What is the response to my Christian colleague who raises an objection regarding Allah's statement in Surat Al-Baqarah: "A group you disbelieved, and a group you kill" (2:87), contending that the verb "kill" (تقتلون) should be in the past tense "killed" (قتلتم)? And what is the response to his objection concerning Allah's statement in Surat Aal Imran: "He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is" (3:47), contending that the verb "it is" (فيكون) should be in the past tense "it was" (فكان)?

Whoever is unable to debate should fear Allah and not engage in arguments with the ignorant or with those who harbor doubts. This is because the Qur'an was revealed in eloquent classical Arabic, challenging the Arabs to produce its like, but they failed. Responding to doubts can be done in two ways: The first is in general terms: that the Qur'an is the book of Allah, and Allah challenged the pure Arabs with it to produce its like, but they failed. They were unable to produce its like, nor ten chapters, nor even one chapter. As for the second method, it is through detail, such as His saying, the Most High: (a group you denied, and another group you kill) [2:87]. The verb "kill" (تقتلون) is in the present tense to evoke the horrific situation and the continuous nature of the killing. And His saying, the Most High: (And when He decrees a matter, He only says to it, "Be," and it is) [2:117]. This speaks of Allah's future will, as evidenced by the temporal adverb (إذا - when) and the present tense verb (يكون - is/becomes).