Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were neither Jews nor Christians, Allah Declares

                                                                                         

In the Noble Quran, Allah is asking mankind some important questions.
It seems compulsory for the serious one who is looking for the truth to have a look at those questions and if possible to answer them.
Allah' questions are many. In this series, these questions are chosen randomly.
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In verses 2:139-141 of the Noble Quran, Allah asks the Jews and the Christians these three questions:
1) Would you dispute with us about Allah, who is our lord and your lord?
2) Or do you say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, were Jews or Christians! Say: 'who knows better, you or Allah?
3) Who is more unjust than he who hides a testimony received from Allah?
And Allah is not inattentive of what you do.
That nation has passed away. Theirs is what they earned and yours what you have earned.
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Verses 2:139-141 give the question of this article and talk about it

The meanings of the verses 34:31-34

Verse 2:139 says:

Say O Muhammad, unto the People of the Scripture, would you then dispute with us concerning God, that He chose a prophet from among the Arabs, and so it is for Him to choose whom He will, Our deeds belong to us, for which we will be requited, and to you belong your deeds, for which you will be requited, so that it is not improbable that among our deeds there will be those for which we will deserve to be honored; and to Him we are sincerely devoted, in religion and in deed, unlike you, hence, we are more worthy to be chosen
Do you argue with us concerning Allah, concerning the Religion of Allah when He is our Lord and your Lord? When Allah is our Lord and yours?
Ours are our works; we have our religion and yours your work, your religion.
And we are sincere in our faith in Him, we acknowledge that we worship Him and declare that there is only one true God.

Verse 2:140 says:

Or, nay, do you say O Jews and Christians that Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob, and the tribes, the children of Jacob were Jews or Christians as you claim?
Say to them, O Muhammad! Do you know best, or does Allah?
Do you know best about their religion or does Allah?
Say, to them: ‘Have you then greater knowledge, or has God? That is, God has greater knowledge; He dissociated Abraham from both groups, when He said, Abraham was not a Jew, nor a Christian [See verse 3:67];
Allah has already informed us that Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian.
And who is more unjust, in his disbelief and more insolent and daring vis-à-vis Allah than he who hides a testimony which he has received from Allah in the Torah concerning the prophet hood of the Prophet Muhammad?
Allah is not unaware, heedless of what you do about concealing your testimony.

Verse 2:141says:

Those are a group of people, a nation that has passed away, perished;
Theirs is that which they earned of goodness and yours is that which you earn of goodness.
And you will not be asked on the Day of Judgment of what they used to do in the life of this world.
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Verses 2:139-141 in different translations:

Verse 2:139

QARIB: say: 'would you dispute with us about Allah, who is our lord and your lord? Our deeds belong to us and your deeds belong to you. We are sincere to him. '
SHAKIR: say: do you dispute with us about Allah, and he is our lord and your lord, and we shall have our deeds and you shall have your deeds, and we are sincere to him
PICKTHAL: say (unto the people of the scripture): dispute ye with us concerning Allah when he is our lord and your lord? Ours are our works and yours your works. We look to him alone.
YUSUFALI: say: will ye dispute with us about Allah, seeing that he is our lord and your lord; that we are responsible for our doings and ye for yours; and that we are sincere (in our faith) in him?

Verse 2:140

QARIB: or do you say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, were Jews or Christians! Say: 'who knows better, you or Allah? Who is more unjust than he who hides a testimony received from Allah? And Allah is not inattentive of what you do. '
SHAKIR: nay! Do you say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, were Jews or Christians? Say: are you better knowing or Allah? And who is more unjust than he who conceals a testimony that he has from Allah? And Allah is not at all heedless of what you do
PICKTHAL: or say ye that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, were Jews or Christians? Say: do ye know best, or doth Allah? And who is more unjust than he who hideth a testimony which he hath received from Allah? Allah is not unaware of what ye do.
YUSUFALI: or do ye say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, were Jews or Christians? Say: do ye know better than Allah? Ah! Who is more unjust than those who conceal the testimony they have from Allah? But Allah is not unmindful of what ye do!

Verse 2:141

QARIB: that nation has passed away. Theirs is what they earned and yours what you have earned. You shall not be questioned about what they did.
SHAKIR: this is a people that have passed away; they shall have what they earned and you shall have what you earn, and you shall not be called upon to answer for what they did
PICKTHAL: those are a people who have passed away; theirs is that which they earned and yours that which ye earn. And ye will not be asked of what they used to do.
YUSUFALI: that was a people that hath passed away. They shall reap the fruit of what they did, and ye of what ye do! Of their merits there is no question in your case:

About the author:
Safaa Abdel-Aziz
Co-Chief Editor, October Weekly Magazine,
Cairo, Egypt.


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