44. It was We who revealed the law (to Moses): therein was guidance and light. By its standard have been judged the Jews, by the prophets who bowed (as in Islam) to Allah.s will, by the rabbis and the doctors of law: for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah.s book, and they were witnesses thereto: therefore fear not men, but fear me, and sell not my signs for a miserable price. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers.
45. We ordained therein for them: "Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal." But if any one remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (No better than) wrong-doers.
46. And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.
47. Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel.
5. The Table, The Table Spread
Thank you.
This is from the translation by Profession M.A.S. Abdel Haleem:
‘But why do they come to you for judgement when they have the Torah with God’s judgement, and even then still turn away? These are not believers. ‘We revealed the Torah with guidance and light, and the prophets, who had submitted to God, judged according to it for the Jews. So did the rabbis and the scholars in accordance with that part of God’s Scripture which they were entrusted to preserve, and to which they were witnesses. So (rabbis and scholars) do not fear people, fear Me; do not barter away My messages for a small price;
those who do not judge according to what God has sent down are rejecting (God’s teachings).’ (Al-Ma’ida: 43-44; from ‘The Qur’an’).
Seyyed Hossein Nasr writes:
'The opening question in v. 43 suggests the disingenuousness of the Madinan Jews in seeking the Prophet’s judgment on a matter already clearly decreed in their own scriptures, and that they were merely seeking a more lenient ruling than the one they had been given. This verse, then, along with vv. 44 – 47, indicates that the Torah and the Gospel remain valid sources of moral and legal judgment and guidance for Jews and Christians, respectively, even after the coming of the Prophet – even in his presence.’ (‘The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary).
The Madinan Jews were guilty of a form of unbelief know as ‘Kufr al-juhud’: the denial of an obvious truth, of a teaching (or ruling) one accept to be true. All believers – Jews, Christians and Muslims – are susceptible to this form of unbelief.
For example: I am the only Muslim in my UK family. I attend a family wedding, and during the course of the wedding breakfast am offered a glass of champagne to ‘toast the happy couple’. I know perfectly well that alcohol is forbidden in Islam; and I accept the validity of that law. Nevertheless, I drink the champagne anyway, arguing that this must surely be an exception…..family affair, and all that. God won’t mind this time. This is ‘kufr al-juhud’.
While drinking that champagne I am an 'unbeliever'. But this, of itself, does not make me a non-Muslim, just a sinful one. The very same would apply if I were a Jew.
Al-Ma’ida: 44 does not condemn
all Jews; just those few who sought to avoid their own Laws; who turned their backs on the Torah.
Judaism is faithful to the Torah, and to the Laws of HaShem. Jews who are faithful to their religion are
not unbelievers. The Qur'an honours such people....calling them the best of creation:
‘Those who believe, and do good deeds, are the best of creation. Their reward with their Lord is everlasting Gardens graced with flowing streams, where they will stay forever. Allāh is well pleased with them and they with Him. All this is for those who stand in awe of their Lord.’ (Al-Bayyina: 7-8)......(see my first post).