Seal of the Prophets - Does it mean Muhammad is the final Prophet?

[Wasp]

The main aspect of the verse is challenging those who are arrogant, and said there are no more prophets after Joseph... It does not mention his virtues.

It's about a lot more than just arrogance. The people say there will be no one like him after that and then the verse goes on to say "Thus Allah leads astray those who transgress the limits and are given to much doubting". If the last sentence isn't about the words they just spoke then it would fit better to be placed before those words in this verse.

If other Messengers come after Muhammad citing his words, what does that make: is Muhammad the last messenger if someone can cite his words, and we are to respect them according to the verse?

What do you mean citing his words?

 

[stvdv]

If it doesn't mean Muhammad was the final Prophet for all time as believed by Muslims, what does it mean?

Very interesting post.

Must be a hot item for Bahai. Having their Bahaullah kind of check mate here.

I might be able to help you out, to get Bahaullah past the so called "Seal of Prophet"; not sure if I manage though

Of course if you then would say "Bahaullah is now the seal of the Prophets" I will pass on this one

 

[wizanda]

What do you mean citing his words?

'relating to you My verses' ... In other words, Muhammad is referring to Messengers who come after him to be quoting him.

In my opinion.

 

[Dawnofhope]

From Meher Baba's perspective, Muhammad is indeed the last but not for all time but for the Cycle of Prophets/Avatars. Some Muslims identify a Madhi who is believed to follow. The Quran also speaks of End Times. So from that perspective, Muhammad would be the last before those times are upon us.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I know little of Meher Baba. The idea of Muhammad ending or sealing the Adamic cycle is common in Baha’i belief. The Quran identifies Adam (from Genesis) as the first prophet so Muhammad ends the prophetic cycle.

The link to Islamic eschatology is useful.

Similar to other Abrahamic religions, Islam teaches that there will be a resurrection of the dead that will be followed by a final tribulation and eternal division of the righteous and wicked.[12] Islamic apocalyptic literature describing Armageddon is often known as fitna, Al-Malhama Al-Kubra (The Great Massacre) or ghaybah in Shī'a Islam. The righteous are rewarded with the pleasures of Jannah (Paradise), while the unrighteous are punished in Jahannam (Hell).

According to a 2012 poll by Pew research, found 50% or more Muslims in several Muslim-majority countries (Turkey, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Tunisia, Lebanon, Morocco) expect the Mahdito return in their lifetime.

 

[Wasp]

'relating to you My verses' ... In other words, Muhammad is referring to Messengers who come after him to be quoting him.

It is Allah speaking in that verse. Look at the verses before it.

7:26 "O CHILDREN of Adam! Indeed, We have....."

7:27 "O children of Adam! Do not allow Satan......"

7:28 "and [so,] whenever they commit....."

7:29 "Say: "My Sustainer has [but] enjoined....."

7:30 "some [of you] He will have...."

7:31 "O CHILDREN of Adam! Beautify yourselves for every act of worship....."

7:32 "Say: "Who is there to forbid the beauty......"

7:33 "Say: "Verily, my Sustainer has forbidden......."

7:34 "And for all people a term has been set: and when......."

7:35 "O CHILDREN of Adam! Whenever there come unto you apostles of your own, conveying My messages unto you, then all who are conscious of Me and live righteously - no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve;"

 

[Epic Beard Man]

There are active Muhammadans;

This is an inappropriate term to refer to Muslims because by definition for Muslims a "Mohammedan" would liken someone who is an adherent of Islam to worship Muhammad.

"Some modern Muslims have objected to the term,[11] saying that the term was not used by Muhammad himself or his early followers, and that the religion teaches the worship of God alone (see shirk and tawhid) and not Muhammad or any other of God´s prophets."

Mohammedan - Wikipedia

a Muslim by definition follows all the messengers without distinction

What does this have to do with the fact that I've observed only two maybe three Muslims participate on this discussion board?

There are certain criteria required to be a prophet, anyone can claim to be one, yet to qualify takes actual real connection with the Divine.

Ok.

In a mental hospital environment the difference between the doctor, and the patient, is the patient makes stuff up, and hasn't evidence for it.

Funny because you said previously.....

Since hearing the voice of God, and schizophrenia are classified as the same thing; that doesn't then disqualify someone from actually having heard God...

So (according to you) how does on one end a schizophrenic's auditory hallucination is not sufficient enough to be discredit as false (because they may not be delusions after all), but on the other end we still believe a person's mind is deluded and they're making stuff up?

Thus if a person who claims to hear voices has advanced knowledge of religious texts, we should try dealing with it in a more logical way, and assess the data, instead of the academic opinion.

Sure we can make an academic assessment, but typically auditory hallucinations tend to create a maladaptive behavior that follows.

 

[wizanda]

expect the Mahdi to return in their lifetime.

Muhammad by definition of what is in the Hadiths is the Imam Mahdi, as they have to do a series of things to qualify:

Point to the Dajjal (false Messiah), correcting the misrepresented teachings of Yeshua back to their true meaning.

The Quran does this, it explains how the Jews rejected the Curse of Moses in Deuteronomy 28, when they sold their covenant for a small price (3:77, Zechariah 11).

It then correct certain teachings that Yeshua also taught, charitable works for salvation, no alcohol, the Messiah & us being the word of God (not God directly), solitary prayer, being Servants of the God Most High = El Elyon (Hebrew) = Ala Ilah (Arabic), that there is just One God, etc.

In my opinion.

 

[wizanda]

What does this have to do with the fact that I've observed only two maybe three Muslims participate on this discussion board?

A Muslim by definition isn't someone who follows only the religion of Islam today, it is someone who ascribes to the Oneness of God, that all the religious texts talk about.

If there were theologians on here who accepted all the texts globally, whilst claiming to be Servants of God (Muslims); like Abraham, Moses, David, Yeshua, Muhammad, we'd have far more poetry being written by all.

There is 'much squawking, like the braying of donkeys' (31:19), yet not understanding, inner peace (Islam), and compassion of the saints to call them Muslims.

Thus It is trying to use the correct term, they follow Muhammad, not the same Islam ascribed in the Quran.

they're making stuff up?

We assess the situation by data, so if they state X, and X doesn't equal X, we can show why they're not dealing with the facts.

There is a really good lecture on the Science of Mindsight, that if we define the brain is there to intercess information, and we can show impaired functionality, we can diagnose mental illness far easier.

Assuming because someone has a vision, they are then automatically insane, is far crazier; as it isn't dealing with the data's potential for explanation.

In my opinion.

 

[Dawnofhope]

Very interesting post.

Must be a hot item for Bahai. Having their Bahaullah kind of check mate here.

I might be able to help you out, to get Bahaullah past the so called "Seal of Prophet"; not sure if I manage though

Of course if you then would say "Bahaullah is now the seal of the Prophets" I will pass on this one

The Baha’i Faith intersects dramatically with Islamic eschatology. Put simply, that means what would happen at the.end of one era in human history and the beginning of a new era. In Persia in the 18th and 19th centuries there was a growing sense among many Muslims that Islam had run its course and it was now time for Islam’s redeemer or Madhi to come.

A key figure was shaykh Ahmad a prominent 19th-century Muslim theologian and jurist who founded the influential Shaykhí school of Twelver Shiism, which attracted followers from throughout the Persian and Ottoman Empires.

Shaykh Ahmad - Wikipedia

The scene was set in Persia as The Forerunner to the Baha’i Faith, the Bab was recognised by over 100,000 to be the Promised Madhi. The fanatical and conservative clergy responded by first imprisonments and then execution. After six tumultuous years, the Bab was shot by a militia of 750 of his own countrymen.

 

[leov]

Muhammad corrects the Gentiles from the false doctrines made up by the Pharisees (John, Paul, and Simon); the Bible warned it will be tampered with by the false teachings, this has already happened at the beginning of the harvest (Wheat and Tares).

Muhammad then says Christ will return before Judgement Day (43:60-61) to declare which bits are edited.

Muhammad's message in the Quran tells the Muslims to follow the Gospel of Yeshua (3:55); it is later additions by the Hadiths, that made Muhammadans separate into their own religion.

True Islam as the Quran ascribes, is that the Source of our reality (God Most High = Allah) sends messengers to every nation (10:47); the Quran is an Arabic version of the same message we all have, and says it acts as a criterion to assess the rest.

In my opinion.

i understand ( the Cow) that Islam is kind of extension of Christianity that came about because Jews and Christians did not follow their books. Christ Jesus set example what human soul needs to do to gain God's approval. The Cow says if you follow teachings of Jesus you do good. So, Christ Jesus suits Islam, God the Father's will and Christ Jesus's teachings are the core of Islam? Pure Gospel without human mixing (e.g RCC) is what the follower of Islam wants to know?

 

[Dawnofhope]

(a) 33:40. Muhammad is not the father of any man among you; rather, he is the Messenger of God and the Seal of the prophets. And God is Knower of all things.

• Commentary
  • ["The Study Qur'an"
    • SEYYED HOSSEIN NASR (Editor-in-Chief), University Professor of Islamic Studies at the George Washington University
    • CANER K. DAGLI (General Editor), Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the College of the Holy Cross
    • MARIA MASSI DAKAKE (General Editor) is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at George Mason University
    • JOSEPH E. B. LUMBARD (General Editor) is Assistant Professor in the Department of Arabic and Translation Studies at the American University of Sharjah
    • MOHAMMED RUSTOM (Assistant Editor), Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at Carleton University]
  • Muhammad is not the father of any man among you refers to the Prophet’s relationship with Zayd ibn Ḥārithah, whom the Prophet had claimed as his son after Zayd’s father disowned him and whom others had referred to thereafter as the “Son of Muhammad” before the revelation of this sūrah; see 33:5c. Although this proclamation clarifies the Prophet’s biological relationship with members of his community and the rights and restrictions pertaining thereto, it is also understood as opening onto the spiritual reality of the Prophet as the father of all true believers (Aj, Ṭs); see 33:6c. That the Prophet is the Seal of the prophets is understood to mean that he is the last Prophet sent to humanity. The Prophet is reported to have said, “No prophethood shall remain after me, save for true visions” (IK, Q), and “Messengerhood and prophethood have ceased. There will be no messenger or prophet after me” (IK). The most frequently cited ḥadīth pertaining to his place as the Seal of the prophets states, “My likeness among the prophets before me is that of a man who has built a house, completed it, and beautified it, yet left empty a place for a brick. Then the people come to the house, are amazed by it, and say, ‘If only you were to place this brick, your house would be complete!’ I am this brick” (IK, Q). According to the Prophet, being the Seal of the prophets is one of six qualities that distinguish him from other prophets: “I have been favored above the prophets in six things: I have been endowed with consummate succinctness of speech; I have been made triumphant through dread; war booty has been made lawful for me; the whole earth has been made a place of worship for me and a means of purification; I have been sent to all created beings; and the succession of prophets has been completed in me” (IK).

"Seal"

• Nasr et al., pg. 11. "Some advocate saying it ["Āmīn"] aloud, while others recommend saying it under one’s breath (Q). Most understand āmīn to mean, “O God! Answer us,” which functions as a supplication (IK, Q). Others say that it is one of the Names of God (Q), while others say it means, “Thus shall it be” (Q). This last meaning is closest to the meaning of the Hebrew cognate “Amen.” In this sense, it is a declaration of affirmation and is understood as the seal upon one’s prayers (Q)."
• Nasr et al., 63:3. "That is because they believed, and then disbelieved; so a seal was set upon their hearts such that they comprehend not."
  • This verse means either that the hypocrites first believed and then came to disbelieve or that they affirmed with their tongues, although they disbelieved with their hearts (Q). A seal was set upon their hearts (cf. 2:7; 6:46; 7:100–101; 9:87, 93; 10:74; 16:108; 17:46; 18:57; 30:59; 40:35; 41:5; 42:24; 47:16) implies spiritual insensitivity and ignorance, as the heart is considered the principle faculty of knowledge and understanding (see 6:25; 22:46). That a seal has been placed upon the heart as a barrier to religious understanding may be understood either as an inherent insensitivity toward revelation or as a Divinely imposed punishment in response to moral transgression and disobedience (see, e.g., 10:74; 42:24; 2:7c).

That’s really helpful Terry. I can’t imagine the Muslims coming onto this thread en mass so its certainly useful to hear the opinions of scholars of Islam instead.

 

[wizanda]

So, Chris Jesus suits Islam, God the Father's will and Christ Jesus's teachings are the core of Islam?

Yeshua was teaching the essentials of Oneness, that 0neness is to live a life of unconditional love, and being a humble servant (Muslim) helping everyone.

Pure Gospel without human mixing (e.g RCC) is what the follower of Islam wants to know?

Yeshua's message in the Synoptic Gospels was about a Living Gospel of servitude (Islam); what came after by John, Paul, and Simon was a Dead Gospel, that he came to die for the sins of the world, not that his knowledge about God was what saves.

In my opinion.

 

[Wasp]

A Muslim by definition isn't someone who follows only the religion of Islam today, it is someone who ascribes to the Oneness of God, that all the religious texts talk about.

It is submitting to the will of a God, one God. No matter how much you ascribe to oneness of God in scriptures, if you don't submit you're not exactly a Muslim. So even if you say this book is right on this and this and this, if you don't obey its commandments what kind of a Muslim would that be? Like a Christian who doesn't believe in Jesus - but has been baptised.

Moreover, you want to change the 'label' of the majority into something they disagree with so that you can with a handful of others take the label they had because you don't fulfill its actual purpose so that you could simply 'share'?

 

[Dawnofhope]

@adrian009

From "The Qur'an: an Encyclopedia" Edited by Oliver Leaman, (2006 Routledge).

• RIDDA AND THE CASE FOR DECRIMINALIZATION OF APOSTASY
  • Page 548:
    • On conversion. From the earliest days of Islam to this day, apostasy continues to be considered in Islamic societies one of the most grievous acts that a Muslim person could ever commit. Islamic law insists that is impermissible for a Muslim to follow the path of irreligion or to convert to a religion other than Islam, and that no effort should be spared to prevent a member of the community from doing so (al-Jaziri, n.d: 422–7; al-Jaza) iri,1979: 535). Understanding how conversion to a religion such as Christianity came to be seen as ‘unacceptable’, even as inconceivable, may prove quite intriguing,particularly since the Qur'an does not seem to preclude the possibility that adherents of other monotheistic faithsare also among the saved and ‘need haveno fear, and neither shall they grieve’. This inconceivability, Watt (1974: 250) observes, stems from the general tendency in the Muslim world to assume that a person in their right mind would never ‘turn down the better in favour of the inferior’. Muslims cannot, according to this view, understand the motive for renunciation or conversion because they believe that ‘anyone who penetrates beneath the surface of the inner essence of Islam is bound to recognise its superiority over the other religions’. This issue, however, is not always seen or argued through the ‘principle’ of superiority of one religion over another (Nursi, 1998: 505). For Nursi (d. 1960), people of other monotheistic faiths can indeed be on a path compatible with Islam; they may even be within it, and are saved, without them necessarily knowing or intending to be on that path. But while he regards the nonacceptance of Islam by people of other faiths as perfectly excusable to a degree, he deplores the Muslim’s acceptance of a faith other than Islam, after he or she had earlier heard of the Prophet Muhammad and was familiar with his message. The Prophet Muhammad is the ‘seal of all prophets’, meaning not that he is simply the last of them, nor that he annuls whatever message they brought, but that he embodies the culminating point of all that was revealed, affirming, thus, all that had preceded him. It is for this reason, Nursi argues, ‘a person who denies Muhammad, who with his miracles and works was the pride of the universe and glory of mankind, certainly can in no respect receive any light and will not recognize God’. The Muslim person who converts to another religion or does not accept Muhammad’s prophethood has ‘owing to his denial, accepted annihilation and nihility’. Hence for someone such as Nursi the issue is not so much about ‘turning down the better in favour of the inferior’ but precisely over ‘what religion, if any at all, does the apostate in effect turn to after he or she renounces the ‘‘seal’’ of prophecy that affirms and embraces all the other revelations?’ It is following this line of argument that many scholars have upheld that for a Muslim to gain salvation, ‘all the ways are closed except the way of Muhammad’.

Perhaps the most important words regarding apostasy are from Muhammad Himself.

Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.
— trans. Yusuf Ali, Quran 2:256

Let there be no compulsion in religion is clear enough. How we go from such clarity and freedom to the complete opposite with apostasy laws and the death penalty in some countries for converting outside of Islam is another story. I believe it has little to do with what Muhammad taught. Many Muslims will beg to differ.

 

[wizanda]

So even if you say this book is right on this and this and this, if you don't obey its commandments what kind of a Muslim would that be?

Agreed entirely, which is why as a Muslim we have to not pick and choose among the religious texts globally as one, and those who only follow the Hadiths, Quran, we would deem Muhammadans, as they do not submit to the Oneness of all religion as one.

4:150-151 Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and wish to discriminate between Allah and His messengers and say, "We believe in some and disbelieve in others," and wish to adopt a way in between - Those are the disbelievers, truly. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment.

2:285 The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination."

10:47 And for every nation is a messenger. So when their messenger comes, it will be judged between them in justice, and they will not be wronged.

Like a Christian who doesn't believe in Jesus - but has been baptised.

A Christian by definition is a follower of Paul & Simon the stone (petros), it was first established at Antioch (Acts 11:25-26), and systemically removed the real followers of Yeshua (Ebionites).

John the Baptist established Baptism; Yeshua taught anointing (Christening) to remove demons (Mark 6:13, James 5:14).

Moreover, you want to change the 'label' of the majority into something they disagree with so that you can with a handful of others take the label they had because you don't fulfill its actual purpose so that you could simply 'share'?

Words have definitions ascribed to them by their contexts, and thus in the Quran it states the definitions of a Muslim; I accept Abraham, Moses, Yeshua, Krishna, Buddha, Lao Tzu, etc, as Muslims, I do not find most people ambassadors for God, they are followers of Muhammad - so a Muhammadan.

In my opinion.

 

[Dawnofhope]

But the Mahdi is different from being a prophet. The Mahdi, according to Islamic eschatology is a "redeemer" of mankind.

Can a Redeemer also be a Prophet as Christ was? I believe so.

Well for one, the founder of your faith was already influenced by Shi'ite Islam therefore, in an Islamic perspective there was nothing profound nor independent nor unique that differs from Islam. The persecution aspect is definitely wrong but I think one of the things that perhaps set people who come from divine providence apart is their profound message.

It is true the twin Manifestations of the Baha’i Faith were Shi’a Muslims before proclaiming their new faith. The question of independence has been established and tested legally long ago. Whether or not the Bab or Bahá’u’lláh brought anything new can only be concluded after independent investigation of truth.

I’m pleased you mention that persecution of Baha’is is wrong as many Muslims don’t wish to acknowledge that it is or would simply avoid considering the question.

There are like two or maybe three active Muslims. This discussion is best left in the Islam DIR in this case otherwise you're inviting people who disagree with Islam, or anti-Muslim in this conversation if you want a sincere answer from Muslims.

I want to have a conversation with Muslims and other interested parties about the seal of the Prophet. That can’t happen in the DIR threads.

 

[sooda]

The problem with this is that it sets the stage for anyone thereafter to be a prophet. A schizophrenic can proclaim to be a prophet.

We have a lot of modern day prophets on TV in America today.

Who are some examples of modern day prophets? | Yahoo Answers
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070603161818AA7Hgmj
Jun 02, 2007 · Answers. There are a lot of people out there calling themselves prophets, but I think most of them are just charlatans, like the TV evangelicals. By the way, Ellen G. White was not a prophet of God. The bible says a prophet of God will never be wrong, and she was on numerous occassions, including that the civil war would put an end to..

 

[loverofhumanity]

Just a few thoughts. If we take that literally the term Seal of the Prophets means no more Prophets then Jesus well before Muhammad had already called Himself the ‘first and last’ ‘ the beginning and the end’ But He obviously was not meaning it literally as He spoke of His return and the Comforter and the Spirit Of Truth to come after Him.

In the Quran there are many passages below that indicate to me that Muhammad is not the last Prophet nor the Quran the final Revelation from God, and that God’s Words will never be exhausted.

But this is only my humble opinion.

Sura 31:27

And were every tree that is in the earth (made into) pens and the sea (to supply it with ink), with seven more seas to increase it, the words of Allah would not come to an end; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.

The Words of God or Allah I believe here refers to His Revelations. My understanding of this verse in the Quran is that the Revelations from God (His Words) shall never come to an end, that is, Prophets and Revelations shall continue to appear to humanity from God after Muhammad.

In the Quran it speaks of the ‘Day of Resurrection’ and describes two significant events that will occur and makes mention of the appearance of the ‘Lord’ during the second event.

Sura 39: 66-69

But they have not deemed of God as is His due; for on the resurrection day the whole Earth shall be but his handful, and in his right hand shall the Heavens be folded together. Praise be to Him! and high be He uplifted above the partners they join with Him!

And there shall be a blast on the trumpet, and all who are in the Heavens and all who are in the Earth shall expire, save those whom God shall vouchsafe to live.

Then shall there be another blast on it, and lo! arising they shall gaze around them:

And the earth shall shine with the light of her Lord, and the Book shall be set, and the prophets shall be brought up, and the witnesses; and judgment shall be given between them with equity; and none shall be wronged:And every soul shall receive as it shall have wrought, for well knoweth He men’s actions.

Sura 50:41

And listen attentively on the day when an announcer will proclaim from a place nearby.

Fanfare - Wikipedia

It is often played to announce the arrival of an important person, such as a king, queen or presidential leader. Fanfares are usually played by trumpets or French horns and other brass instruments, often with drums.

In the Quran the trumpet is used I believe, to announce the arrival of two Kings but Spiritual Kings or Manifestations of God.

 

[Wasp]

Agreed entirely, which is why as a Muslim we have to not pick and choose among the religious texts globally as one, and those who only follow the Hadiths, Quran, we would deem Muhammadans, as they do not submit to the Oneness of all religion as one.

So you follow the laws established by the Qur'an and you follow the commands within?

4:150-151 Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and wish to discriminate between Allah and His messengers and say, "We believe in some and disbelieve in others," and wish to adopt a way in between - Those are the disbelievers, truly. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment.

2:285 The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination."

10:47 And for every nation is a messenger. So when their messenger comes, it will be judged between them in justice, and they will not be wronged.

I'm not sure how these are relevant?

Words have definitions ascribed to them by their contexts, and thus in the Quran it states the definitions of a Muslim; I accept Abraham, Moses, Yeshua, Krishna, Buddha, Lao Tzu, etc, as Muslims, I do not find most people ambassadors for God, they are followers of Muhammad - so a Muhammadan.

What?

If you mean 2:136, it is not a definition of Muslims.

 

[Terry Sampson]

Perhaps the most important words regarding apostasy are from Muhammad Himself.

From Nasr, "The Study Qur'an".

• 2:256
  • There is no coercion in religion. Sound judgment has become clear from error. So whosoever disavows false deities and believes in God has grasped the most unfailing handhold, which never breaks. And God is Hearing, Knowing.
  • Commentary: Similar statements regarding faith are also found in 10:99–100: And had thy Lord willed, all those who are on the earth would have believed all together. Wouldst thou compel men till they become believers? It is not for a soul to believe, save by God’s Leave; and 18:29: And say, “It is the truth from your Lord! So whosoever will, let him believe, and whosoever will, let him disbelieve” (see also 76:3; 2:217c). Some report that this verse was revealed in connection with some Muslims who had children among the Banū Naḍīr, a Jewish tribe that was exiled by the Muslim community from Madinah after they were found plotting against the Prophet. Before the coming of Islam, some women of Yathrib (later Madinah) whose children died in infancy made a vow that, if they had children who survived, they would have them raised Jewish, which is how these children came to be among the Banū Naḍīr. These Muslim parents questioned whether they should force their children to join the Muslim community (Q, Ṭ). Another account describes a Muslim man whose two sons became Christians and left for Syria with the merchants who had converted them (Ṭ). And a third account mentions that some Muslims were wet-nursed by Jews, and when the Jewish clans to which they belonged were exiled, they wanted to leave with them and become Jews, but their families forced them to remain Muslims (Ṭ).
    
    According to some sources this verse refers specifically to the People of the Book or to anyone from whom one can take the jizyah (see 9:29c; IK, R). Indeed, many argue that the import of this verse is not absolute, since the Prophet, in his campaign and ultimate victory against the idolatrous Arabs, did not give them the option of remaining idolaters or paying the jizyah (IK, Ṭ). The Arabs were in fact forced to abandon idol worship, although some disagree over whether they could become Jews and Christians and fall under the protected status of There is no coercion in religion (R). This position would entail, in effect, that among a certain group of religions recognized by Islam (including Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism), there is no coercion in religion.
    
    Others argue that this verse was abrogated by those verses that command Muslims to fight (e.g., 9:5), but this interpretation is not chronologically consistent with the three possible occasions of revelation for this verse, which all involve conditions resulting from conflict with the Jews, who were banished by force. This shows, as do many other verses in the Quran, that the fighting Muslims carried out was motivated by political circumstances and not the desire to convert. More important, coercion in religion negates the idea of responsibility before God (taklīf), in which one is taken to account for one’s actions in both this life and the Hereafter (R). As an ethical or moral pronouncement, this verse is not subject to abrogation at all (see 2:106c). The Makkan idolaters were a special case, because they had been for years the primary threat to the very existence of Islam as a religion. Although forced conversions were not completely unknown in later Islamic history (including from Sunnism to Shiism and vice versa), they can be counted as rare exceptions to the historical rule. For a more detailed treatment of these questions, see the essay “Conquest and Conversion, War and Peace in the Quran.”
    
    Sound judgment translates rushd, which also means “maturity” and “being rightly guided”; error translates ghayy, which also carries the sense of transgression and temptation. False deities renders ṭāghūt, a word that seems to be related to the verb meaning “to rebel” and that is interpreted variously to refer to Satan, magicians, soothsayers, idols, or any being who rebels and trespasses against God (R); for a longer discussion, see 4:51–52c. The unfailing handhold (cf. 31:22) refers to either faith or the shahādah, “There is no god but God” (lā ilāha illa’Llāh). The word for breaks refers to fractures that do not show or cause separation, meaning that the handhold does not give way even slightly or imperceptibly.