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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books An Enlightening Commentary into the Light of the Holy Qur'an vol. 3 Section 5: Invitation to the followers of the Book to Unity of Allah as a common basis of Faith Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 65 يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمَا أُنزِلَتِ التَّورَاةُ وَالإنجِيلُ إِلاَّ مِن بَعْدِهِ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ 65. "O' People of the Book! Why do you dispute about Abraham when the Torah was not sent down, neither the Evangel, but after him?

Have you then no sense? " Both Jewish people and Christian people considered Abraham exclusively theirs. These kinds of statements were so current that the Qur'an says: "Abraham was neither (as) Jew nor (as) Christian... " [^1] Hence this verse, to refer to the absurdity of their claim, addresses them both and says how do you know Abraham (as) the follower of the Torah and the Evangel while he lived before those two Books. Surely, the Book which was not revealed had not any follower.

So, do you not contemplate at least thus far that your speech be adapted to the history? "O' People of the Book! Why do you dispute about Abraham when the Torah was not sent down, neither the Evangel, but after him? Have you then no sense? " Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verse 66 هَاأَنتُمْ هَؤُلاء حَاجَجْتُمْ فِيمَا لَكُم بِهِ عِلمٌ فَلِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِيمَا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَاللّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ 66.

"Ha, you are those who disputed about that of which you had knowledge; why then do you dispute about that of which you have no knowledge? Surely Allah knows, and you know not." This verse is both a reminder and a warning to the People of the Book. It tells them that they raised objections and asked some inappropriate questions upon what they knew.

For instance at that time, they observed the natural life of Jesus (as) with their own eyes, and saw -his material needs: his need to food, his need to clothing, and his need to residence, yet they disputed about him. Some of them called him (as) a liar and some others considered him Son of God!

Or, they disputed about Muhammad (S) whose tokens were clearly cited in the Torah and Evangel and they were known to them.[^2] When you can not find a definite point and dispute upon what you know, why do you refer to a phenomenon that you have not knowledge about it and, for example, you seek for the religion of Abraham (as)?

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