Why a Jew is Not an Enemy of a Muslim: An Enlightened Quranic Perspective

By V.A. Mohamad Ashrof, New Age Islam 5 July 2025 Abstract The prevailing narrative of an innate and irreconcilable enmity between Jews and Muslims is a modern political construct, profoundly at odds with the theological and ethical vision articulated in the Quran. From an enlightened Quranic perspective, a "real Jew"—defined as an individual sincerely committed to the ethical monotheism of the Torah—and a "real Muslim"—defined as one who genuinely submits (Muslim) to the divine will for justice, compassion, and truth—are not enemies, but spiritual kin. Through a comprehensive synthesis of Quranic exegesis, Hadith, classical jurisprudence, and historical analysis, this paper deconstructs the foundations of this perceived conflict. It establishes that the Quran promotes a framework of profound respect for Judaism, grounded in a shared Abrahamic covenant (Tawhid), the honoured status of the "Family of the Book" (Ahl al-Kitab), and a universal ethical code that transcends tribal and religious divides. Polemical verses, often cited to justify antagonism, are re-contextualized as historically specific critiques of behaviour, not as blanket condemnations of an entire faith community. Furthermore, the lived example of Prophet Muhammad, as enshrined in the Constitution of Medina and numerous Hadith, provides a powerful model for interfaith coexistence and mutual protection. By prioritizing the Quran's overarching enlightened spirit—which emphasizes universal justice ('Adl), human dignity (Karamah), and the divine wisdom (Hikmah) in diversity—this paper concludes that the supposed enmity is a betrayal of the core tenets of both faiths. The true Quranic imperative is not conflict but a "competition in righteousness" (Fastabiqu Al-Khayrat), positioning sincere Jews and Muslims as potential allies in the collective human struggle for a more just and compassionate world. Deconstructing a Modern Myth In the contemporary global consciousness, the relationship between the Jew and the Muslim is often framed as one of primordial, intractable conflict. This narrative, amplified by the relentless churn of geopolitical turmoil, simplistic media soundbites, and the virulent rhetoric of extremists on both sides, presents the two communities as locked in a perpetual, zero-sum struggle rooted in ancient theological animosity. The crescent and the Star of David are depicted not as symbols of two distinct but intimately related Abrahamic faiths, but as banners of opposing armies destined for eternal combat. This perception, however, is a profound and dangerous distortion, a historical and theological misreading that serves the barren ends of modern nationalism and political expediency far more than it reflects scriptural truth. A deep, intelligent, and coherent hermeneutical dive into the foundational text of Islam, the Quran, reveals a radically different vision—one of spiritual kinship, ethical alignment, and a shared, inviolable human dignity. This paper puts forth a central thesis: from an enlightened Quranic perspective, a "real Jew" is not, and cannot be, the enemy of a "real Muslim." The qualifying terms "real" are essential to this argument, moving beyond superficial labels to the very essence of faith. A "real Jew" is understood here not merely by ethnic lineage or cultural identity, but as an individual who sincerely strives to live by the core principles of ethical monotheism as articulated in the Torah and the teachings of the Israelite prophets—a commitment to the One God, justice (tzedek), and righteousness. Similarly, a "real Muslim" transcends nominal affiliation; it refers to one who embodies the etymological meaning of the word Muslim: a person who has genuinely submitted their will to God. This submission is not a blind or tribal loyalty, but a conscious commitment to the universal values the Quran champions: justice ('Adl), compassion (Rahmah), truth (Haqq), and wisdom (Hikmah). When viewed through this lens of authentic piety, the supposed enemies are revealed as fellow travellers on parallel paths toward the same ultimate reality, participants in a shared human and spiritual endeavour. The source of the modern enmity narrative is not, in fact, ancient. It is a product of the last century and a half, born from the crucible of European colonialism, the decline of the Ottoman Empire, and the rise of competing nationalisms in the Middle East. As Edward Said compellingly argued in Orientalism, the very act of framing the "Orient"—including its Jewish and Muslim inhabitants—created artificial binaries and conflicts where more fluid realities once existed (Said, p.49-73). The rise of political Zionism and various forms of Arab nationalism created a new paradigm where land and statehood became the primary markers of identity, often supplanting the more porous religious and cultural affiliations of the past. This political conflict was then retroactively mapped onto theology, with both sides scouring their sacred texts for verses that could serve as weapons in a modern political struggle. The complex and often collaborative history of Jews and Muslims was flattened into a single, monolithic story of unending war. This paper is an act of intellectual and spiritual archaeology, seeking to excavate the pre-nationalist, Quranic foundations of the relationship. The methodology employed is that of an enlightened Quranic perspective. This interpretive approach seeks to move beyond a surface-level, literalist reading (zahir) of the scripture to grasp its deeper, inner wisdom (Batin) and its higher, universal objectives (Maqasid Al-Shariah). An enlightened reading is one that is illuminated by the text's own core principles, using the tools of reason ('Aql) and wisdom (Hikmah)—faculties granted by God—to understand the divine message in its fullest context. It prioritizes the Quran's universal ethical imperatives—such as the preservation of life, faith, intellect, lineage, and property—over historically contingent and polemical passages. This perspective recognizes that the Quran, like any sacred text, is polysemous and can be interpreted in multiple ways, but it argues that a reading which fosters division, hatred, and injustice is an unenlightened one, a betrayal of the text's own highest ideals. As scholar Seyyed Hossein Nasr notes, "Islam is not a rejection of the previous Abrahamic religions, but rather a confirmation and completion of them" (Nasr, p.124). This understanding forms the bedrock of a relationship built on confirmation and respect, not rejection and enmity. To build this case, this paper will systematically synthesize a wide array of evidence. It will first explore the shared theological foundation of Abrahamic monotheism (Tawhid), which unites Jews and Muslims in a common covenant. Second, it will analyse the specific and honoured Quranic designation of Ahl al-Kitab (Family of the Book), a status that confers rights and recognition fundamentally incompatible with a doctrine of inherent hostility, and delve into its legal implications in classical Islam. Third, it will directly confront and re-contextualize the so-called "sword verses" and polemical passages often wielded to justify anti-Jewish sentiment, demonstrating that they are critiques of specific historical actions, not timeless racial or religious condemnations, using the classical Islamic tool of occasions of revelation. Fourth, it will examine the prophetic model—the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad—whose interactions with the Jewish communities of Medina, as codified in the Constitution of Medina and numerous authenticated Hadith, provide a living blueprint for pluralism and coexistence. Fifth, it will connect the Quran's supreme ethical principles to their analogues in Jewish thought, revealing a shared moral vocabulary. Finally, the paper will culminate in an analysis of the Quran's embrace of divinely-willed diversity (Ikhtilaf), exemplified by the historical "Golden Age" in Al-Andalus. By weaving these threads together, this paper aims to reclaim a narrative of potential fraternity from the ashes of manufactured conflict, arguing that the real enemy is not the devout Jew or the devout Muslim, but the ignorance, prejudice, and injustice that both traditions, in their most enlightened forms, command their followers to overcome. Shared Monotheistic Foundation The deepest root of the spiritual kinship between Judaism and Islam, and the most profound refutation of their supposed enmity, lies in their shared theological DNA: the unwavering commitment to radical monotheism, or Tawhid. This is not a superficial similarity but the very bedrock of both faiths, a foundational truth from which all other beliefs and practices flow. The Quran does not present Islam as a novel religion appearing in a historical vacuum, but as the final restoration and reaffirmation of the primordial religion of all prophets, the Din al-Qayyim (the upright religion), whose quintessential practitioner was Abraham, or Ibrahim. By framing its own message within this continuous chain of prophecy, the Quran establishes an unbreakable, familial bond with the faith of the Children of Israel. The central declaration of faith in Judaism, the Shema Yisrael, proclaims with stark clarity: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4). This is the absolute, non-negotiable core of Jewish theology. Its perfect parallel in Islam is the first half of the Shahada: "There is no god but God" (La Ilaha Illa Allah). From an enlightened perspective, these are not competing declarations but affirmations of the same ultimate reality, spoken in different Semitic tongues. A "real Jew" and a "real Muslim" begin their spiritual journey from the exact same point of departure: the recognition of the singular, indivisible, and transcendent sovereignty of God. The Quran itself explicitly acknowledges this unity, commanding Prophet Muhammad to proclaim a common ground: "Say, 'O Family of the Book! Come to a common word between us and you: that we worship none but God, that we associate no partners with Him...'" (Quran 3:64). The "common word" is Tawhid. This verse is not primarily a call for conversion, but a call for mutual recognition based on this shared foundational principle. It invites dialogue from a place of commonality, not from a position of inherent opposition. The Quran strategically deploys the figure of Abraham to anchor this shared heritage. In the context of 7th-century Arabia, where religious identity had become rigid and exclusivist, the Quran presents Abraham as a figure who transcends these later divisions. The text states emphatically, "Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was one inclining toward truth, a Submitter [to God, a Muslim], and he was not of the polytheists" (Quran 3:67). This verse is a powerful hermeneutical key. An enlightened reading understands that this reclaims the term "Muslim" not as a proper noun for a new sectarian group, but as a lower-case adjective describing the universal state of righteous submission to God. In this sense, Abraham, Moses, David, and all the prophets of Israel were Muslims. They submitted their will to God. This conceptual move serves not to erase Jewish identity, but to widen the spiritual tent, establishing a common ancestry that precedes and unites both communities. It posits that the essence of faith is this act of submission, the Fitra or innate, pure disposition with which all humans are born, a disposition that both Judaism and Islam seek to awaken and cultivate. As F.E. Peters observes in his seminal work, this framing creates a "family of believers" whose internal disagreements, however sharp, are ultimately family quarrels, not wars between alien civilizations (Peters, p.8). Furthermore, the Quran consistently identifies itself as a Musaddiq, a "confirmer" of the truth that came before it. Verse 2:41 directly addresses the Children of Israel, saying, "And believe in what I have sent down, confirming that which is [already] with you," a clear reference to the Torah. Verse 5:48 states, "And We have sent down to you the Book in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and guarding it (Muhayminan 'Alayhi)." The imagery is not one of obliteration or abrogation, but of confirmation, clarification, and protection. The Quran sees itself as restoring the original, pure message of the Torah and the prophets, which it suggests had, in some cases, been obscured by human interpretation or neglect. This dynamic—of confirmation rather than supersession—is crucial. It implies a relationship of deep respect and continuity. A "real Muslim" is therefore obligated by their own scripture to believe in the divine origins of the Torah and the prophetic mission of Moses (Q.2:136). To deny this is to deny a part of the Quran itself. This theological continuity is reflected in a rich tapestry of shared narratives, laws, and ethical figures. The stories of Adam, Noah, Joseph, Moses, David, and Solomon are woven into the very fabric of the Quran, just as they are in the Hebrew Bible. The Quranic account of Joseph, called "the most beautiful of stories" (Q.12:3) is a particularly poignant example. It is a narrative of sibling rivalry, betrayal, suffering, and ultimate forgiveness and reconciliation within the family of Jacob (Israel). It serves as a powerful metaphor for the Abrahamic family itself: despite internal strife and painful separation, the ultimate trajectory is toward reunion and reaffirmation of familial bonds under a benevolent, divine plan. When a Muslim recites this chapter, they are immersing themselves in the foundational family drama of the Children of Israel. These shared stories and principles constitute a vast common ground, a shared language of faith that makes Jews and Muslims spiritually and morally intelligible to one another. Their moral universes are drawn from the same wellspring of divine revelation, making them natural interlocutors, not inherent enemies. Family of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab) Beyond the general foundation of Abrahamic monotheism, the Quran delineates a specific and honoured status for Jews and Christians that fundamentally contradicts any notion of mandated, perpetual enmity: they are the Ahl al-Kitab, the "Family of the Book." This is not a neutral descriptor; it is a title of respect that separates them entirely from polytheists (Mushrikun) and places them in a unique category of spiritual relatives who have received a portion of divine revelation. This designation comes with a suite of theological recognitions, social permissions, and legal protections that were, for their time and place, remarkably progressive and designed to foster coexistence, dialogue, and mutual respect. The most revolutionary aspect of this status is its implication for salvation, a core theme of any enlightened religious perspective. In a world of rigid religious exclusivism, the Quran makes a radical statement of spiritual pluralism. The verse most emblematic of this is 2:62, which states: "Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans—those who believed in God and the Last Day and did righteousness—will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve." This verse, so significant that it is repeated in a similar form in 5:69, is a cornerstone of the Quran's enlightened pluralism. It decouples salvation from nominal affiliation and ties it directly to two universal conditions: sincere faith in the One God and righteous action. A "real Jew," by this definition, has a direct path to divine reward, a path that is affirmed, not denied, by the Quran. This verse effectively dismantles the theological basis for religious warfare or coercion, as it affirms that God's grace is not the exclusive property of one community. For a "real Muslim" who takes this verse seriously, the goal cannot be the vanquishing of the righteous Jew, but recognition of their shared standing as seekers of God's favour. This theological recognition translated directly into the legal and social frameworks of classical Islamic civilization. The concept of the dhimmi (protected person), while often maligned in modern polemics, was historically a pact of protection (Dhimma) that guaranteed the rights of non-Muslim monotheists living under Muslim rule. In contrast to the often brutal fate of religious minorities in pre-modern Europe (e.g., forced conversions, expulsions, pogroms), the Dhimma system provided a legal basis for communal autonomy, property rights, and freedom of worship. The associated tax, the Jizya, was not a punitive measure but a fee paid by able-bodied men in lieu of the military service required of Muslims and in place of the obligatory alms (Zakat) paid by Muslims. While this system was certainly hierarchical and was abused by unjust rulers, its foundational principle, as articulated by the classical jurists, was protection, not persecution. The famous dictum of the Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib states, "Their blood is like our blood, and their property is like our property." (Ali ibn Abi Talib, Letter 53) This legal framework, stemming directly from the Quran's recognition of the Ahl al-Kitab, created the conditions for long periods of peaceful and fruitful coexistence. On a more intimate social level, the Quran gives explicit permission for Muslim men to marry chaste women from among the Family of the Book and to eat their ritually slaughtered food (Quran 5:5). This verse, "The food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. And [lawful in marriage are] chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you," is socially profound. The acts of sharing a table and creating a family are the most fundamental forms of social bonding. Prohibiting them creates walls; permitting them builds bridges. The shared dietary laws (e.g., prohibition of pork, draining of blood) made culinary exchange easy, and the permission for intermarriage presupposes a high degree of social trust and mutual respect. An ideology of inherent enmity simply cannot coexist with a law that sanctions such intimate integration. Furthermore, the Quran not only permits but actively encourages dialogue with the Family of the Book, establishing clear rules for civil and respectful engagement. Verse 29:46 commands: "And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those of them who commit injustice. And say, 'We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one; and we are Submitters [Muslims] to Him.'" An enlightened reading of this verse focuses on the default mode of interaction: it must be in the "best" (Ahsan) way. An exception is made only for those who are actively unjust (Dhalamu), shifting the focus from religious identity to moral behaviour. The command is to find common ground—"our God and your God is one"—and to engage from a place of shared submission. This is a framework for productive theological exchange, not hostile confrontation. Finally, the Quran extends its protection to Jewish places of worship. In a remarkable verse defending the principle of fighting to protect religious freedom, the Quran states that if God did not check people's aggression, "there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of God is much mentioned" (Quran 22:40). The specific inclusion of synagogues (Salawat) in this list is of immense significance. It places the sanctity of a Jewish house of worship on par with that of a mosque, identifying both as sacred spaces where God's name is glorified. A "real Muslim," following this verse, is not only forbidden from destroying a synagogue but is a potential defender of it. This verse enshrines the protection of minority religious sites as a core Islamic value, making a mockery of any interpretation that would call for their desecration. The status of Ahl al-Kitab, therefore, is not a hollow title, but a robust Quranic framework for theological recognition, social integration, legal protection, and respectful dialogue. Contextualizing Polemical Verses No intellectually honest discussion of Jewish-Muslim relations in the Quran can ignore the verses that are, at least on the surface, deeply polemical and critical of some Jews. These verses have been tragically decontextualized and weaponized by extremists to fuel antisemitism and to paint Islam as an inherently anti-Jewish faith. An enlightened hermeneutic, however, requires that these verses be read with intellectual rigor, historical context, and in light of the Quran's own overarching ethical principles. When this is done, it becomes clear that these passages are not blanket condemnations of all Jews for all time, but historically-situated critiques of the specific actions, attitudes, and theological claims of particular groups in 7th-century Arabia. The key to this responsible reading lies in the classical Islamic science of the "occasions of revelation." Let us apply this principle to perhaps the most frequently cited verse, 5:82, which states, "You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allah..." Read in isolation, this verse appears to be a damning and timeless indictment. However, its Sabab Al-Nuzul is paramount. Classical commentators like Ibn Jarir al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir overwhelmingly agree that this verse was revealed in Medina during a period of intense political and military strife. The nascent Muslim community faced existential threats from the powerful polytheistic Quraysh of Mecca. Several prominent Jewish tribes in Medina, such as the Banu Qurayza and Banu Nadir, had allegedly broken their treaty obligations under the Constitution of Medina and formed alliances with the Quraysh, actively working to undermine and destroy the Muslim polity (Watt, p.192-220). The verse, therefore, is not a metaphysical decree about the essential nature of Jews; it is a description of a specific historical reality—that at that moment, the most virulent political opposition was coming from these specific allied groups. It is a political observation about behaviour, not a theological statement about being. The proof that this is not a blanket condemnation lies within the Quran itself, often in the very same passages. The second half of verse 5:82 immediately provides a contrast: "...and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, 'We are Christians.'" The verse is clearly not making a statement about Judaism or Christianity as monolithic faiths, but is describing the observed political attitudes and theological dispositions of different communities at that time. Even more powerfully, the Quran consistently balances its criticisms with praise for righteous Jews. Q.3:113-114 state: "They are not [all] the same; among the People of the Scripture is a community standing [in prayer], reciting the verses of God during periods of the night and they prostrate [in prayer]. They believe in God and the Last Day, they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and hasten to good deeds. And those are among the righteous." This passage makes it impossible to argue that the Quran condemns all Jews. It does the exact opposite: it commands its readers to differentiate, to recognize piety and righteousness wherever they are found. Other critical verses, when examined through the lens of occasion of revelation, reveal a similar pattern. They are critiques of behaviour, not being. When the Quran criticizes some for being "smitten with humiliation and poverty" (2:61) or for saying "God's hand is shackled" (5:64), the classical commentators link these to specific transgressions: the first to the repeated rejection of prophets and violation of covenants, and the second to a claim of God's stinginess, which is immediately rebuked with "Nay, both His hands are widely outstretched." These are rebukes of specific historical actions and theological arguments, not eternal curses. Crucially, the Quran levels similar, and often harsher, critiques against Muslims who fail to live up to their own covenant. The Munafiqun, or hypocrites within the Muslim community, are condemned in the strongest possible terms, destined for "the lowest depths of the Fire" (4:145). The Quran warns believers against becoming like those among the Family of the Book whose "hearts hardened, and many of them are defiantly disobedient" (57:16). The critical lens is applied universally. As scholar Khaled Abou El Fadl argues, to take verses aimed at the historical misconduct of a few and twist them into a timeless doctrine of hatred against an entire people is a "theological crime" that violates the Quran's own supreme command for justice (Abou El Fadl, p.221). A "real Jew" who is faithful to their covenant, who honours the prophets, and who acts with justice is not the subject of these Quranic critiques. The subject is the covenant-breaker, the oppressor, the hypocrite—regardless of their religious label. An enlightened hermeneutic distinguishes between polemics and principle. The polemics are the historically-bound arguments with specific groups. The principles are the timeless, overarching ethical commands for justice, compassion, and truth. An enlightened reading insists that the principles must always be used to interpret the polemics, and never the other way around. The principle of verse 5:8—"do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just"—serves as the ultimate check on any misinterpretation of verses like 5:82. A Muslim is commanded to be just to a Jew even if they feel animosity. This alone makes a doctrine of religiously-mandated enmity a theological impossibility. Sunnah Model of Coexistence If the Quran provides the theoretical framework for respectful coexistence, the life of Prophet Muhammad—the Sunnah—provides the practical, lived model. For Muslims, the Prophet is the "walking Quran," the living embodiment of the scripture's enlightened teachings. His interactions with the Jewish communities of Medina serve as a powerful, living hermeneutic for interpreting the Quran's message on interfaith relations. This prophetic model, documented in the earliest Islamic sources, is one of political alliance, legal respect, personal kindness, and theological humility, further dismantling the myth of inherent enmity. The most significant piece of evidence is the Constitution of Medina. This remarkable document, established by Prophet Muhammad shortly after his arrival in Medina in 622 CE, was a formal treaty between the Muslim immigrants from Mecca (Muhajirun), the Medinan converts to Islam (Ansar), and the various Jewish tribes of the city. It created a new kind of polity, a multi-religious city-state, or Ummah. The Constitution declared all signatories, including the Jewish tribes, to be a single community, or Ummah, in a political sense, bound by mutual defence. Clause 25 explicitly states, "The Jews of the Banu 'Awf are one community with the believers. To the Jews their religion (din) and to the Muslims their religion" (as cited in Armstrong, p.177). This charter guaranteed religious freedom, mutual defence against external threats, and legal autonomy. The Jews were not a conquered minority but full citizens of the new state, with their own internal legal system based on the Torah. This document demonstrates that the Prophet's initial and ideal vision was one of civic partnership, not religious conflict. Beyond this formal political framework, the Prophet's personal conduct, as recorded in numerous authenticated Hadith, consistently modelled respect and compassion. These anecdotes reveal a man who saw the shared humanity of his Jewish neighbours and insisted his followers do the same, embodying an enlightened spirit: • Respect for Human Life and Dignity: It is narrated that a funeral procession for a Jewish person passed by Prophet Muhammad and he stood up in respect. When his companions pointed out that the deceased was a Jew, the Prophet replied with a rhetorical question that affirmed a universal truth: "Was he not a human soul?" (Bukhari 1312). This simple but profound gesture illustrates that he saw human dignity as a value that transcended religious identity. • Warning Against Injustice: The Prophet issued a stern warning that has resonated through centuries of Islamic legal thought: "Whoever oppresses a dhimmi [a non-Muslim living under the protection of the Muslim state] or transgresses their rights or burdens them beyond their capacity or takes anything from them without their consent, I will be his opponent on the Day of Judgment" (Abu Dawud 3052). This places the Prophet himself as the celestial advocate for any Jew or Christian wronged by a Muslim, a powerful deterrent against mistreatment. • Personal Kindness and Compassion: Anas ibn Malik reported that a young Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet. When the boy fell ill, the Prophet personally went to visit him. He sat by the boy's head and gently invited him to Islam. The boy looked at his father, who told him to obey the Prophet. The boy accepted Islam, and the Prophet left, saying, "Praise be to God, Who has saved him from the Fire" (Bukhari 1356). While the story includes an invitation to Islam, the key element for this paper's argument is the personal, compassionate visit to a sick child, a simple act of human decency and neighbourliness. • Economic Trust and Normalcy: 'Aisha, the Prophet's wife, narrated that at the time of his death, the Prophet's shield was mortgaged to a Jewish man in Medina for a quantity of barley (Bukhari 2916). This mundane transaction speaks volumes. It shows that normal, trust-based economic relationships between the Prophet and his Jewish neighbours were the norm, continuing right up until the end of his life. There was no boycott, no economic segregation. • Theological Humility and Respect for Jewish Prophets: In a dispute between a Muslim and a Jew where the Muslim had slapped the Jew after the latter said, "By Him Who chose Moses over all the worlds," the Prophet became angry. He said, "Do not give me superiority over Moses. For on the Day of Resurrection, the people will be struck unconscious, and I will be the first to regain consciousness. Then I will see Moses standing, holding the side of the Throne. I will not know whether he was among those who were struck unconscious and regained consciousness before me, or if he was one of those whom God exempted" (Bukhari 3408). This is an extraordinary statement of humility, forbidding his followers from using veneration for him as a means to denigrate a prophet central to Judaism. He places Moses in a position of supreme honour, reinforcing the Quranic message of a single, unified chain of prophecy. • Interpersonal Relationships: The Prophet's own marriage to Safiyya bint Huyayy, the daughter of a chieftain from the defeated Jewish tribe of Khaybar, is another complex but significant example. While born of conflict, the marriage integrated a prominent Jewish woman into the Prophet's own household, where she was treated with honour and respect. This act of marital alliance, rather than mere enslavement or execution, was a classic Arab method of peace-making and integration. This consistent pattern of behaviour—establishing a pluralistic state, warning against injustice, showing personal kindness, engaging in normal economic life, and demonstrating profound theological humility—constitutes the prophetic interpretation of the Quran. The Prophet Muhammad's Sunnah demonstrates that a "real Muslim" engages with a "real Jew" on the basis of shared citizenship, mutual respect, and a common humanity. Shared Moral Vocabulary While shared history and prophetic models are powerful, the ultimate foundation of an enlightened Quranic perspective lies in the text's unwavering commitment to a set of universal ethical principles that are presented as supreme and non-negotiable. These principles—chief among them justice ('Adl and Qist), compassion (Rahmah), and human dignity (Karamah)—apply to all of humanity and serve as the ultimate criteria for righteous action. They form an ethical framework that makes religiously-sanctioned enmity toward any group, including Jews, a theological and moral impossibility. Critically, these Quranic ethics have direct and profound parallels in Jewish thought, creating a shared moral vocabulary that makes sincere believers of both faiths natural allies in the pursuit of a virtuous world. The most powerful ethical command in the Quran, and the one that single-handedly dismantles any argument for inherent animosity, is the injunction for absolute, impartial justice. The Quranic concept of justice is radical in its scope. It must be upheld even when it goes against one's own self-interest, one's family, or one's own community. The authoritative passage for this principle is verse 4:135: "O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for God, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives." But the most stunning application of this principle to inter-group relations is in verse 5:8: "O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for God, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness." This verse is the ethical core of an enlightened understanding of the Quran. It realistically acknowledges that feelings of hatred or animosity (Shana'an) might exist, especially in times of conflict. But it issues a direct, unequivocal command: do not let those feelings dictate your actions. Your actions must be governed by justice ('adl), because justice is a divine, not a human, standard. A "real Muslim" is obligated by God to be just to a Jew, even a Jew they consider an enemy. This principle makes it impossible to justify oppression, collective punishment, or discrimination against Jews on religious grounds. This ethic finds a beautiful and direct parallel in the Torah's own command, "Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue" (Tzedek, tzedek tirdof) (Deuteronomy 16:20). The repetition of "justice" is interpreted by Jewish sages to mean that justice must be pursued by just means. A "real Jew" and a "real Muslim" are thus bound by their own sacred texts to a common struggle for justice, a struggle that must transcend tribal loyalties. Flowing from justice is the principle of compassion, Rahmah. Two of God's most frequently invoked names in the Quran are Ar-Rahman (The Entirely Merciful) and Ar-Rahim (The Especially Merciful). The entire Quran, with the exception of one chapter, begins with the invocation of these names, the Basmala. The Prophet Muhammad is described as having been sent as nothing other than "a mercy to the worlds" (Rahmatan Lil-'Alamin) (Quran 21:107). This mercy is not restricted to Muslims; it is for all worlds, all of creation. This universal compassion is meant to be the defining characteristic of the believer. This resonates deeply with the Jewish concept of Rachamim (compassion or mercy), which is derived from the same Semitic root, R-H-M, meaning "womb." Both traditions see compassion as a foundational, life-giving quality of God that humans must emulate. The rabbinic teaching, "Just as He is compassionate, so you too should be compassionate" (Talmud, Shabbat 133b), is a perfect echo of the Islamic emphasis on embodying divine attributes. Finally, the Quran establishes a foundational principle of universal human dignity, Karamah. Verse 17:70 declares, "And We have certainly honoured the children of Adam (bani Adam) ..." The honour is bestowed upon the "children of Adam"—all of humanity—not just upon the "children of Ishmael" or the followers of Muhammad. This inherent dignity is a birth-right, given by God. It means that every human being, including every Jew, is deserving of respect simply by virtue of their humanity. This concept is the Islamic analogue to the seminal idea in Genesis 1:27 that humanity is created "in the image of God" (b'tselem Elohim). While Islamic theology is more hesitant to use the term "image," the Quranic idea that God "breathed into him [Adam] of His Spirit" (15:29) conveys a similar sense of a unique divine endowment that grants humanity its special station and inviolable worth. To dehumanize or degrade a Jew is to violate a dignity that God Himself has conferred. When Prophet Muhammad stood for the Jewish funeral, his question—"Was he not a human soul?"—was a direct application of this principle of karamah. He saw the God-given dignity in that person, a dignity that their religious label could not erase. These ethical principles—justice over hatred, a shared womb-like compassion, and inherent human dignity—form the unshakeable bedrock of an enlightened reading of the Quran. They are the fixed stars by which all other verses must be navigated. For a "real Muslim," whose submission is to a Just and Merciful God, these values must be paramount. And for a "real Jew," whose tradition commands them to love their neighbour and pursue justice, these are shared ideals. The true enemy, from this perspective, is not the other, but the rejection of these divine ethics: the enemy is injustice, cruelty, and arrogance, wherever they may be found. Divine Wisdom in Diversity (Ikhtilaf) As a capstone to its ethical framework, the Quran offers a profound theology of diversity, presenting human difference not as an accident or a problem to be solved, but as a deliberate and beautiful feature of God's creation. This principle of Ikhtilaf (diversity or difference) provides the final pillar for an enlightened relationship between Jews and Muslims, transforming the dynamic from one of potential conflict to one of mutual recognition, creative cross-pollination, and even positive competition in goodness. This was not merely a theoretical ideal; for several centuries, in a place called Al-Andalus (Muslim Spain), this Quranic vision was realized in one of the most remarkable periods of interfaith collaboration in human history. The most famous Quranic articulation of this principle is in verse 49:13: "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another (Li-Ta'arafu). Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you." This verse addresses all of "mankind" (al-nas). It states that the purpose of ethnic, national, and tribal diversity is not for strife, chauvinism, or establishing hierarchies of superiority, but for the express purpose of "knowing one another." The Arabic verb Ta'arafu implies a deep, reciprocal process of mutual acquaintance and recognition. It is a command to engage, to learn, to understand. It replaces the logic of tribalism with the logic of cosmopolitanism. And it immediately follows this with the ultimate criterion for worth: not race, not tribe, not even religious affiliation, but righteousness (Taqwa). Even more specific to religious diversity is the remarkable statement in verse 5:48. After affirming the divine origins of the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran, the verse says: "...To each of you We have prescribed a law and a method (Shir'atan Wa Minhajan). Had God willed, He would have made you one community, but [He willed otherwise] in order to test you in what He has given you. So race to [all that is] good (Fastabiqu Al-Khayrat)." This verse is a direct refutation of any impulse toward religious homogenization. It states clearly that God could have made everyone the same, but chose not to. The existence of different religious communities—with their different laws and methods—is part of the divine plan. And what is the purpose of this divinely-willed diversity? Not to fight one another for theological supremacy, but to "test you in what He has given you." And the test is a simple one: who is better in doing good deeds? The verse concludes with a thrilling exhortation: "So race to [all that is] good." This transforms the relationship between religious communities from a zero-sum game to a positive-sum competition. The goal for a "real Muslim" is not to prove that Islam is better than Judaism by argument, but to demonstrate their faith through superior moral and ethical action—by building a more just society, caring for the poor, and advancing human knowledge. The goal for a "real Jew" is the same. They are not enemies on a battlefield, but competitors on a racetrack of virtue. This vision encourages each community to be the best version of itself, spurred on by the good works of the other. This was not just a utopian dream. From the 8th to the 15th centuries, the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim rule, known as Al-Andalus, became a living laboratory for this Quranic principle. In cities like Cordoba, Toledo, and Granada, Jews, Christians, and Muslims coexisted in a culture of coexistence that, while not without its tensions, produced an unparalleled flourishing of science, philosophy, poetry, and art. Jewish intellectual life, in particular, experienced a Golden Age. Jewish thinkers, writing in Judeo-Arabic (Arabic written in Hebrew script), engaged deeply with Muslim philosophy and science. The great Moses Maimonides (known in Arabic as Musa ibn Maymun), arguably the most important Jewish thinker since antiquity, wrote his seminal Guide for the Perplexed in Arabic, drawing heavily on the philosophical frameworks of Muslim thinkers like Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina (Avicenna). He served as a court physician to a Muslim sultan. Jewish poets like Solomon ibn Gabirol and Judah Halevi composed some of their greatest works in a culture saturated with Arabic literary forms. As historian María Rosa Menocal notes in The Ornament of the World, this was a "culture of tolerance" where identity was complex and multi-layered, and where collaboration across religious lines was the norm, not the exception (Menocal, p.11-15). This historical reality serves as a powerful proof of concept for the Quranic ideal. It shows that when the principles of respect for the Ahl al-Kitab and the celebration of diversity are put into practice, the result is not conflict, but a shared civilization of immense brilliance and creativity. The enlightened vision of diversity as a source of divine wisdom and a catalyst for a "race to goodness" allows for a "real Jew" and a "real Muslim" to remain fully faithful to their own traditions while recognizing the legitimacy and value of the other's path. They do not need to become the same to respect one another. Their differences are not a sign of God's disapproval, but a sign of His creative genius and a test of their moral character. Reclaiming a Covenant of the Neighbour The pervasive narrative of an essential, divinely-mandated enmity between Jews and Muslims is a modern heresy, a political falsehood built upon a deliberate and tragic misreading of scripture and history. This paper has systematically demonstrated that an enlightened hermeneutical engagement with the Quran—one that prioritizes its core ethical and theological principles—reveals a vision not of conflict, but of profound spiritual kinship and potential alliance. The "real Jew," committed to the ethical monotheism of the Torah, and the "real Muslim," genuinely submitted to the will of a just and compassionate God, are not enemies. They are cousins in a shared Abrahamic covenant. This conclusion rests on a cumulative synthesis of evidence. We have seen that the shared foundation of Tawhid establishes a common theological ground, making them brothers and sisters in monotheism. The Quran’s honoured designation of Jews as Ahl al-Kitab (Family of the Book) confers upon them a status of respect, with rights to theological recognition, social integration, and legal protection that are fundamentally incompatible with a doctrine of inherent hostility. The polemical verses that have been so damagingly weaponized are shown, upon closer inspection, to be historically-contingent critiques of specific behaviours—covenant-breaking and political betrayal—not timeless condemnations of Judaism or the Jewish people. These critiques are balanced by consistent praise for righteous Jews and are governed by the same ethical standards the Quran applies to wayward Muslims. The lived example of Prophet Muhammad provides the ultimate practical model, a living hermeneutic of the Quranic ideal. His establishment of the Constitution of Medina created a pluralistic state where Jews were protected citizens, and his personal conduct, recorded in numerous Hadith, consistently modelled kindness, fairness, and respect for the shared humanity of his Jewish neighbours. Above all, the Quran’s supreme ethical principles—its uncompromising demand for justice even towards one's enemies, its vision of a universal divine mercy, and its affirmation of the God-given dignity of all human beings—serve as a non-negotiable framework that makes religiously-sanctioned hatred a theological impossibility. Finally, the Quran’s celebration of diversity as a part of God's wise plan reframes the relationship, calling not for conflict, but for a "competition in righteousness." It is crucial to acknowledge that this enlightened Quranic vision has often been obscured by the harsh realities of political conflict, particularly the modern Israeli-Palestinian dispute. This conflict has poisoned the well, making it easy for extremists on both sides to cherry-pick scriptures and historical grievances to justify their positions. But an enlightened perspective insists on a crucial distinction: one must differentiate between a political struggle over land and rights, and a theological war between two faiths. The Quran itself commands believers to stand for justice against any oppressor, regardless of their religion (4:135), but it equally commands them not to allow political hatred to corrupt their commitment to justice (5:8). To oppose a political injustice is a moral requirement; to transmute that opposition into a blanket hatred for an entire people and their faith is a moral and theological failure. In the end, the relationship between a real Jew and a real Muslim is not defined by the polemics of the 7th century or the politics of the 21st. It is defined by the highest aspirations of their own sacred traditions. It is defined by their shared reverence for Abraham, their common affirmation of the One God, and their joint scriptural mandate to pursue justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God. The path forward does not require theological syncretism or the erasure of difference. It requires a return to the sources, a commitment to intellectual honesty, and the courage to see the divine spark in the face of the other. It requires a conscious effort to engage in the Li-Ta'arafu—the mutual knowing—that the Quran commands, moving beyond stereotypes to encounter one another as complex human beings. It requires reclaiming the covenant of the neighbour, a covenant built not on enmity, but on the profound and unifying Quranic truth that the most noble in the sight of God are the most righteous. Bibliography Abou El Fadl, Khaled M. The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists. San Francisco, HarperOne, 2007. al-Bukhari, Muhammad ibn Ismail. Sahih al-Bukhari. Translated by Muhammad Muhsin Khan, Riyadh, Darussalam Publishers, 1997. Ali ibn Abi Talib. Nahj al-Balagha: Peak of Eloquence. Translated by Syed Ali Reza, Qom, Ansariyan Publications, 1996. Armstrong, Karen. 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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/jew-enemy-muslim-enlightened-quranic/d/136090 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism