In helping us address the Debate Question (above), we must consider how scorn and enmity toward the Jews could have possibly arose, and then the allegedly divine retribution for the Jews' behavior.
At first, Muhammad and his Allah invited the Jews (and Christians) to Islam:
"O you who were given the Scripture, believe in what We have sent down [to Muhammad], confirming that which is with you, before We obliterate faces and turn them toward their backs or curse them as We cursed the sabbath-breakers. And ever is the decree of Allah accomplished." (Quran 4:47)
But sadly for Muhammad, many Jews were unwilling to believe him. Perhaps these Jews disapproved of Muhammad stealing goods from caravans, as this violated one of their Ten Commandments. Or maybe they did not want a god who is The Best of the Deceivers.
In any case, many Jews decided not to convert to Islam and become Muslims. And we thus have Quranic verses of scorn and enmity toward the Jews, verses guiding Muslims to this very day:
"Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute [Jizya] readily, being brought low." (Quran 9:29)
All this means is "Fight the Jews & Christians who do not believe Muhammad and his god, until the Muslims get paid a tribute."
Other verses of enmity and scorn toward the Jews include:"For the iniquity of the Jews We made unlawful for them certain (foods) good and wholesome which had been lawful for them..." (Quran 4:160)
"O Messenger! let not those grieve thee, who race each other into unbelief: (whether it be) among those who say 'We believe' with their lips but whose hearts have no faith; or it be among the Jews,- men who will listen to any lie..." (Quran 5:41)
And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah... How perverse are they!" (Quran 9:30) [as an aside note: The Jews have never regarded Ezra as the Son of God!]
At first, Muhammad and his Allah invited the Jews (and Christians) to Islam:
"O you who were given the Scripture, believe in what We have sent down [to Muhammad], confirming that which is with you, before We obliterate faces and turn them toward their backs or curse them as We cursed the sabbath-breakers. And ever is the decree of Allah accomplished." (Quran 4:47)
But sadly for Muhammad, many Jews were unwilling to believe him. Perhaps these Jews disapproved of Muhammad stealing goods from caravans, as this violated one of their Ten Commandments. Or maybe they did not want a god who is The Best of the Deceivers.
In any case, many Jews decided not to convert to Islam and become Muslims. And we thus have Quranic verses of scorn and enmity toward the Jews, verses guiding Muslims to this very day:
"Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute [Jizya] readily, being brought low." (Quran 9:29)
All this means is "Fight the Jews & Christians who do not believe Muhammad and his god, until the Muslims get paid a tribute."
Other verses of enmity and scorn toward the Jews include:"For the iniquity of the Jews We made unlawful for them certain (foods) good and wholesome which had been lawful for them..." (Quran 4:160)
"O Messenger! let not those grieve thee, who race each other into unbelief: (whether it be) among those who say 'We believe' with their lips but whose hearts have no faith; or it be among the Jews,- men who will listen to any lie..." (Quran 5:41)
And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah... How perverse are they!" (Quran 9:30) [as an aside note: The Jews have never regarded Ezra as the Son of God!]
- Finally, let us consider this most significant hadith:
- Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews. (Sahih Muslim 41:6985). CLEARLY, ALLAH'S MESSENGER, MUHAMMAD, ENVISIONS ONGOING STRIFE BETWEEN MUSLIMS AND JEWS UNTIL JUDGMENT DAY, LIKELY MANY YEARS FROM NOW (if it happens at all).