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Ayah
Word by Word
إِنۡ
Not
هُوَ
he
إِلَّا
(was) except
عَبۡدٌ
a slave
أَنۡعَمۡنَا
We bestowed Our favor
عَلَيۡهِ
on him
وَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ
and We made him
مَثَلٗا
an example
لِّبَنِيٓ
for (the) Children of Israel
إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ
for (the) Children of Israel
إِنۡ
Not
هُوَ
he
إِلَّا
(was) except
عَبۡدٌ
a slave
أَنۡعَمۡنَا
We bestowed Our favor
عَلَيۡهِ
on him
وَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ
and We made him
مَثَلٗا
an example
لِّبَنِيٓ
for (the) Children of Israel
إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ
for (the) Children of Israel
Translation
He was no more than a servant: We granted Our favour to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel.
Tafsir
He, Jesus, is only a servant [of Ours] on whom We bestowed favour, through prophethood, and We made him, by his [coming into] being without a father, an exemplar for the Israelites, that is to say, like an example because of the wondrousness of his case, one from which one is able to infer God's power, exalted be He, to do whatever He will.
The Contempt of the Quraysh for the son of Maryam, and His true Status with Allah
Allah tells us how the Quraysh persisted in their disbelief and stubborn arguments:
وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ مَثَلً إِذَا قَوۡمُكَ مِنۡهُ يَصِدُّونَ
And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, your people cry aloud thereat.
Several others narrated that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Ikrimah, As-Suddi and Ad-Dahhak said,
They laughed, i.e., they were astounded by that.
Qatadah said,
They were repelled by that and they laughed.
Ibrahim An-Nakha`i said, They turned away.
The reason for this was mentioned by Muhammad bin Ishaq in As-Sirah. He said,
According to what I have heard, the Messenger of Allah sat down one day with Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah in the Masjid, and An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came and sat down with them. There were also other men from the Quraysh in the gathering. The Messenger of Allah spoke, then An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came up to him and the Messenger of Allah spoke to him until he defeated him in argument. Then he recited to him and to them,
إِنَّكُمۡ وَمَا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمۡ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ
Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! (Surely) you will enter it. (21:98)
Then the Messenger of Allah got up and went to sit with Abdullah bin Al-Zab`ari At-Tamimi.
Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah said to him, By Allah, An-Nadr bin Al-Harith could not match the son of Abd Al-Muttalib in argument. Muhammad claims that we and these gods that we worship are fuel for Hell.'
Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said,
`By Allah, if I meet with him I will defeat him in argument. Ask Muhammad whether everyone that is worshipped instead of Allah will be in Hell with those who worshipped him, for we worship the angels, and the Jews worship Uzayr, and the Christians worship the Messiah Isa bin Maryam.'
Al-Walid and those who were sitting with him were amazed at what Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said, and they thought that he had come up with a good point. He said this to the Messenger of Allah, who said:
كُلُّ مَنۡ أَحَبَّ أَنۡ يُعۡبَدَ مِنۡ دُونِ اللهِ فَهُوَ مَعَ مَنۡ عَبَدَهُ فَإِنَّهُمۡ إِنَّمَا يَعۡبُدُونَ الشَّيۡطَانَ وَمَنۡ أَمَرَهُمۡ بِعِبَادَتِه
Everyone who likes to worship something other than Allah will be with the one whom he worshipped, for indeed they are worshipping the Shaytan and whomever told them to worship that person.
Then Allah revealed the words:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتۡ لَهُمۡ مِّنَّا الۡحُسۡنَى أُوۡلَـيِكَ عَنۡهَا مُبۡعَدُونَ
Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us, they will be removed far therefrom (Hell). (21:101),
meaning that Isa , Uzayr and rabbis and monks who were also worshipped, who spent their lives in devotion towards Allah. The misguided people who came after them took them as lords instead of Allah.
Concerning the notion of worshipping the angels as daughters of Allah, the following words were revealed:
وَقَالُواۡ اتَّخَذَ الرَّحۡمَـنُ وَلَداً سُبۡحَانَهُ بَلۡ عِبَادٌ مُّكۡرَمُونَ
And they say:The Most Gracious has begotten a son (or children).
Glory to Him! They are but honored servants. (21:26)
Concerning Isa bin Maryam, the fact that he is worshipped instead of Allah, and to the amazement of Al-Walid and the others who were present at the argument, the following was revealed:
وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ مَثَلً إِذَا قَوۡمُكَ مِنۡهُ يَصِدُّونَ
And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, your people cry aloud thereat.
meaning, they take this argument as a basis for rejecting your message.
وَقَالُوا أَالِهَتُنَا خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ هُوَ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلاَّ جَدَلاً
بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٌ خَصِمُونَ
And say:Are our gods better or is he?
They quoted not the above example except for argument.
Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people.
Then Allah mentions Isa bin Maryam and says:
إِنۡ هُوَ إِلاَّ عَبۡدٌ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ وَجَعَلۡنَاهُ مَثَلً لِّبَنِي إِسۡرَايِيلَ
وَلَوۡ نَشَاء لَجَعَلۡنَا مِنكُم مَّلَيِكَةً فِي الاَۡرۡضِ يَخۡلُفُونَ
وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلۡمٌ لِّلسَّاعَةِ
He was not more than a servant. We granted Our favor to him, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel. And if it were Our will, We would have made angels to replace you on the earth. And he (Isa) shall be a known sign for the Hour.
meaning, the miracles and signs that happened at his hands, such as raising the dead and healing the sick, are sufficient as signs of the approach of the Hour.
فَلَ تَمۡتَرُنَّ بِهَا وَاتَّبِعُونِ
هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسۡتَقِيمٌ
Therefore have no doubt concerning it. And follow Me! This is the straight path.
Ibn Jarir mentioned that Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, commented on the Ayah:
وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ مَثَلً إِذَا قَوۡمُكَ مِنۡهُ يَصِدُّونَ
(And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, your people cry aloud thereat).
This means the Quraysh, when it was said to them:
إِنَّكُمۡ وَمَا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمۡ لَهَا وَارِدُونَ
Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! (Surely) you will enter it. (21:98)
The Quraysh said to him:`What about Isa bin Maryam'
He said:
ذَاكَ عَبۡدُاللهِ وَرَسُولُه
He is the servant and Messenger of Allah.
They said,
`By Allah, he means that we should take him as a lord just as the Christians took Isa son of Maryam as a lord.'
Then Allah said:
مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلاَّ جَدَلاًا
بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٌ خَصِمُونَ
They quoted not the above example except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people.
وَقَالُوا أَالِهَتُنَا خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ هُوَ
And say:Are our gods better or is he?
Qatadah said,
They were saying, `our gods are better than him'.
Qatadah said;
Ibn Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him, recited it
أَالِهَتُنَا خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ هُدَا
(Are our gods better or is this (person)),
they mean Muhammad.
...
مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلاَّ جَدَلاًا...
They quoted not the above example except for argument.
means, for the sake of stubborn argument, for they knew that he (Isa ) was not included in the Ayah (21:98), because that would not make sense.
The words,
إِنَّكُمۡ وَمَا تَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ
Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! (21:98)
are addressed to the Quraysh, for they used to worship idols and false gods -- they did not worship the Messiah so why should he be included in what the Ayah says? What they said was only for the sake of argument; they did not really believe in it.
Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Abu Umamah, may Allah be pleased with him, said,
The Messenger of Allah said:
مَا ضَلَّ قَوۡمٌ بَعۡدَ هُدًى كَانُوا عَلَيۡهِ إِلاَّ أُوۡرِثُوا الۡجَدَل
No people go astray after having been guided, but they resort to (futile) argument.
Then the Messenger of Allah recited this Ayah:
مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلاَّ جَدَلاًا
بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٌ خَصِمُونَ
(They quoted not the above example except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people).
It was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Ibn Jarir.
At-Tirmidhi said, This Hadith is Hasan Sahih, we do not know it except from the Hadith of Hajjaj bin Dinar...
إِنۡ هُوَ إِلاَّ عَبۡدٌ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ
He (Isa) was not more than a servant. We granted Our favor to him,
means, Isa, peace be upon him; he was no more than one of the servants of Allah whom Allah blessed with Prophethood and messengership.
وَجَعَلۡنَاهُ مَثَلً لِّبَنِي إِسۡرَايِيلَ
and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.
means, `a sign, proof and evidence of Our power to do whatever We will.'
وَلَوۡ نَشَاء لَجَعَلۡنَا مِنكُم مَّلَيِكَةً فِي الاَۡرۡضِ يَخۡلُفُونَ
And if it were Our will, We would have made angels to replace you on the earth.
As-Suddi said,
They would have taken your place on (the earth).
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and Qatadah said,
They would have succeeded one another just as you succeed one another.
This view is implied by the former view.
Mujahid said,
They would have populated the earth instead of you.
Allah's saying:
وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلۡمٌ لِّلسَّاعَةِ
And he (Isa) shall be a known sign for (the coming of) the Hour.
The correct view concerning this phrase is that it refers to his descent before the Day of Resurrection, as Allah says:
وَإِن مِّنۡ أَهۡلِ الۡكِتَـبِ إِلاَّ لَيُوۡمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبۡلَ مَوۡتِهِ
And there is none of the People of the Scripture but must believe in him before his death. (4:159).
-- meaning before the death of Isa, peace be upon him --
وَيَوۡمَ الۡقِيَـمَةِ يَكُونُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ شَهِيداً
And on the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them (4:159)
This meaning has the support from an alternate recitation of the Ayat
وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلۡمٌ لِلسَّاعَةِ
(And he shall be a known sign for (the coming of) the Hour.) means, evidence that the Hour will surely come.
Mujahid said:
وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلۡمٌ لِّلسَّاعَةِ
(And he shall be a sign for (the coming of) the Hour).
means, sign and One of the signs of the Hour will be the appearance of Isa son of Maryam before the Day of Resurrection.
Something similar was also narrated from Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Abbas, `Abu Al-`Aliyah, Abu Malik, Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others.
Many Mutawatir Hadiths report that the Messenger of Allah said that Isa will descend before the Day of Resurrection as a just ruler and fair judge.
فَلَ تَمۡتَرُنَّ بِهَا
Therefore have no doubt concerning it.
means, do not doubt that it will surely come to pass.
وَاتَّبِعُونِ
And follow Me.
means, `in what I tell you about it.'
هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسۡتَقِيمٌ
وَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكُمُ الشَّيۡطَانُ
This is the straight path. And let not Shaytan hinder you.
means, from following the truth.
إِنَّهُ لَكُمۡ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
وَلَمَّا جَاء عِيسَى بِالۡبَيِّنَاتِ قَالَ
قَدۡ جِيۡتُكُم بِالۡحِكۡمَةِ
Verily, he (Satan) to you is a plain enemy. And when Isa came with (Our) clear proofs, he said:
I have come to you with Al-Hikmah...,
meaning Prophethood:
وَلاُِبَيِّنَ لَكُم بَعۡضَ الَّذِي تَخۡتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ
and in order to make clear to you some of the (points) in which you differ.
Ibn Jarir said,
This means religious matters, not worldly matters.
What he said is good.
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ
Therefore have Taqwa of Allah,
means, `with regard to what I command you to do.'
وَأَطِيعُونِ
and obey me.
means, `in what I bring to you.'
إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمۡ فَاعۡبُدُوهُ هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسۡتَقِيمٌ
Verily, Allah! He is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. This is the straight path.
means, `you and I are enslaved to Him, in need of Him and we commonly share in the worship of Him Alone, associating none with Him.'
هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسۡتَقِيمٌ
This is the straight path.
means, `what I have brought to you is the straight path, which is the worship of the Lord, may He exalted, Alone.'
فَاخۡتَلَفَ الاۡاَحۡزَابُ مِن بَيۡنِهِمۡ
But the sects from among themselves differed.
means, they differed and became parties and factions, some who stated that he (Isa) was the servant and Messenger of Allah -- which is true - while others claimed that he was the son of Allah or that he himself was Allah -- glorified be Allah far above what they say.
Allah says:
فَوَيۡلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنۡ عَذَابِ يَوۡمٍ أَلِيمٍ
So woe to those who do wrong from the torment of a painful Day.
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