While it is mentioned in some verses of Quran that the Jews have been deemed as a master race over the world (Bakara Surah 47, 122), it also mentioned in some verses that they are cursed (Nisa 46, Bakara 88). You may think that there is a contradiction between these verses when the subject is taken into consideration shallowly. Especially the orientalist western researchers, in some virtual discussion platforms and some atheist blogs these verses are shown as if there is a contradiction between them and the words of Allah are tried to be criticized. Again in some environments, it is claimed that Quran is racist by intentionally interpreting it wrong according to their own benefits. But when we read the verses regarding this subject, we can better understand how Jews are mentioned and that there is no any contradiction…
Hucurat Surah 13.verse…
Oh people! We created you from a male and female and separated you into nations and tribes so that you can get introduced to each other. You should know that, the most valued person before Allah is that who believes the most. Allah is the one who knows everything.
In the previous verse, “Those who believe” was written, but in this verse “O people” is preferred. So the speech is to all the people not only the believers. All of the people are from the same parents who are Adam and Eve. From this perspective, no race is superior to the other.
Since racism is banned in Quran in general terms, while Allah praises the Jews in some of the verses, he criticizes them in other verses…..In order to understand this subject we should understand the mentioned verses within their context…
In the story of Moses, the reason why Jews were cursed is mentioned as follows:
We gave the book to Moses and sent many profits after him. We gave many miracles to Jesus son of Mary and supported him with Gabriel. But you were conceited whenever a profit asked you to leave your desires. You denied some of them and killed some other. They said that their hearts are sealed. On the contrary, Allah cursed them because of their denial. That is why few of them believe. Bakara Surah 87,88
As very clearly seen in this verse, we can understand that the cursed people are just a part of the Jewish race. The people who are cursed are those who did not believe in Moses and Jesus and many other profits and either denied them or killed them. This is not a situation that can be taken as an example for all of the Jews. It is about those Jews who lived in that era and denied the profits. The reason these people are criticized is that they did not obey the religion, not because they are Jews. Allah has criticized them because they were not good Jews who obeyed Torah. The people who are cursed in Quran are not only the Jews. Allan mentions as follows that he cursed all of the people who do not believe:
How can Allah show the right path to those who become misbelievers after they believe? They witnessed that the profit was right and they were shown very clear miracles. Allah does not show the right path to tyrant nations. Their punishment is to be cursed by Allah, all the people and the angels of Allah. Ali İmran Surah 86,87
Hence, when the Jews obeyed the profits sent to them, Allah made them the master race of earth. This verse explains how wrong it is to consider the Jewish race as the superior race of this earth….
Jews, remember that I made you the master race of the earth. Bakara Surah 47,122
The thing that we should not forget at this point that profits such as Zekeriyya, Yahya (Johnthe Baptist), Yakup (Jacob) were also Jews! They are our profits as well as of the sincere and conscientious Jews. All of them are the profits of Allah and example human beings for us. Not only the profits, but the mother of Jesus who is also our mother is Jewish. Allah considered her superior all over the other women because of her belief and not her race:
Angels said, oh Mary! There is no doubt that Allah chose you, he purified you and made you superior to other women of the earth. Ali İmran Surah 42
As clearly understood from the explanations of the verses, Jews are neither cursed nor deemed as a superior race in Quran. Allah considered their situations just as he did for all the people he created according to the extent of their belief….
So the fact that Jews are criticized in some verses by Allah and praised in others is definitely not a contradiction. There is no contradiction in Allah’s words, the Quran……..
