Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:People of the Book: Difference between revisions

Jews and Christians, along with mysterious Sabeans of the Qur'an, form the "People of the Book", those with scriptures whose communities preceded Islam. The Qur'an has both good and bad things to say of them; taken in view of the hadith, though, the Islamic view of them is clear: they were people who had been given the Taurah and the Injeel, the true message of Allah, but for their own benefit hid and altered it. As such they are still subject to the wrath of Allah and doom. In terms of coexistance, they may be offered the ability to live under dhimmitude, paying the jizyah and feeling themselves subdued, so in this regard they are better off than polytheists who get the sword or Isalm. Despite this pact of "protection" as dhimmis or "protected ones" they are subject to numerous rules and regulations that set them apart from and under Muslims socially and economically. The tradition also saves special enmity for the Jews, whom it accuses of murdering Muhammad and who are blamed for their intransigence in resisting Muhammad and his movement. Theologically, they are accused raising up mere humans to divine figures (this accusation is made, as far as can be told baselessly, against the Jews in relation to the prophet Ezra) and are thus subject to destruction and doom eternal in the Fire.