Volume 8 Surah 9 - Enjoy Islam

Al-Tawbah (The Repentance) | RELATIONS WITH OTHER RELIGIONSpeople of earlier revelations who “do not believe in God and the Last Day.” A personwho claims that Ezra or Jesus is the son of God cannot be described as a believer inGod. The same applies to a person who says that the Christ is the Lord, or that God isone of a Trinity, or that He manifested Himself in Jesus. It further applies to allconcepts formulated by the Synods, diverse as these concepts are.Nor can we describe as believers in God and the Last Day those who say that theywill suffer God’s punishment only for a few days no matter what sins they maycommit because God loves them as His sons and daughters, or because they areGod’s chosen people. The same applies to those who claim that all sins are forgiventhrough a holy communion with Jesus Christ, which is the only way to achieveforgiveness. Neither of these two groups can be described as believers in God or inthe Last Day.This verse also describes the people of earlier revelations as ones who do not treatas forbidden what God and His Messenger have made forbidden. Whether the term‘His Messenger’ refers to the Messenger whom God sent to them in particular or tothe Prophet Muĥammad, the import is the same. The following verses explain this bysaying that they devour other people’s property by false claims, an action which hasbeen forbidden in all divine messages and by all God’s messengers. Some of theclearest examples of this are usurious transactions, the sale of bonds of forgivenessby the Church, opposition to the divine faith with brutal force as well as trying toturn believers away from their faith. Another clear example is forcing people tosubmit to beings other than God, and forcing them to implement laws other thanthose revealed by God. All these examples are covered by the description: “who donot treat as forbidden what God and His Messenger have forbidden.” All this applies todayto the people of earlier revelations as was applicable to them when this verse wasrevealed.The Qur’ānic verse also describes them as not following `the religion of truth.’This is clear from what we have already said. It is not part of the religion of truth tobelieve in the Lordship of anyone other than God, or to apply a law different fromGod’s law, or to accept legislation enacted by any authority other than God, or tosubmit to anyone other than Him. All these qualities are today true of the people ofearlier revelations, as it was true of them then.When Scriptures are IgnoredThe condition which the Qur’ānic verse lays down for not fighting them is not thatthey should accept Islam. No. There is simply no compulsion in matters of faith, andno one is forced to accept Islam at any time. The condition is simply that they shouldpay the tribute, or the submission tax, with a willing hand and that they be utterly97