228. The anger Allah spoke of here was not abated until some of the Israelites slaughtered others of those who had worshipped the golden calf. The Qur'an said (2: 54):

فَتُوبُوا إِلَى بَارِئِكُمْ فَاقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ عِنْدَ بَارِئِكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ [البقرة : 54]

"Turn to your Lord in repentance, and slay one another. This indeed will be better for you in the sight of your Lord. Then He relented toward you. Indeed He is very Relenting, very Kind" (Ibn Kathir).

229. Many of the Salaf have said that this is how every innovator (Sahib al bid`ah) will be treated: ignominy in this life itself (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir).

230. Majid comments: "Compare the Jewish view of the enormity of the sin... ‘There is not a misfortune that Israel has suffered which is not partly a retribution for the sin of the calf' (JE. III. pp. 508, 509)."

231. Ibn Abi Hatim has recorded a report that `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud was asked about a man who fornicates with a woman and then marries her. He recited this verse in reply. They repeated the question some ten times, but his only answer was this verse: "As for those who worked evil deeds, but repented thereafter and believed, then, after that your Lord is All forgiving, All compassionate." He said nothing else by way of approval or disapproval (Ibn Kathir).

232. Majid comments: "`Tablets', not their fragments, which implies that the tablets were whole, not broken into pieces" (as in reports originating from Jewish sources: Au.).

233. For an explanation refer to surah al Baqarah, note 136 of this work.

234. The translation is based on the understanding of Ibn `Abbas, Sa`id ibn Jubayr, Dahhak and others as in Ibn Jarir.

235. Anwar Shah Kashmiri has pointed out that the intent of the statement is that it is "the Attribute" of Mercy that circumscribes everything. It does not mean it should touch everyone, such as for instance, Satan, who will be shown no mercy (Shafi`).

236. Ummi is someone who cannot read and write.

Imam Razi brings out the point that learning to read and write is one of the simplest things in life. In contrast, the knowledge that the Prophet (saws) gave to the world is of a sort that no mortal has ever presented. It is curious to note, therefore, that the Prophet was not capable of the easiest, but capable of the most difficult.

Majid writes: "Even according to the Christian writers not altogether blinded by their hatred of Islam: ‘As to acquired learning, it is confessed he had none at all: having had no other education than what was customary in his tribe, who neglected, and perhaps despised, what we call literature' (Sale). ‘It is probable that he could neither read nor write, and it is almost certain that he could not have done so sufficiently' (Palmer). ‘There is no evidence that he was able to read' (EBr. XIII, p. 483)."

Yusuf `Ali adds: "All organized human knowledge tends to be crystallized, to acquire a partial bias or flavor of some "school" of thought. The highest Teacher had to be free from any such taint, just as a clean slate is necessary if a perfectly clear and bold message has to be written on it."

The verse offers a puzzle to the skeptics of all times. This is a Makkan chapter. During this period the Prophet was entirely in the limelight. His every movement was looked at with suspicion and carefully monitored. He had no contacts with the Jews and Christians, who were not part of the Makkan population. To add to the puzzle, he was unlettered, notwithstanding the fact that being able to read and write would not have meant much because there were no books around. How then was he able to narrate the Jewish episodes to such details as here and else where in the Qur’an? (Au.).

237. What is the difference between a Messenger and a Prophet? There seems to be no consensus except that a Messenger is more specific than a Prophet; so that, every Messenger is also a Prophet, while every Prophet is not a Messenger too. Shah Abdul Qadir seems to have put it quite succinctly when he said: "Anyone who received revelation was a Prophet, but, of them, whoever was sent to a people or given a Book, was a Messenger" (Muhammad Abdul Rashid No`mani).

238. Ibn Kathir quotes several reports from several hadith and non hadith works to prove that the people of the Book had fore knowledge of the Prophet's advent, and knew his description. But most of those reports leave a question mark before them over their authenticity. The following is in Ahmad which, as Ibn Kathir himself has pointed out, has its equivalent in the Sahihayn. A bedouin reports:

جَلَبْتُ جَلُوبَةً إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغْتُ مِنْ بَيْعَتِي قُلْتُ لَأَلْقَيَنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ فَلَأَسْمَعَنَّ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَتَلَقَّانِي بَيْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ يَمْشُونَ فَتَبِعْتُهُمْ فِي أَقْفَائِهِمْ حَتَّى أَتَوْا عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ الْيَهُودِ نَاشِرًا التَّوْرَاةَ يَقْرَؤُهَا يُعَزِّي بِهَا نَفْسَهُ عَلَى ابْنٍ لَهُ فِي الْمَوْتِ كَأَحْسَنِ الْفِتْيَانِ وَأَجْمَلِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْشُدُكَ بِالَّذِي أَنْزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ هَلْ تَجِدُ فِي كِتَابِكَ ذَا صِفَتِي وَمَخْرَجِي فَقَالَ بِرَأْسِهِ هَكَذَا أَيْ لَا فَقَالَ ابْنُهُ إِنِّي وَالَّذِي أَنْزَلَ التَّوْرَاةَ إِنَّا لَنَجِدُ فِي كِتَابِنَا صِفَتَكَ وَمَخْرَجَكَ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَقِيمُوا الْيَهُودَ عَنْ أَخِيكُمْ ثُمَّ وَلِيَ كَفَنَهُ وَحَنَّطَهُ وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ

"Once I went to Madinah during the Prophet's time to sell my camel. After I had accomplished that, I said to myself that I should visit this man also (meaning the Prophet) and see what he has to say. I found him heading to some place. He was between Abu Bakr and `Umar. I followed them until we came to a Jew's house who was reading the Torah upon his beautiful but dying son. The Prophet asked him, ‘I adjure you by Him who revealed the Tawrah, do you find me described therein, and the place of my advent?" The man shook his head in negation. But his son spoke out, ‘By Him who sent the Torah, we do find in our Book your description and of the place of your advent. And I testify that there is no god save one Allah and that you are His Messenger.' The Prophet said, ‘Separate the Jew from your brother.' Later, he ordered the preparation of the lad's funeral and Prayed over him."

Qurtubi and Shawkani point out that Bukhari has a hadith (2125) concerning the Prophet's description in the previous Scriptures. `Ata' b. Yasar says:

عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ لَقِيتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قُلْتُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ صِفَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ قَالَ أَجَلْ وَاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمَوْصُوفٌ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ بِبَعْضِ صِفَتِهِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ {يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا} وَحِرْزًا لِلْأُمِّيِّينَ أَنْتَ عَبْدِي وَرَسُولِي سَمَّيْتُكَ المتَوَكِّلَ لَيْسَ بِفَظٍّ وَلَا غَلِيظٍ وَلَا سَخَّابٍ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ وَلَا يَدْفَعُ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَلَكِنْ يَعْفُو وَيَغْفِرُ وَلَنْ يَقْبِضَهُ اللَّهُ حَتَّى يُقِيمَ بِهِ الْمِلَّةَ الْعَوْجَاءَ بِأَنْ يَقُولُوا لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَيَفْتَحُ بِهَا أَعْيُنًا عُمْيًا وَآذَانًا صُمًّا وَقُلُوبًا غُلْفًا.

"I met `Abdullah ibn `Amr b. al `As. I asked him, ‘Will you tell me how the Prophet has been described in the Tawrah?' He said, ‘I will. By Allah, he is described in the Tawrah in words that are also in the Qur'an: O Messenger. We have sent you a witness, giver of glad tidings, a warner and a means of security for the unlettered ones. You are My slave and Messenger. I have named you "Mutawakkil." You are neither severe nor hard hearted, nor one shouting out in the markets... He does not respond with an evil for an evil. Rather, he forgives and overlooks. Allah will not complete his term without straightening up a crooked nation by making them believe in "There is no god save Allah." He will open blind eyes, deaf ears and sealed hearts.'

Majid on a lesser scale, but Rashid Rida in greater measure, deal with the subject of the prophecy concerning the Prophet in the Old and the New Testaments. Majid quotes from the Scriptures and then offers his own comments. However, wherever it was felt that the comment was not fully relevant, this writer has taken the liberty to insert his own comments:

Here are a few references with a running commentary by Majid:

1. ‘I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth: and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him' (Dt. 18: 17, 18).

Comments: The word ‘their' is referring to the Israelites, ‘their brethren; must clearly be the Ismailites; and thus the promised prophet must be an Ismailite. ‘Like unto thee' obviously means ‘like unto Moses' in having a Law of his own.'

2. ‘The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousand of saints; from his right hand went a fiery law for them' (Dt. 33: 2).

Comments: Coming after Moses (‘from Sinai') and Jesus (‘from Seir') the allusion in ‘from mount Paran', which is in Makkah, is clearly to the prophet born in Makka. It was he who entered that city as a victor at the head of 10,000 saintly companions and holding in his hand ‘a fiery law.'

3. ‘And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him truthful, and will multiply him exceedingly: twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation' (Ge. 17: 21).

Comments. This promise to bless Ismail found its complete fulfillment in the person of Muhammad (on him be peace) an Ismailite being appointed the prophet for the entire world.

4. The scepter shall not be taken away from Juda, nor a ruler from his thigh, till he come that is to be sent, and he shall be the expectation of nations' (49: 10 DV).

Comments: It was the advent of the Ismailite ‘sent one' that prophecy in Israel ceased, and it was he under whom the nations of the world gathered.

5. ‘I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever' (Ps. 45: 17).

Comments: ‘Muhammad' is literally ‘the praised one.' And it is his name coupled with that of his Creator, which is being proclaimed from the mosque minarets five times every day throughout the world.

6. ‘Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, ... he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles ... And the isles shall wait for his law' (Is. 42: 1, 4).

Comments: It is precisely Muhammad, the ‘servant of God' and His ‘elect' (Mustafa) who brought judgment to the Gentiles, and whose law has been awaited by the distant ‘isles.'

7. ‘Yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend' (Ps. 5: 16).

Comments: The word ‘lovely' used in the English Bible is a substitute for the Hebrew one, "Mohammadin." As this name of our Prophet is noun adjective, the sacred poet uses it in a manner answering both the interpretation of a proper noun and an adjective' (Syed Ahmad Khan).

Majid continues: As further reference, the following may be cited: Hab. 3: 3; Hag. 2: 7 9; Mal. 3: 1.

(As for the Gospels) Even in the manipulated and mutilated New Testament of the present day the allusions are neither too scanty nor too enigmatic.

1. ‘Did ye never read in the scripture, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore I say unto you, The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder' (Mt. 21: 42 44).

Comments: It was the very Prophet who was rejected by the Jews and Christians who became the corner stone of Religion. Without Muhammad's appearance, there would have remained no such thing as Religion on the face of the earth except for practices of the forest cultures. The Prophet said about himself in a hadith of Bukhari and others: "My example and that of other Prophets is like that of a man who built a house. He completed it and did a good job of it except for leaving the space of a brick blank. People began to enter and go around the house admiring it, but saying, ‘Had this gap been filled with a brick!' Lo. I am that brick, and I am the seal of the Prophets" (Au.).

2. ‘Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high' (Lk. 24: 49).

3. ‘Who art thou? And he confessed and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, what then? Art thou Elias? And he said, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. ... And they asked him, and said unto him, why baptizes thou then, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias neither that prophet' (Lk. 24: 49).

Comments: The questions were put by the learned among the Jews to John the Baptist, which indicate that besides Christ and Elias, they expected another prophet, who was so well known as the awaited one that instead of designating him by name, a mere pronoun, ‘that prophet' was deemed sufficient.

4. ‘Many of the people, therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ' (Jn. 7: 40 41).

Comments: Another clear reference to the advent of the well known prophet, ‘the Prophet.'

5. ‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever' (Jn. 14: 16).

6. ‘But when the Comforter is come, when I shall send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me' (Jn. 15: 26).

Note by Rashid Rida: The Comforter of English is Farqalit of Arabic.

7. ‘And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.... Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come' (Jn. 16: 8 13).

Comments (on 5, 6 and 7): These descriptions of the Comforter exactly fit the holy Prophet. He it is who, as the Final Prophet, brought an abiding Message (`abiding with you for ever'), who testified to the truth of Jesus (`he shall testify to me'), and who ‘reproved the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.' And he, above all, was the Divine mouthpiece, reproducing the words of God precisely as he received them (`he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak')." The Qur'an said about him (53: 3): "He does not speak on his own. It is nothing but a revelation being sent down" (Au.).

239. To mention 'amr bi al ma`ruf wa al nahyu `an al munkar immediately after mentioning the sending of the revelation is perhaps to impress upon the minds the importance of this institution (Rashid Rida).

240. The reference here is to the tough measures imposed on the Israelites because of their rebellious attitudes, as in the verse (3: 160, 161):

فَبِظُلْمٍ مِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا حَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ طَيِّبَاتٍ أُحِلَّتْ لَهُمْ وَبِصَدِّهِمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا (160) وَأَخْذِهِمُ الرِّبَا وَقَدْ نُهُوا عَنْهُ وَأَكْلِهِمْ أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا [النساء : 160 ، 161]

"Therefore, because of the transgressions of those who Judaized themselves, We made some of those good things unlawful to them that were (originally) lawful; and because of their hindering many from the path of Allah; and, because of their acceptance of usury, although they were prohibited; and (their) consuming people's wealth without right."

The new measures spoken of here include those that were declared prohibited but made lawful by the priestly class, such as usury (Shabbir).

241. Shafi` points out that the textual word for "strengthen" is `azzara which in its root signifies "preventing (something from someone) and protecting him, out of love." Its extended meaning is to respect and honor someone to a high degree.

242. To state in the beginning of the verse: "those, who follow the unlettered Messenger Prophet," and at the end, "followed the Light that was sent down with him," is to emphasize that both the Sunnah and the Qur'an have to be essentially followed for salvation (Shafi`).