Quran

Their affiliation with the message of Moses (), and being the descendants of Israel (Prophet Jacob ()) did not benefit them, for the only beneficial link to Allah is righteousness, specially on the Day of Judgement when close friends will become enemies to one another, except the righteous. Al-Biqai: 2/518.
Question: Jacob () is a Prophet, yet some of his descendants became disbelievers and were cursed. Does kinship benefit anyone without true faith and worship? Explain.

Some scholars said: It is not conditional for one who forbids evil to be without sins himself, rather sinners should forbid one another from committing evil deeds. Al-Qurtubi: 8/106.
Question: Is it conditional for one who forbids evil to be without sins himself?

Allah makes clear that faith has essential deeds and opposing ones. It is important to establish the essential deeds and banish the opposing ones. Among the opposing deeds to the faith is taking enemies of Allah and his Messenger (ﷺ) as allies. Ibn Taimyah: 2/521.
Question: This verse mentions one of the opposing deeds to the faith. What is it?

The verse refers to those Christians who accepted Islam, and not all of them because the rest are as hostile to the Muslims as the Jews; they killed Muslims, held them captives, destroyed their land, demolished their Mosques and burned their copies of the Holy Quran. There must not be allegiance nor dignity for them; in fact, this verse is only about those Christians who accepted Islam. Al-Baghawi: 1/702.
Question: This verse refers to a certain group of Christians. Who are they?

(Among them are priests and monks) means that the ascetic scholars and devoted worshippers in hermitages. Knowledge, asceticism and worship are things that soften the heart and remove the hardness and harshness. Hence the hardness of the Jews and the harshness of polytheists are not found in them. Al-Saadi: 242.
Question: What are the causes of softening the heart?

(True scholars cry but are not struck insensible, supplicate but do not scream, and become sad but do not fake being unconscious, as Allah says, (Allah has sent down the best message – a consistent Book of repeated lessons – causing the skins of those who fear their Lord to shiver, then their skins and their hearts soften at the remembrance of Allah) [39:23]. Al-Qurtubi: 8/113.
Question: What is the proper interaction with the words of Allah?

(So record us among those who testify), Ibn Abbas () said: They asked to be among the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his Muslim nation. They are the witness nation who testifies to the truth on the Last Day, since Christians are a nation of worship and devotion not a nation of knowledge and testimony. Ibn Taimyah: 2/522.
Question: What is meant by: (So record us among those who testify)?