and We raised up from them twelve of their leaders,17 and Allah said: “Behold, I am with you; if you establish Prayer and pay Zakah and believe in My Prophets and help them, and lend Allah a goodly loan, I will certainly efface from you your evil deeds, and will surely cause you to enter the Gardens beneath which rivers flow. Whosoever of you disbelieves thereafter has indeed gone astray from the Right Way.”18 (13) Then, for their breach of the covenant We cast them away from Our Mercy and caused their hearts to harden. (And now they are in such a state that) they pervert words from their context and distort thei r meaning, and have forgotten a good portion of the teaching they were imparted, and regarding all except a few of them you continue to learn that they committed acts of treachery. ▶

      17 The word naqib in Arabic denotes supervisor and censor. There were twelve tribes among the Israelites and each tribe was required to appoint one of its members as a naqib so that he might look after the affairs of his fellow-tribesmen and try to prevent them from becoming victims of irreligiousness and moral corruption.

      18 Sawa’ al-sabil (Right Path) is the designated highway that would lead to one’s destination. Straying from the “Right Path” would take one off the highway as a result of which one might wander about and get lost.

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      Al-Ma’idah 5: 14–16

      Pardon them, then, and overlook their deeds. Surely Allah loves those who act benevolently.

      (14) We also took a covenant from those who said: “We are Christians (Nasara)”; but they forgot a good portion of the teaching they had been imparted. Wherefore We aroused enmity and spite between them till the Day of Resurrection, and ultimately Allah will tell them what they used to do.

      (15) People of the Book! Now Our Messenger has come to you: he makes clear to you a good many things of the Book which you were wont to conceal, and also passes over many things.19 There has now come to you a Light from Allah, and a Clear Book (16) through which Allah shows to all who seek to please Him the paths leading to safety. He brings them out, by His leave, from darkness to Light and directs them on to the Straight Way.

      19 God discloses some of the dishonest and treacherous dealings of the People of the Book. He, however, discloses only those dealings which He deems necessary to strengthen the cause of the true faith and ignores the disclosure of those which are not indispensable.

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      Al-Ma’idah 5: 17–18

      (17) Indeed those who said: “Christ, the son of Mary, he indeed is God,” were guilty of unbelief. Say, (O Muhammad): “Who could have overruled Allah had He so willed to destroy Christ, the son of Mary, and his mother, and all those who are on earth?” For to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them; He creates what He wills.20 Allah is All-Powerful.

      (18) The Jews and the Christians say: “We are Allah’s children and His beloved ones.” Ask them: “Why, then, does He chastise you for your sins?” You are the same as other human beings He has created. He forgives whom He wills and chastises whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. To Him is the eventual return.

      20 That is, they had started believing that Jesus was God just because he was conceived without a father, although God creates whomsoever He will in the manner He pleases. Divinity cannot be claimed for anyone simply because God has created him in an extraordinary manner.

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      Al-Ma’idah 5: 19–22

      (19) People of the Book! After a long interlude during which no Messengers appeared there has come to you Our Messenger to elucidate the teaching of the true faith lest you say: “No bearer of glad tidings and no warner has come to us.” For now there indeed has come to you a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. Allah is All- Powerful.21

      (20) Remember when Moses said to his people: “My people, recall Allah’s favour upon you when He raised Prophets among you and appointed you rulers, and granted to you what He had not granted to anyone else in the world. (21) My people! Enter the holy land which Allah has ordained for you;22 and do not turn back for then you will turn about losers.” (22) They answered: “Moses, therein live a ferocious people: ▶

      21 The People of the Book should bear in mind that if they disregard the injunctions of God, He can chastise them as He wills, for He is All-Powerful and All-Mighty.

      22 This signifies Palestine which at the time was inhabited by idolatrous and immoral groups of people. After their exodus from Egypt, God designated this land for the Israelites and commanded them to go forth to Palestine and conquer it.

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      Al-Ma’idah 5: 23–6

      we will not enter unless they depart from it; but if they do depart from it then we will surely enter it.” (23) Two from among these men who were frightened but upon whom Allah had bestowed His favour23 said: “Enter upon them through the gate – for if you do enter – you will be the victors. And put your trust in Allah if indeed you are people of faith.” (24) Nevertheless they said: “O Moses! Never shall we enter it as long as they are there. Go forth, then, you and your Lord, and fight both of you. As for us, we will remain sitting here.” (25) Thereupon Moses said: “My Lord! I have control over none but my own self and my brother; so make a distinction between us and the transgressing people.” (26) Allah said: “This land will now be forbidden to them for forty years and they will remain wandering about on the earth. ▶

      23 One of these holy men was Joshua, son of Nun, who succeeded the Prophet Moses as his caliph. The other was Caleb, who became the right-hand man of Joshua. When after their 40-year wandering the Israelites entered Palestine these two were the only Companions of Moses who were alive.

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      Al-Ma’idah 5: 27–9

      Do not grieve over the condi- tion of these transgressing people.”24

      (27) Narrate to them in all truth the story of the two sons of Adam. When both of them made an offering and it was accepted from one of them and was not accepted from the other, the latter said: “I will surely kill you.” Thereupon the former said: “Allah only accepts offerings from the God-fearing. (28) Even if you stretch forth your hand against me to kill me, I will not stretch forth my hand to kill you.25 Surely, I fear Allah, the Lord of the entire Universe. (29) I would desire that you be laden with my sin and with your own sin, and thus become among the inmates of the Fire. That indeed is the right recompense of the wrong-doers.” ▶

      24 The purpose of referring to this event becomes clear if we reflect upon the context. The purpose seems to be to bring home to the Israelites that the punishment to which they would be subjected if they adopted a rebellious attitude towards Muhammad (peace be on him) would be even

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