Concerning His words, “and the Christians say, ‘The Jews have no foundation’” (al-Baqarah 2:113), Qatādah said: “Indeed, the earliest Jews were upon the truth, but they later innovated and split into factions.”

[Each faction declaring the other to be unbelievers]

Thus the Jews rejected the Christians’ religion and said that they had no basis, while the Christians, in turn, repudiated everything that set the Jews apart from them—even the rulings of the Torah that the Messiah had not abrogated; rather, he had commanded them to observe them. They also rejected many other matters by which the Jews were distinguished, to the point that they even denied some of the truth that Jesus, peace be upon him, had brought.

Yet although the Christians went to extremes in declaring the Jews disbelievers and in showing hostility toward them—exceeding the due limits in response to the excesses and misguidance the Jews had introduced—there is no doubt that when the Jews denied the Messiah they became unbelievers. Allah the Exalted said to the Messiah:

“Indeed, I will take you, raise you to Myself, purify you from those who disbelieve, and make those who follow you superior to those who disbelieve” (Āl ‘Imrān 3:55).

He also said:

“Jesus son of Mary said to the disciples, ‘Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah?’ The disciples said, ‘We are Allah’s helpers.’ So a group of the Children of Israel believed while a group disbelieved; then We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they prevailed” (al-Ṣaff 61:14).