Authored by: Ash-Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him)
Translation by: Maulana Mukhtar Ahmad Nadwi (may Allah preserve him)
The people of ignorance (Jahiliyyah) used to claim that they would only follow the truth that was already with them from the time of their forefathers. As Allah Almighty says in the Quran:
"And when it is said to them, 'Believe in what Allah has revealed,' they say, 'We believe in what was revealed to us.' And they disbelieve in what came after it, even though it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say, 'Then why did you kill the prophets of Allah before, if you are indeed believers?'" [Al-Baqarah 2:91]
The phrase "what was revealed to us" refers either to the prophets of the Israelites, meaning they were implying that since the Quran was not revealed to a prophet from the Children of Israel, they would not believe in it. This clearly shows their envy and oppression.
Alternatively, "what was revealed to us" could mean they were only willing to follow what they were personally commanded to do. However, the Quran responded in such a way that left them speechless: even the laws revealed to the prophets from the Israelites were not followed by them; instead, they had killed those very prophets. They had no answer to this except for shame and regret.
Translation by: Maulana Mukhtar Ahmad Nadwi (may Allah preserve him)
The people of ignorance (Jahiliyyah) used to claim that they would only follow the truth that was already with them from the time of their forefathers. As Allah Almighty says in the Quran:
"And when it is said to them, 'Believe in what Allah has revealed,' they say, 'We believe in what was revealed to us.' And they disbelieve in what came after it, even though it is the truth confirming what is with them. Say, 'Then why did you kill the prophets of Allah before, if you are indeed believers?'" [Al-Baqarah 2:91]
The phrase "what was revealed to us" refers either to the prophets of the Israelites, meaning they were implying that since the Quran was not revealed to a prophet from the Children of Israel, they would not believe in it. This clearly shows their envy and oppression.
Alternatively, "what was revealed to us" could mean they were only willing to follow what they were personally commanded to do. However, the Quran responded in such a way that left them speechless: even the laws revealed to the prophets from the Israelites were not followed by them; instead, they had killed those very prophets. They had no answer to this except for shame and regret.