Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 18–23

5. Al-Maaida · The Table

Madinan120 verses

وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ نَحْنُ أَبْنَٰٓؤُا۟ ٱللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّٰٓؤُهُۥ ۚ قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُم بِذُنُوبِكُم ۖ بَلْ أَنتُم بَشَرٌۭ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقَ ۚ يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ

5:18The Jews and the Christians say, ‘We are Allah’s children and His beloved ones.’ Say, ‘Then why does He punish you for your sins?’ No, you are humans from among His creatures. He forgives whomever He wishes, and punishes whomever He wishes, and to Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them, and toward Him is the return.1

يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ عَلَىٰ فَتْرَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ مَا جَآءَنَا مِنۢ بَشِيرٍۢ وَلَا نَذِيرٍۢ ۖ فَقَدْ جَآءَكُم بَشِيرٌۭ وَنَذِيرٌۭ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ

5:19O People of the Book! Certainly Our Apostle has come to you, clarifying [the Divine teachings] for you after a gap in [the appearance of] the apostles, lest you should say, ‘There did not come to us any bearer of good news nor any warner.’ Certainly, there has come to you a bearer of good news and a warner. And Allah has power over all things.2

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنۢبِيَآءَ وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكًۭا وَءَاتَىٰكُم مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَدًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

5:20When Moses said to his people, ‘O my people, remember Allah’s blessing upon you when He appointed prophets among you, and made you kings, and gave you what none of the nations were given.

يَٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا۟ خَٰسِرِينَ

5:21O my people, enter the Holy Land which Allah has ordained for you, and do not turn your backs, or you will become losers.’

قَالُوا۟ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِنَّ فِيهَا قَوْمًۭا جَبَّارِينَ وَإِنَّا لَن نَّدْخُلَهَا حَتَّىٰ يَخْرُجُوا۟ مِنْهَا فَإِن يَخْرُجُوا۟ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّا دَٰخِلُونَ

5:22They said, ‘O Moses, there are a tyrannical people in it. We will not enter it until they leave it. But once they leave it, we will go in.’3

قَالَ رَجُلَانِ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخَافُونَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمَا ٱدْخُلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْبَابَ فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُمُوهُ فَإِنَّكُمْ غَٰلِبُونَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُوٓا۟ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

5:23Said two men from among those who were Godfearing and whom Allah had blessed: ‘Go at them by the gate! For once, you have entered it, you will be victors. Put your trust in Allah, should you be faithful.’

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

In each and every period such people are born in each community who settle that their own salvation is absolutely right and definite, as if they have some kind of relationship or close friendship with Allah. Jews and Christians were of this style. Allah has stated clearly that there is no concern of any relation or illegitimate relation. As you sow so shall you reap and should the one sided result in the world be taken as a lesson for hereafter and this false theory driven out from the mind.

Verse 20

1.People of Israel are honoured because Allah granted them numerous bounties without any efforts and completed His favour. Allah sent His Apostles among them and gave them kingship and promised for the earthly paradise. Allah bestowed the food Manna and quails and sent a cloud over their head and for them the streams flew from the rocks. But when the time came to join in the war against enemies, they left the battlefield. This is a sign that heavenly bounties is not an argument of greatness but firmness of faith is the sign of greatness otherwise Jews wouldn’t be liable of curse and censure of Allah. In opposition of cowardliness and treachery of Jews, two men who were sincerely prepared for war and made the people of the world understand that one who fights in the way of Allah does not see power and strength. They accept the challenge having belief of Allah’s help and hope for success.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    This punishment is included both in the world as well as the Hereafter. Otherwise the Jew and Christians can deny the chastisement of the Hereafter. The punishment of the world means the destruction unleashed by the Jews under the leadership Nebuchanezer and Farana. And the sufferings that Christians had to under go due to their sectal conflicts.

  2. 2

    ‘Fitrat’ is the period when the divine revelation was interrupted after the ascension of Isa (a.s.) to the heaven During this time the mission of guidance continued through the successors (awsiya)

  3. 3

    Jabbar is an instrument for joining broken bones. It is also a great tyrant who oppresses the people. Here the second meaning is applicable. Jabbar is also the lofty personality whom no one can excel. On this basis the owner of the universe is also refereed to with this title. He is called the Jabbar of the heavens and the earths. Benefit: The area of Syria Palestine had always been the cradle of religions and this had been promised by the Almighty subject to the absence of deviation. Otherwise consequences will be serious. The oppressor nation is that of Amaliqa who ruled Egypt from 2212 Be to 1703, a period of 500 years.