Page 206 - Tafsir of surat at tawba repentance

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Hence, Islaam rejects as false the Biblical figure ‘Melchizedek,” 59 concerning
whom a chapter of unknown authorship called “The Letter to the Hebrews” says,
“He (Melchizedek) is without father or mother or genealogy and has neither
beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the son of God he continues a
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priest forever.”

2. Al (of definiteness, not in reference to something known to the readers):
Although “al” is normally translated as “the,” in this case it translates as “all” or
“every.” For example, the verse:

( (#4qt/Ìh9$# tP§ymur yìø‹t7ø9$# ª!$# ¨@ymr&ur )

“Allaah has made al-bay‘ (all trade) allowable and forbidden ar-ribaa
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(all interest).”

Hence, all forms of trade are considered valid unless they have been expressly
forbidden. Likewise, in the verse:

( $yJßgtƒÏ‰÷ƒr& (#þqãèsÜø%$$sù èps%͑$¡¡9$#ur ä-͑$¡¡9$#ur )

“Cut off the hand of as-saariq was-saariqah (every male and female

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thief),”

the Muslim community—and, more specifically, their rulers, who have been
delegated the responsibility of establishing justice and legal punishments—would
not be in compliance with this order until they cut the hand of every male and
female thief.

59
Genesis 14:18-20.
60
Hebrews 7:3.
61
Soorah al-Baqarah (2):275.
62
Soorah al-Maa’idah (5):38.

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