The Main Characteristics And Qualities Of Jews According To The Quran
14-04-2008
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All thanks and praise are
due to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
The following is a fatwa issued by Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former Head of Al-Azhar
Fatwa Committee, in which he states the following: “The Qur’an has specified a
considerable deal of its verses to talking about Jews, their personal qualities
and characteristics. The Qur’anic description of Jews is quite impartial;
praising them in some occasions where they deserve praise and condemning them in
other occasions where they practice blameworthy acts. Yet, the latter occasions
outnumbered the former, due to their bad qualities and the heinous acts they
used to commit. The Qur’an praises them on the verse that reads: “And verily
We gave the Children of Israel the Scripture and the Command and the Prophethood,
and provided them with good things and favoured them above (all) peoples.”
(Al-Jathiyah:16) i.e. the peoples of their time.”
Among the bad qualities they
were characterized with are the following:
They used to fabricate things and falsely ascribe them to Allah.
Allah Almighty says: “That is because they say: We have no duty to the Gentiles. They speak a lie concerning Allah knowingly.” (Al-`Imran:75)
Also: “The Jews say: Allah's hand is fettered. Their hands are fettered and they are accursed for saying so. Nay, but both His hands are spread out wide in bounty. He bestoweth as He will.” (Al-Ma`idah:64)
In another verse Almighty Allah says: “Verily Allah heard
the saying of those who said, (when asked for contributions to the war): "Allah,
forsooth, is poor, and we are rich! We shall record their saying with their
slaying of the Prophets wrongfully and We shall say: Taste ye the punishment of
burning!” (Al-`Imran:181).
They love to listen to lies. Concerning this Allah says: “..and of the
Jews: listeners for the sake of falsehood, listeners on behalf of other folk”
(Al-Ma'idah: 41).
Disobeying Almighty Allah and never observing His commands. Allah says:
“And because of their breaking their covenant, We have cursed them and made hard
their hearts.” (Al-Ma'idah: 13).
Disputing and quarreling. This is clear in the verse that reads: “Their
Prophet said unto them: Lo! Allah hath raised up Saul to be a king for you. They
said: How can he have kingdom over us when we are more deserving of the kingdom
than he is, since he hath not been given wealth enough?” (Al-Baqarah: 247).
Hiding the truth and standing for misleading. This can be understood from the
verse that reads: “..distort the Scripture with their tongues, that ye may
think that what they say is from the Scripture, when it is not from the
Scripture.” (Al-`Imran: 78) .
Staging rebellion against the Prophets and rejecting their guidance. This is
clear in the verse: “And when ye said: O Moses! We will not believe in thee
till we see Allah plainly.” (Al-Baqarah: 55) .
Hypocrisy. In a verse, we read: “And when they fall in with those who
believe, they say: We believe; but when they go apart to their devils they
declare: Lo! we are with you; verily we did but mock.” (Al-Baqarah: 14)
In another verse, we read: “Enjoin ye righteousness
upon mankind while ye yourselves forget (to practice it)? And ye are readers of
the Scripture! Have ye then no sense?” (Al-Baqarah: 44).
Giving preference to their own interests over the rulings of religion and the
dictates of truth. Allah says: “..when there cometh unto you a messenger
(from Allah) with that which ye yourselves desire not, ye grow arrogant, and
some ye disbelieve and some ye slay” (Al-Baqarah: 87).
Wishing evil for people and trying to mislead them. This is clear in the
verse that reads: “Many of the People of the Scripture long to make you
disbelievers after your belief, through envy on their own account, after the
truth hath become manifest unto them.” (Al-Baqarah: 109).
They feel pain to see others in happiness and are gleeful when others are
afflicted with a calamity. This is clear in the verse that reads: “If a
lucky chance befall you, it is evil unto them, and if disaster strike you they
rejoice thereat.” (Al-`Imran:120).
They are known of their arrogance and haughtiness. They claimed to be the
sons and of Allah and His beloved ones. Allah tells us about this in the verse
that reads: “The Jews and Christians say: We are sons of Allah and His loved
ones. ”(Al-Ma’idah: 18).
Utilitarianism and opportunism are among their innate traits. This is
clear in the verse that reads: “And of their taking usury when they were
forbidden it, and of their devouring people's wealth by false pretences.” (An-Nisa’:
161).
Their impoliteness and indecent way of speech is beyond description.
Referring to this, the Qur’anic verse reads: “Some of those who are Jews change
words from their context and say: "We hear and disobey; hear thou as one who
heareth not" and "Listen to us!" distorting with their tongues and slandering
religion. If they had said: "We hear and we obey; hear thou, and look at us" it
had been better for them, and more upright. But Allah hath cursed them for their
disbelief, so they believe not, save a few.” (An-Nisa':46).
It is easy for them to slay people and kill innocents. Nothing in the
world is dear to their hearts than shedding blood and murdering human beings.
They never give up this trait even with the Messengers and the Prophets. Allah
says: “..and slew the prophets wrongfully.” (Al-Baqarah: 61).
They are merciless and heartless. In this meaning, the Qur’anic verse
explains: “Then, even after that, your hearts were hardened and became as rocks,
or worse than rocks, for hardness.” (Al-Baqarah: 74).
They never keep their promises or fulfill their words. Almighty Allah
says: “Is it ever so that when ye make a covenant a party of you set it aside?
The truth is, most of them believe not.” (Al-Baqarah: 100).
They rush hurriedly to sins and compete in transgression. Allah says:
“They restrained not one another from the wickedness they did. Verily evil was
that they used to do!” (Al-Ma'idah:79).
Cowardice and their love for this worldly life are their undisputable traits.
To this, the Qur’an refers when saying: “Ye are more awful as a fear in their
bosoms than Allah. That is because they are a folk who understand not. They will
not fight against you in a body save in fortified villages or from behind walls.
Their adversity among themselves is very great. Ye think of them as a whole
whereas their hearts are divers.” (Al-Hashr:13-14)
Allah Almighty also says: “And thou wilt find them
greediest of mankind for life and (greedier) than the idolaters.”
(Al-Baqarah:96) .
Miserliness runs deep in their hearts. Describing this, the Qur’an
states: “Or have they even a share in the Sovereignty? Then in that case, they
would not give mankind even the speck on a date stone.” (An-Nisa':53).
Distorting Divine Revelation and Allah’s Sacred Books. Allah says in this
regard: “Therefore woe be unto those who write the Scripture with their hands
anthem say, "This is from Allah," that they may purchase a small gain therewith.
Woe unto them for that their hands have written, and woe unto them for that they
earn thereby.” (Al-Baqara: 79)
After this clear explanation, we would like to note that
these are but some of the most famous traits of the Jews as described in the
Qur’an. They have revolted against the Divine ordinances, distorted what has
been revealed to them and invented new teachings which, they claimed, were much
more better than what has been recorded in the Torah. It was for these traits
that they found no warm reception in all countries where they tried to reside.
Rather, they would either be driven out or live in isolation. It was Almighty
Allah who placed on them His Wrath and made them den of humiliation due to their
transgression. Almighty Allah told us that He’d send to them people who’d pour
on them rain of severe punishment that would last till the Day of Resurrection.
All this gives us glad tidings of the coming victory of Muslims over them once
Muslims stick to strong faith and belief in Allah and adopt the modern means of
technology."
Submitted by a Mujahid