section 3 chastisement for those who slay the apostles. those who slay apostles of allah shall be punished. to allah alone belongs the kingdom and he alone bestows the kingdom upon whomever he wills and takes it away from whomever he wills. 20. " so if they dispute with you, say: `i have submitted my self (totally) to allah, and whoever follows me'. and say to those who have been given the book and the unlettered ones: ` do you (also) submit yourselves ?' so if they submit then indeed they are rightly guided, and if they turn back, then upon you is only the delivery of the message, and allah is well-aware of the servants." commentary: " so if they dispute with you, say: `i have submitted my self (totally) to allah, and whoever follows me'. ..." the lord, addressing the prophet (p.b.u.h.), has commanded him that if the jews and the christians disputed with him upon the religion, he would tell them that he had surrendered his self wholly to allah, the one, and had taken no partner for him with himself and had not worshipped another god with him. the purpose is that the prophet (p.b.u.h.) tells them that his religion is theism, and this creed is the same principle that all the responsible persons are obliged to confess. "... and say to those who have been given the book..." these people are the people of the book, i.e. the jews and the christians. "... and the unlettered ones..." these are those who had not book, i.e. the pagan arabs. "...` do you (also) submit yourselves? '..." with reference to the evidences and signs which are with you, have you embraced islam, or you still resist on your own infidelity ? " ... so if they submit then indeed they are rightly guided, ..." if they embrace islam it is useful for themselves, because they have been delivered from aberration and guided to the right way. "... and if they turn back, then upon you is only the delivery of the message, and allah is well-aware of the servants." if they refrain and do not accept islam, there will be no harm on you, o' muhammad! you are the messenger of allah and your duty is only to convey the message and to attract their attention to the way of right and guidance.