Verses 62 and 63 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a radiant beacon in the sky of knowledge, critically address the exclusivist beliefs of the Jews and Christians, presenting the true criterion for felicity and entry into Paradise as absolute submission to the Truth and righteous conduct. These verses, by means of a rational and argumentative dialogue, on the one hand refute illusory aspirations, and on the other hand portray the path to salvation through existential integrity and benevolence. This exegesis, adopting a scientific and systematic approach, analyses these verses, employing noble metaphors and semantic links to elucidate the profound Quranic concepts. The objective is to offer a text that is illuminating for specialised audiences, particularly within academic environments, and to facilitate scientific and religious dialogue.
بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
And they said: None shall enter Paradise except those who are Jews or Christians. These are their vain desires. Say: Bring your proof, if you are truthful. Nay, whoever submits his face (self) to God while being a doer of good, for him is his reward with his Lord, and there shall be no fear upon them, nor shall they grieve.
Verses 62 and 63 of Surah Al-Baqarah, through a sagacious address to Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike, critically examine exclusivist beliefs and trace the root of many human adversities to such unfounded convictions. These verses, like a clear mirror, reveal the incongruity between exclusivist claims and divine truth.
From the perspective of philosophy of religion, these verses critique exclusivism and demonstrate that beliefs devoid of reason not only fail to lead to felicity but also result in misguidance and division. The Qurans emphasis on providing proof is an invitation to rational discourse and the avoidance of illogical prejudices.
The verses establish a verbal dialogue by quoting the Jews and Christians (And they said) and then providing the divine response (Say: Bring your proof), challenging the exclusivity claim of Paradise. This structure, akin to a wise debate, underscores the importance of argumentation and logic in religious discussions.
The phrase And they said in logical terms signifies not only speech but also firm belief. In formal logic, proposition of saying equates to proposition of belief, indicating the deep conviction of Jews and Christians in the exclusivity of Paradise.
Dukhool (entry) in the Quran connotes complete and secure admission into Paradise, whereas Wurood (arrival) refers to partial and reversible ingress. This distinction, like the difference between reaching the final destination and merely standing at the threshold, exemplifies the grandeur of the divine promise.
To illustrate this concept, one may refer to the metaphor of a traveller at an airport: a traveller passing through the airport entrance may still return, but upon passing through the final gate, arrival is complete and irreversible. Dukhool into Paradise signifies the full realisation of the divine promise.
The dogmatic belief of Jews and Christians in the exclusivity of Paradise is refuted through the narration The sincere are in great peril (wal-mukhlasoon fi khatarin azeem), which reveals that self-conceit in sincerity leads to misguidance.
The sincere are in great peril.
This critique, from the perspective of moral philosophy, stresses the error of religious self-superiority. Dogmatic belief without rational foundation neither leads to felicity nor avoids the risk of misguidance.
The claim of exclusivity of Paradise to Jews and Christians is tantamount to reducing Paradise to a small and limited space, which is incompatible with its divine grandeur. Paradise, like an infinite ocean, is open to all humanity and cannot be confined to any particular group.
The historical population of Jews and Christians, compared to the vastness of humanity, is negligible. Restricting Paradise to these groups is irrational from both rational and sociological perspectives.
Verses 62 and 63 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by critiquing exclusivist beliefs, emphasise the necessity of rational argumentation in religion. These verses, by inviting the presentation of proof, pave the way for scientific and religious dialogue and demonstrate that Paradise is a destination for all humanity, not a select group.
Hood (Jews) derives from the Hebrew root meaning praise and beauty, while Nasara stems from Nazareth, the birthplace of Jesus (peace be upon him). These names, like markers of ethnic and geographic identity, indicate the roots of exclusivist claims.
Hood refers to the descendants of Jacob (peace be upon him) who shaped an ethnic and religious identity. Nasara pertains to the followers of Jesus (peace be upon him) in Nazareth, a city near Hebron. This etym
