Zionist Quran: Allah Chose the Children of Israel Over All Nations

The Qur’an acknowledges the historical connection of the Children of Israel to the Land of Israel — Eretz Yisrael. It does not, however, explicitly state that this Land or any land, belongs exclusively to any specific group or nation.

The Qur’an emphasizes that the earth belongs to Allah, who is the ultimate owner and sovereign over all lands. It encourages believers to respect the rights and dignity of all people, regardless of their background, and to strive for justice, peace, and harmony in society. At the same time, the Qur’an makes it clear that the Land of Israel is assigned to the Jewish People.

Perhaps more surprisingly, the Qur’an mentions that Allah chose the Children of Israel for specific blessings and responsibilities, such as sending prophets and revealing scriptures to the Jewish people more so than any other nation.

Being selected as the chosen people, however, does not imply superiority over others. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of upholding piety, spreading goodness, and following Allah’s guidance. At the same time, though it is far from an orthodox position within any branch of normative Islam, the Qur’an at no time says the covenant with the Children of Israel was Supersessionally transferred to another group – as Islamicate Replacement Theology imagines.

The Qur’an acknowledges the diverse nature of humanity and stresses that individuals from all nations can attain closeness to Allah through faith and good deeds. But the Qur’an singles out the Bani Israel, the Children of Israel, as having been “chosen above all nations” (2:47).

يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّى فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

We read this notion of being “chosen above all nations” – fadhaltukum `ala al-`Alamin (فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ) — again in the same Surah, ayah 122:

“O Children of Israel! Remember My favors upon you and how I honored you above the others.

يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّى فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

The Qur’an could not possibly be more clear: the Children of Israel were chosen as the “favorites” of Allah — based upon excelling the other nations. While the Torah says this was preference over the other nations of the Land — that is to say, of the region – the Qur’an goes much further.

The term her widely translated as “nations” is a little more pronounced that just indicating the nations of the world. Had one wished to say of the world, in Hebrew we would use the word `Olam (עולם), or here in `Arabic, `Alam (عـلم). The Qur’an, however, does not use the singular `Alam or “world” — it uses the plural, Al-`Alamin (ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ) — meaning all the worlds. In the opening Surat al-Fatihah of the Qur’an, we see Allah as referenced as the Rabbi-l-`Alamin — the Lord of all the worlds!

Just as Allah is declared the ruler of every world in the entire Universe, the Qur’an says the Children of Israel were not only chosen as Allah’s favorites among all the nations of the world but literally “above” or “over” (على) all of the worlds of the Universe.

One can only imagine how infuriating such ayat of the Qur’an would have been to `Arab tribal supremacists and their `asabiyyah, in the early years of Muhammad’s movement. Similarly, the Qur’an seems to think it is important to recount the famous Jewish Midrash on the refusal of Ha’Satan — Iblis (إبليس) or the “Devil”, Diablos (διάβολος) – to literally kow tow, in prostration to Adam.

This would seem logical to most Muslims, would it not? I have certainly known Muslims who refuse to engage in the Bai Shi (拜师) Confucianist ceremony of adopting someone as an apprentice, into a martial lineage through a series of rites and vows from student to master. Part of the ceremony involves literal kow tow to one’s Shifu, and most Muslims find this inappropriate if not absolutely haraam. And yet, the Qur’an says this was the attitude of Satan, Iblis. While the name Iblis is clearly meant to evoke the Greek Diablos, it is a pun — as with so much of the Qur’an and Torah.

In the old HBO campy vampire series True Blood a bit drama mixed with significant dark comedy, “Vampire Bill” says to his love interest, Sookie Stackhouse: “You have to remember that vampires are very old.” With a glare that’s as close to a giggle as Bill will ever get, he adds: “Puns used to be the highest form of humor” (Season 1, episode 4).

As such, the Qur’an and Torah alike, as Semitic scriptures tend to flex their wit through sophisticated layers of punnery. Thus, here the Qur’an draws on the Greek diablos, but utilizes the Arabic root of B-L-S (ب-ل-س), indicating waste or urine — more vulgarly: piss. 

Preferential Treatment

We read in the Qur’an that Allah not only chose Israel above other nations and even over all worlds throughout the Universe – the Quran’s words, not mine – but also pardoned the Jewish People from that which other nations were destroyed for.

“We certainly delivered the Children of Israel from the humiliating torment. We have chosen them — [the Children of Israel] — intentionally, with Knowledge over all people throughout all of the Worlds, and We gave them signs containing a clear test” (44:32-33)

 وَءَاتَيْنَـٰهُم مِّنَ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ مَا فِيهِ بَلَـٰٓؤٌۭا۟ مُّبِينٌ وَلَقَدْ نَجَّيْنَا بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ مِنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْمُهِينِ وَلَقَدِ ٱخْتَرْنَـٰهُمْ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

The “humiliating torment” which the Qur’an references here, is the destruction which was brought down upon other disobedient nations. While the Qur’an notes that the Children of Israel were punished with the Galut or Diaspora for disobedience, the Jewish people nevertheless retained the distinctive identity, firmly rooted in remembrance and yearning for return to the Land of Israel. Moreover, the Qur’an warns enemies of the Jewish People that if there is a move to return to the Land of Israel after the second destruction of the Jewish Temple, then Allah will be with the Jewish People and will condemn all enemies of Israel to a “prison bed in Hell” (17:4-8).

The Qur’an explains the destruction of other nations as follows:

“When the people of Noah denied the Messengers, We drowned them and We set them up as an example for the people. [For] We have prepared for the transgressors a painful punishment. Also `Aad, Thamud, the Companions of Al-Rass, and many generations in between. To each We cited the examples, and each We completely annihilated” (25:37-39).

وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍۢ لَّمَّا كَذَّبُوا۟ ٱلرُّسُلَ أَغْرَقْنَـٰهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَـٰهُمْ لِلنَّاسِ ءَايَةًۭ ۖ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًۭا وَعَادًۭا وَثَمُودَا۟ وَأَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلرَّسِّ وَقُرُونًۢا بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ كَثِيرًۭا وَكُلًّۭا ضَرَبْنَا لَهُ ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلَ ۖ وَكُلًّۭا تَبَّرْنَا تَتْبِيرًۭا

The above words tell us that when the people mentioned rejected Allah and they denied their messengers, Allah completely destroyed them. Now let us read a converse example, in the following words related to the Children of Israel:

And when We calculated for Moses forty nights, you set up the calf after he had gone and you were transgressors. Then We pardoned you after that so that perhaps you would give thanks (2:51-52).

وَإِذْ وَٰعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰٓ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةًۭ ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذْتُمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمْ ظَـٰلِمُونَ ثُمَّ عَفَوْنَا عَنكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

By reading the above words, we immediately note the preferential treatment given to the Bani Israel. Here we see that contrary to how other nations were dealt with for their transgressions — even Egypt which the Bani Israel had just left — Allah refrained from destroy the Israelites. Instead, the Qur’an demonstrates, Allah chose to pardoned the entire United Tribes of Israel and instead only ordained the destruction of the direct transgressors.

When the Ancient Children of Israel followed As-Samiri (the Sumerian) and worshipped the Golden Calf — a pun meaning also “hustle” (al-`eijl, ٱلْعِجْلَ) — there was only punishment for the specific offenders, not for the people as a whole.

The Qur’an minces no words over the matter. Allah did not treat all nations equally – Allah specifically showed favoritism towards the Jewish Tribes.

When Moses said to his people, “O my people, remember Allah’s Approval (نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ) upon you when [Allah] made within you Prophets, and made you Kings, and granted you what was not granted to a single other (ahadana, أَحَدًۭا) from all the Worlds of the Universe (al-`Alamin, ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ) (5:20)

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِۦ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ جَعَلَ فِيكُمْ أَنۢبِيَآءَ وَجَعَلَكُم مُّلُوكًۭا وَءَاتَىٰكُم مَّا لَمْ يُؤْتِ أَحَدًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

Throughout the Islamicate Ummah, billions rage at the State of Israel and the Jewish People in general. When we look at where their anger stems from, it would seem they are more upset with the message of the Qur’an and Muhammad than with us.

They are projecting their own disdain for what has been declared in the Qur’an, upon the Jewish people. At the end of the day, if you believe the Qur’an is the word of Allah, then your refusal to accept what the Qur’an plainly says about the Children of Israel and the Land of Israel, means you are not fighting the Jewish People, you are fighting God.

Ironically, curse upon curse, and prayer upon prayer are offer to the same God of Abraham and the Children of Israel, of Moses and the Tribes, of King David and Solomon, of all of these prophets mentioned in the Qur’an. The presumption is that regardless of rejecting the words of the Qur’an which they do not find palatable, they can shout orders of Lanat’ullah upon Israel, the Jewish People and so on. In doing this, there is an implicit belief that the very same singular God will obey their demands for black magic sihr upon the Jewish People.

Take up your hatred of such matters with Allah. Is Allah not the One who stated them in the Qur’an? Do not then blame the Jewish People for what the Qur’an has said in clear mubin Arabic.

“If the Muslim Ummah could read they’d be very upset…“

It is a hard pill to swallow for the Islamicate world, when so much of what they call “Islam” is submission to Arab nationalism and Caliphatism, far more so than to the Creator. It does not matter to most – even upon having these truths presented to them with ample dalil citation. The Qur’an can lay open right in front of them, and you can orate to them just as Muhammad did – in “clear Arabic” – the ayat which attest to the fact that the Qur’an calls the Land of Israel the “Holy Land” and claims Allah assigned it to the Jewish People.

There is no mention of Palestine, Palestinians, Canaanites or anyone else. Indeed, the only Philistine mentioned in the Qur’an is the villainous Jalut (جالوت) – Goliath (2:250).

The “If those kids could read they’d be very upset” meme from the TV series “King of the Hill” Season 13 Episode 14, comes to mind. Regardless of what truths the Qur’an might impart, it does little good if most of the world’s two billion Mutaslimin never actually read the words and instead rely upon a’immah and shuyukh to both read and interpret it exegetically for them.

As with most things, the culprit here is a lack of critical thinking. If one tries to explain any of this to the Islamicate world, by and large they will be shouted down with impassioned rhetoric, and fiery denunciations of “Zionism” and “Death to Israel” screams from those who just moments ago would have given da`wah that “Islam is the religion of peace.”

If peace can only be sustained by submission to the Caliphate that is not peace at all. This is like telling a rape victim that if they do not resist, then they will have peace. Nothing could be further from the truth, and to even assert such a thing is a sick joke — adding intellectual insult to injury.

Compounding the absurdity, essentially no one who denounces “Zionism” seems capable of giving and even remotely accurate definition of the word – lending credence to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s (1929 – 1968) claim — verified by his closest friends — that the term “Zionist” is merely an antisemitic dog-whistle for “Jew.”

On October 27, 1967, just a few months after the Six Day War, King had dinner with students from Harvard University in Boston. Professor Seymour Martin Lipset was present and recalls how one of the students criticized Zionists. King was incensed, saying “Don’t talk like that!” — and continued, saying bluntly: “When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews. You’re talking anti-Semitism!”

Though many anti-Zionists have tried to bury this quote and caste dispersions on its veracity, it was nevertheless verified by the late John Lewis (1940-2020), before his passing (January 21, 2002, San Francisco Chronicle).

What is Zion(ism)?

The word Zionist (ציוני) means “of Zion.” So what is “Zion” (ציון)? Specifically, Zion is the hill of Jerusalem on which the city of David was built. Thus, Zion refers to Jerusalem. A Tziyoni literally means a “Jerusalemite” or “one of Jerusalem.” More broadly, it is a term used for the Land of Israel, the Land of Judea – thus “Tziyoni” would literally be a synonym with “Israelite” or in Hebrew “Yisraeli” or “Israeli” (ישראלי) or synonymous with the Hebrew term “Yehudi” meaning “Jew” or “Jewish.”

Accordingly, for the believer in the Qur’an who truly reads it and accepts its words in “Clear” or Mubin Arabic, cursing “Israel” is a literal curse upon oneself.  Israel is a Holy name in the Bible and Qur’an alike. Cursing someone for being of or from the City of Jerusalem, the Land of Israel or the Land of Judea is no better. The reality is most people saying “we hate Zionists not Jews” don’t even know what the word Zionist means, nor could they correctly define the political meaning of “Zionism” as a historical movement.

The very fact that they believe there is a single homogenous group, movement, ideology or the like called Zionism highlights just how little they understand about any of this. Even from the earliest days there were an array of very — extremely — different types of Zionism. To say that one opposes all of them means that one opposes the most peacenik, pro-Palestinian Israeli leftist, or the entire Ethiopian Jewish community, or any number of other ardent Zionists.

The reality is that when these sorts of terms become buzz words that people don’t know the meaning of, they simply become dogwhistles for antisemitism — not actual calls for social justice. In fact, for the Muslim — or rather Mutaslim — world to say “Death to Israel” is in fact a curse upon the very name of the figure we know as Muhammad. According to his own family, who transmitted this account, Muhammad declared that his name was in fact Israel!

I am the servant of Allah, my name is beloved — Ahmed — and I am the servant of Allah, my name is also Israel. What [Allah] Commanded to Israel [Allah] has Commanded unto me and what concerned Israel [in the past] is what concerns me [now].” (Tafsir’ul-Ayyashi, v. 1, p. 44)

انا عبد الله اسمى أحمد وأنا عبد الله اسمى إسرائيل فما أمره فقد أمرني وما عناه فقد عناني

If you wish to curse the government of the state of Israel, then you should be precise with your words. That doesn’t mean Allah will heed your demands. Neither does your curse somehow qualify as anything short of an attempt at black magic sihr.

If you, curse “Zionists” then know that this means nothing more than “Jerusalemites.” This is thus an attempt to throw at all residents and lovers of the city of Al-Quds. Do not be surprised when you throw at those who are shielded by the Blessing of Allah, and that which you throw comes ricochetting right back at you.

Consequence is no coincidence.

Words have meaning. Words matter. A person who is careless in their speech is doomed. If you wish to create change through acts of spiritual intention and “prayer” then you must be mindful of your words and intention in the first place. If you are not, don’t be surprised when the answer to your prayers is: “No.”