Not by Your Wishes Nor the Wishes of the People of the Book — Religion Is Action
tadabbur
Level: basic
ali-imran
td-188
مَن يَعۡمَلۡ سُوٓءٗا يُجۡزَ بِهِۦ
— النساء 123
Verse: "Not by your wishes nor the wishes of the People of the Book — whoever does evil will be recompensed for it." (4:123)
Context: Jews said: "None enters Paradise except Jews or Christians." Some Muslims claimed Paradise was theirs alone. The verse equalized: Paradise is not by affiliation but by action.
The universal rule: For everyone — Jew, Christian, Muslim, disbeliever. No racial or religious privilege.
Lesson: Stop counting on labels — start investing in actions.
Source: Ibn Kathir (2/356); Al-Sadi; Al-Qurtubi (5/395)
Question: How did the verse respond to each party's claim that Paradise belongs to them alone?
Answer: Responded with a practical principle: "Whoever does evil will be recompensed" — Paradise is by action not affiliation. Every claim without action is an illusion.