Transliteration:( Innal lazeena aamanoo wallazeena haadoo was saabi'eena wan nasaaraa wal Majoosa wallazeena ashrakooo innal laaha yafsilu bainahum yawmal qiyaamah; innal laaha 'alaa kulli shai'in shaheed )
"Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians, Christians, Magians [37], and Polytheists [38],—Allah will judge between them on the Day of Judgment [39]: for Allah is witness of all things."
This verse shows that Jews and Christians are neither true believers nor completely like polytheists or fire worshippers.
That’s why Allah mentions them separately, and Islamic law treats them differently—for instance:
Marriage with Women of the People of the Book is permissible.
Their slaughtered animals are lawful.
However, faith is incomplete without belief in the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
Even if one accepts the Day of Judgement, angels, Paradise, Hell, and all other Prophets, excluding the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ disqualifies a person from true belief.
The Prophet ﷺ is the foundation of faith.
This refers to those who worship idols, stones, or trees.
Although Jews and Christians may have forms of shirk, they do not worship idols—hence the distinct classification in the verse is not contradictory.
The final decision will take place on the Day of Judgment—believers will enter Paradise, and disbelievers will enter Hell.
While verbal judgments are already given in the Qur’an, this refers to the actual execution of reward and punishment, leaving no contradiction in meaning.
17. Verily, those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians, and the Majus, and those who worship others besides Allah; truly, Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. Verily, Allah is over all things a Witness.
Allah tells us about the followers of these various religions, the believers (Muslims) and others such as the Jews and Sabians. We have already seen a definition of them in Surat Al-Baqarah and have noted how people differ over who they are. There are also the Christians, Majus and others who worship others alongside Allah. Allah will
(judge between them on the Day of Resurrection) with justice; He will admit those who believed in Him to Paradise and will send those who disbelieved in Him to Hell, for He is a Witness over their deeds, and He knows all that they say and all that they do in secret, and conceal in their breast.
(22:17) On the Day of Resurrection[23] Allah will most certainly judge among those who believe,[23] and those who became Jews,[24] and Sabaeans,[25] and Christians,[26] and Magians,[27] and those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity.[28] Surely Allah watches over everything.
23. This means the Muslims of every age who believed in the Prophets of Allah and His Books up to the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): they included both the sincere Muslims and the wavering Muslims.
24. See (Surah An-Nisa, ayat 46) note 72.
25. Sabaeans: In ancient times two sects were known by this title:
(1) The followers of Prophet John, who were found in upper Iraq in large numbers and practiced baptism.
(2) The worshipers of stars, who ascribed their creed to Prophets Shith and Idris (peace be upon them) and believed that the elements were governed by the planets and the planets by the angels. Their center was at Harran with branches spread all over Iraq. These people have been well known for their knowledge of philosophy and science and their achievements in medicine. Probably here the first sect is referred to, because the second sect was not known by this name at the time the Quran was revealed.
26. See (Surah Al-Maidah, ayat 14) note 36.
27. That is, the fire worshipers of Iran, who believed in two gods, one of light and the other of darknesses, and regarded themselves as the followers of Zoroaster. Their creed and morals were so corrupted by Mazdak that a brother could easily enter into matrimony with his sister.
28. That is, the mushriks of Arabia and of other countries, who had no special name like those mentioned above.
29. That is, Allah will pass His judgment on the Day of Resurrection in regard to all the differences and disputes which take place between different people and different religions and will decide which of them was right and which was wrong.
[919]- See footnote of 4:79.
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