Al-Ma'idah (The Repast) (5)- 120 M
*** The title of this Surah means (The Table) in allusion to the Table of the Eucharist which is associated with the fact that it deals with the 'Last Supper'; it also deals with the Israelite food prohibitions. This Surah shows that Muhammad had a very superficial knowledge of the Christians and their beliefs. Most of the stories herein about Jesus are apocryphal and not canonical. It is not common knowledge about the extent to which the Quran depends on the earlier Hebrew sources. The readers -those who know the Bible- will very quickly realise the enormous debt that the Quran owes to the Hebrew Bible and Scriptures from which most of the following legislations were plagiarised. ***
1 > O ye who believe! fulfil (all) obligations. Lawful unto you (for food) are all four-footed animals with the exceptions named: but animals of the chase are forbidden while ye are in the Sacred Precincts or in pilgrim garb: for Allah doth command according to His Will and Plan.
2 O ye who believe! violate not the sanctity of the Symbols of Allah nor of the Sacred Month nor of the animals brought for sacrifice nor the garlands that mark out such animals nor the people resorting to the Sacred House seeking of the bounty and good pleasure of their Lord. But when ye are clear of the Sacred Precincts and of pilgrim garb ye may hunt and let not the hatred of some people in (once) shutting you out of the Sacred Mosque lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part). Help ye one another in righteousness and piety but help ye not one another in sin and rancor: fear Allah: for Allah is strict in punishment..
3 Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat blood the flesh of swine and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah that which hath been killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a headlong fall or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you completed my favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any forced by hunger with no inclination to transgression Allah is indeed Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.
#691 Cf. ii. 173 and nn. 173 and 174. The prohibition of dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which other names than that of Allah have been invoked, has been there explained. 692 If an animal dies by strangling, or by a violent blow, or a headlong fall, or by being gored to death, or by being attacked by a wild animal, the presumption is that it becomes carrion, as the life-blood is congealed before being taken out of the body. But the presumption can be rebutted. If the life-blood still flows and the solemn mode of slaughter (zabh in the name of Allah is carried out, it becomes lawful as food. 693 This was also an idolatrous rite, different from that in which a sacrifice was devoted to a particular idol or a false god. 694 Gambling of all kinds is forbidden; ii. 291. A sort of lottery or raffle practised by Pagan Arabs has been described in n. 241. Division of meat in this way is here forbidden, as it is a form of gambling#
*** The food prohibitions in this and the following Suras, are copied directly from the Bible -mostly from Leviticus 11:1/46 - with suitable alterations to suit the eating habits of the Arabian Bedouins***
4 They ask thee what is lawful to them (as food): say: Lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure: and what ye have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah; eat what they catch for you but pronounce the name of Allah over it: and fear Allah; for Allah is swift in taking account.
5 This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers but chaste women among the People of the Book revealed before your time when ye give them their due dowers and desire chastity not lewdness nor secret intrigues. If anyone rejects faith fruitless is his work and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).
#699 The question is for food generally, such as is ordinarily "good and pure": in the matter of meat it should be killed with some sort of solemnity analogous to that of the Takbir. The rules of Islam in this respect being analogous to those of the People of the Book, there is no objection to mutual recognition, as opposed to meat killed by Pagans with superstitious rites. In this respect the Christian rule is the same: "That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication." (Acts, xv. 29). Notice the bracketing of fornication with things unlawful to eat. 700 Islam is not exclusive. Social intercourse, including inter-marriage, is permitted with the People of the Book. A Muslim man may marry a woman from their ranks on the same terms as he would marry a Muslim woman, i.e., he must give her an economic and moral status, and must not be actuated merely by motives of lust or physical desire. A Muslim woman may not marry a non-Muslim man, because her Muslim status would be affected; the wife ordinarily takes the nationality and status given by her husband's law. Any man or woman, of any race or faith, may, on accepting Islam, freely marry any Muslim woman or man, provided it be from motives of purity and chastity and not of lewdness. 701 As always, food, cleanliness, social intercourse, marriage and other interests in life, are linked with our duty to Allah and faith in Him. Duty and faith are for our own benefit, here and in the Hereafter#
*** The Quranic verse is of course wrong and untruthful because although the food of the Jews is lawful to the Muhammadans, theirs is not lawful to the Jews, since the manner of slaughter and blood drainage as well as the animals prohibited are not the same.
The interpreter is deliberately -since he is able to refer to chapters and verses of the Torah- misleading the reader and is not correct in asserting otherwise ***
6 > O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer wash your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill or on a journey or one of you cometh from offices of nature or ye have been in contact with women and ye find no water then take for yourselves clean sand or earth and rub therewith your faces and hands. Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty but to make you clean and to complete His favor to you that ye may be grateful.
#702 These are the essentials of Wudhu, or ablutions preparatory to prayers, viz., (1) to bathe the whole face in water, and (2) both hands and arms to the elbows, with (3) a little rubbing of the head with water (as the head is usually protected and comparatively clean), and (4) the bathing of the feet to the ankles. In -addition, following the practice of the Prophet, it is usual first to wash the mouth, and the nose before proceeding with the face, etc. 703 Cf. iv. 43 and n. 563. Ritual impurity arises from sex pollution. 704 This is Tayammum, or wiping with clean sand or earth where water is not available. I take it that this substitute is permissible both for Wudhu and for a full bath, in the circumstances mentioned#
*** Almost all of the rituals of cleanliness mentioned in the Quran are taken from the traditions of the Jews which can be found in the Bible and Scriptures***
7> And call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you and His Covenant which He ratified with you when ye said: "We hear and we obey": and fear Allah for Allah knoweth well the secrets of your hearts.
8> O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah as witnesses to fair dealing and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to Piety: and fear Allah for Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.
#707 To do justice and act righteously in a favourable or neutral atmosphere is meritorious enough, but the real test comes when you have to do justice to people who hate you or to whom you have an aversion. But no less is required of you by the higher moral law#
*** The insistence on justice in the Quran is an echo of its paramount importance in the Torah and Rabbinical writings:
Deut 16: 20 "Justice, only justice shall you pursue, that you may live, and inherit the land which the Lord your God gives you" ***
9 To those who believe and do deeds of righteousness hath Allah promised forgiveness and a great reward.
10> Those who reject faith and deny our signs will be companions of hell-fire.
11 O ye who believe! call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you when certain men formed the design to stretch out their hands against you but (Allah) held back their hands from you: so fear Allah. And on Allah let believers put (all) their trust.
12 >Allah did aforetime take a Covenant from the Children of Israel and We appointed twelve captains among them and Allah said: "I am with you: : if ye (but) establish practice regular charity believe in My apostles honor and assist them and loan to Allah a beautiful loan verily I will wipe out from you your evils and admit you to gardens with rivers flowing beneath; but if any of you after this resisteth faith he hath truly wandered from the path of rectitude."
#709 Cf. ii. 63 and n. 78, "Moses... called for the elders of the people... and all the people answered together and said. 'All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.' " (Exod. xix, 7-8). This was under the towering height of Mount Sinai. The chieftains or elders or leaders of the people were selected, one from each of the twelve tribes (see ii. 60 and n. 73). For census purposes the names of the elders of the tribes are given in Num. i. 4-16: they are called "every one the head of the house of his fathers". Later, twelve other "heads of the Children of Israel" were selected to spy out the land of Canaan: their names are mentioned in Num. xiii. 1-16#
*** Repeatedly and without fail, throughout the Quran, the interpreter quotes chapter and verse from the Torah the explanations pertaining to the different verses. How does he know which of them had been 'tampered' with and which are the 'original'? The above quoted paragraph -like so many others in the Quran-represents the muddling and mixing up of several stories from the Torah, none of which had twelve captains with Moses.
The Quran charges that some of the followers of Moses and of Jesus had abused the books that Allah had revealed to them, but it does not charge that the Books themselves have become corrupted or flawed.
Most relevant of all is the fact, that Muhammad was depending entirely on the Books that were available to him at the time, the contents of which he never once implied that they were not the original as given by Allah to his prophets Moses and Jesus. He repeatedly - in numerous verses - instructed his followers to believe in
the Previous Revelations***
13 > But because of their breach of their Covenant We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard: they change the words from their (right) places and forget [wa nassou] a good part of the Message that was sent them nor wilt thou cease to find them barring a few ever bent on (new) deceits: but forgive them and overlook (their misdeeds): for Allah loveth those who are kind.
#712 Cursed them: that means that because of the breach of their Covenant, Allah withdrew His overflowing Grace from them. The withdrawal of Grace made their hearts grow hard in two ways: (1) they were no longer protected from the assaults of evil, and (2) they became impervious even to the message of forgiveness and mercy which is open to all Allah's creatures. 713 Israel, when it lost Allah's grace as above, began to sin against truth and religion in three ways: (1) they began to misuse Scripture itself, by either taking words out of their right meaning, or applying them to things for which they were never meant; (2) in doing so, they conveniently forgot a part of the Message and purpose of Allah; and (3) they invented new deceits to support the old ones. 714 Cf. ii. 109 and n. 110, where I have explained the different shades of meaning in the words for "forgiveness." #
*** The Quran is unrelenting in its defamatory attack on the Jews. It uses the 'because of their breach of their Covenant' mantra as a reason and an excuse to denigrate and dehumanise them. It never once tells of which particular breach it is alluding to. This, it uses as a suitable venue to give itself moral supremacy and greater legitimacy.
It does not once reflect upon the fact that, in spite of their alleged misdeeds, the Quran would not have existed and would have been irrelevant without the Law of Moses and the Covenant of the Jews to quote from and depend upon for its own 'legitimacy'.
Most important of all, the Jews and Christians alluded to in the whole of the Quran, are not foreigners but actually pagan Arabs who had willingly and without coersion, converted to the beliefs of the Jews and Christians.
They were indigenous Arabs who had as much right to live in their Arabian Peninsula as Muhammad and his followers.
More over, the translation of the verse above is wrong because it delibertately misrepresents the verb "wa nassou" meaning "they forgot" which is in the past tense and NOT in the present. The Quranic verse jumbles up the past and the present in one sentence, a serious grammatical error -among many more in the Quran- that cannot possibly be from a divine inspiration***
14> From those too who call themselves Christians We did take a Covenant but they forgot a good part of the Message that was sent them: so We estranged them with enmity and hatred between the one and the other to the Day of Judgment. And soon will Allah show them what it is they have done.
#715 The Christian Covenant may be taken to be the charge which Jesus gave to his disciples, and which the disciples accepted, to welcome Ahmad (Q. lxi. 6). Glimpses of this are to be found in the Gospel of St. John even as it exists now (John xv. 26. xvi. 7). It is those who call themselves "Christians" who reject this. True Christians have accepted it. The enmity between those who call themselves Christians and the Jews will continue till the Last Day. A) The change from the First Person in the beginning of the verse to the Third Person here illustrates the change from the personal relationship of the Covenant, to the impersonal operation of Justice at Judgment. Cf. xxxv. 9. 715 The Christian Covenant may be taken to be the charge which Jesus gave to his disciples, and which the disciples accepted, to welcome Ahmad (Q. lxi. 6). Glimpses of this are to be found in the Gospel of St. John even as it exists now (John xv. 26. xvi. 7). It is those who call themselves "Christians" who reject this. True Christians have accepted it. The enmity between those who call themselves Christians and the Jews will continue till the Last Day. A) The change from the First Person in the beginning of the verse to the Third Person here illustrates the change from the personal relationship of the Covenant, to the impersonal operation of Justice at Judgment. Cf. xxxv. 9#
*** Having 'eliminated' the Jews with false and unsubstantiated allegations, the Quran now turns its attention towards its second rival, the Christians, with the same simplistic but deadly accusations. At a stroke, the Quran 'destroys' its two most important and legitimate rivals.
One has to wonder whether God in His infinite wisdom would first reveal His Books to two faiths but have them conveniently and without foundations decimated by a third. The onus of proof is on the shoulder of the Quran to show that it has the 'ORIGINAL' versions of the Bible and the New Testament upon which it rests its accusations.
Moreover, the New Testament was not and is not a covenant between God and the followers of Jesus. Not once in all of the Gospels is God mentioned as having made a new covenant with any other people besides Israel.
The Quran, being a late comer and in hindsite, mentions the new covenant based upon the later theology of the followers of Jesus. The same omniscient God, Who revealed Himself to Moses directly and then allegedly to Mary through the angel Gabriel, could not have abrogated all His covenants at the say so of Muhammad in his Quran.
Since the Quran was 'descended' before the 'Islamic' polity had taken shape, it did not expect its followers to fall into the same traps and deviations that it accuses the People of the Book of having fallen into.
In fact, the followers of Muhammad never stopped being divided, becoming schismatic and murderous towards each other as well as against all others, from the moment he died till the present time. It was his followers after all, who descrated, laid siege to and burned down Mecca and the Ka'aba twice within 50 years of his death***
15 > O People of the Book! there hath come to you Our Apostle revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book and passing over much (that is now unnecessary): There hath come to you from Allah a (new) Light and a perspicuous Book.
#716 Mubin: I wish I could translate by a simpler word than "perspicuous". But "plain" may mean unadorned, the opposite of beautiful, and this Book is among the most beautiful that it is the privilege of mankind to read. "Clear" would be right as far as it means "unambiguous, self-evident, not involved in mysteries of origin, history, or meaning, one which every one can understand as to the essentials necessary for him, without the intervention of priests or privileged persons". Mubin has all these meanings, but it suggests, besides, some quality of a shining light, by which we are able to make things clear, to distinguish the true from the false, This I think is suggested better by "perspicuous" than by the word "clear". Besides it is hardly good idiom to speak of "a clear Book."#
*** There is not a single verse in the Quran that reveals more than the Bible. It contains only a fraction of of a fraction of what the Bible describes without a single new precept or thought that is either equal to or superior to what the Bible has.
The Quran to the Torah is like the reflected light of the Moon to the original light of the Sun.
The People of the Book have the original and are not at all interested in an utterly simplistic, cheap and utterly childish rendition.
No one on the face of the Earth can show a single new and practical precept, concept, thought or idea in the whole of the Quran that in any way shape or form is equal to or superior to anything that the Quran itself has plagiarized, plundered, pirated and/or perverted from the Bible, the New Testament, Zoroastrian and pagan Arabian religions, their traditions and their scriptures***
16> Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety and leadeth them out of darkness by His Will unto the light guideth them to a Path that is Straight
17> In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: "Who then hath the least power against Allah if His Will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary his mother and all everyone that is on the earth? For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between. He createth what He pleaseth. For Allah hath power over all things."
*** This verse is another perversion of the New Testament since no where does it say that God is the Christ the son of Mary.
Nor is the name of Allah mentioned anywhere either in the Bible or in the New Testament since the God of the Bible HAS NO NAME.
It is the other way round of course, since it is alleged that Jesus is the son of God. Yet once more is Gabriel totally out of tune with recorded history or even with his own previous prophesies and declarations.
As far as the Quran is concerned, Christianity is not a monotheistic religion as long as it asserts that Jesus is the son of God. This is considered idolatory and blasphemy ***
18> (Both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah and His beloved." Say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay ye are but men of the men He hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)."
#718 Sons of God: Cf. Job, xxxviii. 7; "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." In the 29th Psalm, 1st verse, the authorised Translation "O ye mighty" should apparently be "O ye sons of Elim". El being a name of God, Cf. also Genesis, vi. 2: "The sons of God saw the daughters of men." Beloved: Cf. Psalms, cxxvii, 2: "He giveth his beloved sleep." If used figuratively, these and like words refer to the love of Allah. Unfortunately, "son" used in a physical sense, or "beloved" in an exclusive sense as if Allah loved only the Jews, make a mockery of religion. 719 This refrain in the last verse negatives the idea of sonship, and in this verse negatives the idea of an exclusive "Beloved". In both cases it means that Allah is independent of physical relationship or exclusive partiality#
*** The Jews never claimed that they were the sons of Allah, since Allah is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. Neither did the Christians. Both the Jews and the Christians consider God as their Father; actually, He is the Father of all creation. It follows that it is perfectly all right if they claimed that they were His beloved children; this is neither wrong nor blasphemous.
Most important of all, it was God who claimed that the Israelites were His beloved children as mentioned in
Exodus 4:22 " You shall say to Pharaoh, 'So said God, My firstborn son is Israel. 23 So I say to you , send out My son that he may serve Me...".
It is the Quran and its followers who have completely missed the point of the statement and perverted it to mean otherwise.
It is they, who have their 'facts and quotes' wrong as usual. The fact that believers suffer disasters does not mean that they had transgressed since this will otherwise explain why the followers of Muhammad too, faced many defeats and reversals throughout their history ***
19> O people of the Book! now hath come unto you making (things) clear unto you Our Apostle after the break in (the series of) Our apostles lest ye should say: there came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner (from evil): but now hath come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner (from evil): and Allah hath power over all things.
#720 The six hundred years (in round figures) between Christ and Muhammad were truly the dark ages of the world. Religion was corrupted: the standard of morals fell low: many false systems and heresies arose; and there was a break in the succession of prophets until the advent of Muhammand#
*** Muhammad had absolutely nothing to make clear to the People of the Book; on the contrary, it was they who had to make clear to the pagan Muhammad, the light and the path to God.
Without their presence in the Arabian peninsula, the Quran would never have been 'revealed'. While the Jews had been carrying the torch of the One and Only God for the earlier period of 2000 years or more, it was the pagan Arabs - including Muhammad- the alleged decendants of Ishmael, who were living in the dark ages of ignorance and heathenism.
Can anyone on the face of the Earth point out even a single verse in the Quran which is original, practical, spiritual and equal to anything that the Quran had plagiarised from the traditions of others?***
20> Remember Moses said to his people: "O my people! call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you when He produced prophets among you made you kings and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples.
#721 There was a long line of patriarchs and prophets before Moses, e.g., Abraham, Isaac, Ismail, Jacob, etc.722 From the slavery of Egypt the Children of Israel were made free and independent, and thus each man became as it were a king, if only he had obeyed Allah and followed the lead of Moses.723 Cf. Exod. xix. 5: "Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people." Israel was chosen to be the vehicle of Allah's message, the highest honour which any nation can receive#
*** It is evident from most of the verses of the Quran, that it was telling stories that have been plagiarized and/or perverted from the Bible and Jewish traditions.
For instance, in the verse above "…made you kings…" is a serious historical error since the Israelites had no kings for at least another 400 years, nor were there any prophets prior to Moses. No god - especially not the God of Israel - could have made such historical errors, but only the confused and unlearned mind of Muhammad***
21> O my people! enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned [Allah had written/kataba Allah lakum] unto you and turn not back ignominiously for then will ye be overthrown to your own ruin.
#724 We now come to the events detailed in the 13th and 1th chapters of the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament. Read these as a Commentary, and examine a good map of the Sinai Peninsula, showing its connections with Egypt on the west, North-West Arabia on the east, and Palestine on the north-east. We may suppose that Israel crossed from Egypt into the Peninsula somewhere near the northern extremity of the Gulf of Suez. Moses organised and numbered the people, and instituted the Priesthood. They went south about 200 miles to Mount Sinai where the Torah was received. Then, perhaps a hundred and fifty miles north, was the desert of Paran, close to the southern borders of Canaan. From the camp there twelve men were sent to spy out the land, and they penetrated as far as Hebron, say about 150 miles north of their camp, about 20 miles south of the future Jerusalem. They saw a rich country, and brought from it pomegranates and figs and a bunch of grapes so heavy that it had to be carried by two men on a staff. They came back and reported that the land was rich, but the men there were too strong for them. The people of Israel had no courage and no faith, and Moses remonstrated with them#
*** This verse is very important since it clearly indicates that the Quran agrees with the Torah regarding the Holy Land (al Arth al Muqadassa) promised to the Israelites. Muqadassa/ Holy is from the Hebrew (Qadosh) and is not Arabic in origin since they used the term Forbidden (Muharrama) ***
22> They said: "O Moses! in this land are a people of exceeding strength: never shall we enter it until they leave it: if (once) they leave then shall we enter
23> (But) among (their) Allah-fearing men were two on whom Allah had bestowed His Grace: they said: "Assault them at the (proper) gate: when once ye are in, victory will be yours. But on Allah put your trust if ye have faith."
24> They said: O "Moses! while they remain there never shall we be able to enter to the end of time. Go thou and thy Lord and fight ye two while we sit here (and watch)."
25> He said: "O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my bother so separate us from this rebellious people!"
26> Allah said: "Therefore will the land be out of their reach for forty years; in distraction will they wander through the land: but sorrow thou not over these rebellious people."
*** Most of the above verses are altered versions of stories from the Bible***
27> Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! they each presented a sacrifice (to Allah): it was accepted from one but not from the other. Said the latter: "Be sure I will slay thee." "Surely" said the former "Allah doth accept of the sacrifice of those who are righteous.
#730 Literally; "recite to them in truth the story", etc. The point is that the story in Gen. iv. 1-15 is a bare narrative, not including the lessons now to be enforced. The Prophet is told now to supply the truth of the matter, the details that will enforce the lessons.731 The two sons of Adam were Habil (in the English Bible, Abel) and Qabil (in English, Cain). Cain was the elder, and Abel the younger,-the righteous and innocent one. Presuming on the right of the elder, Cain was puffed up with arrogance and jealousy, which led him to commit the crime of murder. Among the Christians, Cain was the type of the Jew as against Abel the Christian. The Jew tried to kill Jesus and exterminate the Christian. In the same way, as against Muhammad, the younger brother of the Semitic family, Cain was the type of the Old Testament and New Testament people, who tried to resist and kill Muhammad and put down his people#
*** As usual, both the Quran and its interpreters try to make the reader believe that what he/she is reading are truly Arabic stories. Even the Hebrew names have been changed purposely to reflect such deception.
Able/Hebel and Cain are NOT Habil & Qabil.
Even based on the history of Christianity, the Jews were never accused of trying to exterminate the Christians since Christianity did not exist in the days of Jesus but came about decades after his death.
Only in the warped minds of the followers of Muhammad who are either totally ignorant of history or willfully perverting it, could such stupid and inaccurate accusations be made***
28> "If thou dost stretch thy hand against me to slay me it is not for me to stretch my hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear Allah the Cherisher of the worlds.
*** According to this verse, Able was willing to endure a first strike by his brother but would not offend Allah by being the aggressor.
This attitude is in complete contradistinction to the way and manner of Muhammad and his followers who would aggress first and foremost, mostly against the innocent and defenseless.
Of course, the story as portrayed here has absolutely no resemblance to the original in the Bible***
29> "For me I intend to let thee draw on thyself my sin as well as thine for thou wilt be among the companions of the fire and that is the reward of those who do wrong."
#732 My sin as well as thine. "My sin" has been interpreted as "the sin against me, in that thou slayest me": in that case thy "sin" may mean either "thy crime in committing a murder." or "thy sin against thyself, for the crime causes real loss to thyself in the Hereafter." See the last clause of the next verse. 733 Abel's speech is full of meaning. He is innocent and God-fearing. To the threat of death held out by the other, he returns a calm reply, aimed at reforming the other. "Surely," he pleads, "if your sacrifice was not accepted, there was something wrong in you, for Allah is just and accepts the sacrifice of the righteous. If this does not deter you, I am not going to retaliate, though there is as much power in me against you as you have against me. I fear my Maker, for I know He cherishes all His Creation. Let me warn you that you are doing wrong. I do not intend even to resist, but do you know what the consequences will be to you? You will be in torment."#
*** This account of the Able and Cain story is not mentioned in the Bible; it is an allegory used to teach the Arabs about fate being in the 'hands' of Allah.
In Muhammadan Islam, the destiny of all creation had been pre-ordained by Allah. Humans have no free will and their fate has been fixed at or before birth***
30> The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him and became (himself) one of the lost ones.
31> Then Allah sent a raven who scratched the ground to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. "Woe is me!" said he: "Was I not even able to be as this raven and to hide the shame of my brother?" Then he became full of regrets.
32 > On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a person unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear Signs yet even after that many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.
#737 The story of Cain is referred to in a few graphic details in order to tell the story of Israel. Israel rebelled against Allah, slew and insulted righteous men who did them no harm but on the contrary came in all humility. When Allah withdrew His favour from Israel because of its sins and bestowed it on brother nation, the jealousy of Israel plunged it deeper into sin. To kill or seek to kill an individual because he represents an ideal is to kill all who upold the ideal. On the other hand, to save an individual life in the same circumstances is to save a whole community. What could be stronger condemnation of individual assassination and revenge?#
*** Because of the sanctity of any human life, there is a Hebrew precept that the murder of any human being is equivalent to the murder of the whole world and that the saving of one life is equivalent to the saving of the whole world; this verse is copied almost verbatim from Rabbinical teachings in Sanhedrin 37a.
The hatemongering and distortion of history, morality and truth continues unabated by the interpreter who should actually know better since he has studied the Bible thoroughly.
Unfortunately, BELIEF distorts perception and destroys logic and reality.
The translator is, after all, a believing Muhammadan and cannot possibly reflect and accept that the Quran is totally wrong on almost every item it contains because that would instantly and automatically negate its alleged divine origin***
33 The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Apostle and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution or crucifixion of the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter.
#738 For the double crime of treason against the State, combined with treason against Allah, as shown by overt crimes, four alternative punishments are mentioned, any one of which is to be applied according to the crime committed, viz., execution (cutting off of the head), crucifixion, maiming, or exile. These were features of the Criminal Law then and for centuries afterwards, except that tortures such as "hanging, drawing, and quartering" in English Law, and piercing of eyes and leaving the unfortunate victim exposed to a tropical sun, which was practiced in Arabia, and all such tortures were abolished. In any case sincere repentance before it was too late was recognised as a ground for mercy.739 Understood to mean the right hand and the left foot#
*** The methods of punishment mentioned above were not used by the pagan Arabs. Crucifixion is a copy from the pagan Romans as was described in the New Testament. The cutting of the hand and feet of opposite directions is a very novel and extremely cruel method of punishment that only the Quran describes.
It is during the Madina period that the 'revealed' verses invariably contained the newly coined mantra of 'Allah and his apostle' thus twinning Allah and Muhammad on equal footing***
34> Except for those who repent before they fall into your power: in that case know that Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.
35> O ye who believe! do your duty to Allah seek the means of approach unto Him and strive with might and main in His cause: that ye may prosper.
36> As to those who reject faith if they had everything on earth and twice repeated to give as ransom for the penalty of the Day of Judgment it would never be accepted of them. Theirs would be a grievous penalty.
37> Their wish will be to get out of the fire but never will they get out there from: their penalty will be one that endures.
38 As to the thief male or female cut off his or her hands: a punishment by way of example from Allah for their crime: and Allah is Exalted in Power.
#742 Here we touch upon jurisprudence. The Canon Law jurists are not unanimous as to the value of the property stolen, which would involve the penalty of the cutting off of the hand. The majority hold that petty thefts are exempt from this punishment. The general opinion is that only one hand should be cut off for the first theft, on the principle that "if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee" (Matt. xviii. 8). Apparently in the age of Jesus thieves were crucified (Matt. xxvii. 38)#
*** The Quran misunderstood the meaning of some verses of the New Testament and ended up by introducing the most unmerciful punishments for theft that anyone can imagine***
39 But if the thief repent after his crime and amend his conduct Allah turneth to him in forgiveness; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.
40> Knowest thou not that to Allah (alone) belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth? He punisheth whom He pleaseth and He forgiveth whom He pleaseth: and Allah hath power over all things
41 O Apostle! let not those grieve thee who race each other into unbelief: (whether it be) among those who say: "We believe" with their lips but whose hearts have no faith; or it be among the Jews men who will listen to any lie will listen even to others who have never so much as come to thee. They change the words from their (right) times and places; they say "If ye are given this take it but if not beware:" If anyone's trial is intended by Allah thou hast no authority in the least for him against Allah. For such it is not Allah's will to purify their hearts. For them there is disgrace in this world and in the Hereafter a heavy punishment.
# 744 Two classes of men are meant, viz., the Hypocrites and the Jews. For both of them Al-Mustafa laboured earnestly and assiduously, and it must have been a cause of great grief and disappointment to him that some among them showed so much insincerity, cunning, and hardness of heart. These are types not yet extinct. (5.41)
745 There were men among the Jews who were eager to catch up any lie against the Prophet. They had their ears open even to tales from people who had never so much as come near to the Prophet. If we understand "for" instead of "to" before "others" (for the Arabic word would bear both meanings), the sense will be: They are keen listeners or spies for any lies they can catch; and they will act as spies for others (their Rabbis, etc.) who are in the background but to whom they carry false tales.#
*** As can be seen, the Jews are once more associated with the hypocrites as enemies of the just and caring prophet. It is inconceivable that God would side with the newly converted pagans against His own People.
According to the Hadiths, almost all the Quranic Surahs from the Madina period are 'descended' to Muhammad AFTER the events that they describe. There is not one single Aya (verse) in the Quran which predicts any event that later comes true.
It was Muhammad, who after all, tried to convert the Jews of Madina to his belief system; a belief system based upon the Cult of Muhammad since he had not a single item to offer in his Quran which could in any way shape or form be construed as either superior or even equal to the what the Jews already had in their Bible.
All the attacks against the Jews stem from a very 'guilty conscience', that can be attributed to the fact, that it was Muhammad who betrayed and turned against them and not as the Quran implies.
All the traditions of the actions taken by the rising Islamic polity point to this conclusion; how else can anyone explain the elimination of both the Jews and Christians from Arabia in 14 years from the rise of Islam against their presence without interruption for hundreds of years before that?***~
42> (They are fond of) listening to falsehood of devouring anything forbidden. If they do come to thee either judge between them or decline to interfere. If thou decline they cannot hurt thee in the least. If thou judge, judge in equity between them; for Allah loveth those who judge in equity.
# 747 Devouring anything forbidden: both in a literal and in a figurative sense. In the figurative sense, it would be: the taking of usury or bribes, or taking undue advantage of people's weak position or their own fiduciary powers to add to their own wealth. 748 Where it is merely a trick to catch out the unwary, a just man may honourably decline to interfere in a cause submitted to him, as also in a case where the parties are not honestly desirous of justice, but each hopes that some partiality will be shown to it.#
*** First of all, the only devouring and all falsehoods are emanating from the Quran as it cannot substantiate a single accusation based on any documented proof whatsoever. Second, this verse is a variation on
Deuteronomy 16: "20. Justice, only justice shall you pursue, that you may live, and inherit the land which the Lord your God gives you"
It is important to point out that throughout the Quran and its interpretations, the purpose is directed ONLY to blame their victims -Jews, Christians, Unbelievers, etc- for deeds, intentions and crimes committed by Muhammad and his followers.
For example, there are verses in the Quran and Hadiths wherein Muhammad consoles his followers who received less plunder and booty than other Arabs, by explaining to them that he is using this to bribe the others into converting to Islam***
43 But why do they come to thee for decision when they have (their own) laws before them? Therein is the (plain) command of Allah; yet even after that they would turn away. For they are not (really) people of faith
# 749 This is a searching question as to the motive of the Jews in bringing their cases for decision to the Prophet. They came either (1) to ridicule whatever he said, or (2) to deceive him as to facts and snatch a favourable decision which was against equity. If their own Law did not suit their selfish interests, they sometimes twisted it. But Muhammad was always inflexible in his justice.#
*** No Jew would have gone to the unlearned Muhammad for any decision pertaining to their beliefs.They had existed without Muhammad for centuries and needed no other person's decision.
Only in the distorted and one sided propaganda stories of the Hadiths and the Quran are such statements made to justify Muhammad's and his followers' dastardly and violent actions against the People of the Book***
44 It was We who revealed the law [Tawrat] (to Moses); therein was guidance and light. By its standard have been judged the Jews by the Prophet who bowed (as in Islam) to Allah's will by the Rabbis and the doctors of Law: for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's Book and they were witnesses thereto: therefore fear not men but fear Me and sell not My Signs for a miserable price. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed they are (no better than) unbelievers.
# 750 Guidance, with reference to conduct, light, with reference to insight into the higher realms of the faith. 751 Rabbani may, I think, be rightly translated by the Jewish title of Rabbi for their learned men, Jewish learning is identified with Rabbinical literature. Ahbar is the plural of hibr or habr, by which we may understand Jewish Doctors of Law. Later the term was applied to those of other religions. 752 They were living witnesses to the truth of Scripture, and could testify that they had made it known to the people: Cf. ii. 143, and iv. 135753 Two charges are made, against the Jews: (1) that even the books which they had, they twisted in meaning, to suit their own purposes, because they feared men rather than Allah: (2) that what they had was but fragments of the original Law given to Moses, mixed up with a lot of semi-historical and legendary matter, and some fine poetry. The Taurat mentioned in the Qur-an is not the Old Testament as we have it: nor is it even the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament, containing the Law embedded in a great deal of semi-historical and legendary narrative). See Appendix 11, on the Taurat (printed at the end of this Sura).#
*** First and foremost, the verse above has been deliberately MISTRANSLATED to fit the hatemongering agenda of this author. This verse should read as following:
"It was We who had revealed the Tawrat (the Law of Moses) wherein there is guidance and light; by which the prophets who had become Muslims [al Nabyioun al latheena aslamou] , deliver judgement unto those who follow the faith of the Jews [al latheena hadou] , the Rabbis [Rabbinyioun] and the Faithful [Ahbar] with whom was entrusted the Book of Allah; and they were all witnesses to its truth. Therefore (O Children of Israel) do not stand in awe of men, but, stand in awe of Me; and do not barter away My Message for a trifling gain; whoever fails to judge by what Allah has revealed, they are among the Unbelievers"
The total lack of decency, objectivity and veracity exhibited by this interpreter is overwhelming in its nefariousness because he is misinterpreting and misrepresenting the meaning of the verse in the first instance and then continues with further fabrications and deceit
We have here an interpretation by a Muhammadan of what is true or false in the Torah as well as being an authority on its authenticity or lack there of; all these, he assures the readers are facts. Unfortunately for him, he does not have a single documented and or authentic fact to quote from except his own subjective and extremely biased and perverted points of view.
In fact, the only book that has been twisted and tampered with is actually the Quran which contains 71 abrogated and abrogating Suras out of 114. Suras (62.28%) whose verses were changed, altered or completely taken out according to the agenda of Muhammadan theologians.
No Divine, no Omniscient God would change His mind so many times. To attribute such a characteristic to God is by itself the ultimate blasphemy.
Not one single Muhammadan has any proof that they know the 'original' Bible upon which they can show that what we have today is an alteration and/or a perversion of it.
It is important to be reminded that the pagan Arabs had absolutely no knowledge of the Bible, no tradition that they were related to Abraham and Ishmael until Muhammad's 'revelations' which he acquired from the Jews and Christians in the first place***
45> We ordained therein for them: "Life for life eye for eye nose for nose ear for ear tooth for tooth and wounds equal for equal." But if anyone remits the retaliation by way of charity it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed they are (no better than) wrong-doers.
# 754 The retaliation is prescribed in three places in the Pentateuch, viz,. Exod. xxi, 23-25: Leviticus xxiv. 18-21, and Deut, xix. 21. The wording in the three quotations is different, but in none of them is found the additional rider for mercy, as here. Note that in Matt. v. 38. Jesus quotes the Old Law "eye for eye," etc,, and modifies it in the direction of forgiveness, but the Quranic injunction is more practical. Even where the injured one forgives, the State or Ruler is competent to take such action as is necessary for the preservation of law and order in Society. For crime has a bearing that goes beyond the interests of the person injured: the Community is affected: see Q. v. 32. (5.45) 755 This is not part of the Mosaic Law, but the teaching of Jesus and of Muhammad. Notice how the teaching of Jesus is gradually introduced as leading up to the Qur-an. (5.45) 756 The seeming repetitions at the end of verses 47, 48 and 50 are not real repetitions. The significant words in the three cases are: Unbelievers, wrong-doers, and rebellious; and each fits the context. If the Jews tamper with their books they are Unbelievers; if they give false judgments, they are wrong-doers. If the Christians follow not their light, they are rebellious.#
*** At last! The interpreter admits that these are copies from the Torah. The pagan Arabs had no such concepts of jurisprudence. Unfortunately, he continues with an incredible sequence of falsehoods and perversions of both the Torah and the New Testament.
The Quran does not reveal any new and practical judicial laws that are equal to or superior to those that it quotes from the Torah.
Just as the Muhammadan scholars did to the Quran by interpreting the verses according to their own light, the rabbis too, who preceded them and from whom they copied everything, did the same to the Torah.
There are compensations instead of retaliation to important physical injuries. Only in the case of murder, is there no compensation but a life for a life. In fact the Sharia is full of very violent, cruel and unusual punishments and has very few merciful constructs***
46 And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary confirming the law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light and confirmation of the law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.
# 757 Guidance and light: see n. 750 above. For the meaning of the Gospel (Injil), see Appendix III, "On the Injil", (printed at the end of this Sura).#
*** The Quranic verse above is wrong as usual since Jesus was never sent any 'Gospel', neither by Gabriel nor by Allah. Jesus did not receive or write any documents representing his ideas and concepts. All he tried to do was to bring the Torah to all his Israelite brothers and sisters and to follow the Law.
The Gospels after all, were written after the death of Jesus many decades later. The Quran is, as usual, 'revealing' in hindsight and not based on either facts or reality, since it shows a two faced and very ignorant Gabriel who is allegedly transmitting totally erroneous and untrue 'revelations' to Muhammad***
47> Let the people of the Gospel Judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed they are (no better than) those who rebel.
# 756The seeming repetitions at the end of verses 47, 48 and 50 are not real repetitions. The significant words in the three cases are: Unbelievers, wrong-doers, and rebellious; and each fits the context. If the Jews tamper with their books they are Unbelievers; if they give false judgments, they are wrong-doers. If the Christians follow not their light, they are rebellious#
*** What does the interpreter mean by "if the Christians do not follow their light, they are rebellious"? It is actually because the Christians do follow their light that both the Quran and its followers attack them as Mushrikeen and Kuffar; people who associate others with God. So, what should the Christians believe in to satisfy their own light, if not the preceeding?***
.
5:48 To thee We sent the Scripture [Kitaba/Book] in truth confirming the scripture [kitabi] that came before it and guarding it in safety; so judge between them by what Allah hath revealed and follow not their vain desires diverging from the truth that hath come to thee. To each among you have We prescribed a Law and an Open Way. If Allah had so willed He would have made you a single people but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah; it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute.
#759 After the corruption of the older revelations, the Qur-an comes with a twofold purpose: (1) to confirm the true and original Message, and (2) to guard it, or act as a check to its interpretation. The Arabic word Muhaimin is very comprehensive in meaning. It means one who safeguards, watches over, stands witness, preserves, and upholds. The Qur-an safeguards "the Book", for it has preserved within it the teachings of all the former Books. It watches over these Books in the sense that it will not let their true teachings to be lost. It supports and upholds these Books in the sense that it corroborates the Word of Allah which has remained intact in them. It stands a witness because it bears testimony to the Word of Allah contained in these Books and helps to sort it out from the interpretations and commentaries of the people which were mixed with it: what is confirmed by the Qur-an is the Word of Allah and what is against it is that of the people. 760 Law: shir'at = rules of practical conduct. Open Way: Minhaj = The guidance of the Prophet in all aspects of life. 761 By origin mankind were a single people or nation: iv. 1, and ii. 213. That being so Allah could have kept us all alike, with one language, one kind of disposition, and one set of physical conditions (including climate) to live in. But in His wisdom, He gives us diversity in these things, not only at any given time, but in different periods and ages. This tests our capacity for Unity (Wahdaniyat) still more, and accentuates the need of Unity and Islam.762 Men are wont to make conflicting claims regarding Allah, the ultimate destiny of man, and other questions of vital importance. No matter how vehement and eloquent the proponents of false doctrines might be, their efforts will prove fruitless and it will be indisputably clear on the Day of Judgment as to who entertained false notions and who cherished the truth.#
*** The claim above is as frivelous as most of what both the Quran and its interpreter have been implying. To claim that the Quran is the guardian and interpreter of the Torah and the New Testament is just as preposterous as putting Al Capone as the guardian of Fort Knox and the Mint.
The Jews do not need any upstart copy-cat intellectually-challenged 'scholar' to interpret the Torah for them. They have had this pleasure and experience for at least 1800 years before Muhammad.
The question to be asked once again is, on what documentary or even oral evidence can either the Quran or its interpreter show, that the Bible had been altered by the People of the Book?
When was it altered? Why was it altered?
By whom was it altered? For what reason was it altered?
Not one single Muhammadan on the face of this planet -or any other planet for that matter- can give concrete and coherent answers. All they can spout is ignorant, baseless hate-mongering drivel***
49 And this (He commands): Judge thou between them by what Allah hath revealed and follow not their vain desires but beware of them lest they beguile thee from any of that (teaching) which Allah hath sent down to thee. And if they turn away be assured that for some of their crimes it is Allah's purpose to punish them. And truly most men are rebellious.
50 Do they then seek after a judgment of (the Days of) Ignorance? But who for a people whose faith is assured can give better judgment than Allah?
51 O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust.
#764 That is, look not to them for help and comfort. They are more likely to combine against you than to help you. And this happened more than once in the lifetime of the Prophet, and in after-ages again and again. He who associates with them and shares their counsels must be counted as of them. The trimmer loses whichever way the wheel of fortune turns#
*** The above interpretation is false and contradicts the documented reports of Arab historians who confirm that during the centuries before Islam, the Jewish tribes of Arabia invariably sided with the pagan Arabs against the Christian Abyssinians.
They also attest, that on many occasions during the Arab Islamic conquests, Jews provided intelligence and help to the Muslims against the Byzantine Empire.
In reality, Jews and Christians were invariably at odds with each other and the historical fact is that it was the Muhammadans who were, and remain stil,l the aggressors; it was they after all, who left their native land of Arabia to attack and conquer others and not the other way round.
Further more, the above Quranic prohibition is racist, sectarian, discriminatory and definitely unfriendly if not downright hostile to the Jews and Christians; it actually prohibits 'Muslims' from having normal and decent relationships with them.
It also has a very dark implication to the effect that no 'Muslims' can be justly treated under the rule of either the Jews or the Christians.
History shows that it was in fact the 'Muslims' who invariably treated the Jews and Christians as third class citizens -or even worse-, with contempt and in a lower position to the none Arab Muslims. Only very rarely, as occurred during the very short periods in Andalusia, were they treated equitably***
52 Those in whose heart is a disease thou seest how eagerly they run about amongst them saying: "We do fear lest a change of fortune bring us disaster." Ah! perhaps Allah will give (thee) victory or a decision according to His Will. Then will they repent of the thoughts which they secretly harbored in their hearts.
53 And those who believe will say: "Are these the men who swore their strongest oaths by Allah that they were with you?" All that they do will be in vain and they will fall into (nothing but) ruin
54 O ye who believe! if any from among you turn back from his faith soon will Allah produce a people whom He will love as they will love Him lowly with the believers mighty against the rejecters fighting in the way of Allah and never afraid of the reproaches of such as find fault. That is the Grace of Allah which He will bestow on whom He pleaseth: and Allah encompasseth all and He knoweth all things.
55 Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah His Apostle and the (fellowship of) believers those who establish regular prayers and regular charity and they bow down humbly (in worship).
56 As to those who turn (for friendship) to Allah His Apostle and the (fellowship of) believers it is the fellowship of Allah that must certainly triumph.
57 O ye who believe! take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport whether among those who received the Scripture before you or among those who reject faith; but fear ye Allah if ye have Faith (indeed).
58 When ye proclaim your call to prayer they take it (but) as mockery and sport; that is because they are a people without understanding.
59 Say: "O People of the Book! do ye disapprove of us for no other reason than that we believe in Allah and the revelation that hath come to us and that which came before (us) and (perhaps) that most of you are rebellious and disobedient?"
*** It is not true that the People of the Book did not disapprove of the followers of Muhammad, especially, since it was because of their protection, that the followers of Muhammad were able to survive the enmity of their brethren the Quraysh.
It was when Muhammad and his followers, attempted to impose their version of belief upon them, that the People of the Book took offense to and opposed it. The acts of aggression were invariably started and instigated by the new Muhammadan cult***
60> Say: "Shall I point out to you something much worse than this (as judged) by the treatment it received from Allah? Those who incurred the curse of Allah and His wrath those of whom some He transformed into apes and swine those who worshipped Evil; these are (many times) worse in rank and far more astray from the even Path!
#770 For apes see Q. 79 The punishment for breach of the Sabbath under the Mosaic law was death. "Every one that defieth it (the Sabbath) shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people." (Exod. xxxi. 14). There must have been a Jewish tradition about a whole fishing community in a seaside town, which persisted in breaking the Sabbath and were turned into apes; cf. vii. 163-166. Or should we translate in both these passages. "Be as apes", instead of "Be apes"? This is the suggestion of Maulvi Muhammad Ali on this passage, on the authority of Mujabid and Ibn Jarir Tabari. The punishment would be, not for the breach of the Sabbath in itself, but for their contumacious defiance of the Law.#
*** This is yet one more convoluted fabrication by the interpreter of a story that does not exist in the Torah or Jewish tradition. Actually, this is an out of context variation to a story about Jesus confronting two men possessed of the Devil whom Jesus cast out into a herd of swine as in Mathew 8:28/32. This had nothing to do with Jews or anyone else for that matter. Upon this verse do Muhammadan theologians base their hate filled allegations that this pertained to all Jews and or Christians***
61 When they come to thee they say: "We believe": but in fact they enter with a mind against Faith and they go out with the same: but Allah knoweth fully all that they hide.
62> Many of them dost thou see racing each other in sin and rancor and their eating of things forbidden. Evil indeed are the things that they do.
63> Why do not the Rabbis and the doctors of laws forbid them from their (habit of) uttering sinful words and eating things forbidden? Evil indeed are their works.