Surah 4:150
Show Full Scripture Context (4:150-152) — 3 Verses
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكۡفُرُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيۡنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَيَقُولُونَ نُؤۡمِنُ بِبَعۡضٖ وَنَكۡفُرُ بِبَعۡضٖ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَّخِذُواْ بَيۡنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلًا
Surely those who disbelieve in God and His messengers, and wish to make a distinction between God and His messengers, and say, ‘We believe in part, but disbelieve in part,’ and wish to take a way between (this and) that,
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ حَقّٗاۚ وَأَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٗا مُّهِينٗا
those – they in truth are the disbelievers. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment.
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَلَمۡ يُفَرِّقُواْ بَيۡنَ أَحَدٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ سَوۡفَ يُؤۡتِيهِمۡ أُجُورَهُمۡۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورٗا رَّحِيمٗا
But those who believe in God and His messengers, and make no distinction between any of them, those – He will give them their rewards. God is forgiving, compassionate.
Allah threatens those who disbelieve in Him and in His Messengers, such as the Jews and Christians, who differentiate between Allah and His Messengers regarding faith. They believe in some Prophets and reject others, following their desires, lusts and the practices of their forefathers. They do not follow any proof for such distinction, because there is no such proof. Rather, they follow their lusts and prejudices.
The Jews, may Allah curse them, believe in the Prophets, except ‘Isa and Muhammad, peace be upon them. The Christians believe in the Prophets but reject their Final and Seal, and the most honored among the prophets, Muhammad, peace be upon him. In addition, the Samirah (Samaritans) do not believe in any Prophet after Yuwsha' (Joshua), the successor of Mtisa bin “Imran. The Majus (Zoroastrians) are said to believe only in a Prophet called Zoroaster, although they do not believe in the law he brought them casting it behind them, and Allah knows best.
Therefore, whoever rejects only one of Allah’s Prophets, he will have disbelieved in all of them, because it is required from mankind to believe in every prophet whom Allah sent to the people of the earth. And whoever rejects one Prophet, out of envy, bias and personal whim, he only demonstrates that his faith in other Prophets is not valid, but an act of following desire and whim. This is why Allah said,
iVerily, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers... }
Thus, Allah describes these people as disbelievers in Allah and His Messengers;
iand wish to make distinction between Allah and His Messengers} in faith,
isaying, "We believe in some but reject others," and wish to adopt a way in between .}
Allah then describes them;
iThey are in truth disbelievers.}
meaning, their disbelief in the Prophet they claim to believe in is clear. This is because their claimed faith in a certain Messenger is not true, for had they truly believed in him, they would have believed in other Messengers, especially if the other Messenger has a stronger proof for his truthfulness. Or at least, they would have strived hard to acquire knowledge of the truth of the other Messenger.
Allah said,
iAttd We have prepared far the disbelievers a humiliating torment .}
This is just punishment for belittling the Prophets whom they disbelieved in, by ignoring what the Prophet brought to them from Allah, and because they are interested in the insignificant possessions of this world. Or, their behavior could be the result of their disbelief in the Prophet after they were aware of his truth, just as the Jewish rabbis did during the time of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah jg. The Jews envied the Messenger because of the great prophethood that Allah gave him, and as a consequence, they denied the Messenger, defied him, became his enemies and fought against him. Allah sent humiliation upon them in this life, that shall be followed by disgrace in the Hereafter,
4And they were covered with humiliation and misery, and they drew on themselves the wrath of Allah.}
in this life and the Hereafter. Allah’s statement,
4And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no distinction between any of them,}
This refers to the Ummah of Muhammad who believe in every Book that Allah has revealed and in eveiy Prophet whom Allah has sent. Allah said,
Allah then states that He has prepared great rewards for them, tremendous favor and a handsome bounty,
}We shall give them their rewards ;} because of their faith in Allah and His Messengers,
iand Allah is Ever Forgiving, Most Merciful .} for their sin, if they have any.