The Negative Views of the Jews in the Quran

by Dr. Tim Orr

The Quran and about every Muslim will tell you that Jews and Christians are all “People of the Book.” However, the Quran does not treat either faith equally. It is essential to understand that Islam came after the Bible and seeks to undermine every element of Christianity, like the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. However, it is also essential to understand that the Quran is far more pessimistic about the Jews and sees them in far more harsh terms, reflected in the Scriptures below.

Another point that is important to grasp is the Quran was revealed over 23 years ago. This revelation began in the city of Mecca and later continued in Medina. This period of revelation is known as the Prophetic mission of Muhammad.

The Meccan verses of the Quran, which were given in the earlier part of Muhammad’s ministry, were revealed when the Prophet Muhammad faced significant challenges and opposition in the city of Mecca. Muhammad and his early followers faced various persecution, including verbal abuse, economic boycotts, and physical harm. Some of the early Muslims endured severe hardships due to their faith. This is where you find the more positive comments about the Jews.

However, things changed when Muhammad was forced to move to Medina. The Quranic verses revealed in Medina cover many topics, including law, governance, ethics, and guidance for the growing Muslim community. But they were much harsher and tended to call for judgment among the Jews and the Polytheists, as reflected in the verses below. In Islam, later verses can abrogate the earlier verses.

Below you find the negative views of the Jews recorded in the Quran.

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Quran 1:7 - the Path of those You have blessed—not those You are displeased with, or those who are astray.

Quran 5:82 - You will surely find the most bitter towards the believers to be the Jews and polytheists and the most gracious to be those who call themselves Christian. That is because there are priests and monks among them and because they are not arrogant.

Quran 4:46 - Some Jews take words out of context and say, “We listen and we disobey,” “Hear! May you never hear,” and “Râ’ina!” [Herd us!]—playing with words and discrediting the faith. Had they said ˹courteously˺, “We hear and obey,” “Listen to us,” and “Unẓurna,” [Tend to us!] it would have been better for them and more proper. Allah has condemned them for their disbelief, so they do not believe except for a few.

Quran 2:61 - And ˹remember˺ when you said, “O Moses! We cannot endure the same meal ˹every day˺. So ˹just˺ call upon your Lord on our behalf, He will bring forth for us some of what the earth produces of herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions.” Moses scolded ˹them˺, “Do you exchange what is better for what is worse? ˹You can˺ go down to any village and you will find what you have asked for.” They were stricken with disgrace and misery, and they invited the displeasure of Allah for rejecting Allah’s signs and unjustly killing the prophets. This is ˹a fair reward˺ for their disobedience and violations.

Quran 2:87 - Indeed, We gave Moses the Book and sent after him successive messengers. And We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the holy spirit.¹ Why is it that every time a messenger comes to you ˹Israelites˺ with something you do not like, you become arrogant, rejecting some and killing others?

Quran 2:91 - When it is said to them: “Believe in what Allah has revealed,” they reply, “We only believe in what was sent down to us,” and they deny what came afterwards, though it is the truth confirming their own Scriptures! Ask ˹them, O Prophet˺, “Why then did you kill Allah’s prophets before, if you are ˹truly˺ believers?”

Quran 3:21 - Indeed, those who deny Allah’s signs, kill the prophets unjustly, and kill people who stand up for justice—give them good news of a painful punishment.

Quran 3:112 - They will be stricken with disgrace wherever they go, unless they are protected by a covenant with Allah or a treaty with the people. They have invited the displeasure of Allah and have been branded with misery for rejecting Allah’s revelations and murdering ˹His˺ prophets unjustly. This is ˹a fair reward˺ for their disobedience and violations.

Quran 3:181 - Indeed, Allah has heard those ˹among the Jews˺ who said, “Allah is poor; we are rich!” We have certainly recorded their slurs and their killing of prophets unjustly. Then We will say, “Taste the torment of burning!

Quran 3:183 - Those ˹are the same people˺ who say, “Allah has commanded us not to believe in any messenger unless he brings us an offering to be consumed by fire ˹from the sky˺.” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Other prophets did in fact come to you¹ before me with clear proofs and ˹even˺ what you demanded—why then did you kill them, if what you say is true?”

Quran 4:155 - ˹They were condemned˺ for breaking their covenant, rejecting Allah’s signs, killing the prophets unjustly, and for saying, “Our hearts are unreceptive!”¹—it is Allah Who has sealed their hearts for their disbelief, so they do not believe except for a few—

Quran 5:70 - Indeed, We took a covenant from the Children of Israel and sent them messengers. Whenever a messenger came to them with what they did not desire, they denied some and killed others.

Quran 5:13 - But for breaking their covenant We condemned them and hardened their hearts. They distorted the words of the Scripture and neglected a portion of what they had been commanded to uphold. You ˹O Prophet˺ will always find deceit on their part, except for a few. But pardon them and bear with them. Indeed, Allah loves the good-doers.

Quran 2:27 - those who violate Allah’s covenant after it has been affirmed, break whatever ˹ties˺ Allah has ordered to be maintained, and spread corruption in the land. It is they who are the ˹true˺ losers.

Quran 5:115 - Allah answered, “I am sending it down to you. But whoever among you denies afterwards will be subjected to a torment I have never inflicted on anyone of My creation.”

Quran 2:75 - Do you ˹believers still˺ expect them to be true to you, though a group of them would hear the word of Allah then knowingly corrupt it after understanding it?

Quran 36:76 - So do not let their words grieve you ˹O Prophet˺. Indeed, We ˹fully˺ know what they conceal and what they reveal.

Quran 5:78 - The disbelievers among the Children of Israel were condemned in the revelations of David and Jesus, son of Mary. That was for their disobedience and violations.

Quran 2:120 - Never will the Jews or Christians be pleased with you, until you follow their faith. Say, “Allah’s guidance is the only ˹true˺ guidance.” And if you were to follow their desires after ˹all˺ the knowledge that has come to you, there would be none to protect or help you against Allah.

Quran 2:65 - You are already aware of those of you who broke the Sabbath. We said to them, “Be disgraced apes!”

Quran 5:60 - Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Shall I inform you of those who deserve a worse punishment from Allah ˹than the rebellious˺? It is those who earned Allah’s condemnation and displeasure—some being reduced to apes and pigs¹ and worshippers of false gods. These are far worse in rank and farther astray from the Right Way.”

Quran 9:30 - The Jews say, “Ezra is the son of Allah,” while the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of Allah.” Such are their baseless assertions, only parroting the words of earlier disbelievers. May Allah condemn them! How can they be deluded ˹from the truth˺?

Quran 5:51 - O believers! Take neither Jews nor Christians as guardians—they are guardians of each other.¹ Whoever does so will be counted as one of them. Surely Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

Quran 4:157 - and for boasting, “We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” But they neither killed nor crucified him—it was only made to appear so.¹ Even those who argue for this ˹crucifixion˺ are in doubt. They have no knowledge whatsoever—only making assumptions. They certainly did not kill him.

Quran 2:94-96 - Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If the ˹eternal˺ Home of the Hereafter with Allah is exclusively for you ˹Israelites˺ out of all humanity, then wish for death if what you say is true!” But they will never wish for that because of what their hands have done.¹ And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of the wrongdoers. You will surely find them clinging to life more eagerly than any other people, even more than polytheists. Each one of them wishes to live a thousand years. But even if they were to live that long, it would not save them from the punishment. And Allah is All-Seeing of what they do.

Quran 5:64 - ˹Some among˺ the Jews said, “Allah is tight-fisted.”¹ May their fists be tied and they be condemned for what they said. Rather, He is open-handed, giving freely as He pleases. That which has been revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ from your Lord will only cause many of them to increase in wickedness and disbelief. We have stirred among them hostility and hatred until the Day of Judgment. Whenever they kindle the fire of war, Allah puts it out. And they strive to spread corruption in the land. And Allah does not like corruptors.