1. These people who call themselves Ahlul-kitab are in fact those who reject Allah's Deen (and follow their self-made religions); and the Arab mushrikeen who claim to have never received the Divine Scripture, could not have freed themselves from the chains to which they were fastened, until they received clear Wahi (This Wahi has now come in the form of Quran; and its sole objective is to free them from the chains to which they have fastened themselves ~ 7:157.)
2. They have received this Wahi through the Rasool, who presents before them pure (Quranic) verses which are free from defects;
3. These are the verses of the Quran which contains unchangeable Divine Laws and permanent values of life.
4. But such is the state of these Ahlul-kitab that despite the clear and candid Laws that have been revealed, (instead of believing in the Quran and paving the way for the unity of mankind) they started creating factions.
5. They did so inspite of being ordained by the Quran to obey and follow only the Divine Laws; to deny anyone else as their sovereign; and to leave everything else aside in order to unite on one point. They should concentrate their efforts on establishing the system of Salat and providing for the nourishment and development of mankind. This is the only firm system that guarantees benefit and upliftment to mankind.
6. However, the Ahlul-kitab adopted divergent ways in this regard. Some accepted it, while others rejected it; and the mushrikeen have the same attitude. The end result for all those who have refused to accept the truthfulness of the (Divine) System would be awful destruction in which everything would be reduced to ashes; and they would abide therein (for ever). (This state of affairs would continue even after death.) Such is the life of the worst of creatures.
7. On the contrary, people who believe in the truthfulness of the Divine System and work in accordance with the constructive programme (as determined by the Almighty) are the best of creatures.
8. The results of their righteous deeds shall come before them according to Allah's Law of Mukafat. They shall forever abide in a heavenly society the freshness of which would never fade (because this state would not end with death). This is because they have brought themselves into harmony with the Divine Laws, and the results of their deeds shall be drawn up according to the promises made to them by their Almighty.
All this happened because these people had wisdom and far-sightedness. They were afraid that if they did not lead lives according to the Divine Laws, then the outcome would be doom.