The Jews of the Koran

This chapter analyses the position of Jews and Judaism in a new dialogic perspective. The first part defines Qur’anic terms that were frequently used to describe the Jewish population in Mecca and Medina. This part is followed by a discussion of the political and social circumstances that caused considerable tension between the Muslims and Jews in Medina. The chapter highlights the fact that the verses about Jews, like the other Qur’an verses, must be understood within the particular context, since all the verses were revealed in response to the existing circumstances at the time of their revelation. Based on those verses, together with other sources, including the Constitution of Medina. In fact, as the chapter points out, some of the verses speak directly to the Jews, reminding them of their promise to accept God’s messages. The chapter ends with an examination of their shared history, particularly in Medina. The chapter concludes with an examination of the present-day significance of the Qur’anic verses for Jewish-Muslim relations in the European context and the relevance of anti-Semitic education for Islamic religious education.

Antisemitism