Surah Al-Bayyinah 98:1-8 - Quran Translation Commentary

1. Those who rejected (Truth) among the people of the Book¹ and the polytheists ², ³ were not going to depart (from their ways) until there should come to them clear proof, ⁴

2. (that is) A Messenger from Allah, reciting purified scriptures, ⁵

3. Where in written right commands. ⁶

4. Nor were the people of the Book divided until after the clear guidance came to them, ⁷

5. And they were commanded no more than this that they should worship Allah, ⁸ offering him sincere devotion, ⁹ being upright, ¹⁰ and should establish prayer; and pay Zakat. ¹¹ And that is the right religion. ¹²

6. Those who rejected¹³ (Truth) among the people of the Book and the polytheists will be in hell-fire and will dwell therein (for ever). They are the worst of creatures. ¹⁴

7. Verily, those who have faith ¹⁵ and do righteous deeds they are the best of creatures. ¹⁶

8. Their reward is with their Lord, gardens of eternity, beneath which rivers flow, therein they will dwell for ever; Allah well-pleased with them and they well- pleased with Him. ¹⁷ This is for him who fears his Lord. ¹⁸

Commentary

1. By the people of the Book are meant the Jews and the Christians, who had Allah’s Scriptures though -in a modified form, with them. And so far as Islam’s belief in the oneness of Allah is concerned, it is found in a distinct form in Torah, Zabur and Injeel. However, it is quite a different matter that on account of changes effected in them this belief has been contaminated with the ideas of polytheism. But the Jews and the Christians originally believed in oneness of Allah and polytheism had crept into their belief as a result of faulty explanations. They also believed in the Hereafter and the institution of prophethood. Because of this Quran had used the technical term of Ahlul-Kitab (People of the Book) for these people, and gave specific commands of Shariah for dealing with them, for example nikah (marriage) with their women was permissible and the flesh of the animals slaughtered by them, if according to shariah, can be eaten. As regards men of other religions, since their ideas about these beliefs were quite different, and with them they had no heavenly book, even in the form in which the Jews and the Christians had Torah and Injeel, no other groups, save these two, were called the people of the Book; even Bani Ismail -the clan of Quraish of Makkah-who were the descendents of Hazrat Ibrahim and who had with them a few parts of the religion of Ibrahim, e.g. going round the Ka’ba Hajj etc. were not included among the people of the Book. On account of their practicing open idolatry they were termed as ‘Mushrekeen’. (polytheists). Similarly the Majusis (fire-worshippers) have not been called the people of the book, even though they have a book with them. This shows that the term People of the Book is specially meant for the Jews and the Christians, and this term cannot be applied to any other religious group, even if it has any religious book of its own.

2. Polytheists, that is those who associate others as partners with Allah. Here this word (Mushrekeen) polytheists has been used as a religious term for the idolaters of Arabia.

3. Here ‘Kufr’ or rejection of truth also includes in its meaning the sense of persisting in their rejection as is clear from the words that follow thereafter, viz. ‘were not going to depart’ (from their ways). Such obstinate infidels were also the People of the Book as well as among the polytheists. The rejection of truth of the polytheists is clear that they ignored the belief of oneness of God and adopted the faith of idolatry. They rejected the belief of the Hereafter as well as of the prophethood. As regards the people of the Book, the forms of their rejection or infidelity were different, e.g. some declared Hazrat Uzair as the son of God, and others declared Hazrat Eesa as His son, some rejected the prophethood of Hazrat Eesa (Jesus), while some believed that he had come to atone for the sins of others.

4. Clear proof means the coming of a new Prophet as is stated in the next verse. It means that the only way to bring to senses those who were inveterate in their infidelity was to send down a new Prophet, as if the coming of the new prophet was the need of the time, and that need was fittingly met by the prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (P.b.u.h.). If even after this somebody continues to act obstinately, then the seriousness of his crime increases considerably.

5. Scriptures means written leaves. Purified scriptures or leaves means leaves of the Divine Book that contained purely Allah’s words, and were absolutely free from all kinds of modifications, false beliefs and moral vulgarity. If today those people who are fed up with religion, read Bible and other ‘holy’ books, they will find in them misguidance, low images of God, immoral stories about prophets, absurd narrations, vulgar tales and the intricacies of the rituals, and seeing all these their dislike of religion will only increase. Any book that can counter this dislike of religion is the Divine Book, Quran, which is not only free from all these defects but also contains highly moral and wise teachings.

6. To ascribe things imagined by them to God and to include them in the ‘holy’ books has been the practice of the exploiters of religion and its examples can be seen in the Bible and other religious books, Looking to the conditions of these religious books the necessity of having a book which has the commands of Allah in their correct and original form is very keenly felt. Such book should contain such guidance which would determine the right destination for the human life and which would direct it to the right path. Quran only is that book which fits this standard and which has been revealed to meet this very need of the human beings.

7. That is: The reason for the division of the people of the Book in various sects is not this that they had not received Allah’s guidance in the clear form, but the reason for this is their indifference to the Divine guidance, following their own carnal desires and selfishness, otherwise the Book that was revealed for their guidance contained clear directions from Allah and there was no reason for them to go astray and to be divided into different sects. It should be noted that the people of the Book have been divided into two big sects, Jews and Christians, both these sects took the form of separate religions. Besides, among them sub-sects or sub castes also sprang up, e.g. among the Christians. Catholics and Protestants, etc.

8.That is: They were commanded to worship the one and only God, but they disobeyed this prime instruction. Accordingly, the Jews did not hesitate to adopt idolatry and they declared Hazrat Uzair as the son of God, and the Christians made three gods instead of remaining loyal slaves of the only God. Moreover, both the groups made their leaders and priests their gods, who declared things as halal or haram according to their liking.

9.Here Deen means devotion and obedience which should be absolute and unconditional. Being the Creator and Master, the only Being who deserves to be worshipped is Allah alone, and therefore this worship and obedience should be purely for Him. This guidance has been given in the previous Scriptures also, and is given in Quran as well. The purpose for directing Muslims to keep religion pure for Allah along with the direction of worshipping Him is to make the nature of worship in Islam clear, and that is the combination of worship with obedience. In other words in Islam the worship of the only one God is to be performed in such a way that man must be willing to obey Him unconditionally and he must reserve this worship and obedience entirely and out and out for that one and only Being. In this obedience included Allah’s Shariah and His entire religion.

10. To be upright means that neither a man’s heart should have any inclination towards worshipping any other being than Allah, nor should he include any innovation in his worship, but that he should attentively worship Allah in the manner that has been fixed by Allah for worship. Since the manner of Hazrat Ibrahim was the same, ‘Hanifiyat’ (sincere attentiveness) is another name for the manner of Ibrahim in the matter of prayers.

11. The command for establishing salat and paying Zakat was given to the people of the Book, but they ignored the salat and finally even removed this command from the Torah. However, the command for paying Zakat (obligatory charity) is still found in the Bible in one form or the other.

12. These are the basic teachings of the true religion. These very teachings of the religion and the religion were given to the people of the Book, but they lost these basic teachings, and were satisfied with practicing hollow religion. Other religions can also be evaluated on this criterion.

13. Here ‘Kufr’ or rejection of Truth, means refusal to accept the prophethood of ‘Muhammad (P.b.u.h.), and Quran as the Divine Book revealed to him.

14. What doubt can there be of these creatures being the worst creatures who adopt the attitude of rejection and transgression against their own Creator? It is therefore clear that as a result of kufr or rejecting the call of true religion; man loses his quality of humanity and instead of reaching the zenith of progress falls down into the nadir of retrogression.

15. In the meaning of ‘to have faith’ is also included the acceptance of Muhammad (P.b.u.h.) as the Prophet of Allah and Quran as the Divine Book revealed to him.

16. It shows that as a result of having faith and righteous conduct a man’s quality’ of humanity blossoms and he conquers higher peaks of real progress. What doubt can there be about those creatures being the best creatures who in spite of all kinds of temptations from the devil and various kinds of trials and tribulations through which they have to pass continue to be loyal and worshipful to their Creator?

17. Allah’s pleasure is the greatest reward with which the people of faith will be blessed. Paradise will be the manifestation of Allah’s pleasure, and therein the faithful slaves will discern the gifts and favours as well as experience spiritual pleasure and satisfaction.

18. To fear our Lord is the real spirit of the religion. Those people who have this spirit are the real righteous people, and on this ground they deserve to get the reward which has been mentioned in this verse.