In the preceding passages, the children of Israel have been reminded of the favours that were bestowed on them. Now, however, the Qur'an -reminds them of the fact that the way of righteousness has indeed been shown to them by means of explicit social and moral injunctions: and this reminder flows directly from the statement that the human condition in the life to come depends exclusively on the manner of one's life in this word, and not on one's descent.

See note 34 above.

The Old Testament contains many allusions to the waywardness and stubborn rebelliousness of the children of Israel - e.g., Exodus xxxii, 9, xxxii, 3, xxxiv, 9; Deuteronomy by, 6-8, 23-24, 27.

This is a reference to the conditions prevailing at Medina at the time of the Prophet's hijrah. The two Arab tribes of Medina - AI-Aws and Khazraj - were, in pre-Islamic times permanently at war with one another; and out of the three Jewish tribes living there-the Banu Qaynuqa', Banu 'n-Nadir and Banu Qurayzah - the first-named two were allied with Khazraj, while the third was allied with Al-Aws. Thus, in the course of their warfare, Jew would kill Jew in alliance with pagans ("aiding one another in sin and hatred"): a twofold crime from the viewpoint of Mosaic Law. Nevertheless, they would subsequently ransom their mutual captives in obedience to that very same Law -and it is this glaring inconsistency to which the Qur'an alludes in the next sentence.

Lit., "We caused him to be followed, after his time, by [all] the other apostles": a stress upon the continuous succession of prophets among the Jews (see Tabari, Zamakhshari, Razi, Ibn Kathir), which fact deprives them of any excuse of ignorance.

This rendering of ruh al-qudus (lit., "the spirit of holiness") is based on the recurring use in the Qur'an of the term rah in the sense of "divine inspiration". It is also recorded that the Prophet invoked the blessing of the ruh al-qudus on his Companion, the poet Hassan ibn Thabit (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Da'ud and Tirmidhi): just as the Qur'an (58:22) speaks of all believers as being "strengthened by inspiration (ruh) from Him".

Lit., "and some you are slaying". The change from the past tense observed throughout this sentence to the present tense in the verb taqtulun ("you are slaying") is meant to express a conscious intent in this respect and, thus, a persistent, ever-recurring trait in Jewish history (Manar I, 377), to which also the New Testament refers (Matthew xxiii, 34-35, 37), and I Thessalonians ii, 15).

Lit., "our hearts are repositories [of knowledge]'-'- an allusion to the boast of the Jews that in view of the religious knowledge which they already possess, they are in no need of any further preaching (Ibn Kathir, on the authority of Ibn `Abbas; identical explanations are mentioned by Tabari and Zamakhshari).

i.e., all their beliefs are centred on themselves and their alleged "exceptional" status in the sight of God.

i.e. out of envy that God should bestow revelation upon anyone but a descendant of Israel - in this particular instance, upon the Arabian Prophet, Muhammad.

A reference to their assertion that they believe in what has been revealed to them -i.e., the Law of Moses, which obviously prohibits the killing not only of prophets but of any innocent human being. See also the concluding sentences of verses 61 and 87, and the corresponding notes.

Salaat = To follow closely, like a runners-up (Musalli) follows the winning horse (Saabiq) = Follow God's commands closely. Aqimussallat = Establish the System that facilitates the following of Divine Commands. 2:3. Zakaat = Divinely ordained Economic Order in which people work according to their capacity and get compensated according to their needs. It is the System in which all members of the society flourish and, with their basic needs having been met, they are able to rise up on the ladder of self-actualization. The cornerstone of this Economic Order: The God-given natural resources and wealth are the common property of all, and every individual willfully leaves for the welfare of others whatever is over and above his needs. The Central authority will be responsible for administering and maintaining the Economic Order of Zakaat. 2:219, 22:41, 27:12, 53:39 Unfortunately, under the influence of fabricated Hadith, most commentators of the Qur'an confuse Zakaat with Sadaqaat. The latter means voluntary charity. See verse 9:60. It describes eight categories of the recipients of charity and not of Zakaat. With the solitary exception of Allama G.A. Parwez, to my knowledge, all commentators fail to notice the word Sadaqaat and somehow 'misread' the word Zakaat which is not there in that verse. So powerful is the influence of blind following! The current 2.5% giving of one's wealth and the complex and contradictory details of Fiqh associated with it find no authority in the Qur'an. One example is the flagrant disparity between the compulsory 'charity or poor-due' to be paid by a rich man who possesses gold versus a poor man who possesses some silver. The poor will pay charity on less than one tenth of what the wealthy has! Ihsan = An act of balance = Restoring symmetry and beauty = Social and individual equity = Selfless service = An act of equity. Yateem = Orphan = Who is left alone in the society = Lonely = Without immediate family = Helpless = Derivatively, a widow. Miskeen = The needy poor = One with no means to earn livelihood = The disabled = One whose life has stalled for any reason = Jobless = Truly bankrupt of finances = One whose running business has stalled. 17:23, 29:8, 46:15, 4:36, 6:151, 2:177, 2:215, 17:26]

The verse is referring to the Jewish community of Madinah (Medina), but as is always the case in the Qur'an, the commands have a wide historical applicability; in this case, to oppressive societies anywhere anytime. Ithm = Any action that depletes individual or communal energy. 'Udwaan and its derivatives = Wedge = Creating distance between hearts = Discord = Crossing the bounds of law = Committing excesses = Deeds beyond decency = Transgressing moral values

Numerous verses underscore the point that the Law of Cause and Effect has no room for making amends in the Hereafter, therefore, the helplessness. Duniya = This world = Immediate gains = Short term benefits = Short-sightedness = Disregarding the Law of Cause and Effect = Forsaking the Future. Aakhirah = Hereafter = Life to come = Eternity = Long term = Far-sightedness = Future = Logical outcome = Tomorrow as built on today

Also, you attempted to strike a deal with the messengers to alter the revelations. 10:15, 11:113, 17:74, 68:9. Roohul Qudus = Gabriel 2:87, 2;253, 5:110, 16:2, 16:102, 26:193, 42:52

2:6. La'nah = Curse = Deprivation of God's grace = God's rejection = Condemnation = Losing citizenship of the Islamic State = To be downgraded = Abasement = Lasting humiliation

Kufr = Rejecting, denying, opposing, or concealing the truth = Ingratitude. 2:101, 2:41, 7:157

Ghadhab = Opposite of blessing = Bitter consequences = Logical results of defying Divine laws = Physical and mental destitution for defying God = Suffering loss = Incorrectly translated as anger or wrath in relation to God. See 1:7, 2:61. Grudgingly: They cannot get over the fact that God has elected a non-Israelite prophet. 2:97, 2:100-101, 2:142, 5:18, 7:157

2:101. For Qatl, see 2:54