Surah Al-Maeda, Verse 77 and 78

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*Surah Al-Maeda, Verse 77:*

قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا أَهْوَاءَ قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّوا مِن قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا وَضَلُّوا عَن سَوَاءِ السَّبِيلِ

Say (O Muhammad [Blessings and Peace of Allāh be upon him]): "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Exceed not the limits in your religion (by believing in something) other than the truth, and do not follow the vain desires of people who went astray in times gone by, and who misled many, and strayed (themselves) from the Right Path."

#COMMENTARY

Excess, as opposed to moderation and reason, is the simplest test by which a hypocrite or a selfish man who "trades" on religion, is known from a sincere, pious, and truly religious man. Excess means that truth is sometimes concealed or trampled upon, that the fashions of ancestors or contemporaries are copied or overdone, and Allāh's name is dishonoured by blasphemies or the setting up of false gods or fetishes, or that good (or even bad) men are deified and worshipped. The true path is the even path, the path of rectitude. (Compared Qur-ān chapter ii, verse 108, and chapter v, verse 12).

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*Surah Al-Maeda, Verse 78:*

لُعِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَىٰ لِسَانِ دَاوُودَ وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا وَّكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ

Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Dawud (David) and 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). That was because they disobeyed (Allah and the Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds.

#COMMENTARY

The Psalms of David have several passages of imprecations against the wicked. Compared Psalms, chapter cix, verses 17-18; chapter lxxviii, verses 21-22 ("Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; because they believed not in God, and trusted not in His salvation"); Psalms, chapter lxix, verses 22-28, and Psalms, chapter v, verse 10.

Compared Gospel of St Mathew, New Testament, chapter xxiii, verse 33 ("Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of Hell?); also Mathew, chapter xii, verse 34.