3-64 Say: O People of the Book, come to an equitable word between us and you, that we shall serve none but Allah and that we shall not associate aught with Him, and that some of us shall not take others for lords besides Allah. But if they turn away, then say: Bear witness, we are Muslims.a
قُل يا أَهلَ الكِتابِ تَعالَوا إِلىٰ كَلِمَةٍ سَواءٍ بَينَنا وَبَينَكُم أَلّا نَعبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلا نُشرِكَ بِهِ شَيئًا وَلا يَتَّخِذَ بَعضُنا بَعضًا أَربابًا مِن دونِ اللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن تَوَلَّوا فَقولُوا اشهَدوا بِأَنّا مُسلِمونَ (۶۴)
3-64a: سَواءٍ – The meaning of سَواءٍ when used in the context of a place is وَسَط and Imam Raghib explains the meaning of كَلِمَةٍ سَواءٍ as عدل من الحکم that is, an equitable resolution of a thing. Ibn Abbas also understands the meaning to be عدل that is, just. But in the infinitive mood, سَواءٍ can mean مستویة that is, اولا یختلف فیه التوراۃ و النجیل و القران (The common things in which the Torah, Gospel and Quran do not disagree) (RM) and اولا اختلاف فیھا بکل الشرائع (there is unanimity in the religious laws) (RM).
Ascribing partners in attributes: لا نُشرِكَ بِهِ شَيئًا – For the meaning of شرق see 2-194a and the meaning here is شرق عظیم . شرق عظیم is to ascribe to a thing the same perfect attributes as those of Allah, such as the dualistic doctrine of the Magian religion which holds that there are two creators, a creator of good and a creator of evil, or the Christian belief of assigning Allah’s attributes of eternal, everlasting, omnipotence etcetera to Jesus, or that of the Arya Samaj of holding matter to be eternal and non-created and thereby coexistent with God. These are all forms of شرق عظیم .
أَربابًا مِن دونِ اللَّهِ – is the plural of رب for the meaning of which see 1-1a. The meaning of أَرباب is to consider someone the ultimate mean or trustee for reconciling people and hence someone who must be obeyed in the same manner as one obeys God. The Quran itself has explained this as اتَّخَذوا أَحبارَهُم وَرُهبانَهُم أَربابًا مِن دونِ اللَّهِ (They take their doctors of law and their monks for Lords besides Allah) (9:31). A hadith in Tirmazi narrated by Adi ibn Hatim states that when this verse (9:31) was revealed he asked the Holy Prophet about the significance of this verse for, he said, we do not worship our doctors of law and monks. The Holy Prophet’s reply was: اما کانوا یحللون لکم و یحرمون فتاخذون بقولہم )Was it not that the people considered lawful what their priests declared to be lawful, though it was forbidden by God(. Hatim replied in the affirmative. That, the Prophet said, was what the verse meant. Muslims who follow their religious leaders and scholars blindly without using their own intellect and rationality fall in the purview of this verse.
Three kinds of associating partners: Three associations with Allah are mentioned here: Association in worship, association in attributes, association in obedience. Association in worship is negated in أَلّا نَعبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ . This is an obvious association and includes prostration before other deities and supplicating to them as idol worshippers do, and some Christians do who supplicate to Jesus or Mary, and Catholics do who keep statutes and images of Jesus. The next level of association is association of attributes, that is, to consider that any attribute of Allah is present with the same perfection in some other than Him. This is mentioned in: نُشرِكَ بِهِ شَيئًا and the purport is to consider that the same perfect attribute of Allah exists in another. The third association is in obedience which is mentioned in: أَربابًا مِن دونِ اللَّهِ. All these associations are prohibited.
The rules of religious contentions and the truth of Islam: As was mentioned at the end of the last section, when rational arguments and prayer were tried, and the arguments are not accepted, and the prayer duel is rejected out of fear, then there is one more method that is suggested here to convince the naysayers. This method is a proposal that if the common features between the two religions is accepted as a foundational principle, then many of the contentious issues between the two religions would be resolved. This holds true not only for Christianity but for all religions that if the common theme between that religion and Islam is taken, then what would emerge is the religion of Islam. Hence it would not be possible for the follower of any religion to deny the truth of Islam. Although followers of Judaism and Christianity have specifically been referred to as Followers of the Book (اہل کتاب) but in a sense all nations are Followers of the Book because Allah states that a Messenger was sent to all nations and the teaching of that Messenger constitutes the Messenger’s Book. If the beliefs of all the nations and all the scriptures are examined, the common feature about the Being of God that emerges is that there is one God. Leave alone the followers of Holy Scriptures, even the idol worshippers believe that there is one God above their idols and the idols are just a means of access to Him. ما نَعبُدُهُم إِلّا لِيُقَرِّبونا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلفىٰ (We serve them only that they may bring us nearer to Allah) (39:3). So, if the commonality between all the religions of the world is searched, it is the belief of worshipping One God. Nations have then chosen for themselves their own respective gods under this One Glorious God as, for example, Rama and Krishan for some and the Messiah for some others. Allah therefore prescribes a simple way that the common element between all religions be taken, which is termed as كَلِمَةٍ سَواءٍ (equitable word) and this equitable word is that only One God should be worshipped. This equitable word is the golden principle to which attention is drawn to settle contentions between religions. The indication is that when other methods to convince the followers of a contentious religion fail, then broach them with the rule of settling contentions between religions and move forward with establishing the foundational principle of commonality. This method too will establish the truth of Islam.
Holy Prophet’s letter to Al-Muqawqis ruler of Egypt: يا أَهلَ الكِتابِ تَعالَوا إِلىٰ are the very words with which the Holy Prophet addressed letters to neighboring rulers including Al-Muqawqis ruler of Egypt. The original letter to Al-Muqawqis was discovered in a shrine in Egypt and now its facsimile has been published. The words of the letter are exactly as given in Sahih Bukhari and other Books of Hadith. This is a strong testimonial to the authenticity of Hadith narrations.
3-65 O People of the Book, why do you dispute about Abraham, when the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed till after him? Do you not understand?a
يا أَهلَ الكِتابِ لِمَ تُحاجّونَ في إِبراهيمَ وَما أُنزِلَتِ التَّوراةُ وَالإِنجيلُ إِلّا مِن بَعدِهِ ۚ أَفَلا تَعقِلونَ (۶۵)
3-65a: Religion of Abraham is a commonality: لِمَ تُحاجّونَ في إِبراهيمَ – Why do you dispute about Abraham? Abraham is mentioned here in the light of the principle enunciated in the earlier verse because the personality of Abraham is common to all four parties – polytheists of Arabia, Jews, Christians and Muslims. All four parties accept his patriarchy and holiness. It is stated that the Torah and Gospel postdate Abraham so that the fundamental belief is the one that Abraham professed, namely the worship of One God. Accordingly, it is stated in verse 3:68 إِنَّ أَولَى النّاسِ بِإِبراهيمَ لَلَّذينَ اتَّبَعوهُ وَهٰذَا النَّبِيُّ وَالَّذينَ آمَنوا (The nearest of people to Abraham are surely those who follow him and this Prophet and those who believe) (3:68). This is so because this Prophet and the believers stand on the fundamental principle of the worship of One God. The contending religions have exceeded or diminished their religions in important ways and have introduced the worship of the doctors of law or the Messiah alongside the worship of the One God.
3-66 Behold! You are they who disputed about that of which you had knowledge; why then do you dispute about that of which you have no knowledge? And Allah knows while you know not.a
ها أَنتُم هٰؤُلاءِ حاجَجتُم فيما لَكُم بِهِ عِلمٌ فَلِمَ تُحاجّونَ فيما لَيسَ لَكُم بِهِ عِلمٌ ۚ وَاللَّهُ يَعلَمُ وَأَنتُم لا تَعلَمونَ (۶۶)
3-66a: ها – is an article of admonishment and appears again in هٰؤُلاءِ for emphasis. According to Akhfash, an Arabic grammarian, ها is a stand in for ہمزہ استفہام (interrogative hamza أ ) and the استفہام or questioning is from a sense of amazement (RM).
Completing the argument against Christianity and Judaism: فيما لَكُم بِهِ عِلمٌ refers to knowledge about Moses and Jesus. The contention with the Followers of the Book, that is with the Jews about the religion of Moses and with the Christians about the religion of Jesus was discussed in Surah Baqarah and Surah Imran. It is stated that the Jews and Christians have some knowledge about Moses and Jesus respectively, but the new rule under which these contentions are being examined is the religion of Abraham because it is because of a covenant with him that the religions of Judaism and Christianity came into existence. Despite the great distortions and tampering of their scriptures, there is still a modicum of knowledge about Moses and Jesus in them, but about the religion of Abraham they are deficient. Hence their contention about the religion of Abraham is meaningless. An alternate meaning of فيما لَكُم بِهِ عِلمٌ is that it refers to the prophecies about the Holy Prophet found in their scriptures. Even though they may dispute the applicability of the prophecies, this rule of settling the contention between religions based on commonality of religions is something about which they previously had no knowledge. The rule is simple so why argue against its use?
3-67 Abraham was not a Jew nor a Christian, but he was (an) upright (man), a Muslim; and he was not one of the polytheists.a
ما كانَ إِبراهيمُ يَهودِيًّا وَلا نَصرانِيًّا وَلٰكِن كانَ حَنيفًا مُسلِمًا وَما كانَ مِنَ المُشرِكينَ (۶۷)
3-67a: Abraham negates Judaism and Christianity: The meaning is that some particular beliefs of Judaism and Christianity were not professed by Abraham. For the use of the word حَنيف (upright) in negating the beliefs of Judaism and Christianity see 2-135a, and the end words of the verse: he was not a polytheist is to complete the proof against the polytheist Arabs. Thus, all the three nations are invited to use as a foundational rule a common principle about which there is consensus. Another reason for mentioning Abraham is because the real covenant is with Abraham under which a prophet had to be raised in Arabia. So, the Prophet adheres to the fundamental principles of the religion of Abraham.
3-68 The nearest of people to Abraham are surely those who follow him and this Prophet and those who believe. And Allah is the Friend of the believers.a
إِنَّ أَولَى النّاسِ بِإِبراهيمَ لَلَّذينَ اتَّبَعوهُ وَهٰذَا النَّبِيُّ وَالَّذينَ آمَنوا ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّ المُؤمِنينَ (۶۸)
3-68a: أَولَى – وَلِی is the superlative form of یلی and the literal meaning of وَلاء is nearness. So, the meaning of أَولَى is nearest. The meaning of أَولَى بکذا is اَحۡریٰ بکذا (R) that is, the most deserving.
اتَّبَعوهُ – The followers of a prophet are his امة (nation) who follow in his footsteps and gain enlightenment from his guidance. For this reason, هٰذَا النَّبِيُّ وَالَّذينَ آمَنوا is separated from الَّذينَ اتَّبَعوهُ that is, Muhammad the Messenger of Allah and Muslims are not from the followers of Abraham. In another place, the Holy Prophet is said to be from ملّتِ ابراہیم (the nation of Abraham) but that is not by virtue of being a follower. Rather it is because the same principles of religion were revealed to the Holy Prophet as were revealed to Abraham. By لَلَّذينَ اتَّبَعوهُ are meant the followers of Abraham who during his ministry of prophethood followed his sharia.
3-69 A party of the People of the Book desire that they should lead you astray; and they lead not astray but themselves, and they perceive not.a
وَدَّت طائِفَةٌ مِن أَهلِ الكِتابِ لَو يُضِلّونَكُم وَما يُضِلّونَ إِلّا أَنفُسَهُم وَما يَشعُرونَ (۶۹)
3-69a: طائِفَةٌ – is derived from طوف which means to circle. When طائِفَةٌ is used in the context of humans, it means a party. A part or a section of a thing is also called طائِفَه (R).
يُضِلّونَكُم – One meaning of اضلال is to stray from the straight path, but ضَلَّ also occurs in the sense of ضاع و ھَلَك (LA) and so is also used for اضلال اِھلاك . If the first meaning is taken, then the meaning of ما يُضِلّونَ إِلّا أَنفُسَهُم would be they lead themselves further astray. This happens because when one is persistently trying to lead others astray, it inevitably results in the person leading others astray to become more astray himself. If the second meaning of the word is used, then the import would be they seek to ruin you but would be ruined themselves.
Christian attempts to lead Muslims astray: There also appears to be a prophecy here because the real addresses of these verses are the Christians as also stated by Safiyan: کل شئ اٰل عمران من ذکر اھل الکتاب فھو فی النصاریٰ (Whatever is stated in Al-Imran about Ahl-Kitab is in reality about the Christians). Sometimes however, Jews and other followers of Books may also be included with the Christians. The indication is that these Ahl-Kitab, that is the Christians, despite being astray and guilty in many ways would become so powerful that they would try to mislead the Muslims, that is to convert them to their religion. This prophecy is being manifested in these times.
3-70 O People of the Book, why do you disbelieve in the messages of Allah while you witness (their truth)?a
يا أَهلَ الكِتابِ لِمَ تَكفُرونَ بِآياتِ اللَّهِ وَأَنتُم تَشهَدونَ (۷۰)
3-70a: By the messages of Allah is meant the Quran whose truthfulness they were witnessing. They were also witnesses of the fact that their scriptures contained the prophecy of a Messenger to come.
3-71 O People of the Book, why do you confound the truth with falsehood, and hide the truth while you know?a
يا أَهلَ الكِتابِ لِمَ تَلبِسونَ الحَقَّ بِالباطِلِ وَتَكتُمونَ الحَقَّ وَأَنتُم تَعلَمونَ (۷۱)
3-71a: Attention here is drawn again to the prophecy which is mentioned in the previous verse.
Bayan-ul-Quran 