{"_id":"668da0700b76658b4c23374c","title":"Are Jewish people enemies of Muslims?","question":"I have a question regarding the interpretation of Ayahs 82 and 83 from Surat Al-Ma’eda. I was talking to a respected person in my community, one who gives Khutbahs and Halaqas in our small Masjid about these two Ayahs. They were saying that Ayah 82 shows that the Jewish people are the enemy to all Muslims, and they meant ALL Jews. I disagree — not just because they are people of the book as Allah mentions elsewhere, but also because there are examples during the times of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in which there were Jews who converted to Islam and were friends to the Muslims. They also said that just because they are the enemy of the Muslims doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t enter Jenna, but nonetheless they are the enemy of the Muslims. To me, both Ayahs 82 and 83 seem to be context-specific for certain Jews and certain (righteous practicing) Christians, not to be applied universally to all people of these religions for all time. I am not a scholar, and I would appreciate your interpretation of these two Ayahs and your comment on the discussion I had with them because their views seem extreme to me, and extremist religious thought is dangerous — especially on this topic regarding relations between Muslims and Jews.","answer":"These verses were revealed in a historical context, which is important to keep in mind. It's not correct to interpret Quranic verses personally without scholarly input. Regarding the Christians, it is reported from Ibn Abbas and others that the verse refers to a group of Christians, including eight Syrian Christians living in Abyssinia and sixty-two Abyssinian monks, who visited the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, became tearful when listening to the Quran, and embraced Islam. Other scholars believe it refers to the King of Abyssinia and a group of his people, while others think it refers to another unnamed group of Christians who had not embraced the trinity doctrine and had accepted Islam. The verse is not general to all Christians; interpreting it that way would contradict historical facts.\n\nRegarding the Jews and polytheists mentioned, scholarly commentary suggests it refers to those present at the time. This verse describes the political situation where the staunchest opposition to Islam came from the polytheists and Jews living in the Hijaz then. \n\nThere is nothing in Islam that suggests Jews or polytheists are inherent enemies of Islam; they are like any other human beings. If they embrace Islam, everything before Islam is erased, and they become full members of the community. It's strange that someone would generalize the verse to apply to Jews but not to polytheists when the verse mentions both groups together. How can it be generalized to polytheists when many of them embraced Islam? It's clear the verse refers to those among the polytheists and Jews who chose to oppose Islam. A generalized interpretation leads to contradictions, and the Quran is free from any contradictions.\n\nIf we were to understand this verse as indicating that Jews are natural enemies of Muslims, why did the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ create treaties with them?\n\nAlso, consider famous Jews who converted, such as:\n\n- Abdullah ibn Salam (R.A.), a Jewish rabbi in Medina who embraced Islam and played a significant role in spreading Islam among the Jewish community.\n- Mukhayriq, a Jewish leader in Medina who supported the Prophet Muhammad and his companions during the Battle of Uhud, embraced Islam, and fought alongside Muslims.\n- Ka'b al-Ahbar, a Jewish rabbi who converted to Islam and became a prominent Islamic scholar, contributing to understanding Islamic teachings and the interpretation of Jewish scriptures.\n\nAdditionally, the Prophet's marriage to Safiyya, from the Jewish tribe of Nadhir, who was given the venerated title of Mother of the Believers, further disproves the notion that Jews are natural enemies of Muslims.\n\nThe verse is not a blanket statement about all Jews, Polytheists, and Christians. Instead, it describes historical contexts where certain groups showed enmity or affection towards Muslims based on their beliefs and actions at the time.\n\nFinally, personal interpretation of Islamic texts is dangerous. We need to respect scholarly authority and avoid personal interpretations. It is also crucial to put personal emotions aside and not let our sentiments dictate our beliefs and opinions.","tags":[{"_id":"668d9fe50b76658b4c232867","tag":"Aqeedah: Sects and Religions","count":68},{"_id":"668d9fe70b76658b4c2328a0","tag":"Quran: Tafseer","count":34},{"_id":"668d9ff80b76658b4c232a97","tag":"Judaism","count":2}],"createdOn":"2024-07-09T20:41:20.923Z"}