Response To Critics Claim ‘Allah Is A Deceiver’ – Quran 3:54

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Kaleef K. Karim

The aim of this article is to answer the claims made by Christian missionaries that Allah is a ‘deceiver’, and a ‘liar’, dealing with the word used in 8:58, 7:99 And 3:54. The verse we are going to examine is the following:

Transliteration:
Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru almakireena
Translation:
“And the disbelievers planned, but Allah planned. And Allah is the best of planners.” – Quran 3:54

The historical background for the verse is that the Jews ‘planned’ evil in order to get Jesus arrested and crucified. And Allah in the verse says as they planned evil, so too Allah planned to thwart their wicked plan. Christian missionaries have an issue with the words used for both the Jews and Allah. They prefer to translate this way:

“and [they] deceived and Allah deceived and Allah is the best of deceivers”

The above translation does not exist. It is only made up by crazy deluded missionaries in order to lead people astray. Arabic word(s) makr, Makara can be used negatively and for good. So when the Jews planned to get Jesus arrested and crucified, that was evil, whereas when Allah thwarted their evil plan by saving Jesus, this was good. So, the claim by missionaries that Allah is a deceiver for helping one of the Prophet’s from slaughter at the hands of evil, wicked people, these claims have no bearing on the passage historically.

Islamic scholar, Maulana Muhammad Shaffi mentions in his commentary on the verse that Allah’s planning involved no deception:

“In these verses the miraculous event of the Ascension of Sayyidna Isa (Jesus Christ) has been mentioned. ‘And they made a move’ refers to the evil designs of the Jews who planned to arrest him and to get him crucified.
The next sentence i.e., ‘and Allah made a move’ refers to the plan designed by Allah Almighty to save his Prophet Isa (Jesus) from their ill designs.
Let us begin with … translated as ‘and Allah is the best of those who make moves’. The word, makr in Arabic denotes a subtle and secret move or plan. If this is for a good purpose, it is good; and if this is for a bad purpose, it is bad. It is why the restriction of saiyy (… : evil) was placed with makr (…: move, plan) in: … (And evil plan besets none but its perpetrator – 35:43).” [1]

Maulana Muhammad Shaffi goes further on the word (‘Makr’) in volume 4 and writes:

“The word … (Makr) used in verse 21:… (say, ‘Allah is more swift in making plans’) means secret plan or move that could be good or bad. Whenever this word has become a part of the local language, care should be taken that it is not rendered as deception’. … It is obvious that Allah Ta’ala is free from it. The warning given in verse 23: … (your rebellion is, in fact, against your own-selves) tells us that the curse of injustice is certain and, much before matters are settled in the hereafter, one who is guilty of doing injustice must suffer from its evil consequences in this world as well. The Holy Prophet has said: ‘Allah Ta’ala hastens to repay mercy shown to relatives and favour done to people (whereby its blessings start becoming visible in this world, much before the Hereafter). And He hastens to repay injustices done and relationships severed (in that its consequences have to be faced within the life of this world). (reported by Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah with a hasan chain of narrators)
In another Hadith narrated by Sayyidah A’ishah…, the Holy Prophet said, ‘there are three sins the curse whereof falls on the sinner himself: Injustice, breach of trust and deception.’ (Reported by Abu ash-Shaykh and Ibn Marduwayh in Tafsir) (See Mazhari). [2]

Scholar Maulana Muhammad Ali

54a. Makr is explained by R as the turning of another with ingenuity or skill from that which he aims at, and he considers makr as of two sorts, a good one and an evil one. Therefore the best interpretation of the word Makara (including both sorts) is that adopted by T, viz he exercised craft, cunning, art, or skill in the management or ordering of affairs with excellent consideration or deliberation, and ability to manage according to his own free will (LL). The idea of the plan being contrived for an evil purpose or clandestinely, which is included in the significance of the word, has led many to take that idea as its exclusive significance, which is not the case. Makar-Llahu may also signify that Allah recompensed or requited them for their makr (T-LL). According to some, its original significance is the gathering of an affair and its strengthening (Rz). All these explanations show that it is the equivalent of the word plan, the good or evil nature of the plan being dependent on the object or doer’s intention. Allah is called here Khair al-makarin or the Best of planners, the qualifying word khair being inapplicable to an evil object.
54b. The Jews planned to put Jesus to death by crucifixion, and Allah made a plan to frustrate their plans; and Allah’s plan was successful… [3]

Glossary Of Islamic Terms: English–Arabic – Anwer Mahmoud Zanaty:

MAKR
Has two meanings:
1. Plotting or planning evil intent.
2. Planning for a good purpose: ‘Wa Makaru wa Makara Allah wa’LLahu Khairul Makereen’ (Surah Aali Imran 3:54. They planned and Allah planned and Allah is the best of planners’.
Makara = they plotted. Makara = He planned.
Makkar = plotter.
Makereen = plotters. [4]

The meaning of the Noble Qur’an – Abdullah Yusuf Ali

6078: Makara is applied both to plotting with an evil purpose and planning with a good purpose. Cf. 3:54, and 0. 392 ‘And the unbelievers plotted and planned, and Allah too planned, and the best of planners is Allah.’ [5]

The Message of The Quran – Muhammad Asad

44 Lit., they schemed’ – here referring to those among the Jews who refused to acknowledge Jesus as a prophet and tried to destroy him. [6]

The above Islamic scholars make it quite clear that when Makr is used for Allah there is no deception. It depends on the object, hence, was it for a good purpose or evil? When Allah plans to thwart the evil plans of disbelievers against Jesus, that is good. How is this in any way evil? Is it wrong to help an innocent person and stopping an evil plan?

Since missionaries have made up lies against Allah being a ‘deceiver’, click on the following links below where YHWH (God of the Bible) deceives, and encourages others to lie:

1. Exodus – YHWH & Israelites
2. Kings – Elisha & YHWH
3. Samuel – Samuel & YHWH
4. Kings – Spirit & YHWH
5. John – Jesus
6. Bible

References:

[1] Ma’arifulul-Qur’an By Maulana Muhammad Shaffi volume 2, page 76 – 77
[2] Ma’arifulul-Qur’an By Maulana Muhammad Shaffi volume 4, page 538
[3] The Holy Quran – Arabic Text with English Translation, Commentary and comprehensive Introduction [Year 2002 Edition] by Maulana Muhammad Ali, page 152 – 153
[4] Glossary Of Islamic Terms: English–Arabic – By Anwer Mahmoud Zanaty page 131 – 132
[5] The meaning of the Noble Qur’an, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Page 446 http://pdf-koran.com/
[6] The Message of The Quran – translated and explained by Muhammad Asad page 120

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