2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
آتَيْنَا مُوسَى
الْكِتَابَ
وَقَفَّيْنَا
مِن بَعْدِهِ
بِالرُّسُلِ
...
2: 87. We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers;
... وَآتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ...
We gave Jesus the son of Mary clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit.
C90. As to the birth of Jesus, cf. 19:16-34.
Why is he called the "Son of Mary"?
What are his "clear signs"?
What is the "holy spirit" by which he was strengthened?
We reserve to a later state a discussion of the Quranic teaching on these questions.
... أَفَكُلَّمَا جَاءكُمْ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لاَ تَهْوَى أَنفُسُكُمُ اسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ ...
Is it that whenever there comes to you a Messenger with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride?
... فَفَرِيقاً كَذَّبْتُمْ وَفَرِيقاً تَقْتُلُونَ ﴿٨٧﴾
Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay!
C91. Notice the sudden transition from the past tense in "some ye called imposters" to the present tense in "others ye slay."
There is a double significance.
- First, reviewing the long course of Jewish history, we have come to the time of Jesus; they have often given the lie to Allah's Prophets, and even now they are trying to slay Jesus.
- Secondly, extending the review of that history to the time of Muhammad, they are even now trying to take the life of that holy Prophet.
This would be literally true at the time the words were promulgated to the people. And this transition leads on naturally to the next verse, which refers to the actual conditions before Muhammad in Medina in the second year of the Hijrah.
Section 11-13 (2:87-121) refer to the people of Book generally, Jews and Christians. Even where Moses and the Law of Sinai are referred to, those traditions are common to both Jews and Christians.
The argument is about the people who ought to have learnt from previous Revelations and welcomed Muhammad's teaching, and yet they both took up an attitude of arrogant rejection
Other versions:
2: 87
Asad For, indeed, We vouchsafed unto Moses the divine writ and caused apostle after apostle to follow him (note 70); and We vouchsafed unto Jesus, the son of Mary, all evidence of the truth, and strengthened him with holy inspiration (note 71). Yet is it not so that every time an apostle came unto you with something that was not to your liking, you gloried in your arrogance, and to some of them you gave the lie, while others you would slay (note 72)?
Yusuf Ali We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Apostles; We gave Jesus the son of Mary clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you an Apostle with what ye yourselves desire not ye are puffed up with pride? Some ye called impostors and others ye slay!
Pickthall And verily We gave unto Moses the Scripture and We caused a train of messengers to follow after him, and We gave unto Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs (of Allah's sovereignty), and We supported him with the holy Spirit. Is it ever so, that, when there cometh unto you a messenger (from Allah) with that which ye yourselves desire not, ye grow arrogant, and some ye disbelieve and some ye slay?
Wa laqad a_taina_ musal kita_ba wa qaffaina_ mim ba'dihi bir rusul(i), wa a_taina_ 'isabna maryamal bayyina_ti fa ayyadna_hu bi ruhil qudus(i), afakullama_ ja_'akum rasulum bima_ la_ tahwa_ anfusukumus takbartum, fa fariqan kazzabtum wa fariqan taqtulu_n(a).
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[ Ali’s notes: 90 As to the birth of Jesus, cf. xix. 16-34. Why is he called the "Son of Mary"? What are his "clear signs"? What is the "holy spirit" by which he was strenghtened? We reserve to a later state a discussion of the Quranic teaching on these questions. See iii. 62, n. 401. (2.87)
91 Notice the sudden transition from the past tense in "some ye called imposters" to the present tense in "others ye slay." There is a double significance. First, reviewing the long course of Jewish history, we have come to the time of Jesus; they have often given the lie to God's Apostles, and even now they are trying to slay Jesus. Secondly, extending the review of that history to the time of Muhammad, they are even now trying to take the life of that holy Apostle. This would be literally true at the time the words were promulgated to the people. And this transition leads on naturally to the next verse, which refers to the actual conditions before Muhammad in Medina in the second year of the Hijra. Sections 11/13 (ii. 87-121) refer to the People of the Book generally, Jews and Christians. Even where Moses and the Law of Sinai are referred to, those traditions are common to both Jews and Christians. The argument is about the people who ought to have learnt from previous Revelations and welcomed Muhammad's teaching, and yet they both took up an attitude of arrogant rejection. (2.87) ]
[ Asad’s note 70: ………a stress upon the continuous succession of prophets among the Jews (see Tabari, Zamakhshari, Razi, Ibn Kathir), which fact deprives them of any excuse of ignorance.
71: This rendering of “ruh al-qudus (lit., “the spirit of holiness”) is based on the recurring use in the Quran of the term “ruh” in the sense of “divine inspiration”. IT is also that the Prophet invoked the blessing of the “ruh al-qudus” on his Compantion………….: just as the Quran (58:22) speaks of all believers as being “strengthened by inspiration (ruh) from Him”.
72: Lit., “and some you are slaying”. The change from the past tense observed throughout this sentence to the present tense in the verb “taqtulun” (“you are slaying”) is meant to express a conscious intent In this respect and, thus, a persistent, ever-recurring trait in Jewish history (Manar I, 377), to which also the New Testament refers (Mathew xxiii, 34-35, 37), and I Thessalonians ii, 15).]
[ Ruby’s note: I think this whole expression is meant for humankind in general, and even though the context is in reference to Jews. The Quran in other places mentioned that there were many countless Prophets sent to countless different communities down through time. And the rejection and negative reactions to the Prophets had been an ever-recurring problem of humankind and not only of the Jews. These problems are mentioned in the Quran in different context of different people as well.]
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