Appearance
Verse 62
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالنَّصَارَىٰ وَالصَّابِئِينَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ٦٢
(2:62) Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabaeans, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.
Commentary
The verse first mentions the believers, and then says, “whoever believes in God …” The context shows that the latter phrase refers to the real belief, the true imān, and that the word, “those who believe,” (mentioned at first) refers to those who call themselves believers. The verse says that God gives no importance to names, like the believers, the Jews, the Christians or the Sabaeans. One cannot get a reward from God, nor can he be saved from punishment, merely by giving oneself good titles, as they, for example, claim that: no one will enter the Garden except he who was a Jew or a Christian (). The only criterion, the only standard, of honor and happiness is the real belief in God and the Day of Resurrection, accompanied by good deeds. It should be noted that God did not say, ‘whoever of them believes’; otherwise it would have accorded some recognition to these titles, and would have implied that there was, after all, some benefit in acquiring these names.
This theme has been repeatedly expounded in the Qur’an. The honor and felicity depend entirely on true and sincere servitude; no name, no adjective, can do any good unless it is backed by correct belief and good deeds. This rule is applicable to all human beings, right from the prophets to the lowest rank. Look how God praises His prophets with all beautiful and excellent attributes, and then says: and if they had set up others [with Him] certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them (). Also, He describes the high status and great prestige of the Holy prophet and his companions, and then ends it with these words: Allah has promised those among them who believe and do good, forgiveness and a great reward (). Ponder on the significance of the phrase “among them.”
Then we find that God had given a man some of His signs but he went astray: and if We had pleased, We would certainly have exalted him thereby, but he clung to the earth and followed his low desire … ().
There are many verses clearly showing that the honor and respect with God depends on reality, not on appearance.
Examining Narrations
- Salmān al-Fārisi said: “I asked the Prophet about the people of that religion which I followed (prior to Islam), and I described their (way of) prayer and worship. Then it was revealed: Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews…” (al-Durr al-manthūr)
Author’s comment: Various other traditions with different chains of narrators, say that this verse was revealed about the people of Salmān.
- Ibn Faḍḍāl said: “I asked Imam al-Riḍā why “al-Naṣārā” (the Christians) were given that name. He said: ‘Because they were from a village called al-Nāṣirah (Nazareth) in Syria. Mary and Jesus settled there after they returned from Egypt.’ ” (Maʿani al-akhbār)
Author’s comment: We shall comment on this tradition when writing on the stories of Jesus in Chapter 3 (The Family of ʿImrān), God willing.
- The same tradition says that “al-Yahūd” (the Jews) got this name because they are descended from Yahūda, son of Yaʿqūb. (ibid.)
- The Imam said: “The Sabaeans are a people, neither Zoroastrian nor Jews, neither Christians nor Muslims; they worship the stars and planets. (al-Tafsīr, al-Qummi)
Author’s comment: It is idol-worship of a special type; they worshiped only the idols of the stars, while others worshiped whatever idol caught their fancy.
Discourse
The discussion “A Historical Discussion (About the Sabaeans)” appears here in the printed volume. Read it in the Al-Mizan App.
In those days, all the land now divided into Syria, Jordan, Lebnon and Palestine, was called Syria or Greater Syria. (Trans.) ↩︎