And Shaykh al-Islām—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—said:

This is an explanation of verses that have proved difficult to understand, so much so that a number of books of Quranic commentary contain nothing but erroneous explanations of them.

Among them are the two verses beginning with His words:

“Indeed, those who believe and those who are Jews.”

He, glorified be He, describes those who attain felicity among earlier and later generations. This is what the wording indicates and what makes its meaning clear, without contradiction and in harmony with what precedes and follows it. This is the understanding known among the early generations. It is also supported by the occasion of revelation they related through reliable chains of transmission, from Sufyān, from Ibn Abī Najīh, from Mujāhid:

“Salmān said, ‘I asked the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, about people of a religion whom I had accompanied.’ He mentioned some of their acts of worship, and the verse was revealed.”

This report does not mention that they were among the people of the Fire, as has been reported through weak chains of transmission. This is the correct account, as in Muslim:

“Except for a remnant of the People of the Book.”

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would not answer on matters of which he had no knowledge. It has also