Jews and Christians: Believers or not according to Quran? Confused
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Hi everyone,
I'm sure you're all familiar with the following beautiful uniting verse
Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in GOD, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.So this verse gives me the impression that the only requirements for salvation is to believe in God, the Last Day and lead a righteous life. (Which makes it sound very easy to find a suitable partner.. they only have to believe in these three things).
But then, the following verse adds even more requirements to be a believer
O you who believe, you shall believe in GOD and His messenger, and the scripture He has revealed through His messenger, and the scripture He has revealed before that. Anyone who refuses to believe in GOD, and His angels, and His scriptures, and His messengers, and the Last Day, has indeed strayed far astray.So what at first seemed to be 3 things (God, Last Day, be righteous) now turned into 5 things (God, angels, scriptures, messengers, Last Day).
I was like Okay, perhaps this verse is just a further explanation/elaboration on the requirements of being a believer..
But what really got me confused was the following verse
If only they would uphold the Torah and the Gospel, and what is sent down to them herein from their Lord, they would be showered with blessings from above them and from beneath their feet. Some of them are righteous, but many of them are evildoers.So this verse (and certain others) clearly say that jews and christians must believe in the Quran in order to be considered a believer by God...
But why say in verse 262 and 569 that all jews, christians and converts can have salvation as long as they believe in God, the Last Day and are righteous? It makes it sound like they don't necessarily have to believe in the Quran..Also, it actually sounds like a contradiction to say in 262 that all it takes is believing in God, the Last Day and be righteous and then say in 4136 that you also have to believe in all scriptures, angels and messengers.. It makes 262 seem like an unnecessary verse. I don't understand how to interpret this.
Isn't a christian or jewish person that accepts and follows the Quran automatically considered to be a muslim? Why not just say every jew and christian just have to believe in this Quran in order to reach salvation?
Please do not misunderstand me, I believe in every single verse of the Quran and I know this confusion is probably because of my own ignorance and limited understanding of the Quran, so I was hoping someone could explain me the wisdom behind this.
Peace.
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Hm... Yeah the "belief in angels" part confuses me a bit too. I wonder if anyone else can contribute something to ease that confusion.
I think the key phrase in 262 is "leads a righteous life."
As far as 4136 goes, remember that 4135 says "O you who believe, stand with justice as witnesses to God, even if against yourselves, or the parents or the relatives. Even if he be rich or poor, God is more worthy of them, so do not follow desire into being unjust. And if you twist or turn away, then God is Expert over what you do."
So "those who believe" should
- stand with justice as witnesses to God, no matter who they're up against or how much money they have
- believe in God and his messengers
- believe the scriptures that have all been revealed
- believe in God's angels
- believe in the Last Day
Look at 283 through 285
283 "And We took the covenant of the Children of Israel 'You shall not serve except God, and do good to your parents, and regard the relatives, and the orphans, and the needy, and say kind things to the people, and hold the contact prayer, and contribute towards purification.' But then you turned away, except for a few of you; you were objecting."
So we see there that there was a covenant made with the Children of Israel. They were told
- Don't serve any except God
- Do good to your parents
- Regard the relatives, orphans, and the needy
- Say kind things to people
- Hold the contact prayer
- Contribute towards purification
But we're told that they all turned away from these commandants (which are very good things that don't have anything to do with God, but just about being good people and contributing towards society). So they weren't following the messengers and scriptures that had been revealed to them.
And then we read
284 "And We have taken a covenant with you 'You shall not spill the blood of each other, nor expel each other from your homes.' And you agreed to this while bearing witness."
So there was also a covenant made with the people of the messenger of the time
- Don't injury or kill one another (in other words, don't spill each others' blood)
- Don't expel each other from your homes
in 285 we learn what happened
285 "But then here you are killing each other and expelling a group of you from their homes; you act towards them with evil and animosity. And if they come to you as prisoners, you ransom them while it was unlawful for you to expel them! Do you believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part? The punishment for those among you who do so is humiliation in this worldly life, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be delivered to the most severe retribution. God is not unaware of what you all do."
So now you can see what they did. They chose evil - expelling and killing one another. They weren't told to do this in the scripture, not at all (this is evident when God asks, "Do you believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part?". So I hope that you can see from each of these covenants why believing in scripture is necessary (for these people who choose evil over good).
Now let's look at 566. Remember that the previous scriptures were corrupted. People twisted them to fit their own agendas and evil ideas (similar to what ISIS/ISIL/Daesh and others have done with the Qur'an today).
The phrase in 566 "If only they would uphold..." sounds like something should have been upheld, but it wasn't.
Just a few verses earlier, in 562, God explains
562 "And you see many of them hasten to sin and transgression and consuming money illicitly. Miserable indeed is what they were doing."
So we know now from this verse that the People of the Book
- hastened to sin and transgression
- consumed money illicitly
This isn't following what they were told to do before, such as regarding the orphans and the needy and saying kind things to people.
Let me go back to what I first said in this post the key phrase in 262 is "leads a righteous life."
By leading a righteous life, one is believing in and following what God has commanded in His scriptures (whether they know it or not).
Remember these verses
2946 "And do not argue with the people of the Book except in that which is better; except for those who are wicked among them; and say "We believe in what was revealed to us and in what was revealed to you, and our god and your god is the same; to Him we submit.'"
We see from the above verse that the people of the Book are not all the same. 3113 and 3114 further clarify this
3113 "They are not all the same, from the people of the Book are a nation that is upright; they recite the revelations of God during the night hours and they prostrate."
3114 "They believe in God and the Last Day and order kindness and prohibit vice, and they hasten in goodness; these are of the good doers."
So the people who are ordering kindness and prohibiting vice - these are the ones who are leading a righteous life. They are the good doers; they are the ones who will have nothing to fear or grieve about. )
Concerning all the differences we still have among the people of the Book, remember this verse
548 "And We have sent down to you the Book with the truth, affirming what is between your hands of the Book and superseding it. So judge between them by what God has sent down, and do not follow their desires from what has come to you of the truth. For each of you We have made laws, and a structure; and if God had willed, He would have made you all one nation, but He tests you with what He has given you; so race to do good. To God you will return all of you, and He will inform you regarding that in which you dispute."
(Note All bold emphasis in translations is added by me.)
Hope this helps!
Peace. peace )
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chrisrians ,jews, muslims, majoosi, hindu,japanese, require to beleive in one supreme being and day of judgement and they must need to do righteous things, thats the minimum requirement to b a person which is favored by God.
i think its a reason behind this verse 262
so that nobody get scared or find his forefather path illogical by just lluck of having birth in non quranic fammily. becoz we know everybody cant be one religion, its God if he wish he create every person submittor but he creates group to test everybody.
moreover muslims cant claim quran is just for muslims, quran is from universal God for all the nations on this planet of earth. so it applies to everybody but atleast , everybody need to search for their own way including religious path as well just once in a life, is it so hard? so if somebody unaware or did not struggle for finding a path from God alone , he just never get a destination favored. and probably will definately lost from track of nature.
peace.
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Present Jews and Christians are believers as long as they stick to the original teachings.
Unfortunately, earlier books and teachings (in relation to salvation) prior to and outside the Quran are corrupted thus the only truth resides within the Quran.Personally, I feel those who called themselves Jews have conned themselves mainly due to their cultural mannerism and self proclaimed 'chosen race' like placing a 'father like' relationship to Allah and taking Yahweh as the Creator's unique name (I don't think bani israel and Yahudi are the same). When I was researching Yahweh in the old testament, the name is actually derived by the Jews from what the Creator responded to Moses. The Creator did not say 'my name is Yahweh. Moses was asking 'what is your name?' and the Creator responded "I am what I am' (ehyeh aser ehyeh in original hebrew/aramaic does not make Yahweh).
I personally felt that the Creator responded somewhat annoyed with the question. I mean in everyday communication, if someone ask a person's name and the response was "I am who I am " we can conclude that person does not want to respond but responded anyway in annoyance. I mean, that is how I felt when I read the translated verses.
In the Quran, the Creator made it clear that the so called 'father' relationship does not exist (2116). And in the Quran, when Moses met the Creator there was no mention of 'I am what I am'.
Personally, Jews or Christians can only be believers if their current practices and beliefs conform with quran's minimum requirements to avoid hell.
Peace
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What is in the Quran is supposed to be in the Torah and Gospel. Surprisingly, bits and pieces of the book is also available in Rig Veda.
It is safe to say there is a universal standard for what is right and wrong which all humans are to follow. It is all in the law of Allah. We are to focus on the teachings of the book.
Interestingly, Quran is far more alive in the Christian majority countries.
Ponder upon this
A Christian says he believes in verse 262, but then does everything opposite of the Quranic message. He oppresses people. He kills. Despite being rich, he doesn't spend for the poor. Will he be punished or rewarded on the day of the judgement?The true meaning of belief is tricky even for Muslims. Just sticking to the title of the religion may not help because of the following verse
Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of Allah, and they were witnesses thereto. So do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed ? then it is those who are the disbelievers.544
Now look at this way
A Muslim says he believes in Quran and Allah, but then does everything opposite of the Quranic teachings. He oppresses people. He kills. Despite being rich, he doesn't spend for the poor. Will he be punished or rewarded on the day of the judgement? -
Peace Alper.
There are no contradictions. The message from GOD has always been the same "Total loyalty and submission to GOD Alone"
The only religion approved by God is "Submission." Ironically, those who have received the scripture are the ones who dispute this fact, despite the knowledge they have received, due to jealousy. For such rejectors of God's revelations, God is most strict in reckoning.
Anyone who accepts other than Submission as his religion, it will not be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter, he will be with the losers.
Your congregation is but one congregation, and I alone am your Lord; you shall serve/worship Me alone.
However, they divided themselves into disputing religions. All of them will come back to us (for judgment).
As for those who work righteousness, while believing, their work will not go to waste; we are recording it.
There are no religions, there has only ever been one "deen" . GOD s system
http//www.total-loyalty-to-god-alone.co.uk/simple-and-universal-message/
I do not find any contradiction in what Qoran is saying to the believer.It is conveying the same old message that Noah, Abraham.Moses Jesus... all conveyed.
GOD bless you.
Peace. -
exactly, reel and gl
God bless you both.
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Thanks for the answers so far guys, but it's still not a 100% clear... There should be an easier explanation.
I still don't understand the following the Quran says in verse 262 "Surely those who believe; and those who are Jewish, and the Nazarenes, and the Sabians, whoever of them believes in God and the Last Day and does good works; they will have their recompense with their Lord, and there is no fear upon them, nor will they grieve."
So let's say a Christian or Jewish person, who believes in their own scripture, prays to God alone without committing idol worship, believes in the Last Day, has good deeds, but REFUSES to believe in Muhammad and the Quran, can he still go to heaven?
Verse 262 makes it look like they can, but other verses in the Quran seem to imply they can only reach salvation by also accepting Muhammad and the Quran.. so why even mention 262?
good logic, thank you too for your answer and I understand that Submission is the only religion acceptable by God, but even Submission includes accepting every messenger and signs from God..
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Thanks for the answers so far guys, but it's still not a 100% clear... There should be an easier explanation.
I still don't understand the following the Quran says in verse 262 "Surely those who believe; and those who are Jewish, and the Nazarenes, and the Sabians, whoever of them believes in God and the Last Day and does good works; they will have their recompense with their Lord, and there is no fear upon them, nor will they grieve."
So let's say a Christian or Jewish person, who believes in their own scripture, prays to God alone without committing idol worship, believes in the Last Day, has good deeds, but REFUSES to believe in Muhammad and the Quran, can he still go to heaven?
From my understanding, yes, but ultimately that is not my decision to make. Each person will have their actions and intentions stand for themselves.
Verse 262 makes it look like they can, but other verses in the Quran seem to imply they can only reach salvation by also accepting Muhammad and the Quran.. so why even mention 262?
good logic, thank you too for your answer and I understand that Submission is the only religion acceptable by God, but even Submission includes accepting every messenger and signs from God..
Not everyone here believes that Muhammad is the messenger mentioned in Qur'an. So I personally think that whoever the messenger was, is irrelevant.
Now the message itself... again, same message it's always been. Serve only God, don't get too consumed with worldly matters and causing corruption, and be a good and contributing person to society.
And signs... signs are all over the place, you can see them in nature, you can see them everywhere. Signs aren't specific to a religion, same as the message.
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exactly, reel and gl
God bless you both.
God bless you too )
Thanks for the answers so far guys, but it's still not a 100% clear... There should be an easier explanation.
I still don't understand the following the Quran says in verse 262 "Surely those who believe; and those who are Jewish, and the Nazarenes, and the Sabians, whoever of them believes in God and the Last Day and does good works; they will have their recompense with their Lord, and there is no fear upon them, nor will they grieve."
So let's say a Christian or Jewish person, who believes in their own scripture, prays to God alone without committing idol worship, believes in the Last Day, has good deeds, but REFUSES to believe in Muhammad and the Quran, can he still go to heaven?
Verse 262 makes it look like they can, but other verses in the Quran seem to imply they can only reach salvation by also accepting Muhammad and the Quran.. so why even mention 262?
Its not your confusion. It is the confusion created by our uneducated mullahs. We have been there too. So no worries.
Believe in God means seeing him as the ultimate authority. Hence, not doing anything that he forbids.
Similarly, those who believe in the last day also believe that they will be judged by that final authority. Hence, they amend themselves.The verse is not telling us to just agree that God and last day exist. One should do good work by keeping those two in mind.
The case of the Prophet is the same. What did he give? Quran. Accepting him means accepting his message.
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Peace Alper88,
Thanks for the answers so far guys, but it's still not a 100% clear... There should be an easier explanation.
I still don't understand the following the Quran says in verse 262 "Surely those who believe; and those who are Jewish, and the Nazarenes, and the Sabians, whoever of them believes in God and the Last Day and does good works; they will have their recompense with their Lord, and there is no fear upon them, nor will they grieve."
So let's say a Christian or Jewish person, who believes in their own scripture, prays to God alone without committing idol worship, believes in the Last Day, has good deeds, but REFUSES to believe in Muhammad and the Quran, can he still go to heaven?
From my understanding of the Quran, followers of others religions/faiths (e.g. Christianity and Judaism) and spiritual systems (e.g. New age), can be rewarded with paradise in the next life.
Quran 262 VERILY, those who have attained to faith , as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians - all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds - shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve.
Quran 3113-115 They are not all the same, from the people of the book are an upright nation; they recite God's signs during parts of the night and they prostrate. They acknowledge God and the Last day, promote recognized norms and deter from evil, and they hasten in goodness; these are of the reformed ones. What they do of good will not be turned back, and God is aware of the conscientious.
Quran 3199 Among the people of the book are those who acknowledge God, what was sent down to you and what was sent down to them. They revere God and they do not purchase with God's signs a cheap price. These will have their reward with their Lord. God is quick in computation.
Quran 4162 But as for those from among them who are deeply rooted in knowledge, and the believers who believe in that which has been bestowed upon thee from on high as well as that which was bestowed from on high before thee, and those who are constant in prayer, and spend in charity, and all who believe in God and the Last Day - these it is unto whom We shall grant a mighty reward.
Quran 565-66 If the people of the book only would have acknowledged and been aware, We would have cancelled for them their sins and admitted them to gardens of paradise. If they had upheld the Torah, the Injeel, and what was sent down to them from their Lord, they would have been rewarded from above them and below their feet. From among them is a pious nation, but many of them commit evil.
I'd like to share a quote with you from another thread.
...the Quran is the only spiritual/sacred text in the world that states that the followers of other religions can be rewarded with paradise in the next life. This suggests that islam is a just, tolerant and inclusive deen (way of life). In my view, islam is the most just, tolerant and inclusive deen (way of life) in the world. The teachings of the Quran seems to surpass the teachings of all other spiritual/sacred texts in the world. I would like to share some of the teachings of the Quran in this post.
Some of the teachings of the Quran
- Freedom of religion (2256, 554, 1340, 1829, 5045, 763).
- Freedom of preaching by other religions (6148, 2764).
- Right of all religions to have their places of worship free and protected (2240).
- Right given to every religion to prove it is best in doing good works (54.
- Right to ask questions about Islam (96).
- Right of non-Muslims not to be subjected to offence (3186, 6108, 7310).
- Right to express ones national/racial identity, culture and language (3022, 4913).
- People are only responsible of their own actions (1715).
- Blind following of leaders and tradition has been condemned (2170, 3367, 543).
- Freedom of speech (4140, 2013).
- The majority are not necessarily on the right path (6116).
- Followers of other religions can be rewarded with paradise in the next life (262, 3313-315, 3199).
Reference
"Islam and Human Rights" by Zahid Aziz
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Peace everyone,
As you know, the word Kafir is commonly translated as disbeliver. The plural of the word Kafir is Kafiruun.
In verse 2105, Al-Quran suggests that there are those who Kafaru (commonly translated as disbelieve) from among the people of the book.
Quran 2105 Those who disbelieve (Kafaru) from among the followers of the Book do not like, nor do the polytheists, that the good should be sent down to you from your Lord, and Allah chooses especially whom He pleases for His mercy, and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace.
As mentioned earlier, Al-Quran suggests that there are those who Kafaru (commonly translated as disbelieve) from among the people of the book. If everyone among the people of the book disbelieved, then Al-Quran wouldn't suggest that there are those who disbelieve among the people of the book. Since Al-Quran suggests that there are those who disbelieve among the people of the book, then this means that there are also those who believe among the people of the book. This is logical. Therefore, the notion that everyone among the people of the book are Kafiruun (commonly translated as disbelievers), has absolutely no basis in Al-Quran.
Also, the meaning of the word Kafir according to its usage in Al-Quran's original language, is not disbeliever. The word Kafir is a related form of the word Kufr. The word Kufr originally meant ingratitude. The word shukr means gratitude or thankfulness. According to history, in the early Meccan period, the word kufr had the opposite meaning of the word Shukr in regards to denial.
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Good, Taro
As a general impression Ithink that the Qur'andoes not go by labels but by the doings of different people el munafiqun, almufasidun al kafirun... Those are not peoples, nor ethnic nor religious groups, but persons who act in a certain way. Al kafiun conform no social clas or tribe or confession it is peopleof a certain behaviour. There is no reason to think that al muminun or al muslimun or any other are something different, that is not a label but the general denomination of people, of whatever group that behave in a certain way.
Salaam
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Peace Alper.
Total loyalty and submission to GOD Alone is a hard task . It may sound easy ,but devotion to GOD is the ultimate test for every generation.
We passed the scripture from generation to generation, and we allowed whomever we chose from among our servants to receive it. Subsequently, some of them wronged their souls, others upheld it only part of the time, while others were eager to work righteousness in accordance with God's will; this is the greatest triumph.
Those who are conscious of the Lord, regardless of what religion they are, will recognise the truth from their Lord wherever it is.
You should eagerly race towards forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise whose width encompasses the heavens and the earth; it awaits the righteous,
who give Zakat during the good times, as well as the bad times. They are suppressors of anger, and pardoners of the people. God loves the charitable.
If they fall in sin or wrong their souls, they remember God and ask forgiveness for their sins - and who forgives the sins except God - and they do not persist in sins, knowingly.
Their recompense is forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens with flowing streams; they abide therein forever. What a blessed reward for the workers!
Each of you chooses the direction to follow; you shall race towards righteousness. Wherever you may be, God will summon you all. God is Omnipotent.The message from GOD is consistent throughout the generations. Rites and laws may differ .but the right conduct and the devotion to GOD Alone is the same.
I do not see any contradiction as regards the "righteous" in all the scriptures. Those who received the scriptures will recognise the truth of Qoran. Qoran allows them to judge by/practise what GOD has revealed to them( Not men s words) through their messengers.GOD bless you.
Peace. -
Alper,
566 And if they had upheld the Torah and the Gospel, and what was sent down to them from their Lord, they would have been rewarded from above them and from beneath their feet. From among them is a pious nation, but most of them only do evil.
Groetjes,
Oussama
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chrisrians ,jews, muslims, majoosi, hindu,japanese, require to beleive in one supreme being and day of judgement and they must need to do righteous things, thats the minimum requirement to b a person which is favored by God.
i think its a reason behind this verse 262
so that nobody get scared or find his forefather path illogical by just lluck of having birth in non quranic fammily. becoz we know everybody cant be one religion, its God if he wish he create every person submittor but he creates group to test everybody.
moreover muslims cant claim quran is just for muslims, quran is from universal God for all the nations on this planet of earth. so it applies to everybody but atleast , everybody need to search for their own way including religious path as well just once in a life, is it so hard? so if somebody unaware or did not struggle for finding a path from God alone , he just never get a destination favored. and probably will definately lost from track of nature.
peace.
319 The system with God is submission, and those who received the Book did not dispute except after the knowledge came to them out of jealousy between them. And whoever rejects the revelations of God, then God is swift in judgment.
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If Christians do not see Jesus as God's son then they are "believers" according to the traditional interpretation of Quran.
Jews only to need to follow the teachings better it seems.
Both must perform the prostration ritual though according to the usual interpretation.
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If Christians do not see Jesus as God's son then they are "believers" according to the traditional interpretation of Quran.
Jews only to need to follow the teachings better it seems.
Both must perform the prostration ritual though according to the usual interpretation.
We all have faults and shortcomings brother.
May God cure the children of Adam from commiting Idolatry.
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I'm sure you're all familiar with the following beautiful uniting verse
Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in GOD, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a righteous life, will receive their recompe nse from their Lord. They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.So this verse gives me the impression that the only requirements for salvation is to believe in God, the Last Day and lead a righteous life. (Which makes it sound very easy to find a suitable partner.. they only have to believe in these three things).
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The Arabic word is translated as believe. The root letters for this word are The meanings of this root are trust and security/safety
..... 2196...... When you are safe......
..... 681....which of the two parties has more right to be in peace?.......
26162 I am a trustworthy messenger to you.
......16112.......Allah gives an example There was a town, secure and content.....
Arabic words are derived from their roots and the meaning of a root should reflect in the meaning of its derived word. Could learned people here make it clear how the root gives the meaning of believing rather than peace, security and trust?
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It does not, it means trust always. When you amin someone you have faith in them, i.e. confidence, they give you security.
Be well
Amenuel