Or, do you say that Ibrahim and Isma'il and Ya'qiib and the...

Or, do you say that Ibrahim and Isma'il and Ya'qiib and the tribes were Jews or Christians?” Say: “Are you better knowing or Allah? And who is more unjust than he who conceals a testimony that he has from Allah? And Allah is not at all heedless of what you do” (140). This is a people that have passed away; they shall have what they earned and you shall have what you earn, and you shall not be called upon to answer for what they did (141).

Commentary Qur’an: And they say: “Be Jews and Christians, you will be rightly guided” : The preceding verses made it clear that the true religion followed by the children of Ibrahim - Isma'il and Ishaq as well as Ya'qub and his descendants - was the same Islam which was the religion of Ibrahim, the upright one.

It means that the differences and divisions, the schisms and sects, which the proponents of Judaism and Christianity call to, have actually originated from their own desires; they are just a few toys manu­factured by them. They are in great disputations, schisms and disagreements, they are divided into numerous sects and religious groups, they have dyed the religion of Allah - the religion of Unity, the religion of Oneness - with colours of their bias and prejudice, their desires and ambitions.

But the religion is not divided; it is one, in the same way as God, Who is to be wor­shipped, is One; it is the religion of Ibrahim; the Muslims should firmly keep hold of this original religion, discarding the differences and dissensions of the People of the Book aside. Although the life in this world looks like a constant phe­nomenon, in reality it is continuously changing. The same applies to all the natural world.

Even the rites, customs and manners of various nations and groups are not immune from this propensity to change. More often than not, it causes changes and deviations even in religious matters. Sometimes extraneous things are inserted in religion; at other times, an essential part is declared anathema; worldly goals and ideals replace the Divine and religious goals and aims. What a tragedy is it for religion!

When it happens, the religion is dyed in national or tribal colour, and starts calling to a goal other than the original one; it focuses its sight on innova­tions, forgetting its original purpose. In a short while, the evil (i.e., the innovation) becomes virtue. People support and defend it, because it agrees with their desires and cravings.