The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 154
CH. 2 AL-BAQARAH profess to be believers in Islam, i. e. the Muslims. Thus there means only profession of Islam. The word has been used in the sense of Muslim elsewhere also in the Quran (4:137). (the Jews) means, those who profess the Jewish religion. The word is derived from which literally means, he turned towards the truth or towards God with repentance (Aqrab). The word also signifies returning towards a thing slowly or walking tardily (Mufradāt). PT. 1 Eth. , viii, under Mandaeans); (2) The faith which was a sort of patch-work of Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism (Kathir, under 2:63); (3) A people who lived near Mosul in Iraq and believed in one God but had no known Law or Book. They claimed to follow the religion of Noah (Jarīr & Kathir, under 2:63); (4) A people who lived round about Iraq and professed belief in all the Prophets of God and had a special system of prayer and fasting (Kathīr). Some Muslim Jurists looked upon as الصابئين | the Christians is derived) النصارى fromi. e. he helped. As the disciples of Jesus sided with him as God's helpers (3:53), so they came to be known as i. e. helpers. Or the word ناصرة is connected with (Nazareth), a village which was the scene of Jesus' childhood. In either case has come to signify the followers of Jesus, i. e. those who profess the Christian religion (Mufradāt). (the Sabians) is derived from. They say i. e. he forsook one religion and adopted another. النجم appearance means, the star made its (Aqrab). Literally, therefore, is one who forsakes his old religion and adopts a new one. Technically, however, the word refers to certain religious sects that were found in parts of Arabia and countries bordering on it. The name was applied to the following faiths: (1) The star-worshipping people living in Mesopotamia (Gibbon's Roman Empire, v. 440 and Murūjudh -Dhahab by Mas'udi and Enc. Rel. 154 a People of the Book, allowing them the same privileges as are allowed to the latter. None of the above-mentioned peoples should, confused with the however, be Sabeans (not Sabians) mentioned by certain commentators of the Bible as people inhabiting ancient Yemen. In this connection see also R. Rel. xl. 129-132. whichever party from) من آمن بالله among these truly believes in Allah). Here means true belief, i. e. the belief which counts true in the sight of God and not merely profession of a certain faith. The Quran uses the word in this sense in 49:15. Commentary: This verse wedged in among the verses recounting the iniquities of the Israelites seems rather misplaced. But deeper study shows that it has been most fittingly placed here. In fact, the Quran is not a book of stories but has come with the declared object of uplifting those who have fallen morally and spiritually. It follows a psychological order in perfect