Overview (Verses 83- 84)

An Attitude Bringing Rich Rewards
 
“And you will certainly find that the nearest of them in affection to the believers are those who say, `We are Christians.’ This is so because there are priests and monks among them and because they are not given to arrogance.” (Verse 82) This verse and the four verses that follow it describe a certain condition and make a judgement concerning it. The description applies to a group of the followers of Jesus (peace be upon him) who describe themselves as Christians, and it states that these are the nearest of all people in their affection to the believers.
 
Although these verses leave us in no doubt that they describe a particular case to which the whole statement applies, many are those who are mistaken in their understanding of it. Their mistake causes a serious error in determining the Muslims’ attitude towards other camps. Hence, it is important to carefully study these verses and understand the particular case to which they apply.
 
That particular case applied to a certain group of Christians. They were closest in their affection to the believers, “because there are priests and monks among them and because they are not given to arrogance”. (Verse 82) Among them were people who were fully aware of the true Christian faith, and were prepared to acknowledge the truth whenever they realised it.
 
The Qur’ān clarifies the fact that this description does not apply to all those who claim to be Christians. It provides more details of the attitude of this particular group: “When they listen to what has been revealed to God’s Messenger, you see their eyes overflow with tears because of the Truth they recognise. They say: `Our Lord, we do believe; so enrol us among those who bear witness to the truth. How could we fail to believe in God and the truth that has come to us when we dearly hope that our Lord will admit us among the righteous?” (Verses 83-4)
 
This is a very vivid description of this group. They are so deeply touched when they listen to the Qur’ān that tears spring to their eyes in recognition of the truth they hear. In the first instance, they cannot express this recognition in any way better than allowing their eyes to overflow with tears. No words are adequate to describe their feelings. Such a response, indicative of profound effect, is a well-known human reaction.
 
Tearful eyes, however, are not enough. They do not wish to adopt a negative attitude to the truth they have recognised as a result of listening to the Qur’ān and its evident authoritativeness. They take a clear, positive attitude which accepts this truth, believes in it and submits to its authority. They declare their acceptance in a profound and frank manner, saying: “Our Lord, we do believe; so enrol us among those who bear witness to the truth. How could we fail to believe in God and the truth that has come to us when we dearly hope that our Lord will admit us among the righteous?” (Verses 83-4)
 
Firstly, they declare to their Lord that they believe in this truth they have recognised and pray to Him in His glory to include them among those who bear witness to this truth and with the community that seeks to implement it. That is the community of Muslims, which gives credence to its belief in this truth both by verbal declaration and by action to establish it in human life. Those new witnesses thus join the Muslim community that submits to the truth and they pray to God to witness their belief. Furthermore, they cannot accept that any obstacle should impede them from believing in God or submitting to the truth as they listen to it. After all, they hope that as a result of their acceptance of the faith, their Lord will be pleased with them, assign to them a higher rank and include them among the righteous: “How could we fail to believe in God and the truth that has come to us when we dearly hope that our Lord will admit us among the righteous?” (Verse 84)
 
This is, then, a definitive attitude towards the truth God has revealed to His Messenger. It is an attitude of careful listening, unbiased consideration, appropriate recognition, profound influence and unhesitating acceptance. The climax is to declare their total submission and their joining with the Muslim community, coupled with a prayer to God to include them among those who bear witness to the truth. This places on them a duty that their testimony should come in the form of action and struggle to implement the faith in human life, and a recognition that they can no longer adopt any way other than that of believing in God and the truth that He has revealed to His Messenger. It is this which causes them to hope that eventually they will win God’s acceptance and His pleasure.