SURAH AL-IMRAN (AYAH 91 to 100)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَمَاتُوا وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمْ مِلْءُ الْأَرْضِ ذَهَبًا وَلَوِ افْتَدَىٰ بِهِ ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِنْ نَاصِرِينَ {3:91}

[Q3:91] Innal lazeena kafaroo wa maatoo wa hum kuffaarun falany yuqbala min ahadihim mil'ul ardi zahabanw wa lawiftadaa bih; ulaaa'ika lahum 'azaabun aleemunw wa maa lahum min naasireen.

[Q3:91] Surely, those who disbelieve and die while they are unbelievers, the earth full of gold shall not be accepted from one of them, though he should offer to ransom himself with it, these it is who shall have a painful chastisement, and they shall have no helpers.

[Q3:91] Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang kafir, lalu mati sedang mereka tetap kafir, maka tidak sekali-kali akan diterima dari seseorang di antara mereka emas sepenuh bumi, walaupun dia menebus dirinya dengan (emas yang sebanyak) itu. Mereka itu akan mendapat azab seksa yang tidak terperi sakitnya dan mereka pula tidak akan beroleh seorang penolong pun.

THE REBELLIOUS HEART AND THE INDIFFERENT ATTITUDE TOWARD ALLAH (SWT)'S LAWS AND COMMANDMENTS, OF A DISBELIEVER, RENDER HIM LIABLE FOR AN EVERLASTING PAINFUL PUNISHMENT, AND FROM him shall not be accepted an earthful of gold if he were to give it in alms in this world to ransom himself from punishment in the hereafter. The decree of punishment for him is final and definite. No amount of charity will be of any use to alleviate the deserved punishment from ALLAH (SWT).

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:91) Truly those who disbelieved and died as unbelievers, not even an earth full of gold will be accepted from them as ransom. For such people there is painful chastisement; and none shall come to their help.

SECTION 10

Everlasting testimony to the Truth 0f Islam

Sacrifice essential to attain to goodness---The basis of Islam main features of Abraham’s religion---The first House of blessings and guidance to the worlds.

لَنْ تَنَالُوا الْبِرَّ حَتَّىٰ تُنْفِقُوا مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ {3:92}

[Q3:92] Lan tanaalul birra hattaa tunfiqoo mimmaa tuhibboon; wa maa tunfiqoo min shai'in fa innal laaha bihee 'Aleem.
[Q3:92] By no means shall you attain to righteousness until you spend (benevolently) out of what you love; and whatever thing you spend, ALLAH (SWT) surely knows it.

[Q3:92] Kamu tidak sekali-kali akan dapat mencapai (hakikat) kebajikan dan kebaktian (yang sempurna) sebelum kamu dermakan sebahagian dari apa yang kamu sayangi. Dan sesuatu apa jua yang kamu dermakan maka sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) mengetahuinya.

Please refer to al Baqarah 2:3, 195, 215, 254. "That which you love" means all that you hold dear and near to your heart. The term covers

1.        The spending of one's wealth and possessions; and the  

2.        Sacrificing of one's personal significance and pride; as well as

3.        The shedding of one's blood in the service of ALLAH (SWT).

At a time when the religion of ALLAH (SWT) and the overall welfare of the human society are in danger of mutilation, a true Muslim (one who has surrendered himself to ALLAH (SWT)) ACTS WITHOUT ANY REGARD TO HIS OWN INTERESTS (SELFLESSNESS), a hallmark of the truly righteous.

The best, the greatest and the most perfect example of "spending that which you love" in the service of ALLAH (SWT) was set in Karbala, where Imam Husayn sacrificed his [1] social status, [2] wealth, [3] children, AND [4] life in the service of ALLAH (SWT) to establish the supremacy of the highest human values without which no human society can survive and progress.

     IN FACT IT WAS THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) WHO MANIFESTED HIMSELF THROUGH HIS GRANDSON, IMAM HUSAYN, TO PROVE HIS DECLARATION THAT: "HUSAYN IS FROM ME AND I AM FROM HUSAYN".

SOME PASSAGES OF THE BIBLE give the impression that the doors of the heavenly kingdom are closed for the rich. IT IS NOT TRUE. If a man, be he poor or rich, willingly submits to ALLAH (SWT) and spends "that which he loves" in the service of ALLAH (SWT), he becomes entitled to the everlasting bliss of the life of the hereafter.

v  The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) has said:

The wealthy who does not wait to spend in the way of ALLAH (SWT) UNTIL a needy comes to his door BUT goes to the abode of the poor to mitigate his suffering is the true ALLAH (SWT)-fearing pious.

THERE IS NO RESTRICTION OR FIXATION SO AS **TO WHAT AND **HOW MUCH SHOULD BE SPENT IN THE WAY OF ALLAH (SWT). THAT WHICH IS TO BE GIVEN HAS TO BE DETERMINED ACCORDING TO THE DEGREE OF ATTACHMENT WITH THE COMMODITY.

Ä  A rich man may not care for the money, he has in abundance, BUT will not part with some of his belongings he holds near and dear to him, in which case no amount of money, spent in lieu of the things he loves most, can earn for him the righteousness or virtue referred to in this verse.

FOR HOW MUCH IS TO BE GIVEN (the limit), the example has been set in Karbala by Imam Husayn. ***[It should be noted that zakat and khums, the minimum prescribed amounts to be given by every Muslim, have not been referred to here.] THE SPENDING OF "THAT WHICH YOU LOVE" IS OPTIONAL.

THE DEMAND MADE IN THIS VERSE CAN BE TAKEN UP AND FULFILLED BY ONLY A TRUE BELIEVER IN ALLAH (SWT) WHO ALONE CAN SELFLESSLY PUT ASIDE HIS OWN INTERESTS TO GIVE PREFERENCE TO THE OVERALL WELFARE OF HIS FELLOW BEINGS, which alone brings harmony and social justice in the human society.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:92) You shall not attain righteousness until you spend out of what you love (in the way of Allah). *75 Allah knows whatever you spend.

*75. The purpose of this verse is to remove the misconception of the Jews concerning 'righteousness'. The Jews had inherited an elaborate legal code which had accumulated as a result of the casuistry and hair-splitting legalism of their jurists. Their notion of 'righteousness' consisted of outward, formal conformity to that code and they evaluated all day-to-day actions, especially the trivial ones, in terms of conformity to that code. Narrow-mindedness, greed, covetousness, meanness, concealment of the Truth and readiness to barter with it lay beneath this veneer of formal piety. They were, nevertheless, considered pious in the minds of the people; Jewish public opinion condoned their conduct because it conformed to its concept of 'righteousness'.
In order to remove this misconception they are told that the things they considered fundamental to righteous conduct are of little consequence. The real spirit of righteousness consists in the love of God - a love which makes man value the good pleasure of God above all worldly acquisitions. If the love of anything seizes a man's mind to such an extent that he is unable to sacrifice it for the sake of the love of God, then that thing has virtually become an idol, and until he smashes it the door to righteousness will remain closed to him. If a man lacks this spirit, then his excessively formal and legalistic approach in religious matters can be considered no more than glossy paint over a piece of hollow, worm-eaten wood. It may be possible to deceive human beings by the sheer lustre of the outer paint, but not God.

كُلُّ الطَّعَامِ كَانَ حِلًّا لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَّا مَا حَرَّمَ إِسْرَائِيلُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تُنَزَّلَ التَّوْرَاةُ ۗ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ {3:93}

[Q3:93] Kullut ta'aami kaana hillal li Baneee Israaa'eela illaa maa harrama Israaa'eelu 'alaa nafsihee min qabli an tunzzalat Tawraah; qul faatoo bit Tawraati fatloohaaa in kuntum saadiqeen.

[Q3:93] All food was lawful to the children of Israel except that which Israel had forbidden to himself, before the Taurat was revealed. Say: Bring then the Taurat and read it, if you are truthful.

[Q3:93] Segala jenis makanan dahulu adalah halal bagi Bani Israil, kecuali makanan yang diharamkan oleh Israil (Nabi Yaakub) kepada dirinya sendiri sebelum diturunkan Kitab Taurat. Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): (Jika ada makanan yang diharamkan kepada kamu wahai Bani Israil sebelum Kitab Taurat diturunkan) maka bawalah kamu Kitab Taurat itu kemudian bacalah akan dia, kalau betul kamu orang-orang yang benar. 

The Jews in the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)'s time were accusing the Muslims of taking certain foods which, they said, had been unlawful since the days of Ibrahim. THE QUR’AN DENIES THE CHARGE, and puts the Jews to silence by a reference to their own scripture, the Tawrat.

THE ORIGINAL LAW OF MUSA contained the same prohibitions and permissions, concerning eatables, prescribed by Islam, BUT the Jews had corrupted the book revealed to Musa and replaced it with fanciful customs, acquired paganish points of view and introduced them in their faith over the years.

Bahimatul an-am (four-footed animals such as goats, sheep, oxen and camels and those like them who eat grass and vegetation) are allowed (Ma-idah 5:1) EXCEPT a few of them (the clawed flesh-eating animals like tigers, lions, cats, dogs- known as Siba'), eating of which is not allowed. See books of fiqh. 

§  According to An-am 6:142 to 146 certain parts of the lawful animals were prohibited as a punishment BECAUSE of the perverse and rebellious attitude of the Jews, otherwise none of the animals which eat grass or vegetation were forbidden even in the law of Musa, BUT due to the introduction of folklore in their religion, the Jews wrongly presumed that camel and its milk were the forbidden items since the days of Ibrahim. This verse exposes their ignorance.

ISLAM (SUBMISSION TO ALLAH (SWT)'S WILL AND COMMAND) WAS THE RELIGION OF IBRAHIM. The Tawrat and the Injil also contained the fundamentals of the true religion of ALLAH (SWT) which purify the mind and the body in a practical and harmonious way. The harshness of Judaism and leniency of Christianity are far from the universal truth with reference to actuality.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:93) All food (that is lawful in the Law revealed to Muhammad) was lawful to the Children of Israel, *76 except what Israel *77made unlawful to themselves before the revelation of the Torah. Tell them: 'Bring the Torah and recite any passage of it if you are truthful.'

*76. When the Jewish rabbis found no grounds for criticizing the fundamental teachings of the Prophet (there was no difference between the teachings of the previous Prophets and that of the Arabian Prophet on matters which constitute the core of religion), they raised objections about the details of religious law. The first objection was that the Prophet (peace be on him) had declared lawful a number of things which had been reckoned as unlawful since the time of the ancient Prophets. What is said here is a refutation of that objection. 
*77. If 'Israel' is taken to mean the 'Children of Israel' then the interpretation of this verse must be that before the revelation of the Torah they treated a number of things as prohibited on the grounds of custom and usage alone. If, however, 'Israel' signifies Jacob (Ya'qub) then, the meaning is that he avoided the use of certain foods, which his descendants wrongly understood to be religiously prohibited, as a result of either a temperamental dislike or an ailment. This latter version is more commonly accepted. It becomes clear from the next verse that the Biblical injunction regarding the prohibition of the flesh of camels and rabbits was not part of the original Torah but an interpolation by Jewish doctors. (For a detailed discussion see Surah 6, n. 122 below.) 

فَمَنِ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ {3:94}

[Q3:94] Famanif taraa 'alal laahilkaziba mim ba'di zaalika fa ulaaa'ika humuz zaalimoon.

[Q3:94] Then whoever fabricates a lie against ALLAH (SWT) after this, these it is that are the unjust.

[Q3:94] (Jika tidak) maka sesiapa yang mereka-reka kata-kata dusta terhadap ALLAH (SwT) sesudah yang demikian itu, maka mereka itulah orang-orang yang zalim.

In the preceding verse the ignorance of the Jews in connection with the eating of the lawful animals was pointed out and their point of view was refuted, AND IN THIS VERSE the habit of their criticism, based upon conjecture and heathen influence, is described as fabrication of falsehood by corrupting the words of ALLAH (SWT) and His messengers.

Ì  Whoso follows this tendency of the Jews, be he a Christian or a Muslim, is included among the unjust. Also refer to Saf 61:7.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:94) Those who falsely fix lies upon Allah despite this are the wrong-doers.

قُلْ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ ۗ فَاتَّبِعُوا مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ {3:95}

[Q3:95] Qul sadaqal laah; fattabi'oo Millata Ibraaheema Haneefanw wa maa kaana minal mush rikeen.

[Q3:95] Say: ALLAH (SWT) has spoken the truth, therefore follow the religion of Ibrahim, the upright one; and he was not one of the polytheists.

[Q3:95] Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Benarlah (apa yang difirmankan oleh) ALLAH (SwT), maka ikutilah kamu akan agama Nabi Ibrahim yang ikhlas (berdasarkan Tauhid) dan bukanlah dia dari orang-orang musyrik.

THROUGH THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD), ALLAH (SWT) HAS MADE KNOWN THE TRUTH. THE FAITH OF IBRAHIM WAS NO OTHER THAN ISLAM. He was the fountainhead of the true faith, the indivisible absolute unity (of ALLAH (SWT)) without any separation between (His) entity and (His) attributes (any other belief contrary to this is shirk-polytheism). Also refer to Baqarah 2:130, 135.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:95) Say: 'Whatever Allah has said is true. Follow, then, the way of Abraham in total devotion to Allah. He was not one of those who associate others with Allah in His divinity. *78

*78. The Jews had enmeshed themselves in legalistic minutiae and these had become their major concern. They had abandoned service to the One True God and had allowed their religious life to become corrupted by polytheism. Instead of attending to the fundamentals of religion they indulged in discussions about questions that had only arisen because of the hair-splitting legalism of their scholars during their centuries of decadence.

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِلْعَالَمِينَ {3:96}

[Q3:96] Inna awwala Baitinw wudi'a linnaasi lallazee bi Bakkata mubaarakanw wa hudal lil 'aalameen.

[Q3:96] Most surely the first house appointed for men is the one at Bekka, blessed and a guidance for the nations.

[Q3:96] Sesungguhnya Rumah Ibadat yang mula-mula dibina untuk manusia (beribadat kepada Tuhannya) ialah Baitullah yang di Mekah yang berkat dan (dijadikan) petunjuk hidayat bagi umat manusia.

See commentary of al Ahzab 33:33 for the first house (awwala baytin). Also refer to Baqrah 2:125, 127 and al Hajj 22:29, 33.

Bakka is a variant for Makka, either derived from tabakk i.e. press one another in a crowd, or bakk i.e. break one's neck, BECAUSE WHENEVER it was attacked by an invader his neck had been broken-defeated and crushed. Another version is that Bakka means the holy house of Kabah, a guidance unto the worlds. Mubarakan means rich in blessings; abounding in good.

The great antiquity of this house is undisputed. It had been throughout the ages, even before Ibrahim, the object of the greatest veneration

IT IS REPORTED ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE AHLUL BAYT that the valley of Makka was the first part of the earth which emerged above the surface of the water and cooled down when the heavens and the earth (an integrated mass) were split by ALLAH (SWT)'s command (Anbiya 21:30, 31), in support of which there are a number of geological evidences.

Ä  Many a non-Muslim scholar agrees that this holy place, dedicated to the worship of the Lord of the lords, was not only known to the people of Semitic origin BUT ALSO to the ancient inhabitants of India according to the references available in pre-Sanskrit literature.

Ä  Ibrahim's prayer in Ibrahim 14:37 confirms its antiquity. In Baqarah 2:125 and 129, it is implied that ALLAH (SWT) commanded Ibrahim to renew its foundations, purify it and establish it as a place of worship of the almighty Lord, and settle down there along with his family.

THE FAMILY OF ISMAIL was chosen as the first human family to inhabit this land with the sole purpose of dedicating themselves wholly to the worship and the service of the Lord of the worlds.

1. The family of Ismail was the first to be called "the people of the house" (Ahlul Bayt),

2. Then Is-haq and his mother (Hud 11:73) and after that

3. Musa and his mother (Qasas 28:12) were referred to as Ahlul Bayt.

THE TERM AHLUL BAYT has been used for the descendants of Ibrahim (the lineage of Ibrahim through Is-haq was cut off after Isa). Actually al-bayt (the house) refers to the house of ALLAH (SWT), AND THE descendants of Isma-il have been referred to as Ahlul Bayt BECAUSE they had devoted themselves, without any deviation, gap or drift, to the service of ALLAH (SWT) and His house. They were the founders and the protectors of the house of ALLAH (SWT), and it is to their lineage references have been made in verses 24:36 and 37 of al Nur.

The place they founded and established for the remembrance of ALLAH (SWT) has been described as a blessed, sacred sanctuary, and a guidance unto the worlds, BECAUSE they devoted their lives to its service and attracted mankind to its ultimate purpose through their ideal virtues and righteousness. THE HOUSE AND THE PEOPLE OF THE HOUSE ARE INSEPARABLE. Their house, wherever it may be, is the house of ALLAH (SWT).

ä  AS THEY CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM THE QUR’AN (HADITH AL THAQALAYN) THE HOUSE OF ALLAH (SWT) CAN NEVER BE WITHOUT THEIR PRESENCE. THE HOUSE IS A GUIDANCE IF THE PEOPLE OF THE HOUSE ARE IDENTIFIED AND KEPT IN VIEW. THE HOUSE IS A SANCTUARY AND A BLESSING IF ONE ENTERS IT BY THE PERMISSION AND PLEASURE OF THE AHLUL BAYT, DESCRIBED AS SAFINATUL NUH.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:96) Behold, the first House (of Prayer) established for mankind is the one at Bakkah: it is full of blessing and a centre of guidance for the whole world. *79

*79. The second objection raised by the Jews was that the direction for Prayer had been changed from Jerusalem to the Ka'bah. This objection is answered in Surah 2 (see verses 142 ff. and nn. 142 and 147 above). The Bible, itself, testifies that Jerusalem was built by Solomon more than four and a half centuries after Moses (see 1 Kings 6: 1), and that it was during his time that the worshippers of the One God began to pray towards it (1 Kings 8: 29-30). It is established by traditions from numerous sources which are undisputed throughout Arabia, however, that the Ka'bah was constructed by Abraham who lived some eight or nine centuries before Moses. That the Ka'bah was older than the Temple of Jerusalem was beyond dispute.

فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ مَقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ۖ وَمَنْ دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا ۚ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ {3:97}

[Q3:97] Feehi Aayaatum baiyinaatum Maqaamu Ibraaheema wa man dakhalahoo kaana aaminaa; wa lillaahi 'alan naasi Hijjul Baiti manis tataa'a ilaihi sabeelaa; wa man kafara fa innal laaha ghaniyyun 'anil 'aalameen.
[Q3:97] In it are clear signs, the standing place of Ibrahim, and whoever enters it shall be secure, and pilgrimage to the House is incumbent upon men for the sake of ALLAH (SWT), (upon) every one who is able to undertake the journey to it; and whoever disbelieves, then surely ALLAH (SWT) is Self-sufficient, above any need of the worlds.

[Q3:97] Di situ ada tanda-tanda keterangan yang nyata (yang menunjukkan kemuliaannya; di antaranya ialah) Makam Nabi Ibrahim dan sesiapa yang masuk ke dalamnya aman tenteramlah dia dan ALLAH (SwT) mewajibkan manusia mengerjakan ibadat Haji dengan mengunjungi Baitullah iaitu sesiapa yang mampu sampai kepadanya dan sesiapa yang kufur (ingkarkan kewajipan ibadat Haji itu), maka sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) Maha Kaya (tidak berhajatkan sesuatu pun) dari sekalian makhluk. 

The station OR the standing place of Ibrahim, the model believer in the unity of ALLAH (SWT), has the following points of significance (clear signs).

(1)     The standing place of Ibrahim has been made the permanent religious centre of all monotheists, because his faith (belief in the unity of ALLAH (SWT) was perfect, an ideal for every believer.

(2)     It is a sacred sanctuary. Whoso enters it is safe from the clutches of the disbelievers. It is a historic fact that all invaders who attacked this holy precinct were destroyed.

(The grandson of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), Imam Husayn, was deprived of the security in Kabah in 60 Hijra by the order of Yazid bin Mu-awiyah).

(3)     Pilgrimage to the Kabah to seek spiritual guidance has been made obligatory on mankind forever. The believers shall go to Kabah to carry out the command of ALLAH (SWT) till the day of resurrection. It should be noted that this prophecy was made at a time when the Muslims were in danger of being exterminated by their enemies. See the commentary of al Baqarah 2:196.

THIS INSTITUTION OF PILGRIMAGE (HAJJ) HAS TAKEN ROOT IN THE LIVES OF THE MUSLIMS. Every year a great many pilgrims come to Kabah to translate their faith into action.

THERE IS [1] NO SPONSOR, [2] NO CONVENOR, [3] NO INVITATION, and [4] NO COMPULSION.

     At Kabah, during the pilgrimage, they forget their [*] social status, [*] ideology, [*] race, [*] colour, and [*] nationality AND BECOME A SINGLE PARTY OF THE SERVANTS OF ALLAH (SWT), dressed in a simple identical garment, standing in rows, shoulder to shoulder, before their Lord, in front of His holy house, praying to one ALLAH (SWT), in the language of the Qur’an, which, truly, is the everlasting miracle of the prophet of Islam, a clear sign of the victory of truth.

In the end it is made clear that ONE WHO HAS SUFFICIENT MEANS MUST PERFORM THE HAJJ. WILFUL NEGLECT OF THIS COMMANDMENT OF ALLAH (SWT) AMOUNTS TO THE ABANDONMENT OF HIS FAITH (INFIDELITY). So he who wilfully neglects the pilgrimage does so at his own peril, and not to any hurt to his Lord, because He is independent of the worlds. He is self-sufficient. Whether the whole mankind serve Him or none observe His commandments, it makes no difference to Him whatsoever. The hajj has been prescribed for man's own good. There is no profit or gain for Him. It is an escape from the sins a man commits (and its consequences) to take refuge under the shelter of ALLAH (SWT)'s mercy.

Ì  The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) has said:

°          He who wilfully does not perform the hajj shall rise on the day of resurrection in the state of infidelity, having no vision.

°          Hajj wipes out the sins as fire removes corrosion from the iron.

(1) "Who can afford" means ability with ease concerning *wealth, *health and *security. In the case of any adverse condition this ordinance is not applicable.

(2) Man kafara (whosoever denies) shows the importance of the pilgrimage. As the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) has said "the able but wilful non-performer" becomes an infidel.

IT IS A POSITIVE TEST OF THE SUBMISSION TO ALLAH (SWT)'S WILL AND A SURE REMEDY TO CURE THE EVIL DISEASE OF EGOTISM.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:97) In it there are clear signs and the station of Abraham; *80 whoever enters it becomes secure. *81 Pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed to Allah by all who can make their way to it. As for those who refuse to follow His command, surely Allah does not stand in need of anything.

*80. Here it is stressed that there are several clear signs which prove that the Makkan sanctuary enjoys God's blessing and has been chosen by Him as His sanctuary. Even though it is located in the middle of wide expanses of desert God has seen to it that its inhabitants enjoy a satisfactory living. Although the rest of Arabia was plunged into chaos and disorder for about two and a half thousand years, peace and tranquillity reigned in both the precincts and the environs of the Ka'bah. Thanks to the Ka'bah the entire Arabian Peninsula enjoyed four months of peace and order every year. These were the sacred months when people went on Pilgrimage. Moreover, barely a half century before the revelation of these verses, people had seen how Abrahah, the Abyssinian invader, fell prey to God's scourge when he attacked Makka with the intention of destroying the Ka'bah. At that time, this incident was known to everybody in Arabia. Its memory was fresh and many eye-witnesses were still alive at the time of the Prophet (peace be on him). 
*81. Even during the pre-Islamic era - the Age of Ignorance in Arabia - this sanctuary enjoyed such veneration that even those who thirsted for each other's blood saw their enemies in the sacred territory but dare not attack them. 

قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ شَهِيدٌ عَلَىٰ مَا تَعْمَلُونَ {3:98}

[Q3:98] Qul yaaa Ahlal Kitaabi lima takfuroona bi Aayaatillaahi wallaahu shaheedun 'alaa maa ta'maloon.

[Q3:98] Say: O followers of the Book! Why do you disbelieve in the communications of ALLAH (SWT)? And ALLAH (SWT) is a witness of what you do.

[Q3:98] Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Wahai Ahli Kitab! Mengapa kamu ingkarkan keterangan-keterangan ALLAH (SwT), padahal ALLAH (SwT) sentiasa menyaksikan apa yang kamu lakukan? 

The address is to the Jews and the Christians who, in spite of their knowledge about the truthfulness of the mission of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), foretold in their books (see Baqarah 2:40) disbelieved in the signs of ALLAH (SWT). ALLAH (SWT) IS THE EVER-LIVING AND EVER-PRESENT WITNESS OF ALL HUMAN ACTIONS, PASSIONS AND MOTIVES. If not his love, then the consciousness of his omniscience should prompt man to believe in the truth of his signs.

v  Whenever the Qur’an addresses the people of the book to reproach them for their mischievous deviation from the right path, shown by all the scriptures, IT SHOULD NOT BE CONFINED to those Jews and Christians who opposed Islam and the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in his time, BUT as Imam Jafar al Sadiq has pointed out, it includes all the people of the book in post-Islamic era AND ALSO all those who claim their religions to be divinely revealed, in all ages, till the Day of Resurrection.

     The holy Ahlul Bayt have said that the pagans of Arabia and the trans-caspian sea are excluded from the "people of the book", as their doctrines were not based upon the revealed word of ALLAH (SWT) .

AT ALL EVENTS THE MUSLIMS are not kept out from the application of the censure wherever notified in the Qur’an. There are [1] Instances of mischievous deviation from the right path, [2] Denial of the divine signs, [3] Creation of obstacles in the path of ALLAH (SWT), [4] And attempts to twist the words of ALLAH (SWT) And His Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to serve selfish ends, which gave rise to sectarianism in the early stages.

Ü  The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) has said:

You will go back to infidelity after me when discord and strife, among you, will divide you.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:98) Say: 'People of the Book! Why do you reject the signs of Allah when Allah is witness to all that you do?'

قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَصُدُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ تَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا وَأَنْتُمْ شُهَدَاءُ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ {3:99}

[Q3:99] Qul yaaa Ahlal Kitaabi lima tusuddoona 'an sabeelil laahi man aamana tabghoonahaa 'iwajanw wa antum shuhadaaa'; wa mallaahu bighaafilin 'ammaa ta'maloon.
[Q3:99] Say: O’ followers of the Book! Why do you hinder him who believes from the way of ALLAH (SWT)? You seek (to make) it crooked, while you are witness, and ALLAH (SWT) is not heedless of what you do.

[Q3:99] Katakanlah: Wahai Ahli Kitab! Mengapa kamu menghalangi orang-orang yang beriman daripada menurut jalan (agama Islam), kamu hendak menjadikan jalan ALLAH (SwT) itu bengkok terpesong, padahal kamu menyaksikan (kebenarannya)? Dan (ingatlah), ALLAH (SwT) tidak sekali-kali lalai akan apa yang kamu lakukan.

By guile and deceit the people of the book used to plot to seduce the believers so as to create doubts in the verity of Islam, while they were aware of the truthfulness of the religion of ALLAH (SWT) preached by the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:99) Say: 'People of the Book! Why do you hinder one who believes from the way of Allah, seeking that he follow a crooked way, even though you yourselves are witness to its being the right way?' Allah is not heedless of what you do.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تُطِيعُوا فَرِيقًا مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ يَرُدُّوكُمْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ كَافِرِينَ {3:100}

[Q3:100] Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanoo in tutee'oo fareeqam minal lazeena ootul Kitaaba yaruddookum ba'da eemaanikum kaafireen.
[Q3:100] O’ you who believe! If you obey a party from among those who have been given the Book, they will turn you back as unbelievers after you have believed.

[Q3:100] Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Jika kamu taat akan sesuatu puak dari orang-orang (Yahudi dan Nasrani) yang diberikan Kitab itu nescaya mereka akan mengembalikan kamu menjadi orang-orang kafir sesudah kamu beriman.

What has been said in the note of verse 98 of this surah is made clear in this verse THAT FOR THE MUSLIMS, TO FALL TO FIGHTING AMONG THEMSELVES, IN EFFECT, IS TO GO BACK TO PAGANISM AND INFIDELITY. Dissension among the people of the book surfaced BECAUSE OF THE DEVIATION FROM THE RIGHT PATH on account of rebellious tendency (Ali Imran 3:19).

______________________________________________________________________________________________

(3:100) Believers! Were you to obey a party of those who were given the Book, they might cause you to renounce the Truth after you have attained to faith.