Salam Brother Student
I'm sorry sometimes I do ask brothers and sisters on this forum to do a search instead of posting the links myself due to lack of time on my end. It is definitely not to insinuate anyone of you esteemed brothers or sisters are lazy.
Anyway, coming back to the topic of discussion, you said:
Finally, an important point of clarification, the People of the Book who DO NOT believe in the authenticity of the Qur’an, are therefore obviously NOT obliged to follow it. So long as they uphold their own Scriptures, and do not associate partners with God, they are still entitled entry to Heaven. Hence the choice is theirs: THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK CAN EITHER BELIEVE OR NOT. However, once they become Believers in the Qur’an’s authenticity, they are obliged to also follow it, for reasons elucidated above.
Can you please tell me or provide a verse from which Brother Faruqui got this idea that
However, once they become Believers in the Qur’an’s authenticity, they are obliged to also follow it, for reasons elucidated above.
The Quran does not say this. With respect, the burden of proof is on Brother Faruqui ( and you, if you agree with him) to provide a verse from the Quran that says, Children of Israel, once convinced of the divinity of the Quran, must abandon Torah and start following the Quran's shariah.
There are clear verses in the Quran where Allah says, Children of Israel have to judge by their Books and follow them.
(4) THE JEWS JUDGED BY THE TORAH
005.043
But why do they come to you for decision, when they have (their own) Torah before them? therein is the (plain) command of God; yet even after that, they would turn away. For they are not People of Faith.
The 'Therein' (Arabic: Fi-ha) is still a reference to the Torah. The Jews are being told to judge from what has been revealed to them (Torah) and if they don't, they are 'Kaffirs' (Disbelievers)
005.044
It was We who revealed the Torah (to Moses): therein (Arabic: Fi-ha) was guidance and light. By its standard have been judged the Jews, by the prophets who bowed (as in Islam) to God's will, by the rabbis and the scholars (Arabic: Ahbaru) : for to them was entrusted the protection of God's book, and they were witnesses to it: therefore do not fear mankind, but fear Me, and sell not my verses (Arabic: Ayati) for a miserable price. If any fails to judge by (the light of) what God has revealed, they are Unbelievers (Arabic: Kaffiruna) .
005.045
"And We prescribed for them in it: The life for the life, and the eye for the eye, and the nose for the nose, and the ear for the ear, and the tooth for the tooth, and for wounds retaliation. But who forgoes it (in the way of charity) it shall be expiation for him. Who judges NOT by that which God has revealed: such are wrong-doers. (Arabic: Zalimuna) "
The truth can be found within their own Torah as specific references are quoted. (e.g. Exodus 21:23-25)
(5) THE CHRISTIANS JUDGED BY THEIR OWN GOSPELS
005.046
"And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Torah that had come before him (Arabic: Bayna yadayhi) : We sent him the Gospel: in it was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Torah that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear God."
Arabic readers will note that the term 'Bayna Yadayhi does not necessarily mean 'had come before him' as used by popular translations (such as the above). Rather, a more literal and possibly context accurate reference is: 'Between the hands'. Please see related article [7] below for a deeper analysis of the term. This therefore, refers to the Torah that was co-existent at the time of Prophet Jesus. (pbuh)
005.047
"Let the people of the Gospel judge by what God has revealed in it. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what God has revealed, they are those who rebel (Arabic: Fasiquna)."
Please note - By the time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) (Late 6th early 7th century), parts of the Bible had already undergone changes and a creed had developed (The Council of Nicaea congregated in 325AD). The Quran however, is still clearly recognising the text that lay with them.
The Quran only corrects some of their selected transgressions and also only the transgressions being committed by the prophet Muhammad's contemporaneous Children of Israel. All they are asked to do is follow their own books sincerely.
(2) ALL JEWS & CHRISTIANS HAVE TO DO IS ABIDE BY THE TRUE TEACHINGS OF THEIR SCRIPTURES
005.065
"If only the People of the Book had believed and been righteous, We should indeed have blotted out their iniquities and admitted them to gardens of bliss."
005.068
"Say: "O People of the Book! you have no ground to stand upon unless you firmly stand by (Arabic: Tuqimu) the Torah, the Gospel, and all the revelation that has come to you from your Lord." It is the revelation that comes to you from thy Lord, that increases in most of them their obstinate rebellion and blasphemy. But do not grieve over disbelieving people"
I am sorry But the Quran recognizes believers among Children of Israel and their belief is summarized as follows, Brother Joseph clearly shows that there is a two-tier system:
(17) THERE ARE 'BELIEVERS' AMONG THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK
002.121
"Those to whom We have sent the Book study it as it should be studied: They are the ones that believe in it: Those who reject faith therein,- the loss is their own"
003.199
"And there are, certainly, among the People of the Book (Arabic: Ahli-l-kitabi), those who believe in God, in the revelation to you, and in the revelation to them, bowing in humility to God: They will not sell the Signs of God for a miserable gain! For them is a reward with their Lord, and God is swift in account"
This is clearly a two-tier system where plurality is recognised. The people who believe in the final revelation are still being referred to as the People of the Book (Ahli-l-kitabi)
017.107-108
"Say: Believe in it or believe not; surely those who are given the knowledge before it fall down on their faces in prostration when it is recited to them. And they say: Glory be to our Lord! most surely the promise of our Lord was to be fulfilled"
005.083"And when they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, you will see their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognise the truth: they pray: "Our Lord! we believe; write us down among the witnesses"
028.052-53
“Those to whom We sent the Book before this, they do believe in this (revelation). And when it is recited to them, they say: "We believe in it, for it is the Truth from our Lord: indeed we have been Muslims from before this"”
Here the difference between the Quranic usage of the term 'Muslim' and 'Believers' is clear. A Muslim is anyone who submits to the will of God as a monotheist. Believers (Arabic: Amanu) are specifically those that have belief in the final scripture of God (i.e. the Quran), as truth from Him.
You agree with the above conclusion but can you give me a reason why you do not agree with Brother Joseph when he says:
42:15-16
(16)CONVERSION IS NOT NECESSARY
“To this then go on inviting, and go on steadfastly on the right way as you are commanded, and do not follow their desires, and say: I believe in what God has revealed of the Book, and I am commanded to do justice between you: God is our Lord and your Lord; we shall have our deeds and you shall have your deeds; no plea need there be (now) between us and you: God will gather us together, and to Him is the return. But those who dispute concerning God after He has been accepted, futile is their dispute in the Sight of their Lord: on them will be a severe punishment”
Once God has been recognised as one God of both parties whom both parties serve, any further dispute in the sight of God is futile.
You asked:
If taken absolute, then Trinity Christians (Hindus and all traditional Muslims and perhaps many other religions' followers) believe in Allah (with different name of course, http://quransmessage.com/articles/allah%20is%20not%20an%20exclusive%20name%20for%20god%20FM3.htm) and the last day and they do good deeds. Since this ayat does not add or elaborate belief in oneness of Allah, various categories of shirk http://quransmessage.com/articles/idolatry%20according%20to%20the%20quran%20FM3.htm, and what the good deeds are unless the rest and whole of the Quran is referred the difficulty does not disappear. So, I would like to learn and enlighten myself with this reconciliation.
Brother, Trinitarians are asked to stop believing in that concept, if even after reading the Quran,and being convinced of its divinity, they do not stop believing in trinity, they have to answer to God. With respect people of other religions are not 'Children of Israel'. These 'others' are asked to consider the Quran and once convinced of its veracity, are asked to follow the Quran. The Quran then expects, 'these others' to follow Quran's shariah. But, Children of Israel is supposed to follow the sharia in their Books.
Belief in God, has to be in accordance to what God says about him in the Quran and Bible. There can be no one associated with Him knowingly.Shirk has to be avoided, and only those whose belief in God aligns with what God says about Himself are mentioned in that verse. Not all Children of Israel believe in Trinity and do shirk as discussed above.
Are you telling me without the Quran people do not know what good deeds are? The Quran does not say this. The Quran claims we inherently know which are good deeds and which are bad. That's how God created us.
091:007-10
"And a soul (Arabic: Nafsin) and Him Who perfected / proportioned it. And inspired it (with conscience of) what is wrong for it and (what is) right for it. He is indeed successful who causes it to grow (purifies it), and he is indeed a failure who corrupts it (buries it)"
Also, and more importantly, we keep digressing from the main Q and subject of the post - where/which verse in the OT is explicit on the "Last Day" and "Hereafter"? It's the key to 2:62 and 5:69 even if it's taken in absolute sense (and not look for qualification)
Why is the answer provided by Brother Joseph, about the mention of a gathering in hereafter not enough? If, there is to be a gathering in the hereafter, it is evident that there is some sort of an afterlife. Why do you need an explicit statement from the Bible? The Quran already mentions it in great detail. For us, who are not Children of Israel, the Quran is the binding book. We will be asked to justify our beliefs from the Quran. If, people of the book read the Quran as they are asked to do, ( to not dismiss the Quran without reading it and thinking over it), they will have explicit verses from Quran and verses from the Bible to believe in a hereafter. We have given you proof that the concept of accountability and afterlife can be found in the Bible as well. Just because something is not explicitly said, does not mean that it is not mentioned, e.g somethings of a sexual nature are not explicitly prohibited in the Quran ( lesbianism and bestiality) but we can understand that these actions are impermissible from other verves where this understanding/interpretation is implied. Not everything needs an explicit verse for it to be mentioned in the scripture, be it Bible or the Quran. Hence, we are asked to ponder on the verses. If everything was explicit, then there would be no need to ponder.