84- AND WE TOOK YOUR COVENANT “NEITHER TO SHED YOUR OWN PEOPLE’S BLOOD NOR TURN SOME OF YOUR OWN PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES”, AND THEN YOU RECTIFIED THE COVENANT AND WERE WITNESSES.

85- THEN HERE YOU ARE THE SAME PEOPLE (WHO RECTIFIED THE COVENANT), YOU ARE KILLING EACH OTHER, AND TURNING A GROUP OF YOU OUT OF THEIR HOMES, SUPPORTING THEIR ENEMEIES AGAINST THEM, SINFULLY AND TRANSGRESSING.  HOWEVER, IF THEY COME TO YOU AS CAPTIVES, YOU RANSOM THEM (TO SET THEM FREE) WHILE IT WAS FORBIDDEN FOR YOU TO TURN THEM OUT.  DO YOU BELIEVE IN SOME OF THE BOOK AND DISBELIEVE IN SOME?  THE RECOMPENSE OF THOSE OF YOU WHO DO THIS IS DISGRACE IN THIS LIFE AND ON THE DAY OF RESURRECTION THEY WILL BE ALLOCATED THE MOST SEVERE PUNISHMENT, FOR ALLAH IS NOT UNAWARE OF WHAT YOU DO.

86- THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THIS LIFE AT THE COST OF THE HEREAFTER. THEIR PUNISHMENT WILL NOT BE LIGHTENED, NOR WILL THEY BE HELPED.

Allah the Highest is telling us about a covenant (a promise) the Jews gave Him.  Which is not to fight and kill each other nor turn each other out of their homes?  They did that in fact when they were in Medina.  Some of the Jewish tribes had an allegiance with Arab tribes who were disbelievers at that time.  When the disbelieving Arab tribes fought each other, the Jewish tribes fought with their allies against other Jewish tribes, killing each other and turning each other out of their homes.

When the war was over, the Jews collectively ransomed other Jews, as they should according to the Torah.  They did not observe one part of the Torah, while observing another part.  Allah the Highest promises those who do that, disgrace in this life and severe punishment in the Hereafter.

The same commands apply to the Muslims.  Allah the Highest said: “HE WHO INTENTIONALLY KILLS A MUSLIM, HIS RECOMPENSE IS THE HELL-FIRE, WHERE HE WILL ABIDE FOREVER, ALLAH’S CURSE AND WRATH IS UPON HIM, AND HE PREPARED HIM A DREADFUL PUNISHMENT”.  (S; 4 A: 93)

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said in his last Hajj sermon, on the Day of the stand on Arafat: “All that is a Muslim’s is sacred to the other Muslims, his blood, property and honor.  It is as sacred as this day, in this month and in this town”.

(Ma: Fetan; 2 & T: Adab; 18 & A: 2; 277,360 3; 491)

Indeed, not only the killer will be sent to the Hell-Fire, but also the deceased, if he fought another Muslims wanting to kill him.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Whenever two Muslims meet with their swords to fight each other; the killer and the deceased will go to the Hell-Fire”.  He was asked: “We understand about the killer, but what about the deceased?”  He said: “He was keen to kill his brother”.

(B: Eman; 22 & M: Fetan; 14, 15)

It is not surprising that in many respects, we are given the same commands as other nations.  They all come from the same God.  We are told about other nation’s history to learn from, particularly from their mistakes.

Very sadly, the Muslims of the present day do what the Jews used to do, while the Jews seem to have stopped doing this particularly sin.

Muslims fight other Muslims, even making allegiances with others against them.  Muslims turn other Muslims out of their homes.  Muslims even make allegiances with the Jews against other Muslims.  The worldly punishment for this is here already.  Disgrace and humiliation of Muslims before other Muslims is very apparent and manifest.  We await the punishment of the Hell-Fire.

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi

83- AND WE TOOK THE COVENANT OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL THAT YOU WORSHIP NONE BUT ALLAH, AND TREAT YOUR PARENTS KINDLY, AS WELL AS YOUR KINDRED, THE ORPHANS AND THE POOR.  AND TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE RIGHTEOUSLY, ESTABLISH REGULAR SALAH, GIVE THE ZAKAH, THEN YOU TURNED AWAY, EXCEPT FOR A FEW OF YOU, AND YOU TOOK NO HEED.

A Covenant is an agreement and a promise and commitment between two people or groups.  In this case it is between Allah the Highest and the Children of Israel.  They gave Allah the Highest these promises and commitments.  These are not the only covenant they gave Allah the Highest, indeed, there are a number of covenants.

The importance of these to us is not that it is history, but that the same covenants apply to us too.

What are these covenants? They are:-

1-    To worship Allah the Highest only, meaning worshiping no partners with him.  These partners might be gods, nature, people, money, power, whatever we might consider equal to Allah and worthy of being followed and obeyed as Allah the Highest is, or even more.    The purpose for our creation in the first place, is worshipping Allah “I CREATED JINN AND MANKING ONLY TO WORSHIP ME”. (S:51 A:56)

2-    Being kind and good to one’s parents.  It is interesting that this followed worshiping Allah the Highest directly.  This is not the only time this happened.  This command to be kind to one’s parents came in the Quran 5 times, 4 of them it was following a command to worship Allah the Highest only.  This shows the great reverence of the parents in the Eyes of Allah the Highest.  Being good to one’s parents is an order made by decree from Allah the Highest saying: “YOUR LORD DECREAD THAT YOU WORSHIP NONE BUT HIM AND TO BE GOOD AND KIND TO YOUR PARENTS”. (S:17 A:23)

Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, was asked by Abd Allah Ibn Masoud: “Allah’s messenger, which of our deeds are best?” he said: “Praying the Salah at it’s time”.  I said: “Then what?” He said: “Being good and kind to your parents”.  I said: “Then what?  He said: “Jihad in the cause of Allah”.   (B: Eman; 18 & M: Eman; 137 & D: Salah; 24 & A: 5:150,171)

3-    Then one should be kind to one’s blood relations and close kin, as well as the weakest in the society, including the orphans and the poor and needy.

4-    Then, Allah the Highest commands us, to speak to people in general, righteously.  Meaning to be right and truthful in what one says.  Also not to be insulting or offensive, rude or calling a person names they do not like.  Allah the Highest clarifies this idea in this very eloquent Ayah” “DO YOU NOT SEE THAT ALLAH HAS SENT DOWN A PARABLE OF A GOOD WORD LIKE A GOOD TREE, IT’S ROOT IS FIRM AND IT’S BRANCH IS IN THE SKY * GIVING IT’S FRUIT EVERY SEASON BY IT’S LORD’S PERMISSION * AND THE PARABLE OF AN EVIL WORD IS THAT OF AN EVIL TREE, TORN OUT OF THE EARTH HAVING NO ROOTS.  (S:14 A:24-26)

And Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “A kind word is a charity”. (Bukhari & Muslim)

5- Praying regularly:-

The praying of the Salah, 5 times a day, at the correct time, as ordered by Allah the Highest.

6- Giving Zakah.

This is the charity money which we have been ordered to give by Allah the Highest. It is a stated amount of our income, of cause we are not restricted to this and giving more than this minimum is always better.

Allah the Highest tells us that only few of the Jews followed these commands and obeyed them, the majority did not.

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi

81- TRULY, WHOEVER EARNS AN EVIL DEED AND IS SURROUNDED BY HIS SINS, THOSE ARE THE PEOPE OF THE FIRE, WHERE THEY SHALL ABIDE FOREVER.

82- YET THOSE WHO BELIEVE AND DO RIGHTEOUS DEEDS, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE PARADISE, WHERE THEY SHALL ABIDE FOREVER.

Allah the Highest is continuing to answer the claims of the Jews that they will be in the Hell-Fire only for numbered days, 40 or 7 days.

Earning evil deeds is an important concept and understanding in Islam.  A person can not sin accidentally, or by chance.  To commit a sin, a person has to have the intention to commit that sin, followed by the deed.  Both the intention and deed have to co-exist.  One of them is not enough.

Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Allah records the good deeds and the bad deeds and He clarifies them.  He who intends to do a good deed, but does not do it, Allah will record it as a full good deed.  If he intends to do it and he does it, Allah the Exalted and Majestic records it as ten good deeds to seven hundred folds, to many more folds.  If a person intends to do a bad deed and he does not do it, Allah records it as a full good deed, and if he intends to do it and does it, Allah records it as a single bad deed”. (M: Eman; 203 & T: Tafseer Sorah 6; 10 & A: 1; 227,242)

Then Allah the Highest draws us a mental picture of those who sin repeatedly without repenting.  It is like being besieged by their sins or engulfed by them.  Indeed, sins are like enemies surrounding a person from every direction and besieging him/her.

Sins can be generally classified into two types:

1-    General sins; great or small.  They may be forgiven, except those which involve other people rights and dues, those people have to forgive for Allah the Highest to forgive.  As when, not giving someone their money, or cheating them, or overpowering them to withhold what is due to them, monetary or morally.

2-    The Unforgivable sin; which is to disbelieve in Allah the Highest or to worship partners besides him.

This sin engulfs a person and leads to him/her being engulfed in the Fire.

Allah the Highest never mentions what awaits the sinful of punishment, without mentioning what awaits the believer who is a good doer, the reward of the Paradise.  It is Allah’s promise to them, and it is Eternal.

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi

78- AMONGST THEM ARE ILLITERATES WHO KNOW NOT THE BOOK EXCEPT THROUGH THEIR OWN DEISRES, THEY ARE ONLY GUESSING.

79- WOE IS FOR THOSE WHO WRITE THE BOOK WITH THEIR OWN HANDS THEN SAY: ‘THIS IS FROM ALLAH’, WHILE IT IS NOT FROM ALLAH, IN ORDER TO SELL IT FOR A MISERLY PRICE.  WOE TO THEM BECAUSE OF WHAT THEIR HANDS HAVE WRITTEN AND WOE TO THEM BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY HAVE EARNED”.

80- THEY SAID: “WE WILL BE TOUCHED BY THE FIRE FOR ONLY A FEW NUMBERED DAYS”.  SAY: “DO YOU HAVE A COVENANT FROM ALLAH THEN ALLAH WILL NOT FULFULL HIS COVENANT, OR DO YOU SAY THINGS YOU DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ALLAH?”

Allah the Highest is telling us that most of the ordinary Jews are illiterate in their own religion.  What they know about their faith is what they are told by the Rabies and now we should no doubt include the media, and what they guess.  Meaning that most of what they know is not right.  It is guessing, wishing, myths and hopes.

Unfortunately, the same can be applied to many of the Muslims, if not the majority of us.  We learn many things concerning our religion through our culture, and often the two are mixed up in a way which makes it difficult to differentiate one from the other.  Many think that a particular practice is part of their religion while it is part of the culture.

I remember hearing from a number of Muslims that “arranged marriage” for example is part of their religion.  The same belief is shared by other faiths in the same country including; Christians, Buddhists and Hindus.  It is clearly a cultural tradition not a religious instruction.

There are many more examples, but this is not the place to expand on these.

The Jews, claim that they will not be in the Hell-Fire for more than 40 days, the number of days they went astray when Moses, peace upon him, went on the mountain to meet his Lord.  In fact, others say it is only 7 days.  As if a second in the Hell-Fire is not bad enough.

These and other lies are not part of the Torah, but are their own additions.  Severe punishment awaits those who alter Allah’s words with their own hands.

In fact, speaking falsely in Allah’s name without the authority of knowledge is a serious sin.  It is not an easy task or light responsibility to speak in Allah’s name.  It is done these days with great ease on the Satellite Channels, Radio and T.V. Stations.  Self appointed sheikhs and scholars are increasing in number.

Allah the Highest tells us in a number of Ayahs how serious this offence is:

“WHO DOES MORE WRONG THAN HE WHO INVENTS LIES CONCERNING ALLAH IN ORDER TO MISGUIDE PEOPLE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, AND ALLAH DOES NOT GUIDE THE EVIL DOERS”? (S: 6 A: 144)

“AMONGST PEOPLE THOSE WHO AGRUE CONCERNING ALLAH WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, THEY FOLLOW THEIR REJECTED DEVIL * CONCERNING WHO IT HAS BEEN DECREED THAT HIS FOLLOWERS WILL BE GUIDED TO THE SEVERE PUNISHMENT OF THE FIRE”.  (S: 22 A: 3-4)

Speaking in Allah’s name places one between the people who listen and their God.  This is a serious place to be, and if one does not have the right knowledge to advice people about what Allah means, they would be better off to be silent.

76- WHEN THEY MEET THOSE WHO BELIEVE, THEY SAY: ‘WE BELIEVE’, BUT WHEN THEY MEET IN PRIVATE THEY SAY (TO EACH OTHER): ‘DO YOU TELL THEM WHAT ALLAH REVEALED TO YOU  SO THAT THEY MAY USE IT TO ARGUE AGAINST YOU BEFORE YOUR LORD, DO YOU HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING.

77- DO THEY NOT KNOW THAT ALLAH KNOWS WHAT THEY HIDE AND WHAT THEY REVEAL?

These Ayahs show the hypocrisy of the Jews themselves and their own lack of faith.

As mentioned earlier, the Jews had knowledge from the Torah about the imminent arrival of a prophet, the last prophet.  They spoke about him to the Arabs of Medina.  However they would not believe in him because they hoped that the prophet would be of the descendants of Isaac not Ismail. This was not really true, for they also rejected Jesus, peace upon him.

They did not wish the Muslims to know what is mentioned earlier in the Torah about the coming of Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him

They thought of deceiving the Muslims, and they thought of deceiving Allah .the Highest, and this was worse.

-         They thought to deceive the Muslims by pretending to be Muslims themselves.

-         However thinking of deceiving Allah the Highest shows real weakness of their own faith or lack of it.

How?

They thought that if they continued to hide, what Allah revealed to them in the Torah about the coming of a prophet, then the Arabs will not have this knowledge to use against them on the Day of Judgment.  As if Allah the Highest does not know, and does not know what is inside them.  This definitely shows lack of Faith.  Allah the Highest said in the Quran: “TO ALLAH BELONGS ALL THERE IS IN THE HEAVENS AND IN THE EARTH AND WHETHER YOU REVEAL WHAT IS INSIDE YOU OR CONCEAL IT, ALLAH WILL HOLD YOU TO ACCOUNT FOR IT, THEN FORGIVES WHOM HE WILLS AND PUNISHES WHOM HE WILLS, FOR ALLAH HAS POWER OVER EVERY THING”.  (S:2 A:284)

Allah the Highest divided and provided our provisions for us as He decided our life span.  He made our provisions come to us through worldly means.  Provisions usually but not always come to us through some one else by way of work or trade or charity or any other means, then to another and another etc.

This way every one will be a trial and temptation for another.  First to who our provisions come from and from who get their provisions through us.  These trial and temptations are continuous and never end.  If a slaves gets out of this circle through death, holding up or if Allah the Highest decreases his provisions, he will be replaced by others to that the circle will always be complete and unbroken.

Allah the Highest guaranteed for those who spend wisely in doing good that what they spend will be replaced saying : “WHATEVER GOOD YOU SPEND, HE WILL REPLACE IT, FOR ALLAH IS THE BEST PROVIDER”.

Also Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Charity never decreases money”.

But should a slave holds his hand from spending in Halal in the ways he used to spend and through which Allah provides others, fearing that his money will perish.  This will be a cause for Allah the Highest to hold provisions from him and provide the others by other means.

Man is but a carrier or the provisions from Allah the Highest to his slave and his provisions come to from Allah the Highest through other slaves.  If a person does not fulfill this function and keeps the provisions from others, Allah the Highest will hold provisions back from him.  And Allah know best.

Dr. Ahmed Saafan

74- THEN YOUR HEARTS HARDENED, THEY BECAME LIKE STONES OR EVEN HARDER; FOR FROM SOME STONES RIVERS GUSH OUT, OTHER SPLIT AND WATER FLOWS FROM THEM, AND OTHER SINK FROM THE FEAR OF ALLAH.  INDEED, ALLAH IS NOT UNAWARE OF WHAT YOU DO.

Whenever one of us feels that they are special to someone else, they are often looked after by them or given gifts etc. they start to soften up to them and begin to like them.  Allah the Highest bestowed many great favours upon the Children of Israel, helped them in difficult situations, forgave them their disobedience and many more favours.  This did not soften their hearts but rather hardened them, becoming even harder than stone.

Allah the Highest tells us that stone is not even that hard, for they had seen water come out of it or seen it sink from the fear of Allah.  Their hearts were not affected by the fear or love of Allah.  Allah the Highest mentioned examples the Children of Israel knew very well for they happened to them.  The gushing of water from stone, they saw.  The mountain sinking or crumbling, they also saw or knew.

“WHEN HIS LORD REVEALED HIMSELF TO THE MOUNTAIN, HE MADE IT CRUSH DOWN TO DUST”.  (S: 7 A: 143)

“AND IF WE SEND THIS QURAN UPON A MOUNTAIN, YOU WOULD SEE HUMBLED AND CRACKING DOWN FROM THE FEAR OF ALLAH”. (S: 59 A: 21)

The stones had more feeling than the hearts of the Children of Israel.

What hardened their hearts?  It is the forgetting of, and not fearing Allah the Highest.  Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “Do not talk much without remembering Allah, for talking much without remembering Allah hardens the heart; and the most distant people from Allah are the hard hearted”.  (T: Zohd; 61 & Mal: Kalam;

75- DO YOU HOPE THAT THEY WILL BELIEVE FOR YOU WHEN SOME OF THEM WOULD HEAR ALLAH’S WORDS THEN PERVERT IT’S MEANING, AFTER THEY UNDERSTOOD IT, KNOWINGLY?

This is a very important fact about the Jews stated by the All Knowing, Allah the Highest.

They heard Allah’s Words, understood what they meant, and then knowingly perverted their meaning.  This is clearly the work of their scholars and leaders, for they are the people responsible for guiding the majority and explaining Allah’s Word to them.

Those in such position have great responsibility because of their ability to lead or mislead.  Through rightly guiding, they earn great reward and through misguiding, they earn great sin.  Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “He who calls people for the right guidance, shall have as much reward as those who followed them, without taking away from the reward of their followers.  And he who calls upon people for misguidance, shall have as much sin as those who followed them, without taking away any of the sins of their followers”.

(M:Elm;6 & T:Elm;15 & Ma:Moqademah;14 & Da:Moqademah;44 & A:2;397)

Many of the people of the book, who studied their scripture and other’s scripture, including the Quran and Hadith, argue and intellectualize arguments; ending in perverting their own scripture.  They might speak very eloquently, sounding authoritative; however they lie about Allah the Highest, and lie knowingly.  Allah the Highest said about them:

“AND OF THEM (THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK) THOSE WHO DISTORT THE BOOK WITH THEIR OWN TONGUES, SO THAT YOU MAY THINK IT AS PART OF THE BOOK WHILE IT IS NOT OF THE BOOK,  AND THEY SAY THAT IT IS FROM ALLAH WHILE IT IS NOT FROM ALLAH; AND THEY TELL LIES CONCERNING ALLAH, KNOWINGLY”. (S: 3 A: 78)

Even to the point of rewriting their own scriptures and attributing what they have written to Allah the Highest.  This has been proven to have happened in their scriptures recently and by their own scientists.  Allah the Highest told us about this 1400 years ago, saying: “THEN WOE IS FOR THOSE WHO WRITE THE BOOK WITH THEIR OWN HANDS THEN SAY: ‘THIS IS FROM ALLAH’, WHILE IT IS NOT FROM ALLAH, IN ORDER TO SELL IT FOR A MISERLY PRICE.  WOE TO THEM BECAUSE OF WHAT THEIR HANDS HAVE WRITTEN AND WOE TO THEM BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY HAVE EARNED”. (S: 2 A: 79)

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi

67- AND WHEN MOSES SAID TO HIS PEOPLE: “ALLAH COMMANDS YOU TO SLAUGHTER A COW”, THEY SAID: “ARE MAKING A LAUGHING STOKE OF US?” HE SAID: “MAY ALLAH SAVE ME FROM BEING ONE OF THE IGNORANT”.

68- THEY SAID: “CALL UPON YOUR LORD TO LET US KNOW WHAT KIND OF COW IT SHOULD BE?”  HE SAID: “HE (ALLAH) SAYS: “IT SHOULD BE NEITHER TOO OLD NOR TOO YOUNG A COW, BUT IN BETWEEN, SO DO WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN COMMANDED TO DO”.

69- THEY SAID: “CALL UPON YOUR LORD TO LET US KNOW its COLOUR”.  HE (MOSES) SAID: “HE SAYS THAT IT SHOULD BE A YELLOW COW, BRIGHT COLOURED, PLEASING TO THOSE WHO SEE IT.

70- THEY SAID: “CALL UPON YOUR LORD TO LET US KNOW WHAT IT SHOULD BE LIKE, FOR ALL COWS LOOK ALIKE TO US, AND IF ALLLAH WILLS, WE WILL BE RIGHTLY GUIDED”.

71- HE (MOSES) SAID: ALLAH SAYS THAT IT IS NOT A WORKING COW, WHICH PLOUGHS THE EARTH OR WATERS THE FIELDS, SOUND WITH NO MARKINGS.  THEY SAID: NOW YOU CAME WITH THE TRUTH.  THEY SLAUGHTERED IT, ALTHOUGH THEY ALMOST DID NOT.

72- AND WHEN YOU KILLED A SOUL AND HAD A DISPUTE CONCERNING IT, BUT ALLAH REVEALS WHAT YOU CONCEAL.

73- WE SAID: “STRIKE HIM WITH PART OF IT”.  AS SUCH ALLAH REVIVES THE DEAD AND SHOWS YOU HIS AYAHS SO THAT YOU MAY UNDERSTAND.

This is another incident concerning the Children of Israel, for us to learn from.  It is the one after which the Sorah is named, the Cow.

A man of the Children of Israel was killed, and his body was dumped between the homes of one of the 12 tribes.  Naturally, this tribe was accused of the murder.  They asked Moses, peace upon him, to judge the case, and Moses asked Allah the Highest for guidance on the matter.  When the Guidance came from Allah the Highest, it was to slaughter a cow.

Perhaps they expected Allah the Highest to tell them who the killer was directly, however, Allah the Highest made this as a test for them, and ordered them to slaughter a cow.

The command did not specify the kind of cow, or any thing about it, age, colour, or any other specifications, so any cow would have fulfilled the requirement.

It was particularly bad that they initially thought that Moses, peace upon him, was mocking them.  How would he mock them? By lying in Allah’s name? A terrible thing, to think about their messenger.

Then they started to ask questions about the description of the cow, first its age.  At every stage and after each of their questions was answered, slaughtering the said cow would have been sufficient, but they went on asking more questions and making more enquiries.  As if Allah the Highest forgot to give them the details or specifications.

When they decided that the requirements were getting too difficult – they made it difficult for themselves- they said to Moses: “NOW YOU CAME WITH THE TRUTH”.  As if what Moses, peace upon him, had told them before was not the truth or was not the whole truth.

They struck the dead man’s body with a part of the cow, at which, he came back to life, told the name of his killer and died again.  One might ask did Allah the Highest need this to revive the dead man.  Of-course not, but there were other reasons:

1-    Testing their obedience to Allah the Highest and, His messenger Moses, peace upon him.  This did not prove to be good.

2-    Showing them another Miracle.

3-    Showing them and indeed showing us that we should not question Allah’s commands or ask about things Allah the Highest did not mention, for this makes things difficult not easy for us.

It is important for us to take heed of this.  Allah does not try to make things difficult for us, if Allah wants them to be, things will be very difficult or impossible.  However, Allah the Highest said: “ALLAH DESIRES EASE FOR YOU AND DOES NOT DESIRE HARDSHIP FOR YOU”.  (S: 2 A: 185)

Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, said: “There is ease not hardship in the religion”.  (B: Eman; 29 & N: Eman; 28 & A: 5; 69)

Whenever Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, sent his companions to people to teach them about Islam, he commanded them: “Make things easy not hard”. (B: Adab; 80 & M: Jihad; 4-5 & D: Adab; 17 & A: 1; 239 3; 131)

It is not righteous to be very fussy to the point of making things hard for one’s self and others.  Indeed, making the practice of the Religion hard is a wrong which causes a person to suffer in this life and the Hereafter.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Will suffer those who are very fussy in religion”. (M: Elm; 7 & D: Sonah; 5 & a: 1; 386)

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi

63- AND AS WE MADE A COVENANT WITH YOU AND RAISED THE MOUNTAIN ABOVE YOU.  TAKE WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN YOU EARNESTLY AND REMEMBER WHAT IS THEREIN SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME PIOUS.

64- THEN YOU TURNED AWAY AFTER THAT AND IF IT WAS NOT BECAUSE OF ALLAH’S FAVOURS AND MERCY UPON YOU, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN OF THE LOSERS.

Allah the Highest,is telling us more about the Children of Israel and His favours upon them.

During Allah’s appointment with Moses, peace upon him, He gave him the commandments engraved on plates.  The Children of Israel found them difficult and refused to give Moses, peace upon him, their covenants to obey them.  Allah the Highest, threatened them with the mountain which was raised above them and about to be dropped on them, only then did they give their covenant.

“WHEN WE RAISED THE MOUNTAIN ABOVE YOU LIKE A CANOPY, AND THEY THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD FALL UPON THEM, TAKE WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN YOU EARNESTLY AND REMEMBER WHAT IS THEREIN, SO THAT YOU MIGHT BE PIOUS”.  (S: 7 A: 171)

The important principle here is, that following Allah’s commands and law, is not an option for the believers to take or leave.  It is an obligation, if we do not fulfill His commands, punishment follows.

Allah’s principles and policies are the same from the beginning of time and will remain so.  The Muslims should remember that the same applies to us, for Allah the Highest is not narrating these as stories, or for the sake of history or for entertainment, there is a great lesson for us too.  The same meaning has been stated many more times, here are some of them.

“THOSE WHO DO NOT JUDGE ACCORDING TO WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN, THOSE ARE THE DISBELIEVERS”. (S: 5 A: 44)

“THOSE WHO DO NOT JUDGE ACCORDING TO WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN, THOSE ARE THE UNJUST”. (S: 5:45)

“THOSE WHO DO NOT JUDGE ACCORDING TO WHAT ALLAH SENT DOWN, THOSE ARE THE EVEIL DOERS”.  (S: 5 A: 47)

Allah’s principles are the same at all times and for all nations.

65- AND YOU HAVE KNOWN THOSE OF YOU WHO TRANSGRESSED ON THE SABBATH, AND WE HAVE SAID TO THEM: BE APES, DESPISED AND REJECTED.

66- THIS WAS MADE TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE TIME AND THE SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS, AND A LESSON FOR THE PIOUS.

Another event in the chronicles of the Children of Israel, happened in a town believed to be Al-Aqaba.  The people in that town lived mostly by fishing.  They were not righteous people; however they used to be very particular about religious appearances, rather than the core spirit and the meaning.  Allah the Highest decided to test them and show their hypocrisy by testing them in the things that they upheld as highest, like not working on the Sabbath.

Allah the Highest made the fish disappear from the sea all week, so that they could not catch any fish, however on the Sabbath, there were be fish in the sea, the sea was so full of fish that they could be seen jumping in the water.  They soon decided to violate the Sabbath and went on fishing of that day.  Allah the Highest said about them “AND ASK THEM ABOUT THE TOWN BY THE SEA AS THEY VIOLATED THE SABBATH, WHEN THE FISH CAME TO THEM VISIBLY ON THE DAY OF THEIR SABBATH, WHILE ON OTHER DAYS THEY DID NOT COME.  SUCH WE TRIED THEM FOR THEIR EVIL DOING”. (S: 7 A: 163)

This means that this test was because of their evil doing and hypocrisy, and in order to uncover it.

The righteous people of the town warned them, but they did not take head “AND WHEN SOME OF THEM SAID: WHY DO YOU ADVISE PEOPLE ALLAH WILL DESTROY OR PUNISH SEVERELY?  THEY SAID: TO BE FREE FROM BLAME BEFORE YOUR LORD, AND HOPING THAT THEY MAY BECOME PIOUS * WHEN THEY FORGOT WHAT THEY WERE REMINDED OF, WE SAVED THOSE WHO FORBAD THE EVIL AND TOOK THE EVIL DOERS WITH SEVERE PUNISHMENT BECAUSE OF THEIR EVIL DOING * WHEN THEY TOOK PRIDE IN DOING WHAT THEY WERE FORBIDDEN TO DO, WE SAID TO THEM: BE APES, DESPISED AND REJECTED”. (S: 7 A: 164-166)

So, it is important that the righteous people continue to advise and to warn the others about evil, even if they think that it will be all in vain.

Allah the Highest tested the evil doers in what they held highest, to show that is all part of the facade. This test was to show what was inside them, which Allah the Highest knows, but the others do not.

62- THOSE WHO BELIEVE, THOSE WHO ARE JEWS, THE NASARENS, AND THE SABAEAN, WHOEVER BELIEVE IN ALLAH AND THE LAST DAY AND DO GOOD DEEDS, THEY SHALL HAVE THEIR REWARD WITH THEIR LORD, THERE IS NO FEAR UPON THEM, NEITHER SHALL THEY BE SADDENED.

Salman Al-Faresy, asked Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, about the fate of some of the Christians he met before coming to Medina and before becoming a Muslim.  Many of whom, did not worship partners besides Allah.  This was the answer from Allah the Highest.  It included, also the Children of Israel, and the Sabaean, who were people, who worshiped Allah the Highest without following any particular creed.

All these groups share the following:

1-    Believe in Allah and the Last Day i.e. the Day of Resurrection.

2-    Do good deeds in this life.

Allah the Highest will reward them, and on that day there will be no fear upon them and they will not be saddened by what awaits them.

However, this will apply to those who lived before the Prophecy of the last prophet and messenger, prayer and peace upon him.  After his Prophecy, Allah the Highest does not accept any religion other than Islam.  “WHOEVER TAKES A RELIGION OTHER THAN ISLAM, IT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FROM HIM, AND IN THE HEREAFTER HE WILL BE OF THE LOSERS”. (S: 3 A: 85)

Islam is Allah’s religion from the very beginning.  It is the religion of all the prophets and messengers, peace upon them all.  People perverted these religions and their prophets’ teachings, becoming Jews or Christians.  However, their prophets and those who truly followed them were Muslims.  Indeed, Allah the Highest spoke of His prophets and messengers in the Quran as Muslims:

“OR WERE YOU WITNESSES WHEN DEATH CAME TO YACOB (JACOB) WHEN HE SAID TO HIS CHILDREN: ‘MY CHILDREN, WHOM ARE YOU GOING TO WORSHIP AFTER ME?’.  THEY SAID: ‘WE SHALL WORSHIP YOUR GOD AND THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER, IBRAHIM, ISMAEL, AND IS, HAQ (ISAAC), ONE GOD AND WE ARE MUSLIMS TO HIM”.  (S: 2 A: 133)

The word Muslim, means submitter

.

Moses, peace upon him, said to his people: “O MY PEOPLE, IF YOU BELIEVE IN ALLAH, HAVE YOUR TRUST IN HIM IF YOU ARE MUSLIMS”. (S: 10 A: 84)

Jesus, peace upon him, and his disciples described themselves as Muslims: “AND WHEN I INSPIRED THE DISCIPLES TO BELIEVE IN ME AND MY MESSENGER, THEY SAID: ‘WE BELIEVE, BE OUR WITNESS THAT WE ARE MUSLIMS”. (S: 5 A: 111)

Noah, peace upon him, said the same about himself: “BUT IF YOU TURN AWAY, I DID NOT ASK YOU FOR RECOMPENSE, FOR MY RECOMPENSE IS WITH ALLAH, AND I AM COMMANDED TO BE OF THE MUSLIMS”. (S: 10 A: 72)

The final and perfect form of Islam, which has been cleared of all perversions and alterations, was sent down on the last of Allah’s prophets and messengers, Mohamed, Allah’s prayer and peace upon them all.  The Quran is the only unaltered and preserved scripture from Allah which is available.  “TODAY; I PERFECTED YOUR RELIGION FOR YOU, COMPLETED MY BOUNTY UPON YOU AND AM SATISFIED WITH ISLAM AS YOUR RELIGION”. (S: 5 A: 3)

Therefore, no other religion is now accepted from a believer except Islam, as shown in the teachings of the Quran and by the teachings of Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him and by the following of those teachings. Mohamed, prayer and peace upon him, said: “By he who has my soul in his hand, there is not one of the nations, Jewish or Nazarene, who will hear of me and not believe in what I have been sent with, who will not be of the people of the Hell-Fire”.             (M: Eman; 240)

Gabriel, peace be upon him, came to the mosque in Medina in the form of a man, sat in front of Allah’s messenger, prayer and peace upon him, and asked him, while the Muslims were watching: “O Mohamed, tell me about Islam?”.  He said: “Islam is to believe that there is no God other than Allah and that Mohamed is the messenger of Allah, uphold regular Salah, Give the Zakah, Fast in Ramadan, and go on Hajj if you can”.  Gabriel said: “You said the truth”. (M:Eman;1 & B:Eman;37 & D:Sonah;15 & Ma:Moqademah;9 & A:1;27)

B: Bukhari        M: Muslim        Mal: Malek        A: Ahmed        D: Abu Dawood       Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah                            N: Nesae          T: Termezi