The following criticism has been launched by a Jew concerning the treatment of Jews in the Hadith:
"These two hadeeths are both narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) described them well when he said:
“The nation upon whom is the Divine wrath are the Jews, the people of lies, slander, betrayal, conspiracy and trickery, the killers of Prophets and consumers of ribaa (usury) and bribes. They have the most evil hearts of all nations, and the worst attitude. They are the farthest removed from (divine) Mercy and the closest to (divine) wrath. Their way is enmity and stirring up hatred. They represent the house of witchcraft, lies and trickery. They do not see anything wrong in rejecting and disbelieving in Prophets whom they did not like. With regard to a believer, they respect not the ties, either of kinship or of covenant [cf. Al-Tawbah 9:10]. They do not respect the rights of those who agree with them, or show any compassion towards them, nor do they show any justice or fairness to those who work with them. There is no safety or security for those who mix with them, and there is no sincerity towards those who use their services. The most evil of them is the one who is most intelligent, and the cleverest one among them is the one who cheats the most. The one who is good at heart – which it is unlikely to find among them – is not a Jew in any real sense. They are the most bad-tempered of people, with the gloomiest houses and the filthiest courtyards. They have very bad manners – their greeting is a curse, and meeting them is bad news. Their slogan is wrath and they are filled with hatred.”
(Hidaayat al-Hayaaraa, p. 8) "
The Jew took this as an assault on Jews, in fact as anti-Semitism. However, none of these sayings about the Jews are original to Islam. They are all things that the earlier prophets said about the Jews.
People of lies: Jeremiah 8:5, Micah 6:11, Amos 8:4, etc.
Slander: Jeremiah 9:3, Jeremiah 6:28
Betrayal: Is there a greater story of betrayal than Joseph's brothers? Anyway, here are some more verses about how treacherous the Jews are: Isaiah 21:2, Isaiah 24:16, Zephaniah 3:4
Conspiracy: Jeremiah 11:9-10, Ezekiel 22:25
Trickery: Back to Micah 6:11-12, Amos 8:4-5, etc.
Killers of Prophets: 1 Kings 13:18-32; 1 Kings 18:3-4
Consumers of Usury: Ezekiel 22:12
Consumers of Bribes: Isaiah 1:23
Witchcraft: I dealt with this here.
Rejecting prophets they do not like: Jeremiah 8:9, Ezekiel 20:13, Amos 2:4
Cruelty towards fellow Jews: Jeremiah 9:3, Ezekiel 33:26, Habakkuk 2:15
Lack of Justice towards employees and slaves: Jeremiah 34:8-11
By this Jew's logic, all the prophets were anti-Semites. Except maybe Obadiah, but he wasn't even born Jewish. It's not anti-Semitic to point out what all the prophets have born witness to for thousands of years.
The difference is its not a Bible wholesale condemnation. It a particular state of affairs and how they were acting at the time, and not describing the jews characteristically. That's the difference. God often reminds that he'll never break his covenant with them.
ReplyDeleteAlso to listen to prophet Muhammad would be to against the prophets of israel.
By the way, now that you have reverted to islam, have you changed your nature. or are naturally deceptive etc.
1. I'm not an expert on the Hadith, but I believe this probably refers to the state of affairs that was witnessed by the Prophet Mohammad (Saws) in Mecca and Medina.
Delete2. "God often reminds that he'll never break his covenant with them." God changes His mind. Also, God promised to make a religion for all people, and also made a covenant with Abraham that Ishmael would live before Him.
3. "Also to listen to prophet Muhammad would be to against the prophets of israel." No it isn't, it is to embrace them, their message, and the complete redemption of all of mankind.
4. "By the way, now that you have reverted to islam, have you changed your nature. or are naturally deceptive etc" A Muslim is a Muslim. There is no difference between an Arab Muslim, a formerly Jewish Muslim, a black Muslim or a white Muslim.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatu Allāhi wa-barakātuh.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, the comments of the Prophet (p) on the Jews may and does apply for everyone who commits what they committed, whether they be Jewish or gentile, since Allāh looks at one's own deeds independent of his/her ethnicity.
So, the Quran at one instance describes the Israelites as the best of nations when at a point of time they deserved that, then the Quran describes how they diverged.
Wa-jazāki Allāhu kulla khayr.
we should put together great scholars work for some benefit in this type of matter. it will help us get to straight path.
ReplyDeleteMuhammad Yahya's Blog
How did they diverge?
ReplyDeleteBy your logic, if in fact the Tanach is anti Semitic in the way you claim, then it follows that there IS NO antisemetic literature in all of history. Not even Hitlers Mein Kampf.
ReplyDeleteBUT if we examine the matter more closely we'll see that unlike other literature, the Torah when ever it reprimands the jews it does so in a loving way.
An analogy can be given to a black parent who reprimands his child, not to do this or that. And then someone else comes along and calls the child a "dirty 'n word'".
I'm not claiming that the Tanakh is anti-Semitic. I'm claiming that the prophets (peace be upon them all) all brought the same message, and that one should not be surprised that the final prophet sent to humanity said the same things as all the prophets before him.
DeleteThe Quran is very objective when it comes to Israelites and anyone else.
ReplyDeleteThe Quran praises them:
2:47, 2:122
"Children of Israel! Recall My favour which I bestowed upon you, exalting you above all nations."
45:16
"Indeed We endowed the Children of Israel with the Book and Wisdom and Prophethood, and provided them with good things as sustenance, and exalted them above the peoples of the whole world."
Then the Quran reprimands them:
Worshipping the calf (2:51)
Corrupting the Scriptures (2:75-79, 5:41)
Killing the prophets (2:61, 3:21, 3:112, 5:70)
Chapter 2 of the Quran is mostly about the Israelites, both praising and condemning them. Please read all of it.
Also, when it comes to the Muslims after Prophet Muhammad ﷺ the Quran is very objective, by saying they are "the best nation sent to humanity" BUT ON THE CONDITION that "they enjoin good and forbid evil."
Thanks.