Verse 139 of Surah Al-Baqarah was revealed within the framework of religious dialogues between the believers and the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), elucidating the nature of religious disputes among these groups. This verse, by posing a fundamental question regarding the rationale behind the contention among the monotheistic religions, underscores the unity of Divine Lordship, the independence of the responsibility for deeds, and sincerity in worship. The Medinan context of this verse, wherein religious interactions between the believers and the People of the Book were commonplace, provides the groundwork for addressing issues that hold significance not only at the time of revelation but also in contemporary eras for understanding religious disagreements and managing them. This section, adopting a scholarly and systematic approach, analyses the content of the verse and its various dimensions, enriching the literary texture with refined illustrations while preserving its academic character.
قُلْ أَتُحَاجُّونَنَا فِي اللَّهِ وَهُوَ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمْ وَلَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُخْلِصُونَ
Say: Do you dispute with us concerning Allah, when He is our Lord and your Lord? For us are our deeds, and for you are your deeds. And we are sincerely devoted to Him.
Verse 139 of Surah Al-Baqarah, continuing from the preceding verses (such as verses 137 and 138), rejects the superficial claims of the People of the Book and affirms the principles of monotheism. Disputation, here understood as baseless debate or quarrel, stands in opposition to the unity of belief among the Abrahamic religions. This verse, addressing the believers, urges them to ask the People of the Book: Why do you dispute with us regarding Allah? This question functions as a key that unlocks the deadlock of fruitless disagreements and illuminates the fundamental commonalities among the monotheistic faiths.
The phrase and He is our Lord and your Lord emphasises the oneness of the Lord and considers any theological dispute unfounded. This unity resembles a river connecting all branches of the Abrahamic faiths to a single source. The Holy Quran, with this statement, reminds the People of the Book that Allah is the Lord of all, and contention over Him is futile.
The expression for us are our deeds, and for you are your deeds indicates the independent accountability of each group for their own actions. This principle is akin to the two pans of a scale, each holding one group responsible for their deeds and preventing interference in others' affairs. The Quran, through this statement, regards disputing over deeds as futile because Allah Himself is the just Judge.
The phrase and we are sincerely devoted to Him highlights the sincerity of the believers in their worship. Sincerity is like a gem that shines against the superficial claims of the People of the Book and serves as a criterion for the superiority of the believers faith. This principle, by emphasising purity of intention, marginalises fruitless disputes.
Verse 139 of Surah Al-Baqarah employs three present participle clauses (and He is our Lord and your Lord, for us are our deeds and for you are your deeds, and and we are sincerely devoted to Him) to illustrate a simultaneous state concurrent with the act of disputing. This structure resembles a triple melody displaying the unity of Lordship, independence of deeds, and sincerity in a harmonious semantic arrangement.
Verse 139 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by posing a question regarding the nature of conflict among the Abrahamic religions, emphasises the unity of Lordship, independence of deeds, and sincerity in worship. This verse acts as a beacon illuminating the path of religious dialogue and urges the believers to avoid fruitless disputations by relying on common doctrinal foundations. The analysis of this section reveals the rhetorical and semantic profundity of the verse in guiding the religious community towards unity and sincerity.
Verse 139 serves as an introduction to refuting the claim of the People of the Book in verse 140, wherein they consider Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes to be Jews or Christians. This claim functions as a wall dividing the Abrahamic religions, and the Quran decisively rejects it.
أَمْ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالْأَسْبَاطَ كَانُوا هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَىٰ ۗ قُلْ أَأَنْتُمْ أَعْلَمُ أَمِ اللَّهُ
Or do you say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes were Jews or Christians? Say: Are you more knowledgeable or is Allah?
This verse, with a direct question, challenges the exclusive claim of the People of the Book and invalidates it by reference to Divine knowledge. The Holy Quran, through this statement, functions like a sword severing the roots of ethnic prejudices.
Verse 140 introduces the concealment of testimony about the truth of the prophets as a great injustice. This concealment acts like a veil hiding the truth from sight, and the Quran strongly criticises it.
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ كَتَمَ شَهَادَةً عِنْدَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
And who is more unjust than one who conceals testimony he has from Allah? And Allah is not unaware of what you do.
This verse, emphasising Allahs awareness, regards the concealment of testimony as arising from hatred and prejudice, constituting a great injustice rooted in non-divine motives.
The Christian belief in the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) contradicts the unity of Lordship. This belief represents a branch separated from the tree of monotheism, which the Quran explicitly rejects.
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
He neither begets nor is born.
This statement, by negating any familial relation to Allah, challenges the Trinity and emphasises the unity of the Divine essence. He neither begets signifies that Allah is not a father, and nor is born that Allah is not the son of anyone. This statement acts like a light dispelling the darkness of polytheism.
The concept of beyond God, occasionally discussed in theological dialogues, is an impossible assumption. Allah, as the eternal and everlasting being, lacks any origin or source. This assumption resembles seeking a shadow within the sun, a notion devoid of logic in Islamic theology.
This section, focusing on the critique of the People of the Books claims and theological deviations such as the Trinity and concealment of testimony, demonstrates how the Quran, through decisive arguments, refutes ethnic prejudices and religious distortions. These verses function like a mirror revealing the truth against false claims and pave the way for dialogue based on monotheism.
Politics, in the analysis of this verse, is likened to a mould that accommodates all equally regardless
