The author—may Allah have mercy on him—next cites the verse: “Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of David and of Jesus, son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and habitually transgressed” (al-Ma’idah 78). The curse (laʿn) is expulsion and banishment from Allah’s mercy—Allah’s refuge is sought—and no one deserves it except one who commits a major sin.

The Children of Israel are the descendants of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham. “Israel” is the honorific given to Jacob. Abraham had two sons: Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was the elder, the one whom Allah commanded Abraham to sacrifice; then, by His grace, Allah lifted that command and abrogated it, ransoming him with a momentous sacrifice. Isaac was Abraham’s second son, born to his lawful wife, whereas Ishmael was born to his bondwoman Hajar—peace be upon them all. The Children of Israel therefore spring from Jacob, son of Isaac. Allah sent many messengers to them, yet among them were aggressors who, Allah forbid, killed the prophets without right.

They were also lax in forbidding evil. Some of them would see a wrongdoing and remain silent. Well known in the Qur’an is the story of the seaside town: a group of Jews to whom Allah forbade fishing from the sea on the Sabbath. On that day the fish would appear on the surface in great numbers, yet on days when they were not observing the Sabbath the fish would not come. As time dragged on, they said, “We must devise a stratagem that will enable us to fish.” They agreed to set out nets in the water; when the fish swam in on Saturday, the nets would catch them, and on Sunday they would collect them.