The index verse along with some others adjacent to it were revealed in Madinah in reply to queries from the Jews. However, it is incorporated in this Makkan sūrah to complete the history of the Israelites with their Prophet Moses.

A very short and succinct ayah, forceful, loaded with meaning and apparently contradictory. It is  frequently a topic for controversy and debate in social circles. The ayah attributes to Allah Ta’aala Subhaanahoo two contrasting and conflicting views. As a matter of fact it reveals a very crucial and challenging  feature of theology. God Almighty has multiple and manifold attributes in HIS “personality”. Some of them are complimentary; many others are not, presenting problems in the comprehension of the text. However, the index ayah is relatively easily explained. The ayah mentions two situations and describes the Devine response to each of them, suggesting that HE is quick in dishing out justice for any wrong doing though basically he is forgiving and most merciful.

The research scholar and mentor, Javed Ahmed Ghamdi has struck at the real message hidden in this beautiful ayah. In his magnificent tafseer Al-Bayan, he renders the index ayah إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَسَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ as “Meaning, if the proof is established, HE does not delay in delivering the punishment. And if they repent before the judgment is executed, HE immediately forgives, for He is not only Swift in punishment but also Forgiving and Merciful.”

The explanation of the index ayah once again brings out the nuances in the commentary on the Quran. In early past century Maulānā Imam Hamīd al-Dīn Farāhī was the first scholar to work out and declare the arrangement and composition of the Holy Text. He found out and described that the Quran was arranged in seven meaning full groups. However I feel that one has to be a real scholar of the Text to appreciate this division. For the usual teachings and discussions the ayah remains the unit of holy text. Here again, a single ayah may convey more than one message. The index ayah is a good example of this situation; it is the latter part of the ayah. The earlier part of the index ayah conveys a different and critical note. It runs:

وَإِذ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبعَثَنَّ عَلَيهِم إِلىٰ يَومِ القِيامَةِ مَن يَسومُهُم سوءَ العَذابِ

“ And when your Lord proclaimed that He would surely send against them, until the Day of Resurrection, those who would inflict on them a terrible punishment. Indeed your Lord is swift in retribution, and indeed He is all-forgiving, all-merciful”.

Also, the next ayah in the Quran is complimentary to the index ayah:

وَقَطَّعناهُم فِي الأَرضِ أُمَمًا ۖ مِنهُمُ الصّالِحونَ وَمِنهُم دونَ ذٰلِكَ ۖ وَبَلَوناهُم بِالحَسَناتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُم يَرجِعونَ

“ And We dispersed them as [separate] communities all over the earth; some of them were righteous, and some of them less than that: and the latter We tried with blessings as well as with afflictions, so that they might mend their ways.”

This declaration of doom for the Jews will last for ever since the ayah puts the limits at Qiyamah. There will, from time to time be those who will deal cruelly with them. This is because they persisted in their defiance and will not mend their ways. The Books of the Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and their successors, since the eight century BC have urged and admonished Israelites of their persistent misdeeds. Accordingly, they have always remained subservient to one power or the other (Ibn Kathir).

Syed Iqbal Zaheer, an Indian scholar quotes in his tafseer “Ishraq-al-Ma’aani” “A highly influential American Jew who has said during an interview that if USA withdraws its support to Israel, it cannot last more than five years”. He then quotes the Torah (Dt. 28: 33) as  saying “”And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies; they that hate you shall reign over you; and you shall flee when none pursueth you” (Le. 26: 17). “And thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed away.”(Dt. 28: 33). Writing about 150 years earlier, Alusi stated: “They shall ever remain until the Day of Judgment under the domain of others; the fact being not contradicted by what will happen at the time of Isa’s second advent since that will be very close to the end of the world.”
 

It means that Allah, due to the covenant-breaking actions of the Children of Israel, had informed them through their prophets that HE would continue to subject them to severe punishments until the Day of Judgment, inflicted by those who would afflict them with extreme hardships. This warning was repeatedly given by Prophet Moses, peace be upon him, and later prophets also emphasized it in explicit terms. This is mentioned in their scriptures:

“ If you do not observe My commandments and do not act upon all these decrees… and if you break My covenant, then I will do the same to you… and My face will be against you, and you will be defeated before your enemies, and those who hate you will rule over you.” (Leviticus 26:14, 17)

Similar warnings are found in the Book of Exceptions:

“ Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, and your eyes will see them and will be weary all day long, and you will be powerless with your hands.” (Exceptions 28:32)

Prophet Jesus also warned them similarly borne out by many of his orations in the New Testament. The Quran also narrates comparable stories. As a consequence, history bears out that Jews have have been regularly persecuted in some form or other throughout their history; they have been dominated and disdainfully treated by others.

A glance on the pages of history  from the conquests of Bani Khazr to Hitler’s Germany confirms Allah’s decision.“In every era, you will find a chilling tale of disgrace and ruin for this nation.” It is noteworthy that the delay in punishment due to occasional respite does not negate Allah’s decision. The Quran declares that they will continue to receive respite, but each respite will bring a fresh calamity upon them.

There is another type of penance on the Jews mentioned in the second ayah quoted earlier. The Arabic word قَطَّعۡنٰهُمۡ signifies breaking into pieces while the word  اُمَمًا is plural of Ummah , which means “a group”, “a party”. The verse means that Allah has divided them into fragments, scattered all over  the earth. The ayah states “And We dispersed them as [separate] communities all over the earth”. They never emerged as a single nation. We Muslims believe on the authority the Holy Text that the Jews have been condemned to perpetual subservience of the followers of Prophet Isa till the last day.

What about today? The UN gave them the status of a State in 1947-48. Since no further action was taken by the august body, Israel unilaterally declared its independence as a State in 1948. At present it holds the major part of Palestine and seems desperate to grab the rest. Millions of Palestinians were forced out of their land in 1967 and the fight is on to push out the remaining millions.

What is the solution? A million dollar question, really and truly. Where do we start? Hamas denies the right to Israel to exist in Palestine (based 0n facts of history). They are most welcome to go to Alaska!!! I am sure Biden will willingly accommodate his most reliable ally!! Any how this is a non starter. It mean Hamas and the Muslim world will have to fight it out. This was tried in 1967 when Israel came out the clear winner. It may be tried again as most of the Muslim states are stronger now militarily. So is Israel, a very powerful military force with most advanced technology. I feel at least on paper Israel can take on all the Muslim states by itself. I would certainly be glad to be proved wrong.

The fact remains that the Jews have today a state of their own. By their behaviour against the Palestinians and the world opinion they are trying their best to prove that after all Hitler was not that wrong about them. No Muslim can think for a moment that the Quranic prediction is wrong. But how do we reconcile it with the facts on the ground?

As expected there are several explanations floating around. Mufti Mohammed Shafi, the renowned Muslim scholar explains in his remarkable tafseer “Ma’aarif-ul-Quran” while commenting on this ayah “We may not be in doubt about their present government in a part of Palestine, as it is a common knowledge that the state of Israel is, in fact, a part of the world powers, created by them for their political objectives against the Muslim Ummah. They are still ruled over and dominated by the colonial powers. It is, in fact, a military base of America. The day these powers stop providing them with their aid they shall not be able to maintain their existence for long.” He further adds “Their present state in Palestine should not cause any doubt as they have to come together in a place in the last age according to the prophecies made by the Holy Prophet. He informed us in authentic traditions that Prophet Isa shall come down to the earth from heavens before the end of the world, and all the Christians shall embrace Islam. He shall fight a war against the Jews and put them to death. The culprits of Allah are not summoned through police, or other agencies; they are driven to their place of death by the causes created by the will of Allah”. He continues in his discourse thus “The Prophet Isa (Jesus)  is to descend from heavens in the land of Syria. He shall fight war with the Jews. The Prophet Isa has been saved the trouble of seeking the Jews in different parts of the world by causing them to gather in Palestine. As to their present political power and sovereignty in the State of Israel, it is a delusion which beguiles only those who are not conversant with the world politics. The so called ‘State of Israel’ is, in fact, a common camp ground of the big powers like America, Russia, and England. It depends upon the aid of its masters for its existence. It has to serve the aims and objectives of its Masters. They are still living in real servitude, and are deprived of their free rule in true sense of the word.” How do you find this reasoning? I am sorry I will throw it out as a page from Harry Potter.

Another great scholar and activist Syed Qutb expresses similar sentiments in his voluminous tafseer  “Fi Dhilalul Quran. He asserts “At times we may think that the curse is no longer operative, and that the Jews have gathered so much power and influence. The fact is that this will only be for a limited period of history. It is God alone who knows whom He will raise against the Jews in the next round, and the round to follow that, until the Day of Resurrection. God has made this declaration, and informed His Messenger of it in His own book, the Quran, and concluded this declaration with a statement outlining the two attributes of God viz. that HE is at the same time swift in retribution, much forgiving and merciful.”

Perhaps these proposals appeal to large  sections of the Muslim world.

Imam Ameen Ahmed Islahi puts it effectively in a few words. In his great Tafseer Tadabbur-e- Quran he declares

’’یہ آشیاں بندی بھی ایک نئے طوفان کی دعوت ہے جس کے بعد اِن کی پوری مجتمعہ قوت ان شاء اللہ یک قلم ختم ہو جائےگی۔’’

“…This settlement is also an invitation for a new storm, after which, God willing, their entire community will cease to exist.”

As noted earlier, the Holy Qur’an has informed us of their disgrace and distress up to the end of time in the initial part of the index ayah:

وَاِذۡ تَاَذَّنَ رَبُّكَ لَيَبۡعَثَنَّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ اِلٰى يَوۡمِ الۡقِيٰمَةِ مَنۡ يَّسُوۡمُهُمۡ سُوۡٓءَ الۡعَذَابِ

“ And when your Lord declared that he would surely keep sending till the Day of Doom, those who inflict upon them an evil punishment.”

History has recorded that they have been continually persecuted by one people or another right from the time of the Prophet Sulaiman to the present age. Thus, it is mentioned in various places in the scriptures, books, and excerpts of the Bible. The prophets, may peace be upon them, continued to remind them of it. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and all the other prophets’ scrolls include warnings about it. Finally, our Lord Jesus, peace be upon him, proclaimed it in the streets of Jerusalem. Their imprisonment by Nebuchadnassar and persecution at the hands of subsequent kings, then their defeat and ignominious fate at the hands of the Holy Prophet and his Caliph Umar al-Faruq are obvious example of this fact. The recent persecution of the Jews at the hands of Hitler in the second world war is a fresh example of this Quranic declaration.

Syed Qutb, quoting him again writes “Whenever it happened in a historical phase that they rebelled in the land, imposing their authority over non-Jews they came to possess power, wealth, means of the media, dictating their oppressive terms and conditions to achieve their objectives, humiliating Allah’s  creations, throwing them out of their homes into the deserts, with the backing of the misguided nations of the world, all of which we once again witness in our own times …….all of that did not contradict the promise made to them by Allah, nor what is written as their ultimate fate. Today, they are indeed hoarding hatred into the breasts of the people by their acts, and stockpiling frustration and anger against themselves .. ….If they happen to be so overbearing in Palestine today, it is only because their opponents have not prepared themselves religiously …….they have not yet returned to Islam; they are a divided lot, a people who get together under the banner of nationalism. They do not assemble under the banner of Islam. Therefore, they fail and Israel eats them up. Nevertheless, this situation will not last. It is a period of stupor and neglect of the great weapon: unity, a single strategy, a single banner with the help of which they overcame them for over a thousand years, with which alone they shall overcome them again, and without which they in turn shall be overcome.”

So far so good. But a real and practical problem needs an answer. How do we deal with our Jewish neighbours, classmates, colleagues, business associates, acquaintants or friends. My nephew has married a fine Jewish lady. Now what? We have welcomed her in the family. Are we infringing any Islamic code? There are many Jews who are coming out on the streets in favour of the Palestinian cause. Are we not going to embrace them?

What do Muslim scholars have to say on this topic. I think the great scholar and mufassir (late) Dr. Israar Ahmed and others of his class would strongly vote against any relations with Jews. Dr. Israar seems to attribute most of the catastrophes of Muslims to the conspiracies of Jews. I was a little disappointed that the highly respected scholar Javed Ahmed Ghamdi did not address this issue in the explanation of this ayah in his Tafseer Al-Bayan. Instead of wading through the extensive Ghamdi literature for his views on this issue I opted for the easier path. I queried ChatGPT “How does Ghamdi advise Muslims in their dealings with the Jewish people”. As expected I got the appropriate information in less than a minute:

“Javed Ahmed Ghamdi is a Pakistani Islamic scholar known for his moderate and rational approach to Islam. As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, Ghamdi has emphasized the importance of understanding Islam in its historical context and has advocated for a reformation of traditional Islamic thought. However, it’s important to note that his views may evolve over time, and you may want to check more recent sources for the latest information.

Regarding the Islamic approach to present-day Jews, Ghamdi, like many other moderate Islamic scholars, generally emphasizes tolerance, coexistence, and dialogue. He often encourages Muslims to engage with people of other faiths in a respectful and understanding manner. Ghamdi has criticized extremist interpretations of Islam and has called for a more inclusive understanding of the religion.

It’s important to remember that individual perspectives on Islam can vary among scholars, and Ghamdi’s views may not be representative of all Islamic scholars or communities. To get the most accurate and up-to-date information on Javed Ahmed Ghamdi’s views on this topic, you may want to refer to his recent writings, interviews, or lectures.”

It can therefore be said confidently that the Quranic verdict of ultimate doom for the Jews does not prevent the present day Muslims to engage with present day Jews with “tolerance, coexistence, and dialogue”.

The second phrase of the second verse runs as:

“Some of them are righteous, and some of them are other- wise”.

The righteous people among them are those who followed the commandments of the Torah faithfully and did not try to distort them as others did. The people termed as “otherwise” include infidels and those who obstinately disobeyed their prophets and even killed them. The terms “righteous” and “otherwise” may also refer to the people who believed in the Holy Prophet  and followed the Quranic guidance after it’s revelation. Opposed to them are those believing in the Torah as the word of Allah, disobeyed it or distorted its commandment and thus sold out their eternal salvation for petty gains of this world.

The last phrase of this verse specifies:

وَبَلَوناهُم بِالحَسَناتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ لَعَلَّهُم يَرجِعونَ

“ And we tested them with good happenings and bad happenings so that they might return.”

The “good happenings” refer to their state of prosperity, comfort and ease while “bad happenings’”has reference either to their various persecutions and calamities faced by them throughout their history, or it may have referred to some period of famine coming upon them as punishment. Both the methods of testing their obedience were used in their case. Prosperity and wealth were given to them to see if they show their gratefulness to their Lord. When they were a failure in this test, they were made to undergo many punishments.

The Quran brings out the extent to which their perversion of thought and practice had gone. At the time of prosperity they would say:

لَقَد سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَولَ الَّذينَ قالوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ فَقيرٌ وَنَحنُ أَغنِياءُ ۘ

“ God has indeed heard the saying of those who said, “Behold, God is poor while we are rich!” (3:181)

Whereas in their peril they had the audacity to assert:

وَقالَتِ اليَهودُ يَدُ اللَّهِ مَغلولَةٌ ۚ

“ And the Jews say, “God’s hand is shackled!” (5:64)

This verse has a general application for Muslims. Prosperity or poverty, happiness or grief are part of the Divine strategy to test human beings for their love and loyalty to their Creator. By themselves, they should not mean a great lot to “men of understanding”.

……..and Allah knows best.

May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding–“fahm”–of our Deen, Aameen.

Dr. Khalid Mitha