^[1] God - Who is fully aware of everything and from Whom nothing can remain hidden - the angels - who can directly observe His rule and are designated to carry out His directives and commands - and those among humans who are bestowed with true knowledge and understanding and are not influenced by their petty prejudices and affiliations - all bear witness God is the only deity and there is no one who can be considered remotely equal to Him.

^[2] An essential element in the correct concept relating to God is that even with His absolute authority and control over everything, God is the Maintainer of Justice. All His decisions and commands are always just. Everything and every decision that has ever emanated from Him or ever will emanate from Him is based on justice. Nevertheless, during the life of this world humans are being tested for their freewill and authority, because of which corruptions and injustices emerge. As a result, man can sometimes become skeptical about God's Justice. The Qur'an tells us that this is only because God has allowed man to carry out his freewill for a limited period of time, after the expiry of which, the Day of Judgment will be established in which once again God's absolute and unadulterated justice will prevail. As signs for this Day of Judgment and justice, at a comparatively smaller level, God first sent His messengers towards various nations and then subjected these nations to His Judgment and justice by separating the believers and the rejecters from among them and then by granting authority and blessings upon the believers and by subjecting the rejecters to severe punishments during the life of this world. Subsequently, at a much wider level, God selected the progeny of Abraham (pbuh) and appointed it as witnesses of God's justice for the whole world. These arrangements are in fact a reminder for the world that God is not indifferent towards man's obedience and transgressions and that, as a Maintainer of Justice, He will most certainly bring about a Day on which every individual shall be faced with the results of His moral and immoral endeavors during the life of this world.

^[3] God's justice combined with the fact that there is no other deity which has any influence or control over His decisions, and also with the fact that God is All-Powerful - nothing can hinder him from carrying out His decisions - and All-Wise - He did not create this world without a wise and just end - leads us to to the conclusion that there will soon be a day on which God's absolute justice will prevail, a day on which no one will be in a position to influence God's decisions or hinder Him from implementing his decisions. This judgment of the world will surely come by, for God has the power to bring it about and because without such a judgment, all wisdom and purpose will be lacking from this vast creation.

^[4] The two basis of the religion of Islam are belief in the oneness of God and belief in Day of Judgment. This is the religion based on unqualified submission to the Almighty - i.e., Islam.

^[5] Islam means complete and unqualified submission to the Almighty.

^[6] i.e., the Banu Ishmael. Although the word literally means unlettered or uneducated, yet it was used for the Banu Ishmael in contrast to the Banu Israel, who had been granted the Book of God and among whom a chain of prophets and messengers of God were risen. Thus, for the Banu Ishmael, the word unlettered was used in a special sense, implying the lack of any books being revealed to them.

^[7] This is a reference to the Israelites.

^[8] The phrase 'without a just cause', on the one hand, signifies the gravity of the sin of attempting to kill the prophets of God, while on the other, it also implies that no life - even if it be that of a prophet - has more sanctity than the requirements of justice.

^[9] It is human nature that when one is bent upon injustice and arrogance, then he develops a hatred towards those who even try to talk him out of his transgressions.

^[10] All their conspiracies against the Prophet (pbuh) and his followers were rendered useless and in not so long a time they were badly humiliated and turned out of their houses, while no one even thought of stepping forward to help them.

^[11] Especially relating to their concepts of eternal salvation and the lack of eternal punishment for them, irrespective of their deeds.

^[12] The Torah consisted mainly of al-Kitaab - that is, the law - while the Gospels consisted of al-Hikmah - that is the wisdom and the spirit of the laws of God. The Zaboor (i.e., the Psalms) was a prelude to and a supplication for the Gospels. The Qur'an, on the other hand, combines both the elements of Al-Kitaab and Al-Hikmah and, from this perspective, the previous books were, in a way, a part of the final Book of God.

^[13] From among the people who are not only the bearers of the previously revealed parts of this book, but were in fact waiting for the final Prophet, as was prophesied in their own books. These were the people who should have been the foremost believers of this Book, but because of their petty prejudices, they have taken to being its foremost rejecters.

^[14] That is, their rejection is not because of their lack of understanding the message or of any real doubts regarding it in their minds and it is not because of anything lacking in the efforts on the part of the Prophet (pbuh) in delivering the message of God. Their rejection is only because these people are bent upon rejecting it; they had decided about rejecting it, even before understanding it.

^[15] Whatever their deeds may be, they would not be put to eternal punishment. This belief has prompted them to take an arrogant stand against the Prophet (pbuh), reducing the value and gravity of surrendering and submitting to the decisions of Almighty.

^[16] Although, it is apparently a supplication, it entails the glad tidings for the believers that the great kingdom of the Israelites will now soon be transferred to the Banu Ishmael and also entails a warning for the rejecters that if they do not cleanse themselves of their arrogance and rejection, they shall then soon be subjected to humiliation and subjugation.

^[17] 'Whom you will' in all these sentences implies for whomsoever God decides according to His absolute knowledge, perfect wisdom and abounding mercy. These statements imply that the decisions of God in this regard cannot be influenced by anyone. No one holds a position of favorites of God and no one can influence God's decisions.

^[18] The rise and fall of nations is not a matter of chance. Just as God controls all the natural phenomena, so does He control the rise and fall of nations. A shining day was rising for and a rejuvenated life was being granted to the Banu Ishmael, who were previously wandering in darkness and slumber. This was in the fulfillment of the promise made to their father Abraham (pbuh), on the one hand, and a reward for their acceptance and submission to God's truth which was being revealed to them, on the other.

^[19] The fate of these rejecters is now merely a matter of time. Believers should be cautious in siding with them, preferring them over their brethren in faith.

^[20] i.e., against His punishment for disregarding His directives. Those, who take these rejecters as friends rather than the believers, may be faced with the same fate as has been ordained for these rejecters.

^[21] This is especially with reference to the inclinations of some of the people among the Muslims towards the People of the Book.

^[22] It is with this all-encompassing knowledge and power that God's justice will be implemented for these rejecters at the hands of this Prophet (pbuh) and then, finally, on the Day of Judgment.

^[23] It is only indicative of His all-encompassing compassion and abounding mercy that God has provided for all the guidance that was necessary for man's success on the Day of Judgment.

^[24] If one truly loves God and wants to please Him, then the only way for such a person is to take to the path that God has clearly laid out. The advent of a prophet of God brings this path to light. Therefore, after having recognized the Prophet of God, the only way to win the pleasure of God is to follow the Prophet of God.

^[25] If, after all these admonitions and warnings from God, these people continue to disregard the call of the Prophet (pbuh) and continue to have their sympathies and inclinations towards the People of the Book, then they too shall be placed in the ranks of the rejecters of the Prophet (pbuh).