Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (3/63)

Section: Obliging the Jews and Christians to embrace Islam

As for the words of the Exalted:

“Say, O disbelievers” ⦗al-Kafirun 1⦘ (1)

“I do not worship what you worship” ⦗al-Kafirun 2⦘ (2)

“Nor are you worshippers of what I worship” ⦗al-Kafirun 3⦘ (3)

“Nor will I ever be a worshipper of what you have worshipped” ⦗al-Kafirun 4⦘ (4)

“Nor will you ever be worshippers of what I worship” ⦗al-Kafirun 5⦘ (5)

“For you is your religion, and for me is my religion” ⦗al-Kafirun 6⦘

this is a command to address every unbeliever, whether idol-worshipper or from the People of the Scripture. Indeed, those People of the Scripture who do not believe in what was sent down to him from his Lord are unbelievers. Allah has borne witness to their unbelief, has commanded that they be fought, and has declared unbeliever anyone who refuses to call them such or to deem fighting them obligatory. The Exalted says:

“The disbelievers from among the People of the Scripture and the polytheists would not desist until clear evidence came to them.” ⦗al-Bayyinah 1⦘

He, Exalted is He, also says:

“Those who say, ‘Allah is indeed the Messiah, son of Mary,’ have certainly disbelieved.” ⦗al-Maʾidah 17⦘

And He, Exalted is He, said:

[فَصْلٌ: إِلْزَامُ الْيَهُودِ وَالنَّصَارَى بِدِينِ الْإِسْلَامِ] وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ - تَعَالَى -: {قُلْ يَاأَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ} [الكافرون: ١] (١) {لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ} [الكافرون: ٢] (٢) {وَلَا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ} [الكافرون: ٣] (٣) {وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَا عَبَدْتُمْ} [الكافرون: ٤] (٤) {وَلَا أَنْتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ} [الكافرون: ٥] (٥) {لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ} [الكافرون: ٦] فَهُوَ أَمْرٌ بِالْقَوْلِ لِجَمِيعِ الْكَافِرِينَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَأَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ، فَإِنَّ أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ كَافِرُونَ قَدْ شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِالْكُفْرِ وَأَمَرَ بِجِهَادِهِمْ وَكَفَّرَ مَنْ لَمْ يَجْعَلْهُمْ كَافِرِينَ وَيُوجِبْ جِهَادَهُمْ قَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنْفَكِّينَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ} [البينة: ١] . وَقَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ} [المائدة: ١٧] . وَقَالَ - تَعَالَى -: