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Ayah
Word by Word
لَتَجِدَنَّ
Surely you will find
أَشَدَّ
strongest
ٱلنَّاسِ
(of) the people
عَدَٰوَةٗ
(in) enmity
لِّلَّذِينَ
to those who
ءَامَنُواْ
believe
ٱلۡيَهُودَ
the Jews
وَٱلَّذِينَ
and those who
أَشۡرَكُواْۖ
(are) polytheists
وَلَتَجِدَنَّ
and surely you will find
أَقۡرَبَهُم
nearest of them
مَّوَدَّةٗ
(in) affection
لِّلَّذِينَ
to those who
ءَامَنُواْ
believe
ٱلَّذِينَ
those who
قَالُوٓاْ
say
إِنَّا
We
نَصَٰرَىٰۚ
(are) Christians
ذَٰلِكَ
That (is)
بِأَنَّ
because
مِنۡهُمۡ
among them
قِسِّيسِينَ
(are) priests
وَرُهۡبَانٗا
and monks
وَأَنَّهُمۡ
and that they
لَا
(are) not
يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ
arrogant
لَتَجِدَنَّ
Surely you will find
أَشَدَّ
strongest
ٱلنَّاسِ
(of) the people
عَدَٰوَةٗ
(in) enmity
لِّلَّذِينَ
to those who
ءَامَنُواْ
believe
ٱلۡيَهُودَ
the Jews
وَٱلَّذِينَ
and those who
أَشۡرَكُواْۖ
(are) polytheists
وَلَتَجِدَنَّ
and surely you will find
أَقۡرَبَهُم
nearest of them
مَّوَدَّةٗ
(in) affection
لِّلَّذِينَ
to those who
ءَامَنُواْ
believe
ٱلَّذِينَ
those who
قَالُوٓاْ
say
إِنَّا
We
نَصَٰرَىٰۚ
(are) Christians
ذَٰلِكَ
That (is)
بِأَنَّ
because
مِنۡهُمۡ
among them
قِسِّيسِينَ
(are) priests
وَرُهۡبَانٗا
and monks
وَأَنَّهُمۡ
and that they
لَا
(are) not
يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ
arrogant
Translation
You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allāh; and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, "We are Christians." That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.
Tafsir
You, O Muhammad may peace and salutation be upon him, will truly find the most hostile of people to those who believe to be the Jews and the idolaters, of Mecca, because of the intensity of their disbelief, ignorance and utter preoccupation with following whims; and you will truly find the nearest of them in love to those who believe to be those who say 'Verily, we are Christians'; that, nearness of theirs in love to the believers is, because some of them are priests, scholars, and monks, devout worshippers, and because they are not disdainful, of following the truth, as the Jews and the Meccans are.
"Jews, Polytheists and Christians
Sa`id bin Jubayr, As-Suddi and others said that;
these Ayat were revealed concerning a delegation that An-Najashi (King of Ethiopia) sent to the Prophet in order to hear his words and observe his qualities.
When the delegation met with the Prophet and he recited the Qur'an to them, they embraced Islam, cried and were humbled. Then they returned to An-Najashi and told him what happened.
Ata bin Abi Rabah commented,
""""They were Ethiopians who embraced Islam when the Muslims who migrated to Ethiopia resided among them.""""
Qatadah said,
""""They were some followers of the religion of `Isa, son of Maryam, who when they ﷺ Muslims and heard the Qur'an, they became Muslims without hesitation.""""
Ibn Jarir said that;
these Ayat were revealed concerning some people who fit this description, whether they were from Ethiopia or otherwise.
Allah said,
لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ امَنُواْ الْيَهُودَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ
Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers the Jews and those who commit Shirk,
This describes the Jews, since their disbelief is that of rebellion, defiance, opposing the truth, belittling other, people and degrading the scholars. This is why the Jews - may Allah's continued curses descend on them until the Day of Resurrection - killed many of their Prophets and tried to kill the Messenger of Allah several times, as well as, performing magic spells against him and poisoning him. They also incited their likes among the polytheists against the Prophet.
Allah's statement,
وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ امَنُواْ الَّذِينَ قَالُوَاْ إِنَّا نَصَارَى
and you will find the nearest in love to the believers those who say:""""We are Christians.""""
refers to those who call themselves Christians, who follow the religion of the Messiah and the teachings of his Injil. These people are generally more tolerant of Islam and its people, because of the mercy and kindness that their hearts acquired through part of the Messiah's religion. In another Ayah, Allah said;
وَجَعَلْنَا فِى قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ رَأْفَةً وَرَحْمَةً وَرَهْبَانِيَّةً
And We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him, compassion, mercy, and monasticism... (57:27)
In their book is the saying; """"He who strikes you on the right cheek, then turn the left cheek for him.""""
And fighting was prohibited in their creed, and this is why Allah said,
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
That is because among them are Qissisin (priests) and Ruhban (monks), and they are not proud.
This means that among them are Qissisin (priests).
The word Ruhban refers to one dedicated to worship.
Allah said,
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
That is because among them are priests and monks, and they are not proud.
This describes them with knowledge, worship and humbleness, along with following the truth and fairness""
""وَإِذَا سَمِعُواْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَى أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُواْ مِنَ الْحَقِّ
And when they listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognized.
This refers to the good news that they have about the advent of Muhammad.
يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا امَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ
They say:""""Our Lord! We believe; so write us down among the witnesses.""""
who testify to the truth and believe in it.
وَمَا لَنَا لَا نُوْمِنُ بِاللّهِ وَمَا جَاءنَا مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَنَطْمَعُ أَن يُدْخِلَنَا رَبَّنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الصَّالِحِينَ""
""""""And why should we not believe in Allah and in that which has come to us of the truth And We wish that our Lord will admit us (in Paradise) along with the righteous people.""""
Such sect of Christians are those mentioned in Allah's statement,
وَإِنَّ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ لَمَن يُوْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَمَأ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِمْ خَـشِعِينَ للَّهِ
And there are, certainly, among the People of the Scripture, those who believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allah. (3:199)
and,
الَّذِينَ اتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِهِ هُم بِهِ يُوْمِنُونَ
وَإِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا امَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ
Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it, they believe in it (the Qur'an). And when it is recited to them, they say, """"We believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed even before it we were Muslims."""" (28:52-53) until,
لَاا نَبْتَغِي الْجَاهِلِينَ
""""We seek not the ignorant."""" (28:55)
This is why Allah said here
فَأَثَابَهُمُ اللّهُ بِمَا قَالُواْ
So because of what they said, Allah awarded them...
rewarding them for embracing the faith and recognizing and believing in the truth.
جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الَانْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا
Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), they will abide therein forever.
and they will never be removed from it, for they will dwell and remain in it forever and ever,
وَذَلِكَ جَزَاء الْمُحْسِنِينَ
Such is the reward of good-doers.
who follow the truth and obey it wherever, whenever and with whomever they find it.
Allah then describes the condition of the miserable""
""وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَكَذَّبُواْ بِأيَاتِنَا
But those who disbelieved and belied Our Ayat,
defied and opposed them,
أُوْلَـيِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ
they shall be the dwellers of the (Hell) Fire.
For they are the people of the Fire who will enter and reside in it (eternally)."
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