Translation
O Apostle: Convey the message that has been revealed to you by your Sustainer. If you do not do so (in its totality), then you have not delivered the message. (Rest assured that) God will protect you from people (who are hostile to the message); God does not guide people who deny the truth.
Say to the People of the Book: “You cannot claim to faith until you accept what is in the Torah and in the Gospel and what is being revealed from your Sustainer.” Surely what is being revealed to you (Prophet Mohammad) will make many of them (People of the Book) grow in arrogance and denial of truth; therefore, do not grieve for them. Indeed, anyone who has faith, and those from the Jews, the Sabians, and the Christians—whoever establishes (and demonstrates) faith in God and the Day of Judgment and does good (to others)—they will have no reason to grieve or fear (see also 2:64). 315
We (God) took a solemn pledge from the Children of Israel, and We (God) sent Messengers to them. But whenever a Messenger came to them whose message did not fit their earthly desires, they would call some of the Messengers liars, and some they would seek to kill, thinking that there would be harm in it. As a result they became blind and deaf (lost their ability to see and comprehend God’s message). But God turned to them (with mercy and forgiveness), but they again acted as blind and deaf. God sees all that they (we) do.
Interpretation
315 God’s message has to accepted in its totality—we cannot pick and choose as we please, as has been done by the people of Book in accepting certain parts and distorting other parts of the Torah and the Bible and opposing the message from the Prophet Mohammad that did not fit with their earthly desires. The Prophet Mohammad has been cautioned against such tendencies of the followers of the book and his own followers and has been assured that God will protect him and the message. At the end of the day, God assures us that any people who believe in God and do good things to others, irrespective of whether they call themselves Muslims, Jews, Christians, or followers of another faith, will be successful and rewarded by God. Such is the universality of the message from God contained in the Qur’an. People of all faiths should do the same!
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REFLECTION
God’s message for faith and good work is consistent in every Book of Revelations, and all who follow such guidance are on the right path. There is one God and one set of guidance for the human race, no matter how differently we might label ourselves and claim to follow it. Respecting all prophets, accepting all Books of Revelations, and learning and living the teachings from these Messengers of God will enable us to be the human beings that God wants us to be, and it is consistent with our innate predisposition, pure thoughts, and just conduct.
ACTION
We need to broaden our perspective on faith and good work beyond the narrowness of the clerics and the fundamentalists, and it can happen only if we endeavor to know the truth and secure the truth in our societies.