the prophet muhammad (saas) - Prophet Muhammad (SAW) for All

One of the main features of the People of the Book, and the Jews in particularly, is that they also see
themselves as the dearest servants of Allah and claim that none but themselves can enter Paradise. Several
verses in the Qur'an treat such a claim. The Qur'an reveals the answer given by the Prophet (saas) to that
baseless assertion of theirs, which is unfounded:
When they are told, "Believe in what Allah has sent down," they say, "We believe in what was sent
down to us," and they reject anything beyond that, even though it is the truth, confirming what they
have. Say, "Why then, if you are believers, did you previously kill the prophets of Allah?" (Surat al-
Baqara: 91)
Say, "If the abode of the hereafter with Allah is for you alone, to the exclusion of all others, then
long for death if you are telling the truth." But they will never ever long for it because of what they have
done. Allah knows the wrongdoers. (Surat al-Baqara: 94-95)
They say, "No one will enter the Garden except for Jews and Christians." Such is their vain hope.
Say, "Produce your evidence if you are telling the truth." (Surat al-Baqara: 111)
The Jews and Christians say, "We are Allah's children and His loved ones." Say: "Why, then, does
He punish you for your wrong actions? No, you are merely human beings among those He has created.
He forgives whoever He wills and He punishes whoever He wills. The kingdom of the heavens and the
earth and everything between them belongs to Allah. He is our final destination." (Surat al-Ma'ida: 18)
They say, "Be Jews or Christians and you will be guided." Say, "Rather adopt the religion of Ibrahim,
a man of natural pure belief. He was not one of the idolators." (Surat al-Baqara: 135)
The Prophet (saas) also told the faithful to say, "Belief is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His
Apostles…"63 when they talk to the people of the Book.
The Prophet (saas) never argued with the People of the Book and never pressured
them to believe
The Prophet (saas) called on the People of the Book to have faith, without resorting to idolatry, and to
live by the morality of the Qur'an. Yet, he still treated those who refused to obey him most gently and justly.
He left the People of the Book free to worship as they saw fit, allowed them to maintain all their own
customs, and ordered his own people to treat them with justice. It is recorded that the Prophet (saas) said:
"Whoever killed a person who is granted the pledge of protection by the Muslims shall not smell the
fragrance of Paradise."64
The texts of agreements made by the Prophet (text) and those who succeeded him with various
Christian, Jewish and other religious groups are today conserved as important documents. In the text of an
51
Please visit FREE e-libraries:
www.al-islamforall.org www.quranforall.org www.prophetmuhammadforall.org