Download Righteous People among Jews 7. Sura al

Righteous People among Jews
7. Sura al-Araf, Mecca 39
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
﴾١٥٩﴿ َ‫ق َوبِ ِه يَ ْع ِدلُون‬
َ ‫َو ِمن قَ ْو ِم ُمو‬
ِ ‫سى أ ُ َّمةٌ يَ ْهد ُونَ بِ ْال َح‬
7: 159. Of the people of Moses there is a section who guide and do justice in the light of truth.
Other Versions:
7: 159
Asad
And among the fold of Moses there have been people who would guide
[others] in the way of the truth and act justly in its light
Pickthall
And of Moses' folk there is a community who lead with truth and establish
justice therewith.
Transliteration
Wa min qaumi mu_sa_ ummatuy yahdu_na bil haqqi wa bihi ya'dilu_n(a).
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2. Surah al-Baqara, Medina 87
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
... َ‫صابِئِين‬
َّ ‫ارى َوال‬
َ ‫ص‬
َ َّ‫ِإ َّن الَّذِينَ آ َمنُواْ َوالَّذِينَ هَادُواْ َوالن‬
2: 62. Those who believe (in the Qur'án) and those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures), and the
Christians and the Sabians,
C76. Latest researches have revealed a small remnant of a religious community
numbering about 2,000 souls in Lower Iraq, near Basra.
In Arabic they are called Subbi (plural Subba). They are also called Sabians and
Nasoraeans; or Mandaeans, or Christians of St. John.
They claim to be Gnostics, of Knowers of the Great Life. They dress in white, and
believe in frequent immersions in water. Their Book Ginza is in a dialect of Aramaic.
They have theories of Darkness and Light as in Zoroastrianism. They use the name
Yardan (Jordan) for any river. They live in peace and harmony among their Muslim
neighbors. They resemble the Sabi'un mentioned in the Quran but are not probably
identical with them.
The pseudo-Sabians of Harran, who attracted the attention of Khalifah Ma'mun al
Rashid in 830 A.C. by their long hair and peculiar dress probably adopted the name
as it was mentioned in the Quran, in order to claim the privileges of the People of the
Book. They were Syrian Star-worshippers with Hellenistic tendencies, like the Jews
contemporary with Jesus.
There was another people called the Sabaens, who played an important part in the
history of early Arabia, and are known through their inscriptions in an alphabet allied
to the Phoenician and Babylonian. They had a flourishing kingdom in the Yemen tract
in South Arabia about 800-700 B.C., though their origin may have been in North
Arabia. They worshipped the planets and stars (Moon, Sun, Venus). Probably the
Queen of Sheba is connected with them. They succumbed to Abyssinia about 350
A.C. and to Persia about 579 A.C. Their capital was near San'a. They had beautiful
stone buildings, in which the pointed arch is noticeable.
Cf. 5:69 and n. 779.
(See Encyclopedia Britannica, on Sabaeans). (R).
... ‫جْر ُه ْم ِعندَ َر ِب ِه ْم‬
ِ ‫اَّلل َو ْاليَ ْو ِم‬
ُ َ ‫صا ِلحا ً فَلَ ُه ْم أ‬
ِ َّ ‫ َم ْن آ َمنَ ِب‬...
َ ‫اآلخ ِر َو َع ِم َل‬
and who believe in Allah and the last day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with
their Lord;
﴾٦٢﴿ َ‫علَ ْي ِه ْم َوالَ ُه ْم يَحْ زَ نُون‬
ٌ ‫ َوالَ خ َْو‬...
َ ‫ف‬
on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
C77. CF. 2:38, where the same phrase occurs. And it recurs again and again
afterwards.
The point of the verse is that Islam does not teach an exclusive doctrine, and is not
meant exclusively for one people. The Jews claimed this for themselves, and the
Christians in their own origin were a sect of the Jews.
Even the modern organized Christian churches, though they have been, consciously
or unconsciously, influenced by the Time-spirit, including the historical fact of Islam,
yet cling to the idea of Vicarious Atonement, which means that all who do not believe
in it or who lived previously to the death of Christ are at a disadvantage spiritually
before the Throne of Allah.
The attitude of Islam is entirely different. Islam existed before the preaching of
Muhammad on this earth: the Quran expressly calls Abraham a Muslim (3:67). Its
teaching (submission to Allah's will) has been and will be the teaching of Religion for
all time and for all peoples.
Other Versions:
2: 62
Asad
Verily, those who have attained to faith [in this divine writ], as
well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians,
and
the Sabians (note 49) – all who believe in God and the Last
Day and do
righteous deeds – shall have their reward with their
Sustainer; and no
few need they have, and neither shall they
grieve. (note 50)
Pickthall Lo! those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee,
Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and
Sabaeans whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth
right surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear
come upon them neither shall they grieve.
Transliteration Innal lazina a_manu_ wallazina ha_du_ wan nasa_ra_ was
sa_bi'ina man a_mana billa_hi wal yaumil a_khiri wa 'amila sa_lihan
fa lahum ajruhum 'inda rabbihim wa la_ khaufun 'alaihim wa la_
hum yahzanu_n(a).
[ Ruby’s note: I concentrate on the word “any who” or “all who” to mean the
entire humankind. This condition is not only for the religious groups
mentioned by name here, but it is actually addressed to the entire
humanity at all times. These verses are part of the Universal
concepts of Islam. And this is in line with the way an ever true
religion is defined in 30:30. Without this foundation or fundamental
understanding a Muslim would be misled about his/her positionmindset and duty among fellow human beings, Muslim or nonMuslim and his/her duty toward God. (see my article on this subject)
ALSO: It is asserting, in spite of the past failures and the negative attitude that
exists among many of the Jewish people, that there also could be
righteous people from them as well if they fulfill the above three
conditions. Therefore they are not all condemned. I think if God
would have extended revealing today to another group of people,
there would have been similar verses addressing the Muslims as
well. ]
[ Asad’s note 49: The Sabians seem to have been a monotheistic religious group
intermediate between Judaism and Christianity. ……..]
note 50: The above passage – which recurs in the Quran several times – lays
down a fundamental doctrine of Islam. With a breadth of vision
unparalleled in any other religious faith, the idea of “salvation” is
here make conditional upon three elements only: belief in God,
belief in the Day of Judgment, and righteous action in life. ……..]
[ Ali’s notes: 76
Latest researches have revealed a small remnant of a religious
community numbering about 2,000 souls in Lower Iraq, near Basra. In Arabic they are
called Subbi (plural Subba). They are also called Sabians and Nasoraeans; or
Mandaeans, or Christians of St. John. They claim to be Gnostics, of Knowers of the
Great Life. They dress in white, and believe in frequent immersions in water. Their
Book Ginza is in a dialect of Aramaic. They have theories of Darkness and Light as
in Zoroastrianism. They use the name Uardan (Jordan) for any river. They live in
peace and harmony among their Muslim neighbors. They resemble the Sabi-un
mentioned in the Qur-an but are not probably identical with them. (2.62)
77
CF. ii. 38, where the same phrase occurs. And it recurs again and again
afterwards. The point of the verse is that Islam does not teach an exclusive
doctrine, and is not meant exclusively for one people…………… Islam existed
before the preaching of Muhammad on this earth: the Qur-an expressly calls
Abraham a Muslim (iii. 67). Its teaching (submission to God's will) has been and
will be the teaching of Religion for all time and for all peoples. (2.62) ]
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