There are people from every faith—Muslims, Jews, Christians, and even those called Sabians—who truly believe in Allah ﷻ and the Last Day, doing good deeds. For them, there is no fear or sadness ahead.
Remember when Allah ﷻ made a covenant with the Children of Israel: worship Him alone, care for parents and relatives, help the needy, speak kindly, keep up prayers, and give charity. Yet, after receiving these commands, many broke their promises and turned away—though most found themselves returning to old weakness or stubbornness, not true worship.
Recall the lesson about the Sabbath, when a group made secret tricks to get around Allah’s ﷻ command. Instead of obeying honestly, they bent the rules just for their own gain. Allah ﷻ made clear their hearts became hard—like stones, or even harder—a sign that miracles and warnings only help when people truly want to change.
Another story: when a murder happened and everyone argued, Allah ﷻ told the people to sacrifice a cow, but instead of listening easily, they kept asking for details, making it complicated. Still, the truth was revealed, showing Allah ﷻ knows what people hide.
These verses and stories were sent in the first couple of years the Prophet ﷺ and the early Muslims lived in Madinah (1–2 AH / 622–624 CE). At that time, debates between Muslims and Jews over God’s law and history were common. The Children of Israel had a rich tradition of Prophets and guidance, but the Qur’an called out the dangers of stubbornness, rule-bending, or treating religion as a game of loopholes—forgetting the aim is sincere faith.
The Sabbath story warned everyone: tricking the rules doesn’t just break them—it hardens the heart. Physical miracles, whether turning a dead person alive or revealing hidden crimes, still aren’t enough when people only care about comfort or winning an argument.
The lesson of the “cow” was given because the Children of Israel questioned and debated, always making simple commands into extra hardships. Instead of trusting Allah ﷻ and His Messenger, they doubted and politicized everything, turning worship into a burden.
For Jews and Muslims in Madinah, these reminders went deep. They showed how arrogance and stubbornness drain faith, and why group pride or old customs can blind a person to wisdom and truth.
Today, these stories remind us: religion at its core is about obedience, honesty, and humility. If you always seek shortcuts, loopholes, or make worship a contest, true faith is lost. Miracles and warnings only help when the heart is ready to change.
True success is about living simply, listening with trust, and accepting Allah’s ﷻ commands sincerely—not making things difficult for yourself or others just for pride.
Ready for the next part (Ayat 75–83: Ongoing Covenant Violations and Prophetic Rejection)?