Juz 1: Al-Fātiḥah to Al-Baqarah 141
Section 13 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
13. Accusations Against Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) | Verses: 2:97-103
The opposition faced by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from the disbelievers took many forms, including various accusations aimed at discrediting his prophethood. Among the most serious accusations came from some of the Children of Israel who, despite recognizing the truth of his message through the signs they had in their scriptures, chose to reject him.
A significant accusation they leveled was against Angel Jibreel (Gabriel). Some claimed that Jibreel was their enemy, suggesting that if the revelation had come through another angel, they might have believed. This false accusation stemmed from their arrogance and desire to justify their rejection of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Allah refutes this claim directly:
قُلْ مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“Say, "Whoever is an enemy to Jibrīl, (let him know that) he has brought it (the Qur'ān) down upon your heart by the permission of Allah, confirming what was before it, and as guidance and good news for the believers.”
The verse clarifies that Jibreel was merely fulfilling his duty as a messenger, bringing down revelation by Allah's permission. To declare enmity toward him is to declare enmity toward the divine system itself. The revelation confirms what came before it – meaning the Torah, the Gospel, and other divine scriptures – establishing continuity in divine guidance.
The accusations extended beyond Jibreel to claims of sorcery against Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Some alleged that the Prophet had learned magic from certain individuals or that he practiced sorcery. Such accusations reflected their desperate attempts to explain away the profound impact of the Quran on its listeners. The reality is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was unlettered and had not studied any previous scripture, yet the revelation he brought contained knowledge of past nations and prophecies that he could not have known without divine guidance.
Another disturbing theme in these verses is how some of the People of the Book discarded their scriptures – both physically by not consulting them and spiritually by ignoring their teachings:
وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“And when a messenger from Allah came to them, confirming what was with them, a group from those who were given the Book threw the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if they did not know.”
This verse highlights how some deliberately ignored the clear signs in their own scripture that confirmed the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Instead of following the evidence, they chose to reject truth in favor of falsehood.
The power of sorcery is acknowledged in these verses, particularly through reference to Harut and Marut, but with clear warning that engaging with magic is a path to disbelief. This serves as a reminder that true believers must rely on Allah's guidance rather than seeking power through forbidden means.