SURAH AL-IMRAN THE FAMILY OF IMRAN.

. TAFSIR BY AMINA ELAHI VERSES 71-80 O people of the book why do you mix truth with false and conceal the truth while you know And a party of the people of the book say believe in the morning in that which is revealed to the Muslims and reject it at the end of the day so they may turn back. This is something the Jews used to delight in doing in that a Jew would come up and become a Muslim and at the end of the day he would say no no I have realised that this is not the right deen. And the purpose of their doing so was to sow doubts and confusion in the minds of the weaker Muslims so they would think what did he find out about Islam so that he renounced Islam. So Allah is revealing some of their conspiracies to us. And they say believe no-one except the one who follows your religion. They were so stubbornly convinced that they were on the right path that they had closed their minds to even listening to the truth. Tell them the true guidance is the guidance of Allah. Its not the property. Its not the birth right of anyone, or any ummah. Guidance belongs to Allah. And do not believe that anyone can receive the like of that which you have received otherwise they would engage you in argument before your Lord. Tell them bounty is in the hands of Allah, he gives it to whom he wills. And Allah is vast. All knowing. In other words tell them that they cannot confine this guidance. He selects for his mercy whom he wills and Allah is the owner of great bounty. Among the people of the book is he who is entrusted with a great amount of wealth who will readily pay of that. In other words not all of them are bad, there are some amongst them who are so honest that even if you were to give them a huge amount of wealth they would pay it back to you. And among them is he who is entrusted with a single silver coin will not repay it unless you constantly stand demanding because they say there is no blame on us to betray and take the properties of the illiterate. The Jews used to feel if they cheated the Arabs they wouldnt be punished for it. And some Muslims also erroneously believe that if you can cheat non-Muslims youre not punished, but that is totally wrong; youre not allowed to cheat anyone. But they tell a lie against Allah while they know it. Whoeve fulfils a pledge (whether he made it to a Muslim or a non-Muslim) and is conscious of Allah (he did it for Allahs sake) then indeed Allah loves those who are Allah conscious. Indeed those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allahs covenant and their oath, they shall have no portion in the hereafter. Neither will Allah speak to them nor look at the them on the Day of Judgment, nor will he purify them and they shall have a painful torment on the Day of Judgment. People who make false promises in Allahs name. People who use deen to gain power. And indeed among them is a party who distort the book with their tongues so that you may think it is from the book, but it not from the book. And they say this is from Allah but it is not from Allah and they speak a lie against Allah while they know it.

It is not possible for any human being to whom Allah has given the book and knowledge and Prophethood to say to the people, be my worshippers rather than Allahs. On the contrary he would say be you learned men because you are teaching the book and studying it Nor would he order you to take angles and prophets for Lords. Would he order you to disbelieve after you have submitted to Allahs will? Allah teaches us the true purpose of dawah, of tabligh, is to connect people to Allah not to yourself, not so that you want people to admire you. We have to connect them to Allah.