52 What is stressed here is that rather than occupying oneself unduly with examining faults in the belief and conduct of others, one should pay greater attention to a critical examination of one’s own conduct. This verse, however, in no way means that a person should be occupied only with his own salvation and should remain unconcerned with the reform of others. Abu Bakr removed this misconception in one of his sermons when he remarked: “You recited this verse but interpret it erroneously. I have heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) say that when people see corruption but do not try to change it, and when they see a wrong-doer commit wrong but do not prevent him from doing so, it is not unlikely that God’s chastisement will seize them all. By God, it is incumbent upon you that you bid what is good and forbid what is evil or else God will grant power over you to those who are the worst among you. They will greatly chastise you and then when your righteous ones pray to God, their prayers will not be answered.”
53 That is, pious, straightforward and trustworthy Muslims.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 107–9
“We shall neither sell our testimony in return for any gain even though it concerns any near of kin nor shall we conceal our testimony which we owe to Allah, for then we should become among the sinners.” (107) Then if it is discovered later that the two are guilty of such sin, then two others shall stand in their place from among those against whom the two had sinfully deposed, and swear by Allah: “Our testimony is truer than the testimony of the other two, and we have not transgressed in our statement; for then indeed we would become sinners.” (108) Thus it is more likely that they will either bear the right testimony or else they will at least fear that their oaths may be rebutted by other oaths. Have fear of Allah and pay heed. Allah does not direct the disobedient to the Right Way.
(109) The Day when Allah will gather together the Messengers and say: “What answer were you given?”54 ▶
54 On the Day of Judgement the Prophets will be asked: what was the response of the people of the world to their call?
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 110
They will reply: “We have no real knowledge of it. You alone fully know all that lies beyond the reach of perception.” (110) Imagine, then, when Allah will say: “Jesus, son of Mary, recall My favour upon you and your mother, and when I strengthened you with the spirit of holiness so that you talked to people in the cradle and also when you became of age; and when I taught you the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel; and when, by My leave, you fashioned from clay the likeness of a bird and you breathed into it, and by My leave it became a bird; and you healed, by My leave, the blind by birth and the leprous; and when, by My leave, you caused the dead to come to life.55 And recall when I restrained the Israelites from you when you came to them with clear proofs whereupon those of them who disbelieved said: “This is nothing but plain magic.” ▶
55 That is, with God’s command Jesus restored people to life from the state of death.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 111–14
(111) And recall when I revealed to the disciples to believe in Me and in My Messenger, they said: “We do believe, and we bear witness that indeed we are the ones who submit to Allah.” (112) Also recall56 when the disciples asked: “Jesus, son of Mary, has your Lord the power to send down to us a repast from the heaven?” Thereupon Jesus said: “Fear Allah if you do indeed have faith.” (113) They said: “We desire to partake of it that our hearts be satisfied and we know that you did speak the truth to us, and that we are its witnesses.” (114) Jesus, son of Mary, then prayed: “O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a repast from the heavens that shall be a festival for the first of us and for the last of us and a Sign from You. And provide us with sustenance for You are the Best Provider of sustenance.” ▶
56 Since the disciples have been mentioned here, the continuity of the subject is interrupted for a moment in order to introduce another incident connected with the disciples. This clearly shows that Jesus’ direct disciples considered him merely a human being and a servant of God; they did not entertain any notion that their master was either God or God’s partner or son. Jesus, too, had presented himself to them as a servant of God and made no claim to having Divine status or authority.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 115–17
(115) Allah said: “I shall indeed send it down to you; then I shall afflict whoever among you disbelieves with a chasti- sement wherewith I will afflict none (else) in the world.” (116) And imagine when thereafter Allah will say: “Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to people: ‘Take me and my mother for gods beside Allah?’,57 and he will answer: “Glory to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right to. Had I said so, You would surely have known it. You know all what is within my mind whereas I do not know what is within Yours. You, indeed You, fully know all that is beyond the reach of perception. (117) I said to them nothing except what You commanded me, that is: “Serve Allah, my Lord and your Lord. ▶
57 The Christians were not content merely with deifying Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They even turned Mary, the mother of Jesus, into a full-fledged object of worship. The Bible does not contain even the remotest suggestion that Mary was in any way either divine or superhuman. During the first three centuries after the Messiah, such a concept was totally alien to Christian thinking. Towards the end of the third century of the Christian era, however, some theologians of Alexandria employed, for the first time, the expression “Mother of God” in connection with Mary. Subsequently, belief in Mary’s Divinity and the practice of Mariolatry spread among Christians.
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Al-Ma’idah 5: 118–20
I watched over them as long as I remained among them; and when You did recall me, then You Yourself became the Watcher over them. Indeed, You are witness over everything. (118) If You chastise them, they are Your servants; and if You forgive them, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise,” (119) Thereupon Allah will say: “This day truthfulness shall profit the truthful. For them are Gardens beneath which rivers flow. There they will abide for ever. Allah is well-pleased with them, and they well-pleased with Allah. That indeed is the mighty triumph.”
(120) To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them and He has full power over everything.
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Al-An[am 6: 1–3