Allah threatens those who disbelieve in Him and in His Messengers, such as the Jews
and Christians, who differentiate between Allah and His Messengers regarding faith.
They believe in some Prophets and reject others, following their desires, lusts
and the practices of their forefathers. They do not follow any proof for such distinction,
because there is no such proof. Rather, they follow their lusts and prejudices.
The Jews, may Allah curse them, believe in the Prophets, except `Isa and Muhammad,
peace be upon them. The Christians believe in the Prophets but reject their Final
and Seal, and the most honored among the prophets, Muhammad, peace be upon him.
In addition, the Samirah (Samaritans) do not believe in any Prophet after Yuwsha`
(Joshua), the successor of Musa bin `Imran. The Majus (Zoroastrians) are said to
believe only in a Prophet called Zoroaster, although they do not believe in the
law he brought them casting it behind them, and Allah knows best. Therefore, whoever
rejects only one of Allah's Prophets, he will have disbelieved in all of them, because
it is required from mankind to believe in every prophet whom Allah sent to the people
of the earth. And whoever rejects one Prophet, out of envy, bias and personal whim,
he only demonstrates that his faith in other Prophets is not valid, but an act of
following desire and whim. This is why Allah said,
﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ
وَرُسُلِهِ﴾
(Verily, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers...) Thus, Allah describes
these people as disbelievers in Allah and His Messengers;
﴿وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيْنَ
اللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ﴾
(and wish to make distinction between Allah and His Messengers) in faith,
﴿وَيقُولُونَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَنَكْفُرُ
بِبَعْضٍ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَّخِذُواْ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ سَبِيلاً﴾
(saying, "We believe in some but reject others,'' and wish to adopt a way in between.)
Allah then describes them;
﴿أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْكَـفِرُونَ حَقّاً﴾
(They are in truth disbelievers.) meaning, their disbelief in the Prophet they claim
to believe in is clear. This is because their claimed faith in a certain Messenger
is not true, for had they truly believed in him, they would have believed in other
Messengers, especially if the other Messenger has a stronger proof for his truthfulness.
Or at least, they would have strived hard to acquire knowledge of the truth of the
other Messenger. Allah said,
﴿وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَـفِرِينَ عَذَاباً
مُّهِيناً﴾
(And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment.) This is just
punishment for belittling the Prophets whom they disbelieved in, by ignoring what
the Prophet brought to them from Allah, and because they are interested in the insignificant
possessions of this world. Or, their behavior could be the result of their disbelief
in the Prophet after they were aware of his truth, just as the Jewish rabbis did
during the time of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah . The Jews envied the Messenger
because of the great prophethood that Allah gave him, and as a consequence, they
denied the Messenger, defied him, became his enemies and fought against him. Allah
sent humiliation upon them in this life, that shall be followed by disgrace in the
Hereafter,
﴿وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ
وَالْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَآءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ﴾
(And they were covered with humiliation and misery, and they drew on themselves
the wrath of Allah.) in this life and the Hereafter. Allah's statement,
﴿وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِاللَّهِ
وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ﴾
(And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no distinction between
any of them,) This refers to the Ummah of Muhammad who believe in every Book that
Allah has revealed and in every Prophet whom Allah has sent. Allah said,
﴿ءَامَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ
إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِاللَّهِ﴾
(The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and (so
do) the believers. All of them believe in Allah.) (2:285). Allah then states that
He has prepared great rewards for them, tremendous favor and a handsome bounty,
﴿أُوْلَـئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ﴾
(We shall give them their rewards;) because of their faith in Allah and His Messengers,
﴿وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَّحِيماً﴾
(and Allah is Ever Forgiving, Most Merciful.) for their sin, if they have any.
﴿يَسْأَلُكَ أَهْلُ
الْكِتَـبِ أَن تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَـباً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ فَقَدْ سَأَلُواْ مُوسَى
أَكْبَرَ مِن ذلِكَ فَقَالُواْ أَرِنَا اللَّهِ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّـعِقَةُ
بِظُلْمِهِمْ ثُمَّ اتَّخَذُواْ الْعِجْلَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَـتُ
فَعَفَوْنَا عَن ذلِكَ وَءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى سُلْطَـناً مُّبِيناً - وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَهُمُ
الطُّورَ بِمِيثَـقِهِمْ وَقُلْنَا لَهُمُ ادْخُلُواْ الْبَابَ سُجَّداً وَقُلْنَا
لَهُمْ لاَ تَعْدُواْ فِى السَّبْتِ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُمْ مِّيثَـقاً غَلِيظاً ﴾
(153. The People of the Scripture (Jews) ask you to cause a book to descend upon
them from heaven. Indeed, they asked Musa for even greater than that, when they
said: "Show us Allah in public,'' but they were struck with a bolt of lightning
for their wickedness. Then they worshipped the calf even after Al-Bayyinat had come
to them. (Even) so We forgave them. And We gave Musa a clear proof of authority.)
(154. And for their covenant, We raised over them the mount and (on the other occasion)
We said: "Enter the gate prostrating (or bowing) with humility;'' and We commanded
them: "Transgress not on the Sabbath (Saturday).'' And We took from them a firm
covenant.)
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