Some people combine both, while others exhibit only one of them. The righteous believer is one whom Allah has spared both. For a person either submits to Allah alone, submits to others alongside Him, or submits neither to Allah nor to anyone else. The first is a believer, the second one who associates partners with Allah, and the third an arrogant disbeliever—though in some cases he may not be a disbeliever. The Christians’ affliction is associating partners with Allah, while the Jews’ affliction is arrogance. As Allah Most High said concerning the Christians:

“They have taken their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah, and also the Messiah, son of Mary, though they were commanded only to worship one God. There is no deity worthy of worship except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.”

And He said concerning the Jews:

“I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant upon the earth without right.”

For this reason, the Jews were punished by having humiliation and poverty imposed upon them, and the Christians with misguidance, religious innovations, and ignorance.