Al-Baqarah · Madani · ayah 113 of 286

Al-Baqarah 2:113

وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ لَيْسَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ لَيْسَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَهُمْ يَتْلُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ مِثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ ۚ فَٱللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا۟ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

“The Jews say, "The Christians have nothing [true] to stand on," and the Christians say, "The Jews have nothing to stand on," although they [both] recite the Scripture. Thus do those who know not [i.e., the polytheists] speak the same as their words. But Allāh will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ.”

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Essence

Two communities, each reading a Book that confirms the other, said the other stood on nothing; the final verdict on their quarrel belongs to Allah.

A reflection

The same quarrel, in our own house

A university Islamic society splits in two over a disagreement no one can now quite explain. By the end of term each side's group chat calls the other 'not even really Muslim'. Both groups hold their meetings with the Quran open on the table.

The ayah describes a scene in Madinah. The commentaries report that a delegation of Christians came from Najrān, and Jewish scholars came to meet them. In the Prophet's ﷺ presence the argument grew loud. Each side told the other: you stand on nothing.

It would be comfortable to read this as a story about two other communities. A classical theologian does not allow it. After explaining the ayah, he adds a sentence that lands in every century since. Know, he says, that this very thing has happened in the community of Muhammad ﷺ. Each faction declares the other to be outside the faith, while all of them agree in reciting the Quran.

That is the mirror. The problem in the ayah is not that people disagreed. It is that they read the same source and used it to erase each other. 'While they recite the Book', the ayah says, as if to ask what the reciting was for.

The root of yatlūna, 'recite', pictures a young animal trotting close behind its mother. To recite is to follow the words, and then to follow where they lead. A Book recited and then used as a club has been read without being followed.

Disagreement is part of human life; the Quran expects it. What it rebukes is the leap from 'you are wrong on this' to 'you are nothing'. The society's two groups could disagree for years and still pray in one row.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.