People of Book during Muhammad’s time
3: 59 – 63 10 Hijra : The prophet after a dispute with the Christians of Najran , accorded them a treaty guaranteeing all civic rights and the free exercise of their religion. see Asad note 48
3: 64 Say : “ O followers of earlier revelation ! Come unto that tenet which we and you hold in common: that we shall worship none but God, and that we shall not ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, and that we shall not take human beings for our lords beside God.
3: 59 – 72,
3: 181-184…..Even before me there came unto you apostles with all evidence of the truth, why, then did you slay them, if what you say is true."…….if they lie…have apostles been given lie when they came with all evidence of the truth.
5: 12-13..................and from all but few of them you [the Prophet] will always experience treachery. But pardon them, and forbear: verily, God loves the doers of good. { This may be very specific to the time and era of the Prophet}.
5: 82 You will surely find that, of all people, the most hostile to those who believe [in this divine writ] are the Jews as well as those who are bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God;
5: 82 – 86 and you will surely find that, of all people, they who say , “Behold, we are Christians,” come closest to feeling affection for those who believe [in this divine writ]: this is so because there are priests and monks among them, and because these are not given to arrogance. For, when they come to understand what has been bestowed from on high upon this Apostle, you cannot see their eyes overflow with tears, because they recognize something of its truth; [and] they say: “ O our Sustainer! We do believe ; make us one, then, with all who bear witness to the truth.
And how could we fail to believe in God and in whatever truth has come unto us, when we so fervently desire that our Sustainer count us among the righteous?”
And for this their belief God will reward them with gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide: for such in the requital of the doers of good; whereas they who are bent on denying the truth and giving the lie to Our messages – they are destined for the blazing fire.
Sura-5 [Al Maida Medina 112]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
Asad’s Version:
5: 82
Asad You will surely find that, of all people, the most hostile to those who believe [in this divine writ] are the Jews as well as those who are bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God; and you will surely find that, of all people, they who say, “Behold, we are Christians,” come closest to feeling affection for those who believe [in this divine writ]: this is so because there are priests and monks among them, and because these are not given to arrogance [note 97].
Yusuf Ali Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt you find those who say: "We are Christians:" because among these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world and they are not arrogant.
Pickthall Thou wilt find the most vehement of mankind in hostility to those who believe (to be) the Jews and the idolaters. And thou wilt find the nearest of them in affection to those who believe (to be) those who say: Lo! We are Christians. That is because there are among them priests and monks, and because they are not proud.
Transliteration Latajidanna asyaddan na_si'ada_watal lillazina a_manul yahu_da wallazina asyraku_, wa latajidanna aqrabahum mawaddatal lillazina a_manul lazina qa_lu_ inna_ nasa_ra_, za_lika bi anna minhum qissisina wa ruhba_naw wa annahum la_ yastakbiru_n(a).
[[Ali’s notes - 789 The meaning is not that they merely call themselves Christians, but that they were such sincere Christians that they appreciated Muslim virtues, as did the Abyssinians to whom Muslim refugees went during the persecution in Makkah. (5.82)
Qissis: I have translated as "devoted to learning," following the Commentators. it seems to be a foreign word, possibly Abyssinian rather than Syriac, as the reference seems to be to the Abyssinian Christians. Their real devotion to learning and the renunciation of the world by the Monastic Orders are contrasted with the hypocrisy and arrogance of the Pharisees and Scribes. (5.82)]]
[[ Asad’s note 97 – I.e., they do not believe, as do the Jews, that revelation is God’s exclusive gift to the children of Israel; and their “priests and monks” teach them that humility is the essence of all true faith – It is noteworthy that the Quran does not in this context include the Christians among “those who re bent on ascribing divinity to aught beside God” (alladhina ashraku – the element of intent being expressed in the use of the past tense, similar to alladhina kafaru, alladhina zalamu, etc.): for although, by their deification of Jesus, they are guilty of the sin of shirk (“the ascribing of divinity to anyone or anything beside God”), the Christians do not consciously worship a plurality of deities inasmuch as, theoretically, their theology postulates belief in the One God, who is conceived as manifesting Himself in a trinity of aspects, or “persons”, of whom Jesus is supposed to be one. However, repugnant this doctrine may be to the teachings of the Quran, their ‘shirk’ is not based on conscious intent, but rather flows from their “overstepping the bounds of truth” in their veneration of Jesus (see 4:171, 5:77), Cf. in this context Razi’s remarks mentioned in note 16 on 6:23. ]]
[[ Ruby’s note on 5:82 - This verse is of extreme importance in understanding some of the key issues in the Quran. Here the Quran is clearly ascribing the Christians as friends of the believers and that they are righteous people. This goes in direct contradiction of the verses where the Quran is clearly pointing them as ‘enemies’ and people who have given to ‘shirk’, the ‘shirk’ that cannot be forgiven.
The way these two contradictory ideas are resolved is the basis of understanding the Quran and also establishing the validity of the Quran. In similar ways the Quran is said to have contradicted itself at least in 145 places. And these seemed contradictions can be resolved only by applying the contexts and understanding the meaning through the contexts.]]
Sura-5 [Al Maida Medina 112]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
وَإِذَا
سَمِعُواْ
مَا أُنزِلَ
إِلَى الرَّسُولِ
...
5:83. And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger,
... تَرَى أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُواْ مِنَ الْحَقِّ ...
thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth:
... يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ ﴿٨٣﴾
they pray:
"Our Lord! we believe; write us down among the witnesses.
وَمَا
لَنَا
لاَ نُؤْمِنُ
بِاللّهِ وَمَا
جَاءنَا مِنَ
الْحَقِّ...
5:84. "What cause can we have not to believe in Allah and the truth which has come to us,
... وَنَطْمَعُ أَن يُدْخِلَنَا رَبَّنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿٨٤﴾
seeing that we long for our Lord to admit us to the company of the righteous?"
فَأَثَابَهُمُ
اللّهُ بِمَا
قَالُواْ جَنَّاتٍ
تَجْرِي مِن
تَحْتِهَا
الأَنْهَارُ
خَالِدِينَ
فِيهَا...
5:85. And for this their prayer hath Allah rewarded them with gardens, with rivers flowing underneath, their eternal home.
... وَذَلِكَ جَزَاء الْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿٨٥﴾
Such is the recompense of those who do good.
وَالَّذِينَ
كَفَرُواْ
وَكَذَّبُواْ
بِآيَاتِنَا
أُوْلَـئِكَ
أَصْحَابُ
الْجَحِيمِ
﴿٨٦﴾
5:86. But those who reject faith and belie our Signs, they shall be companions of Hell-fire.
C.74 (The running Commentary, in Rhythmic Prose)
(6:87-108)
In the physical pleasures of life
The crime is excess; there is no merit
In abstention from things that are good
And lawful. Take no rash vows,
But to solemn oaths be faithful. Shun
As abominations drinking and gambling,
And superstitions of all kinds.
But be reverent to what is sacred
In rites and associations. Not the same
Are things good and things evil,
Learn to distinguish, but pry not
Into questions beyond your ken.
Guard your own souls in truth
And justice, and no harm can befall you.
Other versions:
5: 83
Asad For, when they come to understand what has been bestowed from on high upon this Apostle, you can see their eyes overflow with tears, because they recognize something of its truth;……….
Yusuf Ali And when they listen to the revelation received by the Apostle thou wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears for they recognize the truth: they pray: "Our Lord! we believe; write us down among the witnesses.
Pickthall When they listen to that which hath been revealed unto the messenger, thou seest their eyes overflow with tears because of their recognition of the Truth. They say: Our Lord, we believe. Inscribe us as among the witnesses.
Transliteration Wa iza_ sami'u_ ma_ unzila ilar rasu_li tara_ a'yunuhum tafidu minad dam'i mimma_'arafu_ minal haqq(i), yaqu_lu_na rabbana_ a_manna_ faktubna_ ma'asy sya_hidin(
5: 85
Yusuf Ali And for this their prayer hath Allah rewarded them with gardens with rivers flowing underneath their eternal home. Such is the recompense of those who do good.
Pickthall Allah hath rewarded them for that their saying--Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever. That is the reward of the good.
Transliteration Fa asa_bahumulla_hu bima_ qa_lu_ janna_tin tajri min tahtihal anha_ru kha_lidina fiha_, wa za_lika jaza_'ul muhsinin(a).
5: 86
Yusuf Ali But those who reject faith and belie our Signs they shall be companions of hell-fire.
Pickthall But those who disbelieve and deny Our revelations, they are owners of hell fire.
Transliteration Wallazina kafaru_ wa kazzabu_ bi a_ya_tina_ ula_'ika asha_bul jahim(i).
17: 109
Transliteration Wa yakhirru_na lil azqa_ni yabku_na wa yaziduhum khusyu_'a_(n).
Asad And so they fall down upon their faces, weeping and [their consciousness of god’s grace] increases their humility.
Yusuf Ali They fall down on their faces in tears and it increases their (earnest) humility.
Pickthall They fall down on their faces, weeping, and it increaseth humility in them.
Transliteration Qul-id'ulla_ha aw-id'ur rahma_n(a), ayyam ma_ tad'u_ falahul asma_'ul husna_, wa la_ tajhar bi sala_tika wa la_ tukha_fit biha_ wa-btagi baina za_lika sabila_(n).