Volume 8 Surah 9 - Enjoy Islam

Al-Tawbah (The Repentance) | RELATIONS WITH OTHER RELIGIONSclear that they upheld deviant, false and polytheistic beliefs, while they disbelievedin the true divine religion, or even its portion given to them. The new amendmentsare confined to the way the Muslim community should deal with them. This issubject to the prevailing practical conditions, which change all the time.We will look now at some of the Qur’ānic statements about the people of earlierrevelations and the concepts and beliefs they uphold. We will then consider theirpractical attitude to Islam and its followers which led to the final rulings on how todeal with them.There were no Jewish or Christian communities to reckon with in Makkah. Therewere only some individuals whom the Qur’ān states to have been overjoyed whenthey heard of the new message and they believed in Islam. They confirmed that theProphet Muĥammad was God’s Messenger who confirmed what they had of God’srevelations. Those must have been among the minority of Jews and Christians whocontinued to believe in God’s oneness. It is in reference to these that Qur’ānic verseslike the following ones were revealed: “Those to whom We vouchsafed revelation informer times believe in this; and whenever it is recited to them, they say: ‘We believe in it, forit is the truth from our Lord. Even before this have we surrendered ourselves to Him.’” (28:52-53) “Say, ‘You may believe in it or you may not.’ Those who were given knowledge beforeit has been revealed fall down on their faces in humble prostration when it is recited to them,and say, ‘Limitless in His glory is our Lord. Truly has the promise of our Lord been fulfilled.’And upon their faces they fall down, weeping, and [its recitation] increases their humility.”(17:107-109) “Say, ‘Consider, if this be truly [a revelation] from God and yet you deny itstruth? — even though a witness from among the Children of Israel bears witness to one likeit, and has believed while you glory in your arrogance.’ God does not grace evildoers with Hisguidance.” (46: 10) “Thus have We bestowed this Book on you from on high. Those to whomWe previously gave revelations believe in it, just as some among these do believe in it. Nonewill reject Our revelations other than those who deny the truth.” (29: 47) “Am I to seek forjudge anyone other than God, when it is He who has revealed the Book to you, clearly spellingout the truth. Those to whom We previously gave revelations know that it is the truthrevealed by your Lord. So, do not be among the doubters.” (6: 114) “Those to whom We havegiven this revelation rejoice at what has been bestowed on you from on high, but amongdifferent factions there are some who deny part of it. Say: ‘I have only been bidden to worshipGod, and not to associate partners with Him. To Him I pray, and to Him do I return.’” (13:36)Similarly, a positive response was given by a number of individuals in Madinah,and we find mention of these in some sūrahs revealed in Madinah. These referencesmake it clear that those people were Christians. The Jews in Madinah, apprehensiveabout the rise of Islam, took a different attitude to that adopted by some individualJews in Makkah. “There are indeed among the people of earlier revelations some who believe83