Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 120

In this verse, there is a severe warning that even if, hypothetically, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) were to follow the desires of the Jews and Christians to please them, there would be no way for him to be saved either. Although the addressee of this verse is the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the lesson is given to the Ummah: {”أَهْوَاءٌ“ ’’هَوًي‘‘} is the plural of {’’هَوٰي‘‘}, meaning desire. That is, the real guidance is that which comes from Allah Almighty, and that is the Qur’an and Sunnah. These people do not possess the real guidance; they only have a religion made according to their desires. Innovation (bid‘ah) is also called {’’هَوٰي‘‘}, because it too is introduced into the religion according to one’s own desires. Just as following the desires and innovations of the Jews and Christians to please them leads to destruction, similarly, following the desires and innovations of any group of innovators to please them also leads to destruction.

120. 1 That is, adopt Judaism or Christianity.
120. 2 Which is now in the form of Islam, to which the Noble Prophet ﷺ is inviting, not the altered Judaism and Christianity.
120. 3 This is a warning that even after knowledge has come, if you follow them merely to please those who are themselves misguided, then you will have no helper. In fact, this is teaching the Ummah of Muhammad that for the sake of pleasing the people of innovation and the misguided, they too should not do such acts, nor commit interference and undue involvement in the religion.

120. The Jews and the Christians will never be pleased with youﷺ until you follow their religion [144]. Say, "Indeed, the guidance is Allah's guidance [145]." And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you will have no protector or helper against Allah [146].

[144] Here, "Millat" does not refer to the religion mentioned in the Torah or the Gospel, but rather to that religion which also includes all those absurdities which these people have taken as religion, and those customs and ways which these people have adopted. Therefore, do not worry about keeping them pleased, because it is impossible for them to be pleased with youﷺ until you become involved in the same misguidances of beliefs and actions in which they are entangled.

[145] After yourﷺ prophethood, it is obligatory for all people to have faith in youﷺ: Guidance from Allah always comes in accordance with the needs of the time, and only that guidance is valid which the prophet of that time brings. So, in this era, Allah's guidance is in the Quran, and it is necessary for everyone to have faith in it. Thus, Hazrat Jabirؓ narrates from the Messenger of Allahﷺ that Hazrat Umarؓ came to youﷺ with a copy of the Torah and said, "O Messenger of Allahﷺ, this is a copy of the Torah." Youﷺ remained silent. Hazrat Umarؓ began to read it, and the face of the Messenger of Allahﷺ kept changing. Seeing this situation, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiqؓ said to Hazrat Umarؓ, "Woe to you! Do you not see the face of the Messenger of Allahﷺ?" When Hazrat Umarؓ saw signs of anger on yourﷺ face, he said, "I seek refuge with Allah from the anger of Allah and His Messengerﷺ. We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our religion, and with Muhammadﷺ as our Prophet." Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allahﷺ said, "By Him in whose hand is the life of Muhammadﷺ, if Musa were present today and you were to follow him, leaving me, you would surely go astray. And if Musaؑ himself were alive and found the time of my prophethood, he would certainly follow me." [دارمي، بحواله مشكوٰة شريف، كتاب الايمان باب الاعتصام بالكتاب والسنة فصل ثالث] And in another narration from Hazrat Jabirؓ, the words are: "If Musa were alive, he would have no choice but to follow me." [احمد بيهقي فى شعب الايمان، بحواله مشكوٰة باب ايضاً فصل ثاني]

[146] This warning is by way of supposition. That is, even if you were to do so, no one could save you from Allah. In other words, the Ummah is being informed with utmost emphasis that if anyone, after accepting Islam, becomes a Jew or Christian again, then no one can save him from Allah's punishment.