the wrongdoers.” This recompense applies generally to all who possess these attributes among the followers of every former religion.

Then, when the leader of the messengers and Seal of the Prophets was sent, his message abrogated all previous messages and his religion abrogated all previous religions. Anyone who thereafter adhered to a religion other than this one became among the doomed.

(58) His words, exalted is He, “That is what We recite to you of the signs and the Wise Reminder,” mean that this magnificent Quran, which contains accounts of earlier and later peoples and of the prophets and messengers, consists of Allah’s clear signs. It reminds His servants of everything they need. It is wise and perfectly composed, true in its reports and excellent in its rulings.

(59–62) “Indeed, the likeness of Jesus before Allah is that of Adam: He created him from dust, then said to him, ‘Be!’ and he was. * The truth is from your Lord, so do not be among those who doubt. * If anyone disputes with you concerning him after the knowledge that has come to you, say, ‘Come! Let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves; then let us earnestly pray and invoke Allah’s curse upon the liars.’ * Indeed, this is the true account. There is no god but Allah, and Allah alone is the Almighty, the All-Wise.”

Having related the story of Mary and Jesus and their true account, Allah made clear that Jesus was a servant upon whom He bestowed His favor. Whoever claims that Jesus possesses anything of divinity has lied about Allah and declared all His prophets—and Jesus himself (peace be upon him)—to be liars. The specious argument of those who took him as a god is utterly false. Had it possessed any sound basis, Adam would have had a stronger claim to divinity, for he was created without either a mother or a father. Nevertheless, all humankind agrees that he was one of Allah’s servants. The claim that Jesus is divine merely because he was created from a mother without a father is therefore one of the falsest claims imaginable.

(60) This is the indisputable truth concerning Jesus, just as he said of himself: “I said nothing to them except what You commanded me: ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’” A delegation of the Christians of Najrān had come to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). They remained obstinately entrenched in their falsehood even after the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had presented them with proofs that Jesus was Allah’s servant and messenger, for they claimed that he was divine.

(61) Matters between the Prophet and them reached the point that Allah, exalted is He, commanded him to challenge them to mutual imprecation. The truth had become clear to them, but stubbornness and partisanship prevented them from accepting it.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) therefore invited them to mutual imprecation: he would bring his family and sons, while they would bring their families and sons; then they would pray to Allah, exalted is He, to send His punishment and curse upon the liars. They consulted one another about whether they should accept his challenge.

They unanimously decided not to accept it, for they knew that he truly was Allah’s Prophet and that, if they engaged in mutual imprecation with him, they, their children, and their families would perish. They therefore concluded a settlement with him, paid him the jizya, and requested a truce and peaceful relations.

He (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) accepted their request and did not place them under undue pressure, for the intended purpose had been achieved: the truth had become manifest, and their obstinacy had been exposed by their firm refusal to engage in mutual imprecation. This proved that they were wrongdoers.

(62) Hence Allah, exalted is He, said, “Indeed, this is the true account,” meaning that there is no doubt about it. “And Allah alone is the Almighty,” who has subdued all that exists by His power and might, and to whom the inhabitants of the earth and the heavens have submitted.

Yet He is also “the All-Wise,” who places everything in its proper place and assigns it its appropriate station (1).

(64) “Say, ‘O People of the Scripture, come to a common word between us and you: that we worship none but Allah, associate nothing with Him, and that none of us take others as lords besides Allah.’ But if they turn away, say, ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’”

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to include this noble verse in his letters to the rulers among the People of the Scripture. At times, he would recite in the first unit of the sunnah prayer before Fajr, “Say, ‘We believe in Allah’”—to the end of the verse—and recite this verse in the second unit.

This was because it calls to the one religion upon which all the prophets and messengers agreed. It contains the affirmation of Allah’s sole divinity, founded upon worshipping Allah alone without any partner, and the conviction that human beings—and indeed all creatures—are merely created beings. None of them deserves anything belonging exclusively to lordship or any attribute of divinity.

If the People of the Scripture and others submit to this, they are rightly guided.

“But if they turn away, say, ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims,’” just as Allah, exalted is He, says, “Say, ‘O disbelievers,’” to the end of the surah.

(65–68) “O People of the Scripture, why do you dispute concerning Abraham when the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Will you not then understand? * Here you are: you have disputed about that of which you have knowledge, but why do you dispute about that of which you have no knowledge? Allah knows, while you do not know. * Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian; rather, he was upright and Muslim, and he was not one of the polytheists. * Indeed, those with the strongest claim to Abraham are those who followed him, this Prophet, and those who believe. And Allah is the Guardian of the believers.”

The adherents of all religions—the Jews, Christians, polytheists, and Muslims alike—claimed that they followed the religion of Abraham.

Allah, exalted is He, therefore declared that those with the strongest claim to Abraham are Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and his followers, as well as those who followed Abraham, Allah’s intimate friend, before Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

As for the Jews, Christians, and polytheists, Abraham has nothing to do with them or with their supposed affinity to him. His religion was the tolerant, upright monotheistic faith, which includes belief in every messenger and every scripture. This is a distinctive quality of the Muslims.

As for the Jews’ and Christians’ claim that they follow the religion of Abraham, it is well known that the Judaism and Christianity which they claim to follow were not established until after Abraham. How, then, can they dispute about a matter that itself exposes their lies and fabrications? Even if it were granted that they might dispute about matters of which they possess knowledge, how can they dispute in this particular case? Thus, even before examining the falsehood contained in their assertion, the corruption of their claim is evident.

This verse proves that it is impermissible for a person to speak or argue about something of which he has no knowledge.

As for His words, “And Allah is the Guardian of the believers,” the stronger a servant’s faith becomes, the more Allah takes him into His care through His kindness, facilitates the path of ease for him, and keeps him away from the path of hardship.

(69–74) “A group among the People of the Scripture wish that they could lead you astray, but they lead none astray except themselves, though they do not perceive it. * O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in Allah’s signs while you yourselves bear witness? * O People of the Scripture, why do you mix the truth with falsehood