3-55 When Allah said: O Jesus, I will cause thee to diea and exalt thee in My presenceb and clear thee of those who disbelievec and make those who follow thee above those who disbelieve to the day of Resurrection.d Then to Me is your return, so I shall decide between you concerning that wherein you differ.e
إِذۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّى مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوۡقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرۡجِعُڪُمۡ فَأَحۡڪُمُ بَيۡنَكُمۡ فِيمَا كُنتُمۡ فِيهِ تَخۡتَلِفُونَ (٥٥)
3-55a: مُتَوَفِّيكَ – توفاہ ٱللَّه اذا قبض نفسه (LA) قبض روحه (T), that is, the meaning of the saying توفاہ ٱللَّه is to capture the soul or capture the spirit. No dictionary or thesaurus lists the meaning of توفاہ ٱللَّه as other than the seizing of the soul or spirit. The word under discussion here is not توفی but مُتَوَفِّيكَ in which Allah is the subject and Jesus as the addressee is the object. Hence the meaning of توفاہ ٱللَّه is the only one that is applicable to مُتَوَفِّيكَ. All lexicologists recognize the saying توفاہ ٱللَّه and define it separately as the seizing of the soul or spirit. This meaning is not only proven from the thesaurus, but the Quran clarifies it in the verse: ٱللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلۡأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوۡتِهَا وَٱلَّتِى لَمۡ تَمُتۡ فِى مَنَامِهَا (Allah takes (men’s) souls at the time of their death, and then those that die not …) (39:42). The seizure of souls by Allah either is at the time of their death or in sleep for those who die not. There is no third way. So the meaning of مُتَوَفِّيكَ cannot be any other but the seizure of your soul. One unresolved issue is left however, and that is whether the seizure of the soul here is in death or sleep. This is discussed further on.
There is no doubt that توفی is derived from وفیٰ which means to fulfill, but the meaning a word takes on in a specific context or saying depends not on deductive reasoning but on accepted usage. If the meaning of words in the dictionary were to be based on deductive reasoning rather than on accepted usage then all trust would be lost in the meaning. Given the testimony of customary usage, the meaning that وفیٰ acquires in the group تفعّل and in the saying توفاہ ٱللَّه of this group can be none other than seizing the soul. So, it cannot be said through deductive reasoning that since the meaning of وفیٰ is to fulfill then the meaning of توفاہ ٱللَّه can also be that Allah seized him bodily. The unanimous ruling of liguists is that the meaning of توفاہ ٱللَّه is only seizure of the soul, and not a single example from the poetic verses of the pre-Islamic times can be presented against this.
The term توفاہ ٱللَّه is used only for humans and not for any other living being, and even for humans, its use is limited to use in the two conditions of death and sleep. The use of the term توفی for the condition of sleep is because the power of intellectual discrimination is lost in that state. It is not permissible to use the term توفاہ ٱللَّه for an insane person even though such a person also loses the intellectual power to discriminate. Similarly, if it was possible for a person to be bodily lifted to heaven, it would not be permissible according to the Arabic lexicon to use the saying توفاہ ٱللَّه for such an occurrence, and some other word would be used. It is in accordance with this testimony of the thesaurus and the Quran that the great linguist and interpreter of the Quran Ibn Abbas stated, as narrated in Bukhari, that the meaning of مُتَوَفِّيكَ is ممیتك , I will cause you to die.
The opinion of commentators on مُتَوَفِّيكَ: Because this meaning was contrary to the belief that prevailed in Christianity, the idea that Jesus is alive took root among the Muslims. This thinking among the Muslims was further strengthened by a misunderstanding of the prophecy regarding the coming of Ibn Maryam. Hence some try to explain the prophecy by saying that Jesus died but was brought back to life which is against the rule that those who die are not brought back physically to life as discussed in 3-49f. Others argue that there is a change in order [that is instead of cause thee to die and exalt thee, it should be exalt thee and cause thee to die] and this explanation is attributed to Ibn Abbas in some narrations, but Imam Bukhari does not accept the change in the order of Ibn Abbas’ narration as authentic and leaves that part out and only gives the part where Ibn Abbas explains the meaning of مُتَوَفِّيكَ as ممیتك . So, the testimony of the Quran, Hadith, Thesaurus, and the leading commentator is that the meaning of مُتَوَفِّيكَ is cause you to die. Those who have taken مُتَوَفِّيكَ to mean variously: مستوفی شخصك من الارض (Gather the totality of your being from the earth) or اٰخذك و افیا بروحك (Take you with your soul) or death of carnal powers, use their deductive reasoning to make up their own meaning with no basis in the dictionary. For this reason, careful commentators despite their preexisting notions accept that the meaning of مُتَوَفِّيكَ is cause you to die. However, to support their notion they have added that after being dead for a while Jesus became alive again. In line with this, Ibn Jarir gives this narration from Wahab: قال توفی ٱللَّه عیسیٰ ثلاث ساعات من النھار (He said that Allah kept Jesus dead for three parts of a day) and Hakim narrates from the same source:ان ٱللَّه توفی عیسیٰ سبع ساعات ثم احیاہ (Allah kept Jesus dead for seven moments and then made him alive). Others argue that the purport of مُتَوَفِّيكَ here is that I am going to put you to sleep, and the reason they advance for this interpretation is: ان ٱللَّه تعالیٰ رفع عیسیٰ الی السماء و ھو نائم رفقابه (In order to make it easy for Jesus, Allah raised him to heaven in a state of sleep). It follows that for return to earth it would be necessary to put Jesus again in a state of sleep ( توفی), and there should be a mention of it somewhere, but there is no mention of it either in the Quran or Hadith. Some say that توفی is not first but after رفع . Now, four things are mentioned here: توفی (death) – رفع (exaltation) – تطھیر (purification) – فوقیت متبعین (dominance of followers). If مُتَوَفِّيكَ (death) is lifted from its place in the sequence, then there is no other appropriate place for it. It cannot be placed after رفع (exaltation) but before تطھیر (purification) because تطھیر (purification) has occurred but توفی (death), according to those advocating that Jesus is alive, has not occurred. It can also not be put after تطھیر (purification) and before فوقیت (domination) because فوقیت has occurred, and finally it cannot be kept after فوقیت (domination) because its period stretches till end times. This implies that death took place after end times, which is impossible. The fact is that the chronological sequence given in the Quran is correct. First the death or توفی took place, then he was exalted رفع, then purified تطھیر and finally dominance of followers فوقیت .
Consternation regarding the death of Jesus: Despite the clarifications contained in the Quran, some people are concerned when the question of the death of Jesus arises and think that this is a new creed that is being introduced in Islam. They think that there is a mention of Jesus being alive in heaven in the Quran and Hadith. The fact is quite the contrary. Not only is there no mention of Jesus being alive in heaven but the death of Jesus is mentioned in both. It is generally thought that there is a consensus of the Muslim ummah regarding the continued physical existence of Jesus in heaven but that is far from correct. Out of the four Imams, Imam Malik is openly convinced about the death of Jesus. His creed is clearly stated in Aqeeda Anbiya and Majma al-Bahar قال مالك مات , and none of the other three is openly convinced of Jesus being alive. The actual creed of the Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat is that Jesus died and not that he is alive. Muslims do not reflect on how much the Christians benefit from the Muslim belief that Jesus is alive in heaven. They mislead the simple-minded Muslims that all prophets, as stated in the Quran were dependent on food for their sustenance but the body of Jesus is such that for two thousand years he lives in heaven without the need for food and water required by all humans, including prophets for their physical bodies. The result that follows from this cannot be denied– that Jesus evidences الٰان کما کان as there is no change in his physical body. This is a necessary attribute not of the created but of the Creator. Hence Jesus is different from humans and has the attribute of the Creator. In this way, the Muslim creed regarding Jesus being alive gives the Christians a way to prove the Divinity of Jesus for which the Christians did not have a single argument. There are several verses in the Quran that prove the death of Jesus and discussion on them will be done at their appropriate places. The verse under discussion also provides evidence of this because if the promise of the death of Jesus is not fulfilled then all the succeeding promises also remain unfulfilled, and this is false. This verse is also a response to the last verse. Jesus’ opponents no doubt wanted to kill him by crucifixion, an accursed death. In this verse, Allah says that he will save him with a finely crafted plan and he will die a natural death when his time will come.
Hadith evidence: Whereas there is not a single hadith about raising Jesus to heaven and about his being alive with his physical body, there are many hadith that prove his death. For example, the well-known hadith about معراج or Ascension where the Holy Prophet saw John and Jesus in the same place in heaven. If Jesus is alive in heaven, how was he in the same place with a prophet who died. Another hadith has the following words: لو کان موسیٰ و عیسیٰ حیین لما وسعھما الّا اتباعی (If Moses and Jesus were alive, they would have had to follow me). Then there is the hadith: ان عیسیٰ عاش عشرین و مائة سنة (Jesus lived to be 120 years old). The Holy Prophet said about this hadith that the Archangel Gabriel gave him this information. The creed of Jesus’ death is not only proven from the Quran and Hadith but also out of the four Imams of the Ahl Sunnat wal Jamaat, one openly professes this creed and the other three are silent regarding the issue. A widespread acceptance of this creed by the Muslims will deal such a death blow to the power of Christian missionaries that they will have no leg to stand on.
3-55b: رَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ – For the four ways in which رفع is used see 2-63a, and for رفع when used for humans to mean spiritual elevation or exaltation see 2-253b. Lissan al-Arab states that among the names of Allah is الرافع which means He who exalts by making a believer blessed and by granting His holy men nearness to Him. The occurrence of this word in the attributes of Allah testifies that wherever there is a mention of رفع by Allah of humans it signifies exaltation in degrees and granting nearness to Him and not physically lifting them from a lower place to a higher place. So out of the four meanings of رفع that Imam Raghib has given, it is the fourth meaning, namely spiritual exaltation that is appropriate here because it is Allah who does this رفع and this رفع has to be under His attribute of الرافع . This meaning of رفع is commonplace in the Arabic language. Accordingly there is a saying: نساء مرفوعات whose meaning is given as نساء مکرمات (respected women) in Lissan al-Arab. The term فُرُشٍ۬ مَّرۡفُوعَةٍ (56:34) occurs in the Quran and its meaning is given as: ای مُقَرَبَةٍ لہم (those who would be made near to them). Similarly, it is stated in the Quran about the Day of Judgment: خَافِضَةٌ۬ رَّافِعَةٌ (56:3) which Zajjaj has explained as: abasing the sinners and exalting the obedient, that is their spiritual status will be raised. And the meaning of تُرۡفَعَ in the phrase: فِى بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ ٱللَّهُ أَن تُرۡفَعَ (24:36) is تعظم (LA) meaning to be exalted. Wherever the word رفع is mentioned in the Quran in the context of Allah exalting people, the meaning is only spiritual nearness and not raising them bodily. Other evidence from Quran commentaries where رفع is interpreted as spiritual exaltation are: وَلَوۡ شِئۡنَا لَرَفَعۡنَـٰهُ بِہَا (And if We had pleased, We would have exalted him thereby) (7:176) which is explained in the commentary as: رفع الیٰ منازل الابرار (towards the station of the righteous) (Bd) or الیٰ منازل العلماء الی الجنة (towards the station of scholars and paradise) (T) and similarly in other commentaries. Ibn Jarir has comments below this verse: و الرفع یعم معانی کثیرۃ منھا الرفع فی المنزلة عندہٗ و منھا الرفع فی شرف الدنیا و مکارمھا و منہا الرفع فی الذکر الجمیل و الثناء الرفیع (الرفع is of many kinds and includes a higher station before Allah, also a station of worldly respect and honor and also exaltation in goodly remembrance and in high praise). However, the exaltation of man by Allah has only one meaning, namely exaltation of spiritual status and it never occurs with any other context.
Hadith gives a definitive pronouncement on the meaning of رفع : The prayer that is recited between each pair of prostrations deserves the utmost attention because it contains the words وارفعنی (O God exalt me). Does any Muslim think that the meaning of the prayer is O God raise me physically to heaven? If the meaning of God exalting a person can be physical elevation, then to this day, there is not a single Muslim whose prayer has been accepted because no one has gone to heaven with the physical body. There is a hadith in Tirmazi which states: یرید الناس ان یضعو ھم دیا بی اللّٰه الا ان یر فعہم (People want to disgrace them but Allah desires nothing else but their exaltation). The meaning is not that Allah desires to lift them bodily to heaven. In the hadith about hospitality, it is repeatedly mentioned that Allah exalts those who are hospitable as in: فتواضعوا یرفعکم اللّٰه . In another hadith it is stated: فا ذاتو اضع رفعه اللّٰه بالسلسلة الی السماء السابعة (When a person is hospitable Allah raises him by a chain to the seventh heaven) (KU volume2 no. 26). The three elements – raising, seventh heaven and chain – are present but even so the purport is not bodily elevation. Instead, it is nearness to Allah. In short, the Quran, Hadith and dictionary are all unanimous that the exaltation of a person by Allah always and in every situation means attaining spiritual nearness regardless of the number of conjectures against it. There is not a single example where the meaning of Allah exalting a human is other than this.
The meaning of رفع or going towards Allah: Another conjecture in this context is the word الیَّ in رفعك الیَّ because this exaltation is towards Allah and not towards heaven. There is no mention of رفع towards heaven in the Quran. Allah is not a body that is in heaven and there is unanimity that it is impossible for Allah to be confined to a particular space. This is the reason that wherever there is a mention in the Quran of going towards Allah or Lord, the purport is never bodily movement but spiritual nearness as in: ٱرۡجِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ (Return to thy Lord) (89:28), إِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٲجِعُونَ (…to Him we shall return) (2:156), إِنِّى ذَاهِبٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّى (Surely I flee to my Lord) (37:99) يَتَّخِذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ سَبِيلاً۬ (…he takes a way to his Lord) (25:57). Imam Razi has stated very clearly in Tafsir Kabir: رفعه فی قوله و رافعك الی ھو الرفعة بالدرجة و المنقبة لا بالمکان و الجھة (رفع in رَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ means degrees and status and not the height of a place or direction).
3-55c: Jesus’ clearance: وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ (clear thee of those who disbelieve). طہارت is of two types – purity of body and purity of soul. Physical cleanliness cannot be the purport here. Most commentators adopt the alternative of purity of soul and explain the meaning as: مُخۡرِجُكَ من جُمۡلَتِہم و مُنَزِّھُكَ اَن تَفۡعَل فِعۡلَھُمۡ (the one who took him out from their (unbeliever’s) party and who purified him by preventing him from doing their actions). It is obvious that this meaning does not suit the context here because the purification from the actions of the unbelievers is a pre-prophethood event and not a post-prophethood one. In fact, prophets are free from sin by nature and therefore naturally pure. So what was the need of such a promise? Some others argue that: تطھیرہ علیه السلام بتیعدہٖ منہم بالرفع (RM) that is, تطھیر or purification was in fact raising him and distancing him from his enemies. But this is a superfluous attempt because this is already included in رفع so what is the need to repeat it? In fact, there is a different kind of تطھیر (purification) implied here. Prophets are undoubtedly sinless, but people levy false charge on them to give them an unholy reputation. The falsification of these charges is also in fact a purification. This is similar to what was stated about our Holy Prophet: لِيَغفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ ما تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَما تَأَخَّرَ (That Allah may cover for thee thy (alleged) shortcomings in the past and those to come) (48:2). The meaning here is the shortcomings that others alleged against the Holy Prophet. Thus, the purification and protection of prophets is already a fact from their pre-prophet days, the future purification that is promised is purification and protection which opponents allege against them.
3-55d: ٱتَّبَعُوكَ – The meaning of تَبِعَ and اتّبِعَ is followed in his footsteps (R). This is the literal meaning but since every follower cannot follow in the footsteps perfectly, ٱتَّبَعُوكَ can also include those who claim to be following in the footsteps. Those commentators who have interpreted the followers meant here to be Muslims have erred seriously because it is only the Christians who are meant here. Muslims are not the followers of Jesus but of Prophet Muhammad. A hadith mentioned previously states the Holy Prophet is reported to have said that if Moses and Jesus were alive, they would have been his followers. So, Muslims are not the followers of Jesus, and the Quran has pointed to this in: فَآمَنَت طائِفَةٌ مِن بَني إِسرائيلَ وَكَفَرَت طائِفَةٌ ۖ فَأَيَّدنَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا عَلىٰ عَدُوِّهِم فَأَصبَحوا ظاهِرينَ (So a party of the Children of Israel believed and another party disbelieved; then We aided those who believed against their enemy, and they became predominant) (61:14).
فَوۡقَ – It means above and is used with respect to place, time, body, number and status. Commentators have unanimously agreed that the use here is not with respect to place and that it means dominate by virtue of reasoning and argument or apparent domination of the ruler over the ruled, that is: یعلونہم بالحجة او السیف (Bd).
ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ – By those who disbelieve is not meant all non-Christians or non-Muslims but only those who specifically reject Jesus. Hence these words refer only to the Jews who believed in all the previous prophets of Bani Israel but rejected Jesus.
Four promises: Jesus was promised four things here which are in response to the plans (مکروا) of the unbelievers mentioned in the previous verse. The first of these four promises is that Jesus will die a natural death. The second promise is to exalt Jesus in God’s presence, that Jesus will be granted nearness to Allah. The third promise is that God will exonerate Jesus from the accusations made against him, and the fourth promise is of dominance, that is Jesus’ followers will dominate his unbelievers in arguments or in power. Every word of the Quran is a marvel. Mention is made of the plan of the Jews. What was their plan? The plan was to put Jesus to death by crucifixion. So, the first thing that is negated is death by crucifixion and the response given is by the word مُتَوَفِّيكَ , that is the Jews will be unable to kill Jesus by crucifixion and he will die a natural death. Death by crucifixion is accursed as stated in Deuteronomy 21:22-23 for he that is hanged is accursed of God, and as Paul states in Galatians 3:13 Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. The meaning of cursed is one who is far from God. This outcome is negated. He will not be distant from God but will be exalted and be near to God. The plan further envisioned that after the death on the Cross and publicizing Jesus as a fabricator, they would make other false charges against Jesus as, for example, that he was born out of wedlock, which is manifest from the Quranic verse: وَقَولِهِم عَلىٰ مَريَمَ بُهتانًا عَظيمًا (…and for their uttering against Mary a grievous calumny). This is negated by: مُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ that is, God will clear Jesus of these charges or that God will exonerate him from the charge of being accursed which is a corollary of being crucified. Finally, the Jewish plan was to bring Jesus’ mission to an end by crucifying him and this is negated by God promising Jesus that his followers would dominate his detractors till the Day of Judgment.
The fine sequencing of the four promises: رفع or the station of real nearness to the Divine takes place only after death when all veils are lifted. So, رفع is mentioned after توفی (death). The station of nearness is endowed in the spiritual world and at the same time in the physical world, the love and respect among the populace grows and this is the promised purification, that is the exoneration from the accusations. Increasing love and respect necessarily brings with it an abundance of followers. This verse also shows that the notion that with the second coming of Jesus all the followers of the Book will believe in him is not correct according to the Quran because the Quran requires the existence of the followers of the Messiah and his detractors until the Day of Resurrection.
3-55e: These words show that differences in beliefs will only be adjudicated on the Day of Resurrection. Differences of beliefs are never reconciled in this world and these differences will persist until the Day of Resurrection. This also rebuts the notion that with the second coming of Jesus the differences will be adjudicated in this world and all differences of beliefs will disappear.
3-56 Then as to those who disbelieve, I shall chastise them with severe chastisement in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers.a
فَأَمَّا الَّذينَ كَفَروا فَأُعَذِّبُهُم عَذابًا شَديدًا فِي الدُّنيا وَالآخِرَةِ وَما لَهُم مِن ناصِرينَ (۵۶)
3-56a: Punishment in this world for the deniers of Messiah: The last verse ended with the statement that Allah will decide the difference between the parties. This verse gives some more details about His decision. The Jews were one of the groups that opposed Jesus. As a group, they will be punished both in this world and the next. The punishment of the Jews in this world is quite apparent. Despite their wealth, Jews have been disgraced through the ages. When calamity strikes them there is none to provide succor. There is no greater punishment than disgrace.
3-57 And as to those who believe and do good deeds, He will pay them fully their rewards. And Allah loves not the unjust.a
وَأَمَّا الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ فَيُوَفّيهِم أُجورَهُم ۗ وَاللَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ الظّالِمينَ ( ۵۷)
3-57a: الظّالِمينَ – For the meaning of ظلم see 2-35b where it is shown that associating partners with Allah is also ظلم . The Quran states that إِنَّ الشِّركَ لَظُلمٌ عَظيمٌ (Surely ascribing partners (to Him) is a grievous iniquity) (31:13). This is what is meant here because the mention is of those who bestowed godhood on the Messiah.
The two factions of Christianity: This is the group of Jesus believers that have been divided into two factions. One faction is that of الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ that is those that followed the right teachings and did good deeds. The other faction is that of الظّالِمينَ by which is meant those who accepted Jesus as God, and the statement لا يُحِبُّ الظّالِمينَ points to them because this faction claims to love God. God’s response to this is that they ascribe partners with Allah, their claim of loving God is a lie and God does not love them. For this reason, the term عَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ is tagged on with the first faction who were the true followers of the Messiah and held distinct from those in the second faction who are deprived of good deeds having laid the foundation of their belief in the expiation of sins through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.
3-58 This We recite to thee of the messages and the Reminder full of wisdom.a
ذٰلِكَ نَتلوهُ عَلَيكَ مِنَ الآياتِ وَالذِّكرِ الحَكيمِ (۵۸)
3-58a: الآياتِ – The word اٰیة is used both for things that are sensed and for reasoned arguments. The use of the word ذٰلِكَ shows that the meaning here of الآياتِ is to the testimony that was provided in the previous verses.
الذِّكرِ – Literally means to remember or to remind, but here the word means the Quran because ذكر is one of the names of the Quran. It is called ذكر because it reminds a person of all those matters that are impressed in human nature or because it lifts humans to the station of honor and nobility.
الحَكيمِ – is one of the attributes of the Quran and the word occurs elsewhere as well in the same context: يٰس وَالقُرآنِ الحَكيمِ (O man. By the Quran full of wisdom!) (36:1-2). The Quran is called حَكيمِ because it contains things of great wisdom (R). The Quran itself bears testimony to this: وَلَقَد جاءَهُم مِنَ الأَنباءِ ما فيهِ مُزدَجَرٌ حِكمَةٌ بالِغَةٌ ۖ فَما تُغنِ النُّذُرُ (And certainly narratives have come to them, which should deter – consummate wisdom – but warnings avail not) (54:4 and 5).
Events from the life of the Messiah negate his divinity: The use of the word الآياتِ (testimony) and then stating that this testimony is full of wisdom indicates that whatever is said about the Messiah is not just a claim but testimony full of wisdom. The events of his birth, his youth, his death, his teachings, and his signs are all testimonials that are given to counter the fabrication of the Christians. Those who consider these events to be mere fables should reflect on the use of the word wisdom in this verse.
3-59 The likeness of Jesus with Allah is truly as the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him, Be, and he was.a
إِنَّ مَثَلَ عيسىٰ عِندَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ ۖ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرابٍ ثُمَّ قالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكونُ (۵۹)
3-59a: مَثَلَ – For the meaning of مَثَلَ see 2-23a. The meaning here is attribute or likeness. It is stated that the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam who was created from dust and then it was said to him, Be, and he was. The story of Adam is narrated in the Quran with two themes – as the father of humanity, that is, all the necessary ingredients of a human are found in him. The second theme is being one of the chosen ones of Allah. The narration about Jesus in the preceding verses also deals with these two aspects, that is all the traits of a human are found in Jesus and that he is one of the chosen servants of Allah. Accordingly, from the viewpoint of being a human, details regarding his birth, childhood, adulthood, and death are mentioned because it is these things that set humans apart from God. Birth, death and the changes that occur in life from childhood to adulthood are traits of humans. God is neither born nor dies and is not subject to any change that causes Him to progress from childhood to adulthood and to then start having a diminution of powers. From the perspective of being a chosen one, the narration mentions that Jesus is a messenger, a spiritual revolutionary and is exalted. Jesus was bestowed with the same excellence that Allah bestowed on Adam. This is how the false doctrine of Christianity is rebutted and this verse is a mere summary of that rebuttal. It should be remembered that the discussion at the head of this surah is with the Christians and the objective of the entire narration is to prove that Jesus has all the features of a human and to manifest that he was not God. The entire discussion is now summarized by stating that all the features present in Adam, that is, of being a human and a chosen one are found in Jesus. On what basis is Jesus Divine? For the purpose of creating a similarity, these two features are sufficient. If it is argued that there is similarity in birth, there is in fact no similarity. The way Adam was created is not the way Jesus was created. Jesus was kept in the mother’s womb, then became a child, and then grew into adulthood. Given the knowledge we have about the creation of Adam, he did not pass through these stages. So, the similarity is not in the way they were created and neither is there a mention of their creation here. The similarity between the two lies in being human and being chosen ones. For this reason, إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصطَفىٰ آدَمَ (Truly Allah chose Adam) (3:33) is stated as a preamble earlier. The command كُن فَيَكونُ also conveys this, that is it is so and not it was so. There is a continuance or repetitiveness associated with it is so that manifests that it is a Divine Law that He uplifts people to the station of righteousness.
خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرابٍ ثُمَّ قالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكونُ – This part of the verse also seems to indicate the two features mentioned above. خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرابٍ is the creation from dust and indicates humanness and كُن فَيَكونُ indicates being upright. The command كُن after خَلَقَ can only mean that he is given another life that is a spiritual life or that He breathed His word into him. It should also be remembered that creation from dust is not just specific to Adam and Jesus as Allah creates every person from dust. Accordingly, in Surah Momin, there is a dialog between a believer and a nonbeliever in which the believer says to the nonbeliever: أَكَفَرتَ بِالَّذي خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُطفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوّاكَ رَجُلًا (Disbelievest thou in Him Who created thee of dust, then of a small life-germ, then He made thee a perfect man?) (18:37). A similar statement is found in Surah Al-Hajj: يا أَيُّهَا النّاسُ إِن كُنتُم في رَيبٍ مِنَ البَعثِ فَإِنّا خَلَقناكُم مِن تُرابٍ (O people, if you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then surely We created you from dust…) (22:5).So, all humankind is created from dust, then God choses some and grants them a spiritual life. There is no mention here of being born without a father, nor is any such objection being answered. If birth without a father is to be mentioned, the appropriate place for it is where the details of birth are mentioned. After the mention of the death of Jesus, the entire argument is summarized here in the words of this verse. In fact, by bringing the word فَيَكونُ in the aorist tense in the end, it is indicated that the Divine law functions all the time and is not limited to these two examples.
3-60 (This is) the truth from thy Lord, so be not of the disputers.
3-61 Whoever then disputes with thee in this matter after the knowledge that has come to thee, say: Come! Let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our people and your people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and invoke the curse of Allah on the liars.
الحَقُّ مِن رَبِّكَ فَلا تَكُن مِنَ المُمتَرينَ (۶۰)
فَمَن حاجَّكَ فيهِ مِن بَعدِ ما جاءَكَ مِنَ العِلمِ فَقُل تَعالَوا نَدعُ أَبناءَنا وَأَبناءَكُم وَنِساءَنا وَنِساءَكُم وَأَنفُسَنا وَأَنفُسَكُم ثُمَّ نَبتَهِل فَنَجعَل لَعنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الكاذِبينَ (۶۱)
3:61a: تَعالَوا – is derived from علو and its literal meaning is to call to a higher station. It is also used to call to a place. The meaning here is to come with their opinion and resolve strengthened.
نَبتَهِل – Imam Raghib translates its meaning as: اَلۡبَھۡلُ وَ یلۡاِبۡتِھَال فِی الدُّ عَاءِ الا سِتر سالُ فیه و النَّضَرُّعُ (بَھۡلُ and اِبۡتِھَال is to supplicate humbly and with stoppages) (R). He further writes that those who have taken اِبۡتِھَال to mean curse have done so because the stops are there for cursing. Lisan al-Arab describes this as: اِبۡتِھَل فی الدعا اذا اجتھد (اِبۡتِھَال in supplication is to pray fervently).
Mutual imprecation with Christians as a final argument: The verse first mentions that all the necessary knowledge and arguments were revealed in the previous verses. If the Christians reject these arguments, then invite them to a contest of mutual imprecation, which takes the form of fervently praying against each other. This is a from of argument to settle a matter. Christians too believe in the acceptance of prayer and the Gospel states that the prayer of the pious is heard. While Jesus waited for his trial, he prayed fervently as reported in Hebrew 5:7 “ …when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save him from death”. There is also mention that his prayer was accepted in the following words: وسمع له من اجل تقویٰ ( His prayer was accepted because of his righteousness and piety). An article of Christian belief is that the entire populace of the world is sinful and only the Christians are righteous because of their belief in atonement. It is necessary, therefore, to rebut this aspect of their belief through a prayer duel. This is what this verse proposes.
Offer of mutual imprecation to the Najran delegation: There is a narration by Hudhaifa in several Books of Hadith including Bukhari, Muslim and Tirmizi as follows:
جاء العاقب و السید صاحبا نجران الی رسول اللّٰه ﷺ یریدان ان یلا عناہ قال فقال احد ھما لصاحبهٖ لا تفعل فو اللّٰه لئن کان نبیا فلا عناہ لا نفلح نحن و لا عقبنا من بعد نا
Al-‘Aqib and Saiyid, the rulers of Najran, came to Allah’s Apostle with the intention of doing mutual imprecation, one of them said to the other, “Do not do the imprecation for, by Allah, if he is a Prophet and we do this imprecation, neither we, nor our offspring after us will be successful.”
Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar said in his famous Sirah , “The delegation of Christians from Najran came to the Messenger of Allah . The delegation consisted of sixty horsemen, including fourteen of their chiefs who make decisions. These men were Al-`Aqib, also known as `Abdul-Masih, As-Sayyid, also known as Al-Ayham, Abu Harithah bin `Alqamah. Three of these men were chiefs of this delegation, Al-`Aqib, their leader and to whom they referred for advice and decision; As-Sayyid, their scholar and leader in journeys and social gatherings; and Abu Harithah bin `Alqamah, their patriarch, priest and religious leader. The Holy Prophet arranged for them to stay in Masjid Nabawi and when the time came for their prayer, they prayed in the mosque facing east. (This goes to show the large heartedness of the Holy Prophet who not only allowed the Christians to stay in the mosque but also gave them permission to pray according to their own practice, in the mosque). When they did not accept the reasoned evidence and insisted on their belief in the Divinity of Jesus, the Holy Prophet invited them to a contest of mutual imprecation. Muhammad bin Ishaq narrates that the Christians requested time for consultation. On consultation, they concluded that an imprecation will not go well for them and so they refused to participate in the contest. According to the narration in Bukhari, they accepted paying jizya and Abu Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah was sent with them. Ibn Murduyah narrates this incident slightly differently: when the Holy Prophet invited them for imprecation, they replied that they will do so on the morrow. So the next day the Messenger of Allah came out with Ali, Fatimah, Hassan and Hussain and called them out, but they refused to participate.
There is no doubt that the delegation from Najran refused to participate in the imprecation. The Christian apologists say they did not want to curse. This advocacy is without merit because the Christians even now call the Holy Prophet a dajjal (I seek Allah’s protection from such blasphemy). What kind of ancestors would not consider it permissible to curse the dajjal? It is clear from the authentic hadith that they were frightened. It appears from this that Allah had conveyed to the Holy Prophet that the doctrine of Jesus’ divinity was going to gain great strength and hence all reasonable methods should be brought to bear to negate it. First by arguments, then by praying for a decision by Allah by way of mutual imprecation, and finally by a third method which is given in the next section.
Bringing of Ali to the imprecation: It is the contention of the Shia sect that the Holy Prophet indicated the excellence of Ali in bringing him out along with Fatimah, Hassan and Hussain for the imprecation. However, the matter is quite clear. أَبناءَ would include Hassan, Hussain and also Ali because a son-in-law is also a son, نِساءَ would be Fatimah and أَنفُسَنا would be the Holy Prophet himself. The purport was just that the person who is lying should be so destroyed that even his progeny is not left to continue his name. There is no reason to think the appearance was about excellence here. In another narration, it is stated that Abu Bakr and his sons, Umar and his sons and Usman and his sons also came out to participate in the imprecation (RM). In any case, the Holy prophet had just come out of his house, and if, in fact, an imprecation had taken place, he may have called all the important companions and their families. The Christians’ refusal put an end to the event in its initial stage. This narration does not prove any person’s excellence.
When is an imprecation permissible: A question that arises is whether imprecation is still permissible. Holy Prophet did not imprecate until he was commanded by revelation. When the command was given, he only invited those people about whom a clear command was given. It appears, therefore, that without the permission of Allah imprecation is not permissible. The person who is chosen to reform people can by virtue of his station and after being permitted by Allah engage in an imprecation. There is a narration by Abd Hameed about Ibn Abbas that the latter had a fray with someone, and he invited the opponent for an imprecation (RM). First, the action of Ibn Abbas does not create a theologically valid precedent. Second, if mutual disagreements start resulting in imprecations, then the Muslims would be imprecating day and night, and instead of love and brotherhood which is the real purpose of Islam they would keep pursuing the death and destruction of each other.
3-62 Surely this is the true account, and there is no god but Allah. And Allah! He surely is the Mighty, the Wise.
إِنَّ هٰذا لَهُوَ القَصَصُ الحَقُّ ۚ وَما مِن إِلٰهٍ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُوَ العَزيزُ الحَكيمُ (۶۲)
3-62a: قَصَص – One meaning of قَصَص is اثر (footsteps). Another meaning is اخبار مُتَتَبَّعَة (news that is followed). الحق (truth) is an attribute of قَصَص.
The Divine attributes of عَزيزُ and حَكيمُ at the end of the verse are perhaps an indication that the dominance of Christianity in the earth will ultimately be finished and ما مِن إِلٰهٍ إِلَّا اللَّهُ (there is no god but Allah) will prevail in the end.
3-63 But if they turn away, then surely Allah knows the mischief-makers.
فَإِن تَوَلَّوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَليمٌ بِالمُفسِدينَ (۶۳)
Bayan-ul-Quran 