Overview (Verses  93- 94)

The Beginning of a Long Debate 

All food was lawful to the Children of Israel except what Israel forbade himself in the days before the Torah was bestowed from on high. Say: “Bring the Torah and recite it, if what you say is true.” Those who fabricate lies about God after this are indeed wrongdoers. (Verses 93-94)

The Jews used every trick and argument to try to raise suspicion concerning the truthfulness of the Prophet and his message. Their only chance to stop the tide of Islam was to create doubts in the minds of the Muslims and to spread confusion within the Muslim community. When the Qur’ān stated that it endorsed what was in the Torah, the Jews seized the opportunity to proceed with their campaign. They asked: “How is it possible in this case that the Qur’ān makes lawful certain types of food which have been forbidden to the Children of Israel?” Reports suggest that they specifically mentioned camel flesh and milk which were forbidden to the Jews. There are, however, other types of food forbidden in Judaism which God has made lawful to the Muslims. 

The Qur’ān refers the Jews back to the historical fact which they chose to overlook because that served their purpose in creating doubts about the Qur’ān. The fact is that all types of food were lawful to the Children of Israel, with the exception of what Israel forbade himself long before the revelation of the Torah. Reports suggest that during a serious illness, Israel, or Jacob, pledged to God that if He were to restore his health for him, he would voluntarily abstain from eating camel flesh and drinking camel milk, his favourite food and drink. God accepted his pledge. It became a tradition with the Children of Israel to follow in their father’s footsteps and to forbid themselves what he had forbidden himself. Moreover, God forbade the Israelites certain types of food in punishment for certain sins they had committed. God refers to these types of forbidden food in verse 146 of sūrah 6, Al-An ’am, or Cattle: “And to those who followed the Jewish faith did We forbid all beasts that have claws; and we forbade them the fat of both oxen and sheep, excepting that which is in their backs or entrails or that which is within the bone. Thus did We punish them for their evil doing; for, We are indeed true to Our word.” Prior to this prohibition, all these types of food were lawful to the Israelites.

God refers them to this historical fact in order to explain that these types of food were originally lawful. They were forbidden them because of certain special circumstances relevant to them alone. If these types of food are made lawful to the Muslims, this only represents a return to the original status. Hence, it should raise no objection from anyone. Nor can it be used to raise doubts about the Qur’ān and the final Divine law it lays down. 

The Qur’ān poses a challenge to the Jews to refer back to the Torah, to bring it forward and read it. They were certain to find in it an explanation that the prohibition was imposed on them alone. It is not a prohibition common to all people: “Say: ’Bring the Torah and recite it, if what you say is true.’” (Verse 93) 

This is followed by a threat to anyone who fabricates lies about God. Such a person is a wrongdoer who is unfair both to himself and to other people. He is, indeed, unfair to truth itself. The punishment of a wrongdoer is well known. It is sufficient, therefore, that they are described as wrongdoers to determine the type of punishment which awaits them. They certainly fabricate lies about God, and they certainly will return to Him. 

The first sentence here, “Say.: ‘God speaks the truth,’” refers to what has been stated previously. The Ka`bah was built by Abraham and Ishmael so that it may be a place of refuge and security for all people and to serve as a qiblah or focal point and a praying place for all those who believe in Abraham’s faith. Hence, the command to follow Abraham’s creed which is based on the belief in the absolute oneness of God, associating no partners with Him in any form or shape: “’Follow, then, the creed of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false and was not one of those who associate partners with God.’” The Jews claimed that they were the descendants of Abraham. Here, the Qur’ān tells them the true nature of Abraham’s faith, namely, the belief in the absolute Oneness of God. This is emphasised twice in succession: the first states that Abraham turned away from all that is false, and the second asserts that he was not one of those who associate partners with God. How can they, then, go as far as to ascribe partners to God?

Overview (Verses  93- 94)

The Beginning of a Long Debate 

All food was lawful to the Children of Israel except what Israel forbade himself in the days before the Torah was bestowed from on high. Say: “Bring the Torah and recite it, if what you say is true.” Those who fabricate lies about God after this are indeed wrongdoers. (Verses 93-94)

The Jews used every trick and argument to try to raise suspicion concerning the truthfulness of the Prophet and his message. Their only chance to stop the tide of Islam was to create doubts in the minds of the Muslims and to spread confusion within the Muslim community. When the Qur’ān stated that it endorsed what was in the Torah, the Jews seized the opportunity to proceed with their campaign. They asked: “How is it possible in this case that the Qur’ān makes lawful certain types of food which have been forbidden to the Children of Israel?” Reports suggest that they specifically mentioned camel flesh and milk which were forbidden to the Jews. There are, however, other types of food forbidden in Judaism which God has made lawful to the Muslims. 

The Qur’ān refers the Jews back to the historical fact which they chose to overlook because that served their purpose in creating doubts about the Qur’ān. The fact is that all types of food were lawful to the Children of Israel, with the exception of what Israel forbade himself long before the revelation of the Torah. Reports suggest that during a serious illness, Israel, or Jacob, pledged to God that if He were to restore his health for him, he would voluntarily abstain from eating camel flesh and drinking camel milk, his favourite food and drink. God accepted his pledge. It became a tradition with the Children of Israel to follow in their father’s footsteps and to forbid themselves what he had forbidden himself. Moreover, God forbade the Israelites certain types of food in punishment for certain sins they had committed. God refers to these types of forbidden food in verse 146 of sūrah 6, Al-An ’am, or Cattle: “And to those who followed the Jewish faith did We forbid all beasts that have claws; and we forbade them the fat of both oxen and sheep, excepting that which is in their backs or entrails or that which is within the bone. Thus did We punish them for their evil doing; for, We are indeed true to Our word.” Prior to this prohibition, all these types of food were lawful to the Israelites.

God refers them to this historical fact in order to explain that these types of food were originally lawful. They were forbidden them because of certain special circumstances relevant to them alone. If these types of food are made lawful to the Muslims, this only represents a return to the original status. Hence, it should raise no objection from anyone. Nor can it be used to raise doubts about the Qur’ān and the final Divine law it lays down. 

The Qur’ān poses a challenge to the Jews to refer back to the Torah, to bring it forward and read it. They were certain to find in it an explanation that the prohibition was imposed on them alone. It is not a prohibition common to all people: “Say: ’Bring the Torah and recite it, if what you say is true.’” (Verse 93) 

This is followed by a threat to anyone who fabricates lies about God. Such a person is a wrongdoer who is unfair both to himself and to other people. He is, indeed, unfair to truth itself. The punishment of a wrongdoer is well known. It is sufficient, therefore, that they are described as wrongdoers to determine the type of punishment which awaits them. They certainly fabricate lies about God, and they certainly will return to Him. 

The first sentence here, “Say.: ‘God speaks the truth,’” refers to what has been stated previously. The Ka`bah was built by Abraham and Ishmael so that it may be a place of refuge and security for all people and to serve as a qiblah or focal point and a praying place for all those who believe in Abraham’s faith. Hence, the command to follow Abraham’s creed which is based on the belief in the absolute oneness of God, associating no partners with Him in any form or shape: “’Follow, then, the creed of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false and was not one of those who associate partners with God.’” The Jews claimed that they were the descendants of Abraham. Here, the Qur’ān tells them the true nature of Abraham’s faith, namely, the belief in the absolute Oneness of God. This is emphasised twice in succession: the first states that Abraham turned away from all that is false, and the second asserts that he was not one of those who associate partners with God. How can they, then, go as far as to ascribe partners to God?