Are the Jews & Christians Ahl al-Kitab?
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Muslims believe that the
Qur’an is for all time. It is without
error and irrefutable for those who have taqwa. If Allah (s.w.t.)
has Stated the characteristics of the mu’minin,
it is for all time. If Allah (s.w.t.) has Stated the characteristics
of the mushrikin, it is for all
time. Thus, if these are the
characteristics of the Ahl al-Kitab,
they are for all time. The Qur’an is not
just for Muslims but for all mankind. It
is thus addressing the Ahl al-Kitab
now as well.
There have been some asatidzah who have said that the
Christians in the Qur’an are not the same as the Christians now. Christianity as we know it was already
settled in its doctrines, liturgy, and the composition of the Bible by the time
of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). The last of the Ecumenical Councils were over
by the middle of the 3rd Century C.E. There is little doctrinal difference between
Christianity then and Christianity now.
By the advent of the last Prophet (s.a.w.),
two of the three Christian denominations, Catholicism and Orthodoxy, had
already been in existence for more than half a millennium. The Protestant movements would only appear
after the Reformation.
The Qur’an Implicitly Acknowledges
this in Its Address to the Christians and the Jews:
سُوۡرَةُ الإخلاص
لَمۡ يَلِدۡ
وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ (٣)
He begets, not nor is He begotten; (Surah al-Ikhlasw:3)
سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة
وَلَوۡ أَنَّہُمۡ
أَقَامُواْ ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةَ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡہِم مِّن رَّبِّہِمۡ
لَأَڪَلُواْ مِن فَوۡقِهِمۡ وَمِن تَحۡتِ أَرۡجُلِهِمۚ مِّنۡہُمۡ أُمَّةٌ۬
مُّقۡتَصِدَةٌ۬ۖ وَكَثِيرٌ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ سَآءَ مَا يَعۡمَلُونَ (٦٦)
If only they had stood fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the Revelation
that was Sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from
every side. There is from among them a
party on the right course; but many of them follow a course that is evil. (Surah al-Ma’idah:66)
سُوۡرَةُ
النِّسَاء
يَـٰٓأَهۡلَ
ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغۡلُواْ فِى دِينِڪُمۡ وَلَا تَقُولُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا
ٱلۡحَقَّۚ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ
وَڪَلِمَتُهُ ۥۤ أَلۡقَٮٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرۡيَمَ وَرُوحٌ۬ مِّنۡهُۖ
فَـَٔامِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦۖ وَلَا تَقُولُواْ ثَلَـٰثَةٌۚ ٱنتَهُواْ
خَيۡرً۬ا لَّڪُمۡۚ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَـٰهٌ۬ وَٲحِدٌ۬ۖ سُبۡحَـٰنَهُ ۥۤ
أَن يَكُونَ لَهُ ۥ وَلَدٌ۬ۘ لَّهُ ۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى
ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَڪِيلاً۬ (١٧١)
O people of the Book! Commit
no excesses in your religion: nor say of Allah aught but truth. Christ Jesus, the son of Mary was (no more
than) a Messenger of Allah and His Word, which He Bestowed on Mary, and a
Spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His Messengers. Say not, “Trinity”: desist; it will be better
for you: for Allah is One Allah: Glory be to Him: (for Exalted is He) above
having a son. To Him Belongs all things
in the Heavens and on Earth. And enough
is Allah as a Disposer of Affairs. (Surah
an-Nisa’:171)
سُوۡرَةُ التّوبَة
وَقَالَتِ
ٱلۡيَهُودُ عُزَيۡرٌ ٱبۡنُ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَى ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ
ٱللَّهِۖ ذَٲلِكَ قَوۡلُهُم بِأَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡۖ يُضَـٰهِـُٔونَ قَوۡلَ ٱلَّذِينَ
ڪَفَرُواْ مِن قَبۡلُۚ قَـٰتَلَهُمُ ٱللَّهُۚ أَنَّىٰ يُؤۡفَڪُونَ (٣٠) ٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ
أَحۡبَارَهُمۡ وَرُهۡبَـٰنَهُمۡ أَرۡبَابً۬ا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡمَسِيحَ
ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓاْ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَـٰهً۬ا وَٲحِدً۬اۖ
لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ سُبۡحَـٰنَهُ ۥ عَمَّا يُشۡرِڪُونَ (٣١)
The Jews call ‘Uzayr a son of Allah and the Christians call Christ
the son of Allah. That is a saying from
their mouths; (in this) they but imitate what the Unbelievers of old used to
say. Allah’s Curse be on them: how they
are deluded away from the Truth! They
take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of
Allah, and (they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary; yet they were Commanded
to worship but one Allah: there is no god but He. Praise and Glory to him: (far is He) from
having the parents they associate (with him). (Surah at-Tawbah:30-31)
The Qur’an, therefore, Addresses
the Christians and the Jews for all time. There is no major difference in the creeds of
both faiths from the time of Muhammad (s.a.w.)
and now. Therefore, it is erroneous to
say that the Christian and the Jews then are different from the Christian and
the Jews now.
Assalaamu alaikum akh,
ReplyDeleteI would recommend a scholastic work, not as a challenge but as an addition to this discussion. It is by a respected friend and scholar, Micah David Naziri. It is called "People of the Book: What the Religions Named in the Qur'an Can Tell Us About the Earliest Understanding of 'Islam'." If you cannot afford it, let me know and I'll see what I can do. Ma'a salaama akh!
Link: http://www.amazon.com/People-Book-Religions-Understanding-ebook/dp/B008DGH8T4
Wa 'Alaykum as-Salaam,
DeleteThank you for the recommendation. I'll look it up, insha'Allah.