The Quran goes in depth about the history of Banu Israel, including their trials and crimes.  However, due to current political circumstances, many Muslims have a tendency to regard all Jews as inherently “bad,” and often they will refer to the Quran in order to prove this point of view, for example:

The Quran says Jews were always killing their prophets and doing shirk. They corrupted their scriptures, and they refused to accept the Prophet Muhammad even though they knew he was a prophet. They are so bad— look at what they are doing to our brothers and sisters in Palestine!”

Let’s have a look at how much of this is true and what the Quran really says regarding Banu Israel.

The Origin of Banu Israel

The Banu Israel are called by this name because Israel was another name for the Prophet Yaqub (Jacob), and from his twelve children came the twelve tribes that constituted Banu Israel. After Yusuf became the minister of Egypt, his whole family migrated there.

So the origin of Banu Israel starts from Egypt. They were living there peacefully until the pharaohs took them captive. They were treated like animals, and their children were killed and women taken. Allah mentions these horrible trials of Banu Israel several times in the Quran, and Allah Himself says:

And in that was a great trial from your Lord. (Quran 2:49)

Then Moses saved the children of Israel from the hands of Pharaoh. Again this story is narrated in the Quran in several places.

And the good word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of what they had patiently endured. And We destroyed [all] that Pharaoh and his people were producing and what they had been building. (Quran 7:137)

The Banu Israel suffered unspeakable tortures, and, enduring all of it, remained believers. Allah honored the Banu Israel by choosing them to be His special slaves.

And We did certainly give the Children of Israel the Scripture and judgement and prophethood, and We provided them with good things and preferred them over the worlds. (Quran 45:16)

Why would Allah choose a whole nation of “bad” people to be His special slaves? The fact that Allah made them special proves that there was something special about them. Allah highlights this point in the following verse:

And We certainly chose them by knowledge over [all] the worlds. (Quran 44:32)

Although as we know all of the messengers of Allah were Muslims, most of the prophets who came after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were of Jewish descent, an exception being Prophet Muhammad.