When it relates to the People of the Book, some emphases on the Tolerant, Neutral, Cautionary and Adversarial Surahs and Ayat

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The reason for the inclusion of Christians, Jews and Sabians as People of the Book, not only depends on having a sacred book but is also based on monotheism. Another fact was that the Qur’an calls on Prophet Muhammad to: “Set you (O Muhammad...) your face towards the religion (of pure Islamic Monotheism) …. Allah’s Fitrah (i.e. Allah’s Islamic Monotheism) with which He has created mankind” (Al-Rum 30:30). Strictly speaking, monotheism is another criterion and followed by the fact that the three religions considered Abraham as their father; “it is the religion of your father Ibrahim (Abraham), Islamic Monotheism” (Al-Hajj 22:78).  

Another criterion can be found in terms like Al-Muttaqun (Al-Baqarah 2:2). The term Al-Muttaqun means to profess faith in one God as a revelation given and written down in the form of scripture. This definition tends to form a unity of purpose among the People of the Book. The idea of a sacred Book seems to bring together the People of the Book as one people. Hence, “This is the Book (the Qur’an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqun” (Al-Baqarah 2:2).

The Book (the Qur’an) adds another quality to the term Al-Muttaqun. Here, two concepts are very important. The concepts of Ghaib (belief in the unseen) and As-Salat (steadfast in prayer) (Al-Baqarah 2:3). Therefore, the Al-Muttaqun must also be persons who believe in the Ghaib and perform As-Salat. Al-Ghaib could also include belief in Allah, angels, holy books, Allah’s messengers, the day of resurrection and divine pre-ordainments as well as the knowledge of things of the past, present and future, news about paradise and hell.  The terms: Al-Ghaib and Al-Qadar seem to emphasize that Abrahamic monotheism is restricted only to the People of the Book.  

It is not all sail and no anchor when it comes to understanding the People of the Book as believers and non-believers; those who associate partners and those who do not. It is here that there is the need to draw a line by pointing out the Qur’anic warnings, tolerance, admonishing and neutralities. So, in the next section, there will be brief citations of different surahs and ayat describing the association levels for and with other people of the Book.

Cautionary Surahs and Ayat

It is the wish of a section of the People of the Book to lead you astray. But they shall lead astray (Not you), but themselves, and they do not perceive! (Al- ‘Imran 3:69).

Say: O People of the Book! Come To common terms as between us and you:  that we worship None but Allah; That we associate No partners with Him; That we erect not, From among ourselves, Lords, and patrons Other than Allah. If then they turn back, Say ye: “Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah’s Will) (Al-‘Imran 3:64).

Ye People of the Book! Why reject ye the Signs of God, of which ye are (Yourselves) witnesses? (Al- ‘Imran 3:70).

Ye People of the Book! Why do ye clothe Truth with falsehood, and conceal the Truth, while ye have knowledge? (Al- ‘Imran 3:71).

A section of the People of the Book says: "Belief in the morning what is revealed to the believers but reject it at the end of the day; perchance they may (themselves) Turn back (Al- ‘Imran 3:72).

Among the People of the Book are some who, if entrusted with a hoard of gold, will (readily) pay it back; others, who, if entrusted with a single silver coin, will not repay it unless thou constantly stoodest demanding, because, they say, "there is no call on us (to keep the faith) with these ignorant (Pagans)" but they tell a lie against God, and (well) they know it (Al-‘Imran 3:75).

Say: "O people of the Book! Do ye disapprove of us for no other reason than that we believe in Allah, and the revelation that hath come to us and that which came before (us), and (perhaps) that most of you are rebellious and disobedient?" (Al-Ma‘idah 5:59).

Further, He may warn those (also) who say, "God hath begotten a son" (Al-Kahf 18:4).

Adversarial Surahs and Ayat

O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth, not a people unjust (Al-Ma‘idah 5:51).

Fight those who believe not in God nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by God and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel subdued (At- Taubah 9:29).

O ye who believe! take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport, - whether among those who received the Scripture before you, or among those who reject Faith; but fear ye, Allah, if ye have faith (indeed) (Al-Ma‘idah 5:57).

And those of the People of the Book who aided them - God did take them down from their strongholds and cast terror into their hearts. (So that) some ye slew and some ye made prisoners (Al-Ahzab 33:26).

Those who reject (Truth), among the People of the Book and among the Polytheists, will be in Hellfire, to dwell therein (for aye). They are the worst of creatures (Al-Bayyinah 98:6).

Tolerant Surahs and Ayat

Quite several the People of the Book wish they could Turn you (people) back to infidelity after ye have believed, from selfish envy, after the Truth hath become Manifest unto them: But forgive and overlook, Till God accomplish His purpose; for God Hath power over all things (Al-Baqarah 2:109).

And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it is with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury): but say, "We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our God and your God is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam)." (Al-‘Ankabut 29:46).

Not all of them are alike: Of the People of the Book is a portion that stands (For the right): They rehearse the Signs of God all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration (Al-‘Imran 3:113).

They believe in God and the Last Day; they enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong; and they hasten (in emulation) in (all) good works: They are in the ranks of the righteous (Al-‘Imran 3:114).

Of the good that they do, nothing will be rejected of them; for God knoweth well those that do right (Al-‘Imran 3:115).

Before this We wrote in the Psalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My servants the righteous, shall inherit the earth (Al-Anbiya 21:105).

And We gave (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob, and ordained among his progeny Prophethood and Revelation, and We granted him his reward in this life, and he was in the Hereafter (of the company) of the Righteous (Al-‘Ankabut 29:27).

This day is (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time,- when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues if anyone rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter, he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good) (Al-Ma‘idah 5:5).

Neutral Surahs and Ayat

Those who believe (in the Qur’an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians, Christians, Magians, and Polytheists, - God will judge between them on the Day of Judgment: for God is the witness of all things (Al-Hajj 22:17).

And there are, certainly, among the People of the Book, those who believe in God, in the revelation to you, and in the revelation to them, bowing in humility to God: They will not sell the Signs of God for a miserable gain! For them is a reward with their Lord, and God is swift in account (Al-‘Imran 3:199).

Those who believe (in the Qur’an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve (Al-Baqarah 2:62).

Nor did the People of the Book make schisms, until after there came to them Clear Evidence (Al-Bayyinah 98:4).

And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment, he will be a witness against them (An-Nisa 4:159).

The different citations above, thus reveal some positive and negative perceptions of the People of the Book. The negative perceptions do not deny that the People of the Book, as a group, were endowed with sacred books, the different citations, if you like the adjectives used here, cautionary, adversarial, tolerant, and neutral delineate the broader features of acceptability or compatibility, on one hand, and incompatibility on the other. For example, the Qur’an says: “Those who disbelieve from among the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) and Al-Mushrikun, were not going to leave (their disbelief) until there came to them clear evidence” (Al-Bayyinah 98:1). Which suggests that the People of the Book can be accepted if they put aside all their disbeliefs. But there is a problem here. Their so-called disbeliefs are contained in their sacred books and these sacred books helped in their categorization as People of the Book together with their link to Abraham and monotheism.

The citations above show how the Qur’an perceives the People of the Book and the kind of tolerance to be measured to them. It also urges Muslims to engage in peaceful dialogue with the People of the Book. For example, the Qur’an encourages dialogue with other people of the book:

And argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), unless it be in (a way) that is better (with good words and in a good manner, inviting them to Islamic Monotheism with His verses), except with such of them as do wrong; and say (to them): “We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you; our llah (God) and your llah (God) is One (i.e. Allah), and to Him we have submitted (as Muslims) (Al-‘Ankabut 29:46).

Further, there is an invitation from the Qur’an to the People of the Book to come to terms with what they hold together: “Say (O Muhammad...): “O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you,” (Al-‘Imran 3:64). Another example of co-operation is the consideration relating to family and dietary laws. A Muslim male, for example, can marry a believing Jewish or Christian female (Al-Ma’idah 5:5).

The adversarial Surahs and ayat seem to encourage antagonism and hatred especially when they are viewed as constructing imagery of orthodoxy and representing Islam as a superior and perfect religion when compared to Christianity and Judaism. There may be some societal reasons for such representation and claims. For example, in the rationalist theologian and littérateur, Abu ‘Uthman Al-Jahiz’s (d. 255) letter, he observed some uneasy relations between Muslims and Christians. He argued that Christians prefer the contradictory statements in the Hadiths, or the reports that have weak chains of transmitters and ambiguous verses in their Book and question weak and common Muslims about them. In essence, the criticism was that Christians learn more about the heretics and condemned atheists than from renowned Islamic scholars and teachings. Then comes the warnings from the Qur’an:

  •  “…Take not as Auliya’ …those who take your religion as a mockery…” (Al-Ma’idah 5:57).
  • “…Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliya’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Auliya’ of each other...” (Al-Ma’idah 5:51)
  • “Fight against those who (1) believe not in Allah, (2) nor in the Last Day, (3) nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad...) (4) and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission and feel subdued” (At-Taubah 9:29).

From the Qur’an, if the Jews and Christians take the religion of Muslims as a mockery, then, their conduct reviled the Qur’anic injunction, hence, the Qur’an premises a zero-tolerance relationship between them: “Verily, those who disbelieve (in the religion of Islam, the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad...) from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and Al-Mushrikun will abide in the Fire of Hell. They are the worst of creatures (Al-Bayyinah 98:6). 

The Qur’anic perception of Christians, though they are regarded as the People of the Book is not one of equality for the reason that they associate their partner (Jesus Christ) with God, and as such, they are viewed as idolaters. The Christians have not yet entirely submitted to God. Examining the treaty made by the second Caliph ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab (634-44) with the representatives (of which Christians are among) of the cities he conquered reveals the type of zero-tolerance mentioned above.

The ‘Covenant of ‘Umar’

The Covenant of Umar of which Christians agreed to include the following:

  •  We shall show deference to the Muslims and shall rise from our seats when they wish to sit down.
  •  We shall not attempt to resemble the Muslims in any way with regard to their dress, as, for example, with the qalansuwa, the turban, sandals, or parting the hair.
  • We shall not speak as they do, nor shall we adopt their forenames.
  • We shall not ride on saddles.
  • We shall always adorn ourselves in our traditional fashions.
  • We shall bind our belts, zunnar, around our waists.
  • Anyone who deliberately strikes a Muslim will forfeit the protection of this pact.

 Arguably, the Covenant of ‘Umar presented the pact as if the conquered people (Christians included) were part of the discussion and that the commitment was made without any coercion, hence the personal pronoun ‘we’. By implication, it suggests that the conquered people accepted to be different from the Muslims, a condition that could only guarantee they are being protected. That was a type of cultural mosaic, a pretension of an integral community but in reality a conscious sanctioning of tensions, dichotomy and otherness. It was a kind of difference with a stringent conformism, that denied the protected some of their rights and made them second to Muslims. It constructed the protected people in relation to subordination, suppression and domination.

Going through the pages of the Qur’an, the Bible and the Torah, it must be said that the Qur’an emphasised the need for dialogue among the People of the Book. One might argue that the reason for such a motion could be because the Torah and Bible came before the Qur’an. But there is a sense of pre-emptive lore that the People of the Book are to be recognised for whatever they are and then engaged with for reasons that they have links to Abraham and monotheism. Therefore, the surahs and ayat with the caveat, neutral, tolerant and negative perceptions are different parts of the same speech. 

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