The Quran

Preface

قُل يا أَهلَ الكِتابِ لَستُم عَلىٰ شَيءٍ حَتّىٰ تُقيمُوا التَّوراةَ وَالإِنجيلَ وَما أُنزِلَ إِلَيكُم مِن رَبِّكُم ۗ وَلَيَزيدَنَّ كَثيرًا مِنهُم ما أُنزِلَ إِلَيكَ مِن رَبِّكَ طُغيانًا وَكُفرًا ۖ فَلا تَأسَ عَلَى القَومِ الكافِرينَ

Yusuf Ali

Say: “O People of the Book! ye have no ground to stand upon unless ye stand fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord.” It is the revelation that cometh to thee from thy Lord, that increaseth in most of them their obstinate rebellion and blasphemy. But sorrow thou not over (these) people without Faith.¹

In 5:26 Moses was told not to sorrow over a rebellious people. Here Muḥammad is told not to sorrow over people without faith. The second situation is even more trying than the first. Rebellion may be a passing phase. Want of faith is an attitude of mind that is well-nigh hopeless. Yet the Prophet patiently reasoned with them and bore their taunts and insults. If, the argument runs, you do not believe in anything, even in the things that you may be expected to believe in, how can you receive, in faith, God’s Message that has come in another form? In fact your jealousy adds to your obstinacy and unbelief.