PA minister warns against association with Jewish "propagators of evil" who pursue "Satanic aims"
Official PA TV broadcast the Friday sermon from the Al-Tashrifat Mosque in the presidential compound in Ramallah. The sermon was delivered by PA Minister of Religious Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash, in the presence of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah Central Committee member Abbas Zaki.
Minister of Religious Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash: "The problem with most people is that they read [the Quran] but don't understand; and if they understand, they don't act, and if they act, they don't devote themselves…
There are three verses on the same topic in Sura Al-Imran:
a. ‘O ye who believe! If ye listen to a faction among the People of the Book, they would (indeed) render you apostates after ye have believed! ‘ [Quran, Sura 3:100, Yusuf Ali translation]
b. ‘O ye who believe! Take not into your intimacy those outside your ranks: they will not fail to corrupt you. They only desire your ruin: Rank hatred has already appeared from their mouths: what their hearts conceal is far worse. We have made plain to you the Signs, if ye have wisdom.’ [Quran, Sura 3:118, Yusuf Ali translation]
c. ‘O ye who believe! If ye obey the Unbelievers, they will drive you back on your heels, and ye will turn back (from Faith) to your own loss. ‘ [Quran, Sura 3:149, Yusuf Ali translation]
These three verses address the same topic: alertness and wariness of enemies and interested parties with an agenda, who seek not the good of the [Muslim] nation, but seek to destroy it. Take note: ‘O ye who believe! If ye listen to a faction among the People of the Book’ – who use the Book as a tool to achieve their earthly and Satanic aims. Those whom it is unfit for you to heed, obey, hearken to, extend your hand in friendship to. These are your enemies.
The Quran warns you, Allah commands you, to be wary of their interests, of their claims. ‘If ye listen to a faction among the People of the Book' – these are the propagators of evil…
As Muslims, we have no absolute and comprehensive position concerning the People of the Book. We are commanded to treat them well, to care for them, to protect them, to refrain from harming them in their religion, from harming their places of worship – their synagogues and their churches. Nonetheless, the Quran warns about ‘a faction among the People of the Book’ who seek not your good, and exert themselves and act accordingly. Do not listen to them. Do not pay attention to them; do not befriend them. Do not obey them in anything, for they seek your ruin.
Concerning the second group of the People of the Book, it is written, ‘Take not into your intimacy those outside your ranks: they will not fail to corrupt you.’”
Note: According to Uri Rubin, Professor Emeritus of Arabic and Islamic studies at Tel-Aviv University, the first verse alludes to Jews who sought to make the Muslims abandon their faith in Muhammad; the second refers to hypocrites or Jews with whom the Muslims in Medina maintained bonds of friendship and alliance.
Minister of Religious Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash: "The problem with most people is that they read [the Quran] but don't understand; and if they understand, they don't act, and if they act, they don't devote themselves…
There are three verses on the same topic in Sura Al-Imran:
a. ‘O ye who believe! If ye listen to a faction among the People of the Book, they would (indeed) render you apostates after ye have believed! ‘ [Quran, Sura 3:100, Yusuf Ali translation]
b. ‘O ye who believe! Take not into your intimacy those outside your ranks: they will not fail to corrupt you. They only desire your ruin: Rank hatred has already appeared from their mouths: what their hearts conceal is far worse. We have made plain to you the Signs, if ye have wisdom.’ [Quran, Sura 3:118, Yusuf Ali translation]
c. ‘O ye who believe! If ye obey the Unbelievers, they will drive you back on your heels, and ye will turn back (from Faith) to your own loss. ‘ [Quran, Sura 3:149, Yusuf Ali translation]
These three verses address the same topic: alertness and wariness of enemies and interested parties with an agenda, who seek not the good of the [Muslim] nation, but seek to destroy it. Take note: ‘O ye who believe! If ye listen to a faction among the People of the Book’ – who use the Book as a tool to achieve their earthly and Satanic aims. Those whom it is unfit for you to heed, obey, hearken to, extend your hand in friendship to. These are your enemies.
The Quran warns you, Allah commands you, to be wary of their interests, of their claims. ‘If ye listen to a faction among the People of the Book' – these are the propagators of evil…
As Muslims, we have no absolute and comprehensive position concerning the People of the Book. We are commanded to treat them well, to care for them, to protect them, to refrain from harming them in their religion, from harming their places of worship – their synagogues and their churches. Nonetheless, the Quran warns about ‘a faction among the People of the Book’ who seek not your good, and exert themselves and act accordingly. Do not listen to them. Do not pay attention to them; do not befriend them. Do not obey them in anything, for they seek your ruin.
Concerning the second group of the People of the Book, it is written, ‘Take not into your intimacy those outside your ranks: they will not fail to corrupt you.’”
Note: According to Uri Rubin, Professor Emeritus of Arabic and Islamic studies at Tel-Aviv University, the first verse alludes to Jews who sought to make the Muslims abandon their faith in Muhammad; the second refers to hypocrites or Jews with whom the Muslims in Medina maintained bonds of friendship and alliance.