Page 460 - Bigotry: The Dark Danger

Bigotry:
The Dark Danger

The references in this verse are ones that no fanatic would ever
sign up to. This permission granted through the Qur'an is both
unlawful in their world, and also a terrifying scenario. Ask the fanat-
ic whether one can marry someone from the People of the Book, or
sit down and eat with them as their guest, and he will furiously reject
it. Fanatics do not act in compliance with the provisions of the

Qur'an, for they deny that it is the Qur'an that imposes command-
ments.

This is not the only verse to set out the position of the People of
the Book. God praises the People of the Book in many of the Qur'an's
verses. The related verses include:

Among the people of Moses there is a group who guide by the
truth and act justly in accordance with it. (Qur'an, 7:159)

They are not all the same. There is a community among the Peo-
ple of the Book who are upright. They recite God's signs through-
out the night, and they prostrate. They have faith in God and the
Last Day, and enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and compete
in doing good. They are among the righteous ones. They will not
be denied the reward for any good thing they do. God knows
those who have fear of God. (Qur'an, 3:113-115)

Among the people of the Book there are some who have faith in
God and in what has been sent down to you and what was sent
down to them, and who are humble before God. They do not sell
God's signs for a paltry price. Such people will have their reward
with their Lord. And God is swift at reckoning. (Qur'an, 3:199)

Those We gave the Book before this have faith in it.
When it is recited to them they say, "We have faith in it; it is the
truth from our Lord. We were already Muslims before it came."
(Qur'an, 28:52-53)

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