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
“Then, after that, your hearts were hardened and became as stones or even worse in hardness. And indeed, there are stones out of which rivers gush forth, and indeed, there are of them (stones) which split asunder so that water flows from them, and indeed, there are of them (stones) which fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.”
Their hearts became hardened, although it is expected that their hearts become soft.
“قلوبكم”
The pronoun either refers to Bani Israeel particularly at the time of Musa عليه السلام during the event of the cow, or it includes the Jews who were with the Prophet ﷺ. It is as if their children inherited the hard heart of their forefathers.
“أو” means “بل” in this verse. “أو” implies doubt, so it means “بل” (rather).
This verse teaches us that the inanimate glorify and know Allah. Stones are softer than the hearts of Bani Israeel. The stones are thus better then the hearts of these people - there is good in the stones but no good in the hearts of Bani Israeel.
This verse teaches us Allah’s vast knowledge. Allah says “و ما الله بغافل عما تعملون”
3rd Subsection
Verse 75 to 123
Twenty Characteristics of the Contemporary Jews
We will only touch upon this, because it is not the focus of the course. This part is about the Jews who were with the Prophet ﷺ in Madinah.
Verse 75:
أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
“Do you (faithful believers) covet that they will believe in your religion inspite of the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis) used to hear the Word of Allah [the Taurat (Torah)], then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it?”
This is an إستفهام إستنكاري
The Jews in Madinah resembled their forefathers. It is as if Allah is cutting off any desire or hope in the belief of the contemporary Bani Israeel. The Prophet ﷺ said, “If only 10 Jews become Muslim, the whole of Bani Israeel will become Muslim” Not even 10 Jews believed in him.
It is as if we are told that if anyone has these characteristics, do not hope for his faith. We should introspect and check if we inhibit their same characteristics.
The Connection between Verse 74 and 75:
Because of the hardness of their heart, they committed these twenty things.
Verse 74 is the end of the context about the previous Jews at the time of Musa عليه السلام and an opening or introduction to the contemporary Jews at the time of the Prophet ﷺ and now.
Q. How did Bani Israeel inherit the hardness of the heart from their forefathers? Generally, human beings have characteristics. These characteristics are either:
1) جبلية (Inborn/Nature)
2) مكتسبة (Acquired/Nurture)
Ashaj ibn Abdul-Qays came with his tribe to the Prophet ﷺ. The entire tribe rushed to meet the Prophet ﷺ as soon as they arrived except him. He tied his camel, and then entered upon the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ said:You possess two qualities that Allah loves. These are clemency and tolerance. He said: “Are they adopted or was I created with them, O Messenger of Allah? He said: “No, you were created with them.” He replied: “Praised is Allah who created me with two qualities that are loved by Him and His Messenger.” [Reported in Muslim]
E.g. All people are born with a degree of stinginess. Allah said in Surah Al-Isra [17:100]:
قُل لَّوْ أَنتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَائِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبِّي إِذًا لَّأَمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ الْإِنفَاقِ ۚ وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ قَتُورًا
Say (to the disbelievers): "If you possessed the treasure of the Mercy of my Lord (wealth, money, provision, etc.), then you would surely hold back (from spending) for fear of (being exhausted), and man is ever miserly!"
By learning the texts in the Qur’an and Sunnah which talk about the reward of spending, the believer struggles against himself until he acquires generosity and it overcomes his inborn quality.
No one has can use their inborn qualities as an excuse. Everyone should identify their weak points and overcome it. It will not happen immediately, it may take years and years to overcome it.
If a person with a bad characteristic is brought up in a community where everyone has a bad characteristic, such as hard heartedness, it will be very easy for him to adopt that same characteristic. The way a person is brought up has an effect on their characteristics.
Some of the Causes of a Hard Heart
1) Love of the Dunya - Where a persons entire concern is to fulfill his desires in this world. The basis of the softness of the heart is belief in the unseen; when you believe in Allah, the Angels, the Day of Judgement, etc.
E.g. If a person is told that the assembly of knowledge is surrounded by angels, the person with a hard heart has no feeling towards it. Their feelings are hardened because they distributed it amongst their worldly desires, so they are completely heedless about the unseen.
Don’t expose your heart to what could harden it. When the heart is hard, commands of Allah come and the person argues, like Bani Israeel did.
2) Always fulfilling desires and lusts
Every time you desire something, you get up and fulfill it. Not every time your children want something should you get up and bring it for them. You will be in trouble in the future because the more you fulfill your desires again and again you will reach a state where nothing satisfies you and pleases you.
Verse 75 to 123 are an example of people whose hearts became hardened and how they accordingly dealt with Allah - without veneration or respect.
Q. Are these 20 characteristics particular to Bani Israeel?
A. The Qur’an is a message from Allah to us. Allah tells us about Bani Israeel in order that we do not resemble them.
If you meet a person that has one of these characteristics, don’t waste your time with them.
First Characteristic: (Verse 75) - They listened to the Word of Allah and changed it knowingly
أَفَتَطْمَعُونَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا لَكُمْ وَقَدْ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُحَرِّفُونَهُ مِن بَعْدِ مَا عَقَلُوهُ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
“Do you (faithful believers) covet that they will believe in your religion inspite of the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis) used to hear the Word of Allah [the Taurat (Torah)], then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it?”
The words of Allah could be the Qur’an, or the Torah, etc.
Why did they change it? Following their own desires or the desires of people.
E.g. Someone goes to a Scholar and puts him under pressure about the unlawfulness of Riba. He complains that things are becoming difficult, so the Scholars gives the wrong Fatwa and says Riba is Halal.
As a seeker of knowledge, don’t let people pressurize you to give a Fatwa which goes along with their desires. If you are unable to speak the truth, then don’t speak falsehood. The head of deviation is the deviation of the Scholars. The seeker of knowledge should be fortified against the pressure of people.
The Jews and Christians changed the actual words of their books. The Muslims cannot change the actual words of the Qur’an because Allah has promised to preserve it, but they may misinterpret the meaning of the verses.
There are over 200 Tafseer Books, only about 5-10 are authentic, and people know they cannot change the Qur’an so they put their deviation in these other Tafseer books.
Second Characteristic: (Verse 76-77)
وَإِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ قَالُوا أَتُحَدِّثُونَهُم بِمَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لِيُحَاجُّوكُم بِهِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
“And when they (Jews) meet those who believe (Muslims), they say, "We believe", but when they meet one another in private, they say, "Shall you (Jews) tell them (Muslims) what Allah has revealed to you [Jews, about the description and the qualities of Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him , that which are written in the Taurat (Torah)] , that they (Muslims) may argue with you (Jews) about it before your Lord?" Have you (Jews) then no understanding?”
أَوَلَا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ
“Know they (Jews) not that Allah knows what they conceal and what they reveal?”
When they meet the believers they say “We believe” but when they meet their own people they say, “Do you tell the believers of what knowledge Allah has opened for you of proof in your book that the Prophet ﷺ is a Messenger of Allah. Aren’t you afraid this will be a plea for you against Allah?”
This is hypocrisy. This is the state of the knowledgeable among Bani Israeel - their Rabbis, Monks, Scholars, and learned people.
“بما فتح الله عليكم”
Knowledge is an opening (فتح) from Allah. Whenever you come across something which is difficult for you to understand, ask Allah الفتاح to open it for you.
This verse tells us about the foolishness of Bani Israeel. They thought that Allah did not know what they are doing.
It also tells us of the disbelief of the Jews in the Prophet ﷺ. They recognized that he was the Prophet as they recognized their own sons, as Allah tells us in other verses, but despite their knowledge, they rejected him. This is why Allah calls them
“مغضوب عليهم”.
Third Characteristic: (Verse 78) - They read the Qur’an and do not understand, and when they talk they talk with guessing and uncertainty
وَمِنْهُمْ أُمِّيُّونَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا أَمَانِيَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَظُنُّونَ
“And there are among them (Jews) unlettered people, who know not the Book, but they trust upon false desires and they but guess.”
أميّون could be:
a) Those who are illiterate
b) Those who read but do not understand (This is proven by “إلا أماني”)
This is a dispraised characteristic - reciting the Book of Allah and not understanding it. It is important to learn and teach your children Arabic, because then they will understand what they are reading.
The أميون read, do not understand, and when they talk, they talk with uncertainty and say, “I think this is the meaning”
It is very serious to say about Allah that which you have no knowledge about.
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