أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The Stubbornness of the Jews

An-Nisa – The Women (4:153-155)

4:153
يَسْـَٔلُكَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَن تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَـٰبًۭا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ فَقَدْ سَأَلُوا۟ مُوسَىٰٓ أَكْبَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَرِنَا ٱللَّهَ جَهْرَةًۭ فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ ۚ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتُ فَعَفَوْنَا عَن ذَٰلِكَ ۚ وَءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ سُلْطَـٰنًۭا مُّبِينًۭا ١٥٣

The People of the Book demand that you ˹O Prophet˺ bring down for them a revelation in writing from heaven. They demanded what is even greater than this from Moses, saying, “Make Allah visible to us!” So a thunderbolt struck them for their wrongdoing. Then they took the calf for worship after receiving clear signs. Still We forgave them for that ˹after their repentance˺ and gave Moses compelling proof.

4:154
وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَهُمُ ٱلطُّورَ بِمِيثَـٰقِهِمْ وَقُلْنَا لَهُمُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْبَابَ سُجَّدًۭا وَقُلْنَا لَهُمْ لَا تَعْدُوا۟ فِى ٱلسَّبْتِ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُم مِّيثَـٰقًا غَلِيظًۭا ١٥٤

We raised the Mount over them ˹as a warning˺ for ˹breaking˺ their covenant and said, “Enter the gate ˹of Jerusalem˺ with humility.” We also warned them, “Do not break the Sabbath,” and took from them a firm covenant.

4:155
فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَـٰقَهُمْ وَكُفْرِهِم بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَتْلِهِمُ ٱلْأَنۢبِيَآءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّۢ وَقَوْلِهِمْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌۢ ۚ بَلْ طَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا ١٥٥

˹They were condemned˺ for breaking their covenant, rejecting Allah’s signs, killing the prophets unjustly, and for saying, “Our hearts are unreceptive!”—it is Allah Who has sealed their hearts for their disbelief, so they do not believe except for a few—
https://quran.com/4/153-155

These sins include breaking their promises to Allah, rejecting His clear signs and miracles, and unjustly killing many of the Prophets (peace be upon them). Their claim, “Our hearts are unreceptive!” was an excuse for ignoring the truth, but in reality, Allah sealed their hearts due to persistent disbelief and arrogance. As a result, only a few among them truly believed, while most became accustomed to disbelief and transgression.

The Jews approached the Messenger Muhammad ﷺ demanding that a book be sent down to them from the heavens, just as the Tawrah (Torah) was revealed to the Messenger Musa (Moses) (PBUH). Some even requested individual books addressed to specific people among them, testifying to the truth of the Messenger’s message. However, these demands were not made out of sincere pursuit of guidance, but rather reflected their stubbornness, defiance, and persistent disbelief. Their repeated requests were a continuation of their pattern of rejecting divine truth, despite clear evidence and guidance brought by the Messenger Muhammad ﷺ.

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The Evil Accusation the Jews Uttered Against Siti Maryam (Mary) (PBUH) and Their Claim that They Killed the Messenger Isa (Jesus) (PBUH)

An-Nisa – The Women (4:156-157)

4:156
وَبِكُفْرِهِمْ وَقَوْلِهِمْ عَلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ بُهْتَـٰنًا عَظِيمًۭا ١٥٦

and for their denial and outrageous accusation against Mary,

4:157
وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا ٱلْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَـٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ لَفِى شَكٍّۢ مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا ٱتِّبَاعَ ٱلظَّنِّ ۚ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًۢا ١٥٧

and for boasting, “We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” But they neither killed nor crucified him—it was only made to appear so. Even those who argue for this ˹crucifixion˺ are in doubt. They have no knowledge whatsoever—only making assumptions. They certainly did not kill him.
https://quran.com/4/156-157

The Jews committed two grave wrongs regarding Siti Maryam (Mary) (PBUH) and her son, the Messenger Isa (Jesus) (PBUH). Firstly, they uttered a heinous accusation against Siti Maryam (Mary) (PBUH), falsely accusing her of fornication and claiming that the Messenger Isa (Jesus) (PBUH) was an illegitimate son. This slander was a grave sin and a clear sign of their persistent disbelief and defiance.

Secondly, the Jews boasted, “We killed the Messiah, Isa (Jesus), son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah,” claiming responsibility for his death by crucifixion. However, Allah refutes this claim in the Qur’an, stating that they neither killed nor crucified him, but rather, it was made to appear so to them. In reality, Allah raised the Messenger Isa (Jesus) (PBUH) up to Himself, protecting him from their plot and leaving them in confusion and doubt about what truly happened.

These actions—slandering Siti Maryam (Mary) (عليها السلام) and falsely claiming to have killed the Messenger Isa (Jesus) (PBUH)—were among the reasons for Allah’s curse upon them and their being distanced from guidance. The Qur’an makes clear that such false accusations and boasts are rooted in disbelief, arrogance, and a rejection of Allah’s clear signs.

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Allah Takes the Messenger Isa (Jesus) (PBUH) Up to Himself

An-Nisa – The Women (4:158)

4:158
بَل رَّفَعَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًۭا ١٥٨

Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.

Ali ‘Imran – Family of Imran (3:55)

3:55
إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّى مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ فِيمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ٥٥

˹Remember˺ when Allah said, “O Jesus! I will take you and raise you up to Myself. I will deliver you from those who disbelieve, and elevate your followers above the disbelievers until the Day of Judgment. Then to Me you will ˹all˺ return, and I will settle all your disputes.
https://quran.com/3/55

The Arabic term مُتَوَفِّيكَ (mutawaffīka) this verse, while commonly used for “causing to die,” classically means “taking in full” or “taking completely.” The majority of scholars interpret this as Allah assuring the Messenger Isa (Jesus) (PBUH) that He would not leave him in the hands of his enemies. Instead, Allah would “take him in full,” meaning He would raise him up رَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ (warafi’uka) to Himself in the heavens, protecting him from harm and purifying him from the plots of the disbelievers.

This verse, therefore, affirms the Islamic belief that the Messenger Isa (Jesus) (PBUH) was neither killed nor crucified, but was honoured by being raised up to Allah. His true followers would be elevated above the disbelievers until the Day of Judgement, and all matters of dispute would ultimately be resolved by Allah’s perfect justice.

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All Christians Will Believe in the Messenger Isa (Jesus) (PBUH) Before He Dies

An-Nisa – The Women (4:159)

4:159
وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِۦ ۖ وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًۭا ١٥٩

Every one of the People of the Book will definitely believe in him before his death. And on the Day of Judgment Jesus will be a witness against them.
https://quran.com/4/159

This verse affirms that before the Messenger Isa (Jesus) (PBUH) passes away, every member of the People of the Book —including Christians and Jews—will come to believe in his true prophethood and message. According to Islamic tradition, this will occur after the Messenger Isa (Jesus) (PBUH) returns to earth near the end of time. At that moment, all will recognise him as Allah’s servant and messenger, rejecting any false beliefs about his divinity or crucifixion.

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