(139) “Say, ‘Do you argue with us about Allah, when He is our Lord and your Lord? We have our deeds and you have your deeds, and we are sincerely devoted to Him alone.’”

Argumentation is a dispute between two or more people concerning matters of disagreement, in which each opponent seeks to vindicate his own position and refute that of the other. Each therefore strives to establish proof for his position. Such argumentation should be conducted in the best manner, using the most direct means to return the misguided to the truth, establish the proof against the obstinate, clarify the truth, and expose falsehood. If it departs from these aims, it becomes fruitless wrangling and quarrelling, producing whatever evil it produces.

The People of the Book used to claim that they were closer to Allah than the Muslims. This was merely a claim lacking proof and evidence. If the Lord of all is one—He is not your Lord to our exclusion—and each of us and each of you has his own deeds, then we and you are equal in that respect. This does not entail that either group is closer to Allah than the other, for distinguishing between those who share the same quality without any relevant difference is a false claim, a distinction between equals, and manifest obstinacy.

Superiority is attained only by sincerely devoting righteous deeds to Allah alone, and this quality belongs exclusively to the believers. It therefore follows that they are closer to Allah than others, for sincerity is the path to salvation. This is the distinction between the allies of the Most Merciful and the allies of Satan—a distinction based on genuine qualities acknowledged by people of reason and disputed only by an obstinate ignoramus. Thus, this verse offers subtle guidance concerning the proper method of argumentation: like cases must be treated alike, while unlike cases must be distinguished.