982 — And Ibrāhīm ibn Mūsā al-Jawzī informed us, saying: Yūsuf ibn Mūsā al-Qattān narrated to us, saying: Amr ibn Humrān narrated to us, from Saīd ibn Abī Arūbah, from Qatādah, concerning the words of Allah—Mighty and Majestic—from “You will surely find those nearest…” [al-Mā’idah: 82] to His words—Mighty and Majestic—“so inscribe us among the witnesses” [al-Mā’idah: 83]. He said:

“They were people from among the People of the Scripture who followed a true dispensation brought by Jesus—peace be upon him. They believed in it and abided by it. When Allah—Mighty and Majestic—sent Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—they affirmed his truth and believed in him, recognizing that what he had brought was the truth from Allah—Mighty and Majestic. Allah—Mighty and Majestic—therefore praised them in the words you hear.”