Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 46

(Ayah 46) ➊ { وَ لَا تُجَادِلُوْۤا اَهْلَ الْكِتٰبِ … :} That is, the religion of the polytheists is fundamentally wrong, and the religion of the People of the Book was originally true, so do not argue with them in the same way as with the others, by cutting off their argument from the root, but rather explain the matter gently and appropriately, except for those among them who (openly) resort to injustice; their punishment is the same (that is, treat them according to their crime). (Mawaddih)
➋ After the command to recite the Book of Allah, it is said that among the People of the Book, whoever listens and argues to understand, argue with them only in the best possible manner. Who knows, perhaps they may accept the right path. In another verse, this command is general, and in the invitation to religion, the same method is to be adopted with everyone. It is said: «{ اُدْعُ اِلٰى سَبِيْلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَ الْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَ جَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِيْ هِيَ اَحْسَنُ اِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِمَنْ ضَلَّ عَنْ سَبِيْلِهٖ وَ هُوَ اَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِيْنَ }» [ النحل : ۱۲۵ ] "Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good advice, and argue with them in the best manner. Surely your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best those who are guided." And it is said: «{ وَ لَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَ لَا السَّيِّئَةُ اِدْفَعْ بِالَّتِيْ هِيَ اَحْسَنُ فَاِذَا الَّذِيْ بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَهٗ عَدَاوَةٌ كَاَنَّهٗ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيْمٌ }» [ حٰمٓ السجدۃ : ۳۴ ] "And good and evil are not equal. Repel (evil) with that which is best, then suddenly the one between whom and you there was enmity will become as if he were a devoted friend." And as Musa and Harun (peace be upon them) were sent to Pharaoh, it was commanded: «{ فَقُوْلَا لَهٗ قَوْلًا لَّيِّنًا لَّعَلَّهٗ يَتَذَكَّرُ اَوْ يَخْشٰى }» [ طٰہٰ : ۴۴ ] "So speak to him gently, perhaps he may take heed or fear."
➌ { اِلَّا الَّذِيْنَ ظَلَمُوْا مِنْهُمْ :} That is, those among them who persist in oppression, display stubbornness and prejudice, and refuse to accept the truth, then debates and arguments are useless with such people; it is permissible to be firm in speech with them, and later, instead of argument, there will be fighting with them, until they believe or agree to pay jizyah, as it is said: «{ قَاتِلُوا الَّذِيْنَ لَا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَ لَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ وَ لَا يُحَرِّمُوْنَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللّٰهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهٗ وَ لَا يَدِيْنُوْنَ دِيْنَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِيْنَ اُوْتُوا الْكِتٰبَ حَتّٰى يُعْطُوا الْجِزْيَةَ عَنْ يَّدٍ وَّ هُمْ صٰغِرُوْنَ }» [ التوبۃ : ۲۹ ] "Fight those who do not believe in Allah nor in the Last Day, nor forbid what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor follow the religion of truth, among those who were given the Book, until they pay the jizyah with their own hands and feel themselves subdued." In the Makkan surahs, there are several indications of fighting with the disbelievers in the coming time.
➍ { وَ قُوْلُوْۤا اٰمَنَّا بِالَّذِيْۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْنَا :} In this, we are commanded that when the People of the Book mention something in debate about which it is not known whether it is authentic or false, true or a lie, then we should neither call it a lie, for it may be true, nor call it true, for it may be a lie, but rather have a general faith in it, with the condition that it was revealed by Allah, and that there has been no alteration or misinterpretation in it, and say, "We believe in what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to you." Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: [ كَانَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ يَقْرَءُوْنَ التَّوْرَاةَ بِالْعِبْرَانِيَّةِ ، وَ يُفَسِّرُوْنَهَا بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ لِأَهْلِ الْإِسْلاَمِ فَقَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا تُصَدِّقُوْا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ، وَلاَ تُكَذِّبُوْهُمْ وَ «{قُوْلُوْا آمَنَّا بِاللہِ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَا }» ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب : «قولوا آمنا باللہ …» : ۴۴۸۵ ] "The People of the Book used to recite the Torah in Hebrew and interpret it in Arabic for the Muslims, so the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'Do not call the People of the Book truthful nor call them liars, and say: We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us.'" It should be clear that regarding the earlier books, it is necessary to accept in general that they were also revealed by Allah Almighty, but action will only be taken according to the Qur'an and Hadith. For further details on this subject, see the section on Isra'iliyyat in the introduction to this tafsir.
➎ { وَ اِلٰهُنَا وَ اِلٰهُكُمْ وَاحِدٌ …:} That is, try to convince the People of the Book by presenting issues that are common between you and them, the most important of which is the oneness of Allah Almighty, which, despite distortions, is still found in many places in the Torah and the Gospel. See the commentary of Surah Al-Imran, verse (64).