3-42 And when the angels said: O Mary, surely Allah has chosen thee and purified theea and chosen thee above the women of the world.b
وَإِذۡ قَالَتِ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةُ يَـٰمَرۡيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصۡطَفَٮٰكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَٱصۡطَفَٮٰكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَآءِ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (٤٢)
3-42a: قَالَتِ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةُ – See note 3-39a on فَنَادَتۡهُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ. The purpose of the two is the same. There is often a discussion in the commentary of this verse whether Mary was a prophetess. Some have stated that she was a prophetess, while some maintain that she was not. The proponents of prophethood have used as their argument that angels spoke to her which makes her a prophetess while the opponents hold that it is proven that angels speak with persons about whom there is consensus that they were not prophets. Accordingly, there is a narration that a person went out to see his brother for the pleasure of Allah, the angels said to him that Allah loves him in the same way that he loves his brother. So, they say: من توھم ان النبوة مجرد الوحی و مکالمة الملك فقد حادعن الصواب )RM).
Mere dialog with angels is not prophethood: Anyone who thinks that merely being a recipient of revelation and dialog with angels is prophethood is mistaken. Some have disagreed with this, but some reflection shows that dialog of non-prophets with the Divine Being is an established fact. An authentic hadith states: رجال یکلمون من غیران یکونو انبیاء (The existence of such people who have Divine communication although they are not prophets). This evidence is so strong that it cannot be refuted. Quran substantiates Divine communication not only with Mary but with other non-prophets as well. It is proven that the mother of Moses received Divine communication: وَأَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰٓ (And We revealed to Moses’ mother) (28:7) and also the disciples of Jesus: وَإِذۡ أَوۡحَيۡتُ إِلَى ٱلۡحَوَارِيِّـۧنَ (And when I revealed to the disciples) (5:111). There is evidence from hadith that the disciples were not prophets. Holy Prophet said: لم یکن بینی و بینه نبی (There has been no prophet between me and Jesus). So merely being a recipient of revelation does not confer prophethood. However, the literal meaning of نبی (prophet) is one who receives information from God and delivers it even though that message does not pertain to any religious guidance but is a private matter or a prophecy. Hence in a literal sense every person with whom Allah communicates can be called a prophet. This explains why amongst the Bani Israel even persons who had true dreams would be called prophets. However, in Islamic terminology, the title of نبی prophet is only bestowed on those who bring religious guidance from Allah and are ambassadors between Allah and men, as noted by Imam Raghib (See note 2-61c). Hence, when the word prophet is used for persons who are merely recipient of Divine communication, it will always be in a metaphorical sense. So, all those persons who have called, Eve, Aasia, mother of Moses, Sarah, Hagar, and Mary as prophetesses (RM) have done so only by way of metaphor, and the reason they did not call them رسول (Messenger) was to let people know that though Allah spoke to them but it was not for religious guidance. In the sense that Mary was a prophetess, the saints of the Muslim ummah are also prophets because Allah speaks with them. And in Surah Al-Tahrim the pious men of this ummah are exemplified by Mary daughter of Imran.
طَهَّرَكِ – The meaning of طَھارة has been explained elsewhere. طَھارة is of two types: purity of body and purity of soul, and in some places, the word incorporates both these meanings. Examples are: وَيُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَطَهِّرِينَ (He loves those who purify themselves) (2:222); يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُواْۚ (…who love to purify themselves) (9:108). The meaning here is purity of soul cleansed of unbelief by belief, and cleansed of disobedience by obedience (RM), or as has been said cleansed of all ugly morals.
3-42b: What is meant by chosen above the world: عَلَىٰ نِسَآءِ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ – It is stated in the narration of Bani Israel: أَنِّى فَضَّلۡتُكُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (I made you excel the nations) (2:47). In all such statements, what is meant is excellence among the contemporaneous people. Accordingly in one hadith-e-mursal (tradition narrated not by a companion but someone in the successor generation of the companions)), further clarity is given to this meaning by stating that: مریم خیر نساء عالمھا (Mary was chosen above the people of her time).
The chosen women: The hadith on the subject are not consistent and often contradict each other. In some ahadith there is mention of the moral excellence of four women, as in the narration of Ibn Marduyah which lists the names of the four women as: Mary, Aasia, Khadijah and Fatimah. In another narration, it is stated that apart from three women, the rest were left incomplete. The excellence of Mary, Aasia, Khadijah and Ayesha over other women is like that of porridge over other foods (IK). Another hadith states that Maryam bint Imran is the best of women and Khadijah bint Khuwaylid is the best of women (IK). It appears that these ahadith are viewing excellence from different points of view.
The Christian argument of inferring excellence of Jesus from the excellence of Mary: Some Christians argue that the excellence accorded to the mother of Jesus is far greater than that of Prophet Muhammad’s mother, and this necessarily shows the excellence of Jesus. The question is whether it is possible for a son to excel even without the excellence of the mother. If the excellence of a person can only be if the mother has excellence, then how did Mary achieve her excellence because her mother certainly did not have excellence. And if this system of excellence is carried back through generations, there are women in the pedigree of Jesus, who according to what is found about them in Christian books is such that no Muslim can accept it. The strange thing is that according to the Quran narration, Mary achieved excellence before she conceived Jesus and this negates the Christian argument that her excellence was because of her son. Even if she had not given birth to Jesus, it would not have mattered because Mary had achieved excellence before the birth. Kudos to the wisdom of the Quran that in the narration about the selection of Mary, her purity and her excellence, which is given in this verse, there is no mention of the birth of a son. The mention of the birth of a son follows later in the narration.
The mention of Mary in the Gospels: The excellence of Mary is said to be the reason for the excellence of Jesus, but it is instructive to examine the Gospels to see the status accorded to her there. “But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’” (Matthew 12:48-50). It appears from this that the mother of Jesus was not of those who does the will of the heavenly Father otherwise Jesus would not have shown so much disdain for his mother and so much love for his disciples who he considered did the will of the heavenly Father. In another place, Mary tried to say something, and Jesus addressed his honorable mother: “Woman, what have I to do with thee?” (John 2:4). Does it appear from this that Jesus respected his mother as one would who considers his mother to excel all the women of the world, and even attributes his own excellence to her piety? Jesus’ behavior seems to be contrary to such a thesis.
Holy Prophet’s respect for his daughter: It is worth recounting here that the Holy Prophet showed much greater respect to his daughter than Jesus did for his mother. He would never address Fatima in the kind of words Jesus allegedly used and would always address her with words of endearment, love, and respect, and would sometimes even rise up to show respect. In any case the excellence of Mary is no argument for the excellence of Jesus.
3-43 O Mary, be obedient to thy Lord and humble thyself and bow down with those who bow.a
يَـٰمَرۡيَمُ ٱقۡنُتِى لِرَبِّكِ وَٱسۡجُدِى وَٱرۡكَعِى مَعَ ٱلرَّٲكِعِينَ (٤٣)
3-43a: It is wrong to assume that receiving a command implies prior noncompliance: Whenever a new command (even if something ordinary) was revealed to the Holy Prophet, Christian critics argued that it meant he was acting contrary to the command before, and hence there was the need to give the command. They should reflect here whether it was the case that Mary did not obey and worship God before this? It is a straightforward thing that sometimes, given some difficult conditions, certain things have to be reemphasized. Mary was about to face some very adverse conditions in which people were to level all kind of charges against her. Hence Allah emphasized the need for obedience.
3-44 This is of the tidings of things unseen which We reveal to thee.a And thou wast not with them when they cast their pens (to decide) which of them should have Mary in his charge, and thou wast not with them when they contended one with another.b
ذَٲلِكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيۡكَۚ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ إِذۡ يُلۡقُونَ أَقۡلَـٰمَهُمۡ أَيُّهُمۡ يَكۡفُلُ مَرۡيَمَ وَمَا ڪُنتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ إِذۡ يَخۡتَصِمُونَ (٤٤)
3-44a: أَنۢبَآءِ – It is the plural of نَبَآء which means news that has a grand purpose. A Christian criticism is that Quran calls historical events أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ (news of the unsees). The real reason for this is that events relating to Mary and Jesus that prevail both among proponents and opponents are so distorted that the Quran, by narrating the actual facts to the reader, actually lifts the veil from the unseen and thereby manifests the real station of Jesus and Mary to the world. There is no doubt that given the chaos created by the darkness that enveloped the real events of Jesus, even a scholar could not have unraveled the truth leave alone an unlettered Arab of Arabia without Divine revelation. The real gospel containing the original teachings of Jesus has disappeared from the world, and its place has been taken by several gospels out of which the Church has recognized some as inspired but without any evidence and has rejected others for having changed facts. Jesus is elevated to godhood, his blood is declared as atonement for sin and belief in his sacrifice is declared to be the way to salvation. The Mosaic law is declared as a curse and the necessity for actions is dispensed with. The Jews on account of their enmity with Jesus did not keep a correct record of his affairs and instead levied unholy charges against him. Both the groups of Ahle Kitab exceeded all boundaries and strayed far away from the teachings of Jesus so that the true facts about Jesus’ life became obliterated. It was not possible for the real facts to manifest in the world once again except by revelation from Allah. This is in reality the news of the unseen that Allah manifests by revelation to the Holy Prophet, and today the world is slowly beginning to accept the truth of what was revealed and announced fourteen hundred years ago by an unlettered person from an illiterate nation. The words: ذَٲلِكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيۡكَ points to this great truth.
Mary’s chastity certified by news from the unseen: The second reason why the words أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ are used is because the Quran certifies Mary’s chastity. There was no witness of this in the world. Hence, Allah provided testimony of this through His prophet so that the world is informed of this truth through revelation as there is no other way to manifest this.
3-44b: أَقۡلَـٰم – It is the plural of قَلَم and also the plural of قَلم (LA) or قِلۡم (R) , which is the name of the arrow that is used in a game of gambling. And the arrow is called قَلۡم because it is cut and that is its real meaning. For this reason, this word is also used for cutting nails. Zajjaj and others have taken the meaning of أَقۡلَـٰمَ to be قداح , that is the arrows used in drawing lots. According to some, the meaning is ordinary pens with which the priests wrote. The word قلم also denotes Divine decree although knowledge about its nature is not vouchsafed to any human. A saying of Ibn Sayeda is quoted in Lisan al-Arab to substantiate this and it is: و القلم الذی فی التنزیل لا اعرف کیفیته and the saying of a Bedouin has been quoted: سبَقَ القضاءُ و جَفَّتِ الۡاَقَلام (the Divine decree has been decided and the pens have dried) . The meaning is that whatever had to be decided has already been decided. The meaning of لوع و قلم )tablet and pen( when no other reference is given is fate and Divine decree.
What is the event to which this verse refers? Some commentators believe that this event refers to the first arrival of Mary in the hekal as a minor for religious instruction. The priests contended with one another as to who would take her into guardianship and the matter was decided by lots whether using arrows or pen and Zachariah became her guardian. In this situation, the personal pronoun in مَا كُنتَ لَدَيۡهِمۡ will stand for the priests but there is no mention of them in the passage before. It is, however, argued that there is a sense in the preceding passage that the guardianship of Zachariah was contentious hence the personal pronoun refers to the contending priests. This is rather a farfetched interpretation.
Mary’s second guardianship was on reaching maturity: According to some commentators, the guardianship mentioned took place at a time when Mary had reached maturity and Zachariah was unable to continue the guardianship (RM). So, according to this version, there was no contention for the first guardianship. Some commentators, however, consider that lots were drawn twice but they concede that this incident refers to the second drawing of lots. Ruh al-Maani does not lend much weight to the opinion that this drawing of lots was when Mary had reached maturity but in fact that is the preferred interpretation because the Quran is a well-organized narration and all the events here are being related in a systematic fashion. The narration starts with the birth of Mary, then her guardianship under Zachariah and in that context mention is incidentally made of his prayer and the tiding of the birth of Yahya. The narration then reverts to the main subject and mention is made of Mary’s selection and purity and she is given the command to be obedient and to pray. The event referred to in this verse definitely belongs to the period of her maturity because reverting back to a past event is contrary to the elegance of Quran. This verse certainly refers to the time when Mary had reached puberty. Her period of instruction was over, and she could no longer stay in the hekal. Puberty meant that menses would start and among the Jews, the woman is considered defiled and is kept isolated during her period.
Mary’s marriage: The guardianship mentioned in this verse is the guardianship of marriage and since Mary had reached maturity, it was necessary to start thinking of her marriage. In the supplication of Mary’s mother after dedicating her to the service of religion, she had had used the words إِنِّىٓ أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا (I commend her and her offspring…)(3:36) which shows clearly that she did not expect Mary to remain a spinster, and neither was there any tradition in Bani Israel of women who stayed spinsters. However, since Mary had been dedicated to serve in the Hekal, her parents had relinquished the right to arrange her marriage. It was considered appropriate to decide her guardianship of marriage by drawing lots because the priests decided many affairs by drawing lots and considered the outcome to be God’s decision as is stated in the gospel: “And it came to pass, that, while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord”. The question of contending remains but it is not farfetched to consider that there were a number of suitors desirous to take such a pious and chaste lady as their wife. In addition, Mary had been dedicated for service in the hekal and hence she and her parents had forfeited their right to decide in the matter. Hence it was considered appropriate that the matter be settled by drawing lots. So, the narration, in fact, states here that the decision about who would marry Mary was decided by lots and the persons referred to in the pronouns are generally all those present at that time.
What is meant by And thou wast not with them: This is meant to indicate either that the evidence being provided for the exoneration of Mary is by a person who is not a party to the suit and hence the testimony is true and impartial or that the reality of the events being manifested to the world through the Holy Prophet had been lost and since he was not present to witness the events himself, this knowledge of the unseen could only be manifested by God.
There is one other possibility, which is that this narration may be about the spiritual selection of Mary. The mention of angels has preceded this passage, and it appears from the Quran that at the time of the selection of a person, there is contention among the exalted chiefs who are heavenly beings who come first to know of the Divine decrees. Thus, the Holy Quran states: مَا كَانَ لِىَ مِنۡ عِلۡمِۭ بِٱلۡمَلَإِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰٓ إِذۡ يَخۡتَصِمُونَ (I have no knowledge of the exalted chiefs when they contend) (38:69). In this interpretation أَقۡلَـٰمَ will mean fate and Divine decree as has been explained earlier under the discussion of the word. Although Allah is the ultimate source of everything that is done, but since His commands are carried out by angles who are the intermediaries, it is correct to attribute an action to angels. For example, the communication to Mary is attributed to angels here but it is really God who is the communicator.
3-45 When the angels said: O Mary, surely Allah gives thee good news with a word from Hima (of one) whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary,b worthy of regard in this world and the Hereafter, and of those who are drawn nigh (to Allah),c
إِذۡ قَالَتِ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ يَـٰمَرۡيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ ٱسۡمُهُ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ وَجِيهً۬ا فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأَخِرَةِ وَمِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ (٤٥)
3-45a: What is meant by كَلِمَة ٱللَّه (word of Allah): I have translated: إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ as: Surely Allah gives thee good news with a word from Him, but it is commonly translated as: Allah gives thee good news of a word from Him. In accordance with the later translation, Messiah has been called a word of Allah and the Christians emphasize that by calling the Messiah as a word of Allah, he has been distinguished in a way no other prophet has been. Based on this distinguishment, he is elevated to godhood. This is the same argument that the Najrand delegation used in their discussion with the Holy Prophet, and it is the same argument that the present-day Christians emphasize even though the Quran has already answered them elegantly that the divinity or humanness of Jesus should be decided based on certain rules. Would a being who has need of food, has to answer the call of nature, and goes through the life cycle of being in the womb, birth, growing up, adulthood, old age and death be called a human or god. However, it is the modus operandi of the purveyors of falsehood that they avoid a rule-based argument and instead seek refuge in distinguishments. Even if we admit that the Messiah has been called a word of Allah and these words have not been used with the name of any other prophet, does that prove his divinity or his exclusion from the circle of humans? This is a mere claim that has no rational testimony to show how this distinguishment takes the Messiah from the circle of humans and elevates him to being god.
According to the Quran there are many كَلِمَة ٱللَّه : Messiah is called كَلِمَةٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ that is one كَلِمَه from Him, which clearly shows that he is not the only كَلِمَه but is one of many. And Allah says about His كَلِمَـٰت: قُل لَّوۡ كَانَ ٱلۡبَحۡرُ مِدَادً۬ا لِّكَلِمَـٰتِ رَبِّى لَنَفِدَ ٱلۡبَحۡرُ قَبۡلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَـٰتُ رَبِّى (Say: If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would surely be exhausted before the words of my Lord) (18:109). Is it not obvious then that out of the limitless كَلِمَـٰت (words) of Allah, Messiah is just oneكَلِمَه . Thus, there is no distinction in being called a word from Him. Then the meaning of كَلِمَةٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ is just that he is a word from Allah.
The meaning of كَلِمَه or قول : When somebody says something and that something actually occurs, it is said: جاء كَلِمَه or قول جاء , that is, his word or statement has come. The meaning is not that the spoken word comes in some incarnated form, but only that what was said has come about. In this sense Messiah can be called كَلِمَة ٱللَّه , that is, God had said something which was fulfilled by the coming of the Messiah. So, by Messiah’s coming, the word of God has come. Accordingly, this is the interpretation that most commentators have preferred. For example, Imam Raazi says: انه قد وردت البشارة فی کتب الانبیاء الزین کانو اقبله فلما جاء قیل ھذا ھو تلك الکلمة (In the books of the prophets who have passed away before him (that is the Messiah) there were tidings about Messiah, so when the Messiah came, it was said that the كَلِمَه (the word) had come). Similarly, the Holy Prophet said about himself: انا دعوة ابی ابرھیم (I am the prayer of my father Abraham), although he was not a prayer incorporated, but as he was the fulfilment of the prayer of Abraham so he called himself the prayer of Abraham.
The second interpretation of كَلِمَه: Another interpretation of: يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ is that با stands for with and the meaning becomes: O Mary Allah gives you good news with a word from Him. And this is exactly in the form in which, when Abraham was given the good news of Isaac, he said: فَبِمَ تُبَشِّرُونَ (Of what then do you give me good news) (15:54), and the answer was given as: بَشَّرۡنَـٰكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ (We give thee good news with truth) (15:55). The meaning here is not that “We give you good news of ٱلۡحَقِّ (truth)”. Now يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ and بَشَّرۡنَـٰكَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ are exactly similar examples. If through one, Messiah can become كَلِمَة ٱللَّه then through the other, Isaac can become ٱلۡحَقِّ . The fact is simply that in one instance Allah gives good news with His word and in the other, the good news is given with truth. In this case, the object is omitted and instead it is stated ٱسۡمُهُ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ meaning that the person about whom the good news is given, his name is Messiah. So, by كَلِمَةٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ is only meant Allah’s prophecy and reinforcing this is that after كَلِمَةٍ۬ مِّنۡهُ is stated ٱسۡمُهُ although كَلِمَة is feminine. So the pronoun in ٱسۡمُهُ stands for good news بهٖ (with it), that is the name of the person about whom the good news is given.
3-45b: ٱسۡمُ – ٱسۡمُ is that by which the entity and its reality is identified (R). ٱسۡمُ also means knowledge and the literal meaning of ٱسۡمُ is a sign that distinguishes (RM). Both these meanings have been jointly used here because Messiah which has been given precedence is a title that Jesus got after getting prophethood and Ibn Maryam is his filial appellation.
ٱلۡمَسِيحُ – مَسۡح means to efface the effect by rubbing hands over a thing (R). It is also used to indicate each of the two meanings individually. و عُبِّرَ عن السیر بالۡمَسۡح And walking or strolling is also called مَسۡح (R). قیل سُمِّیَ عیسٰی علیه السلام مسیحا لکونه ما سِحاً فی الارض اَیۡ ذاھباً فیہا (Jesus (peace be upon him) was named Messiah because he was one who walked or travelled. This corroborates the theory that Jesus travelled to different countries besides Syria and that he came to Afghanistan and Kashmir. This is further corroborated by the fact that some from Bani Israel during their enslavement on expulsion from their country migrated towards Afghanistan and its environs. Afghans call themselves Bani Israel. This is further evident from the names of towns and cities in Afghanistan and Kashmir and in the customs and traditions of these two areas. It was necessary for the Messiah to take his message to these Israeli communities as well. The other reason for his name is that sick people recovered from their illnesses simply by his touch. Another reason given for his name is that he was born: مَمۡسوح بالدُّ from the uterus of his mother. Some say that the Messiah is one who is blind in one eye: و قد رُوِی ان الدجال ممسوحُ الیمنی و عیسٰی ممسوح الیُسری قال و یعنی بان الدجال قد مُسِحَةَ عنه القوة المحمودةُ من العلم و العقل و الحلم و الخلاق الجمیلة و ان عیسٰی مسحة عنه القوة الذمیمة من الجھل و الشَّرَہِ و الحِرصِ و سائرِ الاخلاق الذمیمة (It has been narrated that the dajjal will be blind in the right eye and Jesus will be blind in the left eye and its meaning is that the dajjal would have lost the power of knowledge and intelligence, and forbearance and praiseworthy morals and Jesus will not be ignorant, greedy, covetous, and free of blameworthy morals) (R). It appears from the commentary of Imam Raghib that the absence of Dajjal is by virtue of the attributes, and these saints have interpreted these prophecies by way of analogies and metaphors.
3-45c: – وجیه The meaning of وجیه is ذوجاہ or ذووجاھة (a person worthy of regard or a distinguished person). About Moses, it is said: وَكَانَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَجِيہً۬ا (…he was worthy of regard with Allah) (33:69). All of Allah’s prophets are worthy of regard.
The reason for calling Messiah وجیه : The indication here seems to be that people will think that Jesus had a disgraceful end. Quran however states that even before his birth, it was prophesied that this will not be the case and Jesus will he distinguished and be worthy of regard both in this world and in the next. The history of Jesus according to the Christians ends with the crucifixion of Jesus in the company of a couple of thieves. On the face of it this is a disgraceful end. But it is the rule of Allah that He grants prophets a measure of success before they depart the world. The statement وجِيهً۬ا فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا for Jesus means that people will consider him to be unsuccessful but in actuality he will die after seeing success. Jesus was not successful with the Jews of Jerusalem and this reinforces the view that after the event of crucifixion Jesus migrated to preach amongst the other sections of Bani Israel who were expelled during the time of Nebuchadnezzar and had settled in other countries.
وَمِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ – Jesus is one of those who are near to Allah. As the saying goes: a drowning man clutches at a straw, so is the condition of the Christian missionaries. They say that since the Quran called Jesus as one nigh to God, and those that are nigh to God are angels hence Jesus must be considered at a higher rank than humans. Because they are ignorant of the Quran, they do not know that the group to which Jesus belongs and which is near to Allah also includes a section of the followers of the Holy Prophet as stated in: وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبُونَ (And the foremost are the foremost – these are drawn night (to Allah)) (56:10-11). In another place, it is stated that: عَيۡنً۬ا يَشۡرَبُ بِہَا ٱلۡمُقَرَّبُونَ (A fountain from which drink those drawn near (to Allah)) (83:28) and this too pertains to a section of the followers of the Holy Prophet as is apparent from the preceding words إِنَّ كِتَـٰبَ ٱلۡأَبۡرَارِ (the record of the righteous) (83:18).
What was the need to call the Messiah from among the مُقَرَّبُونَ : When even the righteous are from among those who are nigh to Allah and the prophets by virtue of being the foremost of the righteous will be in this group, what was the need to specifically state that the Messiah will be among those who are nigh to Allah? The reason is that the Jews out of enmity and the Christians because of their foolishness (out of misplaced love) declared Jesus to be cursed, because both believe that Jesus died on the Cross. A cursed person is one who has been distanced from Allah, and hence the Quran called him مِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ to exonerate Jesus from this charge. In another place, this nearness has been described as رفع (exalted). The words مِنَ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبِينَ show that there are others as well who are nigh to Allah.
3-46 And he will speak to the people when in the cradle and when of old age, and (he will be) one of the good ones.a
وَيُڪَلِّمُ ٱلنَّاسَ فِى ٱلۡمَهۡدِ وَڪَهۡلاً۬ وَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ (٤٦)
3-46a: ٱلۡمَهۡدِ – One meaning of مَهۡد has been mentioned in 2-206a. In particular, the word refers to the cradle.
کہل – Linguists have set different ages for when a person becomes کہل , but the view of Raghib is correct that it is the age when the black hair of a person begin to turn grey. Lisan al-Arab agrees with this definition.
ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ – صالِح is from صلح which is the opposite of فساد (dissension) and the two are used most often for actions (R). But in the Quran itself, صالِح has been used in the sense of safe and sound as in: لَٮِٕنۡ ءَاتَيۡتَنَا صَـٰلِحً۬ا (If Thou give us a good one) (7:189) and this meaning is further clarified in the following verse by stating: فَلَمَّآ ءَاتَٮٰهُمَا صَـٰلِحً۬ا (But when He gives them a good one…) (7:190). When a child is born, his ability for actions cannot be determined immediately but his completion of make is visible. This is the reason that commentators have taken the meaning of صالحا to be: ولدا سویا قد صلح بدنه (Bd), and Ibn Jarir has written that صلاح is sometimes to be complete in one’s creation and sometimes it is to be complete in one’s religion.
Three things prophesied in this verse: There are three things stated in this verse, namely that Jesus will talk in his cradle, that he will talk in old age and that he would be righteous. Most children begin to talk in the cradle because they normally stay in the cradle for two years, but when these words are used for Jesus, his speaking as a child is taken to be a prophesied miracle. Since there is also a mention of talking when old, this too has been divorced from the ordinary and has been taken as speaking in a second coming. The error of this interpretation is apparent from the following: What is the meaning of giving Mary these glad tidings? Was she also informed about the second coming? And if information along those lines had to be imparted, it was more appropriate to inform her that he would be lifted alive to heaven and then will be brought back in end times. How could Mary know about a second coming just from the information that her child will talk in old age. These two features are said to be miracles. The third thing is that he was righteous. Is this a miracle as well?
Discussion on speaking in the cradle: No Muslim can deny that prophets perform miracles. Commentators who consider the speaking in the cradle to be a miracle are hard pressed to explain who is performing the miracle. Is this a miracle that Jesus performs? But Jesus is not a prophet yet. Perforce these commentators have held that this is a sign of Mary. But she is not a prophetess. It is true that Allah is All-Powerful and if He wants, leave alone a child, He can even make dead wood to talk as He did with the wooden pillar against which the Holy Prophet leaned while delivering his sermons, and which is one of the great miracles of the Holy Prophet. The question only is whether it can be proven from the Quran or Hadith that the talking in the crib is a miracle. First, the information imparted to Mary did not state that her child would be a prophet. She was only told that he would be worthy of regard and one nigh to Allah, and it is not necessary for one nigh to Allah to be a prophet. Then why has an ill-timed narration of Jesus’ miracles been started? Second, a mother would take pleasure in knowing that her baby would have a long life and would be spiritually and worldly distinguished, but what is the pleasure from knowing that he will also show a miracle? Third, if the purpose were to inform Mary of his miracles, why were the other miracles even greater than this not mentioned? Fourth, the interpretation made of this statement, is the one which follows a narration in Surah Maryam: وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكًا أَيۡنَ مَا ڪُنتُ وَأَوۡصَـٰنِى بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّڪَوٰةِ مَا دُمۡتُ حَيًّ۬ا (٣١) وَبَرَّۢا بِوَٲلِدَتِى (And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoyed on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live. And to be kind to my mother) (19:30-31). The detailed discussion of this verse is done at its proper place, but it is necessary to state here that this speech cannot be of a baby in the cradle. This is the speech of a mature person who has not only been entrusted with responsibilities but who has also received prophethood and a Book. It is obvious that the meaning of receiving the Book and prophethood is that the Gospel was being revealed to Jesus and Allah had informed him of being made a prophet. It is patently wrong to assume this was done while in the cradle. Moreover, it is stated a little further on: وَيُعَلِّمُهُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِڪۡمَةَ وَٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةَ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلَ (And He will teach him the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel) (3:48) which leads to the conclusion that Jesus knew before the revelation of the Gospel how to write, was endowed with wisdom, and had read the Torah. This puzzle needs to be resolved how a baby of one day had learned all this. In addition, prayer and zakat had been made obligatory on him even at the time he was making this statement as is evident from the term مَا دُمۡتُ حَيًّ۬ا . If this were the speech of a child, it would have been worded that I have been enjoined prayer and zakat when I reach maturity.
Further, what is the meaning of these words? Three things are stated: speaking in childhood, speaking in old age and being صالِح . The meaning of صالِح here is not righteous but a healthy child because when it is already stated in the previous verse that he will be nigh to Allah then to state that he will be righteous is superfluous. It is only righteous who are nigh to Allah. The reality is that when Mary was given the glad tidings of a son, she was also told of the things that parents are concerned about. And so she was told that he would be worthy of regard in this world and in the next, he would be one of those who are nigh to Allah, that is he will reach spiritual perfection, he will not be physically handicapped, and will reach old age, that is will have a long life. When a child is born, it soon becomes apparent if he has any physical defects, his ability to speak takes somewhat longer to become apparent and the good news about it was separately imparted, and finally whether the child would have a long life takes much more time to find out and this good news was also imparted. It is possible that there may also be an indication that in childhood his talk would be more intellectual than that of the ordinary kids and in adulthood, his talk will be much wiser than that of ordinary people.
Glad tidings negate the Divinity of Jesus: Quran is so wisely structured that it gives many lessons from a single narration. Why was the glad tiding given to Mary mentioned in the Quran? It is obvious that the entire purpose of this narration is to negate the Christian beliefs. Hence when it is stated that Jesus would be a person worthy of regard in this world, it disavows the Christian belief that Jesus did not achieve any station of respect in this world, and he was beaten and came to a sad end. By stating that he is worthy of regard in the next world, it was pointed out that the Jews are in error as well, and then the statement that he is nigh to Allah refutes the Jewish and Christian belief that he was cursed. The opposite of cursed or removed from the presence of Allah is being nigh to Allah. Even the Christians consider Jesus to have been cursed for three days. By mentioning مھد and کھولت it has been made clear that Jesus went through the same changes that a person goes through from the cradle to old age. He grew up, became an adult and then old age set in, and in this way, the doctrine of Divinity is negated. This is also admitted by commentators: و ذکرا احواله المختلفة ارشاد الی انه بمزل عن الا لوھیة (Bd). People who have not reflected on this think that these things have only been mentioned because they are miracles. The fact is that the Quran even mentions that Jesus and his mother used to eat food: ڪَانَا يَأۡڪُلَانِ ٱلطَّعَامَۗ (They both used to eat food) (5:75). The entire world eats food, the special mention of their eating food is just to negate their divinity. Mention has also been made of Mary becoming pregnant and her giving birth with pain. These are ordinary occurrences and the reason for their mention is only to show that Jesus could not have been god. The real reason for the mention of مھد and کھولت is to show that change does not come over God.
3-47 She said: My Lord, how can I have a son and man has not yet touched me? He said: Even so; Allah creates what He pleases. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is.
قَالَتۡ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى وَلَدٌ۬ وَلَمۡ يَمۡسَسۡنِى بَشَرٌ۬ۖ قَالَ ڪَذَٲلِكِ ٱللَّهُ يَخۡلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُۚ إِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمۡرً۬ا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ ۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ (٤٧)
3-47a: Apprehensions of Zacharias and Mary answered in a similar way: Zacharias had prayed for progeny and was firmly convinced that his prayer is not rejected. Yet when he was given glad tidings of a son, he was apprehensive how this would happen because he was old and his wife was barren. Similarly, when Mary was given the glad tidings of a son, she too was amazed at how this would happen when she had not been touched by any man. The answer given to both, Zacharias and Mary by Allah is the same that Allah does what He pleases or that He creates what He wants.
Jesus’ virgin birth is not part of Islamic belief: The virgin birth of Jesus is a Christian dogma and not part of Islamic belief. Christians believe that Jesus was born without the agency of a human father and most Muslims do too, but there are Christians who do not believe that Jesus was born without a father and there are Muslims with a similar belief as well. However, there is a difference between the two. If, in fact, Jesus was not born without a father, this does not affect the Muslim beliefs because the virgin birth of Jesus is not part of their belief system, but the foundations of the Christian faith crumble if it cannot be shown that Jesus was born without a father, because if he had a father, then Mary did not conceive though the Holy Ghost, and the doctrine of Jesus’ divinity and atonement fall by the wayside. Thus, the birth of Jesus through a human father destroys the underpinnings of Christianity while Islam is not impacted by such a finding. A Muslim equally believes in the prophethood of Jesus regardless of whether he was born with or without a father. He would resort to the Quran to see what the Quran states about the subject or what is proven from a hadith of the Holy Prophet. If there is evidence of the virgin birth of Jesus from these, he will believe it, otherwise not. The virgin birth of Jesus does not impart any superiority to him over other prophets who had fathers because Adam and Eve were born without fathers and in the Bible there is a mention of the King of righteousness, who was “Without father, without mother” (Hebrew 7:3). This would make these three even superior to Jesus because they were born not just without a father but father and mother both. However, this reasoning is flawed that a person born without a father is somehow superior. In addition, a Muslim does not believe that Mary conceived through the Holy Ghost. Even if Jesus was born without a father, this would be a wonderous creation of nature in that Mary was endowed with both the male and female powers of creation. This would also not get classed as a miracle because it is necessary for a miracle to have witnesses and there were no witnesses who could give evidence of an immaculate conception except perhaps Mary. It is only for us to see what information we can get from the Quran and Hadith.
God’s law for the propagation of humans: God states his law for the propagation of the human race as: ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسۡلَهُ ۥ مِن سُلَـٰلَةٍ۬ مِّن مَّآءٍ۬ مَّهِينٍ۬ (Then He made his progeny of an extract of worthless water). Hence, after the first creation, he has multiplied it from the life germ. It is further stated: إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ أَمۡشَاجٍ۬ نَّبۡتَلِيهِ (Surely We have created man from sperm mixed (with ovum)) (32:8). So, unless Allah specifically states that He created Jesus in breach of this law or created him in a different manner, one would have to believe that the conditions that Allah brought about were in accord with his law of propagation. This by no means is questioning whether Allah has the power to do this or not. He has the power to create not only without a father but without both mother and father. The question only is whether there is proof from the Quran or authentic hadith that He created Jesus without a father. When Allah lays down a law, it is not permissible for us to assume that He violated that law unless He Himself says that He manifested His power in opposition to the law. So, if any person can conclude from the words of the Quran that the birth of Jesus without a father is admitted by the Quran, then he may believe so. However, this author feels that such a conclusion cannot be drawn. Although this author does not give too much importance to this issue, but he considers it the duty of every Muslim to manifest honestly whatever he understands to be the intention of the Quran.
مسِ بشر – Can one conclude from لَمۡ يَمۡسَسۡنِى بَشَرٌ that Jesus was born without a father? The mention in لَمۡ يَمۡسَسۡنِى is to the past that no human has touched her? There is no mention in it about the future. It can be argued that every woman knows that a child is born when there is a union with a man, so what was the need for Mary to say this? This was because Mary lived in the hekal and she was not aware that she would be getting married soon.
Historical evidence of Torah and Gospel: There is no doubt that the Torah and Gospel are corrupted but even so there is considerable truth in their prophecies. Similarly, there is no reason for us to reject those historical events in them that have not specifically been refuted by the Quran, It is established from the Gospel that Mary had a marital relationship with Joseph from which several children were born. The following Gospel passages deserve our attention:
“Then Joseph…took unto him his wife and knew her not till she had brought forth her first born” (Matthew 1:24-25). “While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak to him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.” (Matthew 12:46-47). “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? (Matthew 14:55-56). From the plural used for sisters, Bible commentators have surmised that Jeus had at least three sisters. Some commentators have tried to overcome this difficulty by saying that these were the children of Joseph from a previous marriage and Mary was his second wife. But marital relationship between Joseph and Mary is established from the Bible and the brothers coming with the mother shows clearly that these children were the offspring of this mother. If they were stepsons, they would not have a connection with Mary. Thirdly, the term stepson has not been used anywhere and if the word brother is used independently without any qualification, then it will be taken to mean real brother. So, the Gospel evidence shows that Mary had marital relations with Joseph and their union resulted in offspring. And if one the one hand لَمۡ يَمۡسَسۡنِى بَشَرٌ۬ۖ does not preclude relationship with a man afterwards, the historical evidence on the other shows that marital relationship existed between Mary and her husband.
Hadith evidence that Jesus was conceived and born in the natural way: Some have cited: وَٱلَّتِىٓ أَحۡصَنَتۡ فَرۡجَهَا (And she who guarded her chastity…) (21:91) as evidence for immaculate conception but this is without merit, because the meaning of احصان is to get into a marital bond, as will be shown in its proper place. There is not a single hadith in which the Holy Prophet said Jesus was born without a father. In fact, in his conversation with the delegation from Najrand, which has been copied in 3-2a, the following words of the Holy Prophet are recorded: الستم تعلمون ان عیسٰی حملته امرأة کما تحمل المرأة (Do you not know that Jesus was conceived by a woman in the manner in which all women conceive?) and women conceive by union with their husbands. Even greater clarity is lent when the Christians questioned: و قالو اله من ابوہ (Who is his father?), to which the Prophet did not say that Jesus had no father but replied: الستم تعلمون انه لا یکون ولد الا و ھو یشبه اباہ (Do you not know that there is no son who does not resemble his father?). It is quite clear from this that the Holy Prophet told them that the father of Jesus is from among the men because the face of Jesus was a human face. If the Holy Prophet had wanted to convey that Jesus was born without a father, he would have said, as most commentators have written, that Jesus was without a father like Adam or that he was born by the command “Be”. All this evidence shows that the Quran does not state the birth of Jesus to be without a father, and لَمۡ يَمۡسَسۡنِى بَشَرٌ۬ۖ does not preclude future مس بشر .
3-48 And He will teach him the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel:a
وَيُعَلِّمُهُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِڪۡمَةَ وَٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةَ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلَ (٤٨)
3-48a: وَيُعَلِّمُهُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ۔۔۔ This verse starts with a conjunction and the question is to which verse is it conjoined? Some have said it conjoins يُبَشِّرُكِ in verse 45. Some have said that it conjoins يَخۡلُقُ in the previous verse so that it is: ڪَذَٲلِكِ ٱللَّهُ يَخۡلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيُعَلِّمُهُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ۔۔۔ . The correct reading is that this is an independent sentence and واؤ is to show its independence which sometimes occurs at the start of a speech. So, this is a separate sentence.
ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ – By ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ is here meant کتابت writing by hand (RM – IK). The meaning of حِڪۡمَةَ has been explained before.
The verse mentions teaching Jesus four things. The meaning of تعلیم is explained in 2-31a where it is shown that Allah imparts knowledge to man in two ways: The first is through revelation and the second is from man using the means that Allah has given him. Prophets also learn from these two sources. What kind of knowledge is meant here? Some have said through revelation; some have said through ability and guidance that is given to gain knowledge. The first surmise is not correct because the art of writing is learnt through ordinary teaching, and similarly Jesus gained knowledge of the Torah through a teacher as is shown by certain narrations. However, it is possible that by Book is meant the knowledge of the Book of Allah, in which case by knowledge of Book, wisdom, Torah and Gospel means their deep understanding through وحی خفی (Divine inspiration). It would also not be out of place that the knowledge of these four things may have been imparted by different ways, that is knowledge about writing and Torah through ordinary learning, and wisdom, that is deep understanding, and knowledge of Gospel through revelation.
3-49 And (make him) a messenger to the Children of Israel a(saying): I have come to you with a sign from your Lord,b that I determine for you out of dust (a thing) like the form of a bird,c then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah’s permissiond, and I heal the blind and the leprouse, and bring the dead to life with Allah’s permissionf; and I inform you of what you should eat and what you should store in your houses. Surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are believers.g
وَرَسُولاً إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ أَنِّى قَدۡ جِئۡتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍ۬ مِّن رَّبِّڪُمۡۖ أَنِّىٓ أَخۡلُقُ لَڪُم مِّنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيۡـٴَـةِ ٱلطَّيۡرِ ِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيۡرَۢا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُبۡرِئُ ٱلۡأَڪۡمَهَ وَٱلۡأَبۡرَصَ وَأُحۡىِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأۡكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِى بُيُوتِڪُمۡۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَةً۬ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (٤٩)
3-49a: وَرَسُولاً إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ – This is considered as conjoined to يُعَلِّمُهُ of the previous verse and then جعله is accepted as preordained by God to make this read: و یجعله رَسُولاً إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ (Allah will make him a prophet to Bani Israel). But what follows shows that this is the speech of Jesus addressing his nation. Accordingly, after this address, the statement that follows is: فَلَمَّآ أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنۡہُمُ ٱلۡكُفۡرَ قَالَ مَنۡ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ (But when Jesus perceived disbelief on their part, he said: Who will be my helpers in Allah’s way?) (3:52) which shows clearly that all intervening events between verse 47 and 48, namely Mary’s conception, Jesus’ birth, his attaining spiritual maturity, etcetera are dispensed with here (as some of these events had already been narrated in Surah Maryam which is an earlier revelation). The narration in this verse goes directly to the time when Jesus is sent as a prophet to Bani Israel. The structure of the passage then becomes: و جعل رسولا الیٰ بنی اسرائیل , that is, when Jesus after birth attained spiritual maturity, he was sent as a prophet to Bani Israel: Some other commentators have also noted the discontinuity of time between the previous text and the current passage and have written below: فَلَمَّآ أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنۡہُمُ ٱلۡكُفۡرَ that a new narration begins from رَسُولاً إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ which is not part of the speech of the angel. The structure of the verse than becomes: فجاء عیسٰی کما بشر اللّٰه تعلیٰ رسولاالیٰ بنی اسرائیل that is, when Jesus came in accordance with the tidings that Allah had given, and he was a prophet to Bani Israel.
At this juncture, Quran has categorically clarified that Jesus was a messenger sent only to Bani Israel. By the time that the Holy Prophet came, Christianity had spread to many nations and the Christians had even converted some from the Arab nation to Christianity and were making efforts to convert the rest as well. Given the widespread prevalence of Christianity, it is difficult to imagine that Jesus was a messenger sent for Bani Israel only. But some reflection shows that the real message of Jesus was limited only to Bani Israel. The following incident narrated in Matthew about a woman from Canaan clearly illustrates this: And behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying , Lord help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. (Matthew 15:22-28). This incident shows clearly that Jesus was not sent to any other nation except Israel. He can however be so kind to others as to throw the bread that the children do not eat before the dogs. Hence, when the Jews rejected his message, the disciples of Jesus admitted other nations in what appears to be the same capacity mentioned in the citation above. Accordingly, there is evidence from the speeches of Paul that the disappointment following the rejection of the message by Jews, caused a change of strategy and the direction of propagation was altered towards other nations. There is no doubt however that the message of Jesus was limited to Bani Israel. When the color of the faith was changed and made acceptable to idol worshippers by including beliefs like those of idol worshipping then the direction of propagation was fully changed to other nations.
Another issue that is decided by this verse is that Jesus cannot come for the reformation of the Muslim nation, and the spread of Islam to other nations cannot be part of his mandate. If he is to be a messenger for the Muslim nation, the words that strictly limit his mandate would not have been revealed. So, it is absurd to imagine that a person who is ordained as a messenger only for Bani Israel can be a messenger for the entire world. The following words were taught to Muslims precisely to make them free of the need of any messenger after the Holy Prophet: رضیت باللّٰه ربا و بالاسلام دینا و بمحمد نبیا . So, to consider oneself as dependent on another prophet or messenger after the Holy Prophet who is raised for the entire world and whose ministry will last to end times is to show great ingratitude for this everlasting blessing. The meaning of the prophecy in hadith about the coming of the Son of Mary can only be that a person from the Muslim nation may come in the coloring of the Son of Mary, just as the prophecy of the second coming of Elias was fulfilled by Yahya who came in the coloring of Elias for which see 3-39a. This explanation of Quran prevents Jesus from coming in the Muslim nation.
3-49b: أَنِّى قَدۡ جِئۡتُكُم – Some have considered مخبرایا ناطقا as understood here. But the word messenger itself contains within it the sense of the message. For this reason, when mention is made of his appointment as a messenger, the grand purpose for which he is anointed as a messenger is made manifest, namely that he had brought a great sign from Allah.
3-49c: أَخۡلُقُ – For the meaning of خلق see 2-21a. Imam Raghib states: وَ الۡخَلۡقُ لَا یُسۡتَعۡملُ فِیۡ کافة النّاس الا علیٰ وجہین اَحَدُ ھما فی معنی التقدیر۔۔۔ و الثانی فی الکذب (R) that is, the word خلق (to create, make, originate) is spoken in two senses when used for people, one in the sense of estimate and the second in the sense of fabrication. A well-known example of the use of the word in the sense of estimate is the saying of a poet: وَ لَاَنۡتَ تَفۡرِیۡ مَا خَلَقۡتَ ۔ وبَعۡضُ الۡقَوۡمِ یَخۡلُقُ ثُمَّ لَا یَفۡرِیۡ which means you act upon and do what you intend, or estimate, or propose, but there are some who keep on proposing but do not act upon it. Similarly, there is a saying ما خلقت الا فریت و ما وعدت الا وفیت (I did not propose anything that I did not act upon and I did not promise anything that I did not fulfill). تخلقون افکاً occurs in the Quran in the sense of fabrication. The correct meaning of أَحۡسَنُ ٱلۡخَـٰلِقِينَ (…the Best of creators) (23:14) is احسن المقدرین because where this word occurs, it is followed by a mention of the various stages through which man passes, that is life-germ, a clot, lump of flesh, etcetera. The correct situation is that the use of the word خلق in the sense of creator is not permissible for anyone except Allah. Although some have said that this word has been spoken for Jesus, but as will be shown later the Quran absolutely prohibits this. Some have argued that because the words مِّنَ ٱلطِّينِ are present, this distinguishes the creation using existing matter from the creation of Allah, but this is not correct because Allah creates in both ways, with and without matter. As has been shown in 2-21a, Baidawi has stated that the meaning of خلق لکم is اقدر لکم and this is correct.
ٱلطِّينِ – ٱلطِّينِ is clay, a mixture of mud with some moisture in it. Even if the moisture dries, it would still be called طین (R). According to the Quran, the creation of man is from dust. In contrast, the beings that are called jinn have been created from fire. Compared to other materials, طین can be molded easily.
هَيۡـٴَـةِ – هَيۡـٴَـةِ is the name of a state, shape or form regardless of whether it can be pereived or plausible (R), that is whether it can be determined by physical senses or by intellect. From the same root is derived وھیئ as in: وَهَيِّئۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَمۡرِنَا رَشَدً۬ا (…and provide for us a right course in our affair) (18:10) and وَيُهَيِّئۡ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَمۡرِكُم مِّرۡفَقً۬ا (…and provide for you a profitable course in your affair) (18:16).
ٱلطَّيۡرِ – طائر is any animal that has wings and flies. It has also been used in the Quran in the sense of actions as in: وَكُلَّ إِنسَـٰنٍ أَلۡزَمۡنَـٰهُ طَـٰٓٮِٕرَهُ ۥ فِى عُنُقِهِ (And We have made every man’s actions to cling to his neck (17:13) and طائر is a person’s lot which is destined for him in the knowledge of Allah, as in: ما حصل له فی علم اللّٰه مما قدر له (N). طیر is the plural of طائر and is also used as a singular (LA). And طُیُور occurs as the plural of طیَر . A narration in the hadith reads: الرُّوۡ یالاَوَّل عابِرٍ وَ ھِیَ عَلےٰ رِجۡلِ طائر where طائر has been described as: کُلُّ حَرَکَةٍ من کلمةٍ اوجار یجری فھو طائر مجازً اراد علےٰ رِجۡلِ قَدَرٍ جارٍ و قضاءٍ ماضٍ من خیرٍ و شرٍ (Every movement of a speech or of some affair that is continuing is metaphorically طائر (bird) and the purport of the saying علی رِجۡل طائر in Hadith is that he is at the start or foot of an ongoing divinely decreed event). These examples from the Quran and Hadith about the meaning of طائر have been narrated to show that metaphorically this word has been used in a sense that were previously not present in the thesaurus.
3-49d: أَنفُخُ – نفخ meant to breathe or blow air with the mouth. This word also occurs with روح (spirit), as for example it is stated in the narrative about Adam وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِى (…and breathed into him of My spirit) (15:29). It is also stated about every person: وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِهِ (…and breathed into him of His spirit) (32:9), and it is stated about Mary: فَنَفَخۡنَا فِيهَا مِن رُّوحِنَا (…so We breathed into her of Our inspiration) (21:91). But where the word نفخ occurs without روح the meaning of نفخ is not روح but means only to blow or breathe whether it is for real or as a metaphor, as in: قَالَ ٱنفُخُواْۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَعَلَهُ ۥ نَارً۬ا (…he said, Blow. Till when he had made it (as) fire) (18:96), the meaning here is to blow on the fire; and in: وَنُفِخَ فِى ٱلصُّورِ (And the trumpet is blown) (39:68) where the meaning is to blow into the trumpet. The word نفخ has also been used in the Hadith both in its real meaning and as a metaphor, as in: انه نھی عن النفخ فی الشراب (He (Holy Prophet) stopped (people) from blowing on water) because spit is blown into the water which is odious and may spread disease. Another hadith states: اعوذ باللّٰه من نفخه و نفثه where the blowing of Satan is not literal but means developing a devilish spirit in your body, and that devilish spirit is pride. Accordingly, the meaning here of نفخه is taken by commentators to be کبرہ (N), that is satanic pride. As the word روح is not here with نفخ hence it is not correct to take the meaning of نفخه as روح here. There is the mention of another نفخ in the hadith, which is the نفخ of the Prophet which is similar but instead of being sinful, it is virtuous. The نفخ of Satan is instilling its impiety or pride in another. The نفخ of the Prophet is instilling his virtue and obedience in another.
بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ – For the meaning of اِذن see 2-97a. Although اِذن implies the will and pleasure of God, but what is the meaning of the will of God in this instance? The term بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ has also been used for a person becoming a believer, as in: وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفۡسٍ أَن تُؤۡمِنَ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّ (And it is not for any soul to believe except by Allah’s permission) (10:100), and also for progressing on the path of virtue, as in: وَمِنۡہُمۡ سَابِقُۢ بِٱلۡخَيۡرَٲتِ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ (…and of them is he who is foremost in deeds of goodness by Allah’s permission) (35:32). By the will and pleasure of Allah, as Raghib writes, is meant that whatever power one develops is بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ because the originator of all power is Allah. For this reason, when an unjust person acts unjustly towards another and causes harm, this too can be called بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ , although this does not mean that Allah is pleased that it should be so. Hence it is not correct to think that بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ is some special affair that in reality only Allah used to perform but He had given permission to the Messiah to do the same, and so the Messiah became a partner in this attribute of Allah by his special permission. The will and pleasure of Allah is necessary for اِذن , and it is against the will and pleasure of God that any of His creation should perfectly be His partner in any attribute.
Did Jesus actually make birds?: Commentators say that Jesus actually made birds and what is generally said is that he made no other bird except bats (RM). Beyond this, there are two opinions. There is a narration in Ibn Jarir that states that Jesus was playing with some boys when he picked up some wet mud and said that he could make it into a bird. The kids questioned if he could really do so, whereupon Jesus replied in the positive and having molded the clay into the shape of a bird, he blew on it and it became a bird. According to the second narration, this was a miracle performed on demand. Bani Israel had demanded that they will believe in Jesus if he made a bat, whereupon Jesus created a bat. The strange thing is that they did not believe even after seeing the demanded miracle. At the same time, their belief system is that are demanded miracles are not shown. Wahab states: کان یطیر ما دام الناس ینظرون الیه فا ذا غاب عن اعینہم سقط میتا لتمیز عن خلق اللّٰه تعالیٰ بلا واسطة (It used to fly as long as people watched it but when it disappeared from eyesight, it fell down dead so that a distinction may remain between what Allah has created and this creation) (RM). The question is that if the bird fell down dead when people were not looking, then how was there a distinction because in the eyes of the people they only saw the bird flying. Then if this is a childhood event then one wonders what the purpose of this demonstration was when Jesus was not bestowed with prophethood, and the miracle was shown to boys of the same age as Jesus. If Jesus actually made birds, then one is faced with two possibilities. Either those birds after becoming live would mix and merge with the other natural birds or that they were molded into the shape of birds but their flying as a mere show was a transitory scene and in the end the birds were just a mound of clay. This second narration finds support from Wahab, and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the reformer of the fourteenth century hijrah, has accepted a close version of this.
We now carry on a rule-based discussion on the difference between decisive verses and metaphorical verses, in order to see if any man can create the like of what God has created whether he does so with the permission of Allah or whether he is a prophet and performs this matter as a miracle. Now when we examine the Quran, we find that خلق in the sense of birth is given as the exclusive purview of Allah regardless of whether that creation is from matter or not. The first proof of this is the verse: أَمۡ جَعَلُواْ لِلَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ خَلَقُواْ كَخَلۡقِهِۦ فَتَشَـٰبَهَ ٱلۡخَلۡقُ عَلَيۡہِمۡ (Or have they set up with Allah associates who have created creation like His) (13:16), and along with it Allah lays down His general law: قُلِ ٱللَّهُ خَـٰلِقُ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ (Say: Allah is the Creator of all things) (13:16), that is, not only is it fallacious that the made up deities created something and the two kinds of creation got mixed up but that there is no other creator in this world except Allah. In another place, it is stated: خَلَقَ ڪُلَّ شَىۡءٍ۬ فَقَدَّرَهُ ۥ تَقۡدِيرً۬ا (Who created everything, then ordained for it a measure) (25:2). Then it is stated: رَبُّنَا ٱلَّذِىٓ أَعۡطَىٰ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ خَلۡقَهُ ۥ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ (Our Lord is He Who gives to everything its creation, then guides (it)) (20:50). With regards to false deities, it is stated with even more clarity: وَٱلَّذِينَ يَدۡعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ لَا يَخۡلُقُونَ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَهُمۡ يُخۡلَقُونَ أَمۡوَٲتٌ غَيۡرُ أَحۡيَآءٍ۬ۖ وَمَا يَشۡعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبۡعَثُونَ (And those whom they call besides Allah created naught, while they are themselves created. Dead (are they), not living. And they know not when they will be raised) (16:20-21). In consonance with this, it is stated in Surah Furqan that the fundamental rule of creation is that Allah is the Creator of everything and there is no creator besides Him, and those that have been made deities have not created anything. Further that it can never be that a man-made creation and God’s creation can ever get mixed up in a way that all distinction is lost between them. In a similar vein, it is stated: أَفَمَن يَخۡلُقُ كَمَن لَّا يَخۡلُقُ (Is He then Who creates like him who creates not?) (16:17). If it is accepted that Jesus created birds, then Jesus by virtue of being مَن يَخۡلُقُ is not like men but like God. And because there is no contradiction in the Quran: لَوۡ كَانَ مِنۡ عِندِ غَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِ لَوَجَدُواْ فِيهِ ٱخۡتِلَـٰفً۬ا ڪَثِيرً۬ا (If it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy) (4:82). Hence it is completely unacceptable that the Quran would say that Jesus created some birds after it has firmly and repeatedly stated that there is no creator besides Allah and those who have been taken for deities have not created anything. In this way, the first hypothesis that Jesus made some actual birds which fit the literal dictionary meaning of bird must be rejected because it is contrary to the decisive verses of Quran and the clear explanations about the Word of God. It cannot be argued that Jesus made the birds by permission of Allah because Allah does not give permission conflicting with His attributes. Allah has described creation as a fundamental attribute of His in which the created cannot be His partners under any circumstance. To give permission against this is to falsify His own attribute.
Explaining away the birds by saying they became dust again: The second hypothesis can be that what Jesus created were not real birds but merely bird forms much like clay toys that are molded like birds. They did not have feathers, wings or life etcetera so that the word bird in its literal and true sense could not be applied to them. These birds were probably like the clay birds which are sold in the market. When Jesus blew on them, a temporary illusion was created as if they were flying. This view is expressed by Wahab. In this way, this hypothesis does not run counter to the decisive verses mentioned above because these birds are not تَشَـٰبَهَ ٱلۡخَلۡقُ (a creation like His). But under this hypothesis, the use of the word طیر is metaphorical and not literal because these were not really birds but merely had the form of birds. Even if the word is taken as metaphorical, the action itself loses the majesty of a miracle worthy of a prophet and takes on the form of a play or a show. Far be it from the greatness of a prophet to think that the intelligence of the people for whose reformation he has come is such that they would be impressed by such frivolous activities. Can this be a convincing argument of the truth and can this reform the soul? Neither can this action convince the detractors of Jesus nor can it be of any spiritual benefit to his followers.
Metaphorical interpretation of طیر : From the discussion above, it is apparent that interpreting طیر in its literal sense is antithetical to the decisive verses of the Quran. It is necessary to accept the expression here as metaphorical and figurative. Metaphorical and figurative speech is found in many places in the Quran and the rule is that when circumstances or the adoption of the literal meaning run counter to decisive verses, then a metaphorical meaning must be accepted. So, there can be no objection to adopting a metaphorical meaning here. The interpretation that Wahab has presented does in fact accept the use of طیر in a metaphorical and figurative coloring and not literally. It is also worth remembering Jesus used metaphors and figurative expressions copiously in his speech. Accordingly, the disciples once complained to Jesus that he spoke with people in parables which they could not understand, to which he replied: Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand (Matthew 13:13). This reply is itself a parable. Further, it is stated: All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying, I will open my mouth in parables (Matthew 13:34-35). This is the reason why Allah chose to narrate the work of Jesus in the form of a parable. A little reflection will show that where the Quran and holy books have adopted such a metaphorical narration, it is frequently to transition from the physical to the spiritual. For example, if a mention is made of the dead earth, the meaning is spiritual death; if the mention is of blind and deaf, the meaning is those who seal their eyes and ears to spiritual truth; if the mention is of rain, the meaning is Divine revelation; the mention of darkness stands for the darkness of ignorance; the mention of day and light means spiritual light and belief. Similarly, if a nation is referred to as a quadruped, the meaning is that it does not use its intellect or that it has its full attention focused on earthly matters. A figurative reference to a donkey means that a person has read books but has failed to benefit from them. If a nation is called a monkey, it means that it copies good actions but is devoid of its spiritual context.
The metaphorical meaning of طیر: It has already been shown above that there is no alternative to accepting the use of the word طیر metaphorically in this verse. The superiority that birds have over other animals is in having the ability to fly or to soar above the earth. When the word طیر is used metaphorically in the speech of a prophet, the figurative reference would be to some aspect of this superiority, that is to rise above the earth and fly. For example it was stated about someone: اخلد الی الارض (he stuck to the earth) meaning that he inclined to the world, and did not pay any attention to higher affairs. So, by the figurative use of طیر is meant men who can arise above the ground and worldly things and soar towards God. And this can be easily understood how a person can become capable of jettisoning worldly considerations and take a flight into the spiritual world by the breath of a prophet.
The metaphorical use of the word طیر in Quran and Hadith: It is possible that there may be some misgiving among some sections about the metaphorical use of طیر . When the literal use of the word becomes proscribed, there is no alternative except to interpret the word metaphorically, and the word طیر has been used metaphorically both in the Quran and Hadith. So, under these conditions, there is no other alternative but to interpret the word طیر metaphorically. And this meaning is not merely a conjecture because in the Hadith, martyrs who had achieved the highest pinnacles of spirituality have been likened to طیر or birds, and it has been stated that they will be roaming around in paradise in the form of green birds. Thus, Ibn Masud narrates in Sahih Muslim: ان ارواح الشھدآءُ فی اجواف طیر خضر (The souls of martyrs are in the bellies of green birds), and in Ibn Majah there is a narration also from Ibn Masud : ارواح الشھدآءُ عند اللّٰه تعالیٰ کطیر خضر (The souls of martyrs are with Allah like green birds). And there are some narrations which state that the souls of martyrs are green birds and in some that they are white birds.
With such clarity from hadith, the interpretation of طیر or birds to mean men resembling martyrs, whose flight is in the spiritual realm or those who fly far above base relationships appear to be exactly what is meant by the Quran.
Keeping in view this metaphorical use of the word طیر, there is no difficulty in comprehending the other words. The meaning of خلق when used for humans is to estimate and not to create, and that is what is meant here. The word طین in a metaphorical sense requires obedience. Thus, creations of dust are endowed with greater ability to be obedient. By نفخ is meant spiritual breath and the rationale for this use has been given in the preceding discussions. So, the metaphorical meaning of the entire text: أَنِّىٓ أَخۡلُقُ لَڪُم مِّنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيۡـٴَـةِ ٱلطَّيۡرِ ِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيۡرَۢا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۖ is that Jesus is mentioning his ability to breathe spiritual life. Jesus estimates their ability from their form and for those whose nature is that of dust and thereby have a greater ability to be receptive, he fosters high thinking and reduces their connection to the earth. He thus breathes a new spiritual life in them. And God’s prophets in fact come to breathe spiritual life and by breathing spiritual life, they raise their good abilities to a new level.
3-49e: أَڪۡمَهَ – کَمِھَتۡ when spoken about the sun means that a haze has come in front of it and it has become dark. کَمِهَ بَصَرُہٗ is derived from it, and اَکۡمَهۡ means a blind person whether born blind or becomes blind in later life. In this sense, this word is frequently met with in poems. And Ibn Arabi says that أَڪۡمَهَ is one who sees during the day but is blind at night (LA). Metaphorically it is used in a spiritual sense to denote those people who recognize the truth in the light of the bright sun but do not see anything when confronted even by small difficulties.
أَبۡرَصَ – بَرۡص means white discoloration of the skin known as leukoderma, and in a spiritual sense it is spoken for an evil that apparently seems to be good.
Reference to diseases in Jesus’ speech is to spiritual diseases: Jesus’ treatment of ordinary diseases is not particularly noteworthy from the point of view of his prophethood. But the fact that it has been mentioned here as a sign suggests a more significant meaning. These matters, which include, making birds, and curing the blind and those afflicted with leukoderma, are mentioned after the mention of imparting knowledge of the Book, wisdom, Torah and Gospel, with which they have no relationship. By wisdom is not meant knowledge of medicine but the ability to discern the truth and to gain an understanding of the actual reality. The context requires that the mention here is of the cure of spiritual diseases because the Torah and Gospel were revealed for the cure of spiritual diseases and not physical diseases. The words of Jesus in the Gospel are supportive of this. In Mathew 13:15, Jesus says while mentioning the condition of the Jews: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. After mentioning the spiritual condition and listing all the spiritual diseases, the words in the end are, “and I should heal them” which are exactly in consonance with curing blindness and leukoderma. It is quite clear that by mention of healing Jesus means healing of spiritual diseases. Jesus further states: They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. (Matthew 9:12). All the three words, whole, physician and sick have not been used here in their literal sense, but in the sense of spiritual health, spiritual physician and spiritual sickness. Even greater clarity is obtained form the conversation in Matthew 11:2-5: Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. It is obvious that “the poor” in the last sentence stands not for poor in wealth but poor of heart to whom the gospel is preached. This one sentence brings clarity to all the previous text that the reference is to spiritual diseases otherwise it would be quite meaningless in a statement of physical diseases to bring in the teaching of the gospel to the poor. All these citations prove that in the speech of Jesus as found in the present text of the gospel the meaning of healing diseases is healing of spiritual diseases.
The meaning of disease and healing in the Quran: When one focusses on the Quran, it appears that the work of prophets specified in it is to heal spiritual diseases. The Quran states about the blind, deaf, and dumb that are healed by prophets: فَإِنَّہَا لَا تَعۡمَى ٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرُ وَلَـٰكِن تَعۡمَى ٱلۡقُلُوبُ ٱلَّتِى فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ (For surely it is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts which are in the breasts) (22:46). It is this blindness that the Quran mentions repeatedly as in: صُمُّۢ بُكۡمٌ عُمۡىٌ۬ فَهُمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ (Deaf, dumb, (and) blind, so they return not) (2:18). This is the condition of those unbelievers who do not heed the warning; they neither hear the calls, nor do they reflect on it; they neither state the truth with their tongues, nor do they see the signs of Allah. Hence, they do not turn to the truth. This is the narration of their spiritual diseases that is repeated again and again and their remedy is also stated in the same metaphorical language. Accordingly, in one place the Quran has been called: هُدً۬ى وَشِفَآءٌ (guidance and a healing) (41:44). By putting guidance next to healing the Quran makes it clear that the healing referred to is of spiritual diseases and not of physical ailments. In another place, it is stated: شِفَآءٌ۬ لِّمَا فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ (…a healing for what is in the heart) (10:57).
Christian devotion to the literal: The Gospel and Quran both agree that the mission and teaching of the prophets is to cure spiritual diseases, and the diseases that are frequently mentioned in the holy scriptures are spiritual diseases. Jesus too was a healer of such diseases, but Christians chose to adopt the literal interpretation and took as literal what was metaphorical and figurative in Jesus’ speech. The interesting fact is that the sick nation that the Holp Prophet was called upon to cure of their spiritual diseases was sicker than the diseased nation that Jesus was asked to reform. The diseases that Jesus was asked to cure are referred to as night-blindness and leukoderma, but the Holy Prophet was given a nation that was suffering from blindness, dumbness, deafness. The deaf and dumb spiritually become devoid of good attributes and if on top of that there is an infliction of blindness than no means are left to gain knowledge. What the verse reveals is that the diseases Jesus confronted were not as dangerous as the ones the Holy Prophet confronted. The more dangerous the disease, the greater are the chances that even a learned physician will fail. It was left to the greatest physician of the world to cure people who were blind, deaf, and dumb.
3-49f: The meaning of life and death has been explained in 2-56a. In Arabic, the decline in any of the organic, sensory, or intellectual function is referred to as death. What kind of death is meant here? The first thing to see is what the Quran teaches about the return of dead persons back to earth.
The return of dead persons to earth is prohibited as explicated in the Quran: Allah lays down His law about giving up of the soul. ٱللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلۡأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوۡتِهَا وَٱلَّتِى لَمۡ تَمُتۡ فِى مَنَامِهَاۖ فَيُمۡسِكُ ٱلَّتِى قَضَىٰ عَلَيۡہَا ٱلۡمَوۡتَ وَيُرۡسِلُ ٱلۡأُخۡرَىٰٓ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ۬ مُّسَمًّىۚ (Allah takes (men’s) souls at the time of their death, and those that die not, during the sleep. Then He withholds those on whom He has passed the decree of death and sends the others back till an appointed term) (39:42). In accordance with this verse, the taking of the soul is of two type – one at the time of death and the other in the state of sleep. Thus, the taking of the soul is spoken of in both states. There is no third way according to the Quran of taking the soul. Out of these two states, a decisive judgment is given about one state that those on whom death is decreed are not sent back to earth. Allah has decreed their day of being brought back to life as the Day of Judgment. In the light of this verse, no person who has died can come back to this earth live.
This same rule is further expounded in another verse: حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَهُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱرۡجِعُونِ ‘ لَعَلِّىٓ أَعۡمَلُ صَـٰلِحً۬ا فِيمَا تَرَكۡتُۚ كَلَّآۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَآٮِٕلُهَاۖ وَمِن وَرَآٮِٕهِم بَرۡزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ (Until when death overtakes one of them, he says: My Lord, send me back, That I may do good in that which I have left. By no means! It is but a word that he speaks. And before them is a barrier, until the day they are raised) (23:98-99). This verse also states the same law that it is prohibited for a person who dies to return to earth, and such a wish cannot be fulfilled. Further one will have to stay in purgatory until the day of raising the dead, that is the Day of Judgment. In accordance with this verse as well, the return of dead persons to this earth is negated.
The third Quranic verse that testifies to this law: وَحَرَٲمٌ عَلَىٰ قَرۡيَةٍ أَهۡلَكۡنَـٰهَآ أَنَّهُمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ (And it is forbidden to a town which We destroy: they shall not return) (21:95). By قَرۡيَةٍ is meant the dwellers of the town, that is those who die do not return to this earth. In a commentary on this verse, a hadith is narrated in Nasai and Ibn Maja: عن جابر بن عبد اللّٰه قال لقینی رسول اللّٰه صلی اللّٰه علیه و سلم فقال یا جابر ما لی اراك منکسرا قلت یا رسول استشھد ابی و ترك عیا لا و دنیا فقال الابشرك ما لقی اللّٰه به اباك قال بلیٰ۔۔۔ قال یا عبدی تمن علی اعطك قال یا رب تحیینی فا قتل فیك ثانیة قال الرب تعلیٰ قد سبق منی أَنَّهُمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ (It is narrated from Abdullah: The Messenger of Allah met me and said: What is the reason that I find you sad? I submitted: O Messenger of Allah my father has met with martyrdom and has left his family and debts behind. (The Messenger) said: Shall I give you good news of what transpired with your father in the presence of Allah. I said: Please do so…(some part of the hadith has been left out here). (The Messenger) said: Allah addressed (Jabir’s father) and said: O My servant! Express your wish before me so that I may fulfill it. He (Jabir’s father) submitted: My Lord! Return me to life so that I may be martyred one more time in Your way. Lord, the Most high, replied: The word has gone forth from Me that they shall not return) (IM 24:15). This hadith establishes definitively that a dead person can never come back to life in this world. The return of a dead person is against the law of Allah because it is apparent from this hadith that Allah had Himself told Jabir’s father that He would give him whatever He wanted, but when he expressed a wish to go back to the earth, Allah replied that this cannot be so because this was contrary to what He has decreed. Now, on the one hand, there was Allah’s offer to give whatever was asked, and on the other hand, there was the dire need of the Muslim community of men who would sacrifice their life in the way of Allah. Given both these considerations, if it was possible in God’s law that a dead person could return to this earth, then Jabir’s father was the most deserving. Even though Allah had said that He would grant him whatever he desired, Allah did not fulfill the wish of Jabar’s father to return to earth on the grounds that it was against his law. Did God make this law after the time of Jesus that He would no longer give life to the dead on this earth? Further, we ask that if God used to bring the dead to life through Jesus, why did He not Himself give life to one dead person and sent him back to earth. There is also another hadith in Sahih Muslim with very similar content. According to this hadith, Allah says to the souls of martyrs: ما ذا تبغون (What do you wish?). They reply that they have no need. This question is repeated again and again until: فلما راؤ انہم لا یترکون من ان یسئالو اقالوا نرید ان تردنا الی الدار الدنیا فنقاتل فی سبیلك حتّٰی نقتل فیك مرة اخریٰ لمایرون من ثواب الشہادة فیقول الربّ جلّ جلاله انّی کتبت انہم الیھا لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ ( They will say: “We want that You return us back to the habitation of earth so that we may fight in Your way until we are slain once again in Your way” because they would have seen the great reward of martyrdom. But the Glorious Lord would say: My word has already gone forth that they will not be returned to this world). If there is anyone deserving of coming back to earth after death, it is the martyrs because their lives are solely for Allah. Even though Allah offers to them that He will grant them whatever they ask, but He does not send them back. Why? Because it is against his law. This shows how firm are Allah’s laws.
Mention in Quran of bringing spiritually dead people to life: The cited verses and ahadith evidence that the dead do not return to this earth. There is no alternative but to accept that the mention here is of bringing spiritually dead people to life. There is frequent and repeated mention in the Quran of bringing the spiritually dead to life. Accordingly, it is stated in one place: أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيۡتً۬ا فَأَحۡيَيۡنَـٰهُ وَجَعَلۡنَا لَهُ ۥ نُورً۬ا يَمۡشِى بِهِۦ فِى ٱلنَّاسِ كَمَن مَّثَلُهُ ۥ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ لَيۡسَ بِخَارِجٍ۬ مِّنۡہَا (Is he who was dead, then We raised him to life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people, like him whose likeness is that of one in darkness whence he cannot come forth?) (6:122). There is a mention here of a dead person and his being brought back to life. But what kind of a dead person is this and what is his return to life? When Allah bestows this dead person with the light of faith, he walks among the people with the help of this light. Against this light is the condition of a dead person who stays enveloped in darkness. Then Allah states: يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ لِمَا يُحۡيِيڪُمۡ (O you who believe, respond to Allah and His Messenger, when he calls you to that which gives you life) (8:24). It is further stated: وَمَا يَسۡتَوِى ٱلۡأَحۡيَآءُ وَلَا ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲتُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُسۡمِعُ مَن يَشَآءُۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِمُسۡمِعٍ۬ مَّن فِى ٱلۡقُبُورِ (Neither are the living and the dead alike. Surely Allah makes whom He pleases hear, and thou canst not make those hear who are in the graves) (95:22). Here, not only are the spiritually alive persons called living and the spiritually dead persons dead but the dead are even called مَّن فِى ٱلۡقُبُورِ that is, those who are lying in their graves.
Giving of life to dead by Jesus pertains to giving life to spiritually dead: The Quran shuts the door to the return of dead to this life. The spiritually dead persons however are referred to in the Quran as dead. In fact, it is told that the work of prophets is to bring the spiritually dead to life. There can be only one meaning of أُحۡىِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ I bring the dead to life with the permission of Allah.
Spiritual power of a prophet exhibited in two ways: It should also be remembered that these three sentences that is, first, the making of birds, second the curing of night blindness and leukoderma and third bringing the dead back to life manifest the same meaning. When the prophet breathes spirit into the people, a revolution is created which takes on various forms. Those endowed with the attribute of dust, that is are obedient have a higher rate of accepting the spirit and are so affected by it that they sever their worldly connection and devote themselves entirely to God. Below them is a lesser category of individuals who are referred to as sick, that is the ones who are night blind or with leukoderma. Their diseases are cured, and they become whole. The lowest condition is of those from whom the spiritual life has departed, and they have entered the category of the dead. But the spiritual power of the prophet acts on them too and they get a new life. These three states, bear testimony to the three stages of spiritual degeneration in which the prophet finds the nation. This is the reason why all the three stages are mentioned as one sign and it is stated that: قَدۡ جِئۡتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍ۬ مِّن رَّبِّڪُمۡۖ (I have come to you with a sign from your Lord) although three things are mentioned after that. The idea behind is to show that these three things convey the same objective of showing the spiritual prowess of the prophet.
3-39g: بِمَا تَأۡكُلُونَ – Either ما is مصدر (a particle that renders the verb into gerund or a verbal noun) and the meaning is that I inform you about your eating and storing, that is I have come to condemn you for unlawful gain, or ما is الموصلة )a relative pronoun( and is by way of a command, that is what you ought to eat and what you ought to store or in other words, what is lawful.
تَدَّخِرُونَ – اِدِّخارis actually اذتخار which is derived from ذخر and the meaning of ادّخرته is: اَعۡدَدۡ تُه‘ لِلۡعُقۡبٰی (made goods for the future) (R), that is stored.
Jesus fables: Some fables have been narrated here that have no basis. One such fable is that when Jesus was a child and playing with his playmates, he would tell them what thing their mother had hidden and where. The playmates would then go home and annoy their mothers with the information they had. One day, the neighbors rounded up all the playmates and locked them in a house. When Jesus came enquiring about the whereabouts of his playmates, he was told that they were not there. Jesus pointed to the house where the boys were and asked who is in that house. They replied pigs. So all the boys became pigs. These fables with no head or tail have no basis and their only objective is to make everything about Jesus a miracle.
How much to store: Jesus also gave instructions about what is permitted and what is prohibited. He laid great stress in his teachings not to store much worldly wealth and assets and not to accumulate worldly treasures. His disciples, however, have gone against all of his teachings. It is instructive to compare the behavior of the European and American followers of Jesus who are engaged day and night in accumulating wealth and whose god is riches and wealth with the teaching of Jesus: Lay not for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal (Matthew 6:19-20).
3-50 And (I am) a verifier of that which is before me of the Torah,a and I allow you part of that which was forbidden to you;b and I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me.c
وَمُصَدِّقً۬ا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَىَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةِ وَلِأُحِلَّ لَڪُم بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِى حُرِّمَ عَلَيۡڪُمۡۚ وَجِئۡتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍ۬ مِّن رَّبِّڪُمۡ فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ (٥٠)
3-50a: The purport of Jesus as verifier of Torah is to fill in its shortcomings: Jesus calls himself the verifier of the Torah. The significance of this verification has been discussed earlier in 2-41a where it is shown that this verification when it occurs with relative pronoun لام means that the first Book requires that a prophet should come to fill its shortcoming or to fulfill its prophecies. When that second prophet comes, he verifies the first scripture in that he accepts the Divine origin of the Book and also fills in its shortcomings or defects.
Torah and the prophets of Bani Israel: Just as the teaching of Torah was limited in its national applicability to Bani Israel, it was also limited in its applicability over time, and the prophets of Bani Israel appeared from time to time to make up its shortcomings. The Torah however remained as the foundational doctrine of Bani Israel over time, while the teaching of subsequent prophets made up for the shortcomings of the Torah and remained valid for the period of their ministry. For this reason, Jesus was not the verifier of all the Books and all the prophets but was only the verifier of Torah because the purpose of his ministry was to rectify some of the shortcomings of the teaching of Torah. It certainly does not follow from this verification that there had not been any tampering in the Torah text. It is not the intention of Allah in raising prophets that they should correct every word of the previous scriptures. Their real purpose is to reform souls for which he provides general guidance. The next words of the Quran substantiates that Jesus made up some of the deficiencies of the Torah teachings, and since the real purpose of the appearance of prophets is to bring guidance as is manifest from فَإِمَّا يَأۡتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدً۬ى (Surely there will come to you a guidance from Me) (2:38), every prophet brings some new guidance whether it is in the revealed law or in admonishment or in setting a role model for actions.
3-50b: Jesus abrogates some commands of Torah: بَعۡضَ ٱلَّذِى حُرِّمَ عَلَيۡڪُمۡۚ (…part of that which was forbidden to you (in the Mosaic law)). Qatadah gives the following narration: کان الذی جاء به عیسیٰ اَلۡین مما جاء به موسیٰ (The dominant aspect of what Jesus brought was easing the restrictions as compared to what Moses brought). Some commentators have interpreted this in the following way: I make permissible to you some of those things that you had wrongly considered as prohibited. They therefore hold that Jesus did not abrogate any of the commands of the Torah. But this is not correct because even at that time, although the Gospel said that it had not come to abrogate the Torah there are commands in the Gospel which are contrary to the commands in the Torah. This despite the fact that Jesus said that he had not come to abrogate the Torah and so the purport of this statement by Jesus is only that the foundational principles of Torah will stay intact, but some changes and modifications will be made in accordance with the requirements of the time. This does not abrogate the Torah as is evident from the following kinds of statements in the Gospel: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill…But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; but whoever shall say say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire (Matthew 5:21-22). This does not abrogate the command of Torah about shedding blood but completes it. Similarly: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you. That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28). An example of the modification of command is: It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery (Matthew 5:31-32). An example of abrogation is: Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also (Matthew 5:38-39). All the things that Jesus began with, “Ye have heard” are the commands of Torah from which it becomes clear that the prophets of Israel came with the authorization to complete the instructions or to modify the instructions of Torah while accepting the Torah as the foundational law.
3-50c: Jesus’ call to obey him and its need: أَطِيعُونِ means to obey me. This is part of the teaching of every prophet. Accordingly in Surah Al-Shuara (The Poets) where the teachings of several prophets are narrated, almost every prophet says: فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ (So keep your duty to Allah and obey me). In the Jesus case, it was the Mosaic law (shariat) to which he had to adhere himself and to make others follow but he does not say it as such because he himself is one to be followed and is not the follower of any other. Whatever he gets, he gets it directly from Allah. Thus every prophet is of the status of a king which has been very clearly explained in another place: وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ (And We send no Messenger but that he should be obeyed by Allah’s command) (4:64). The reason for Jesus commanding his obedience is to make people understand that if he makes any changes or modifications in the Torah, his command will have to be obeyed, and it cannot be rejected on the grounds that it is against the Torah. This verse also informs that obedience of the prophet is part of religion.
3-51 Surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so serve Him. This is the right path.a
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبُّڪُمۡ فَٱعۡبُدُوهُۗ هَـٰذَا صِرَٲطٌ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٌ۬ (٥١)
3-51a: Unitarian teaching of Gospel: The summary of Jesus’ teachings that is presented here in the Quran is still present in the Gospel despite the great tampering that has taken place in it. Thus, it is stated: Then said Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve (Matthew 4:10). This is not the teaching of a person who believes in Trinity. Allah has left this and similar other verses is their Books as unrebuttable arguments against the Christians.
3-52 But when Jesus perceived disbelief on their part, he said: Who will be my helpers in Allah’s way?a The disciples said: We are Allah’s helpers: we believe in Allah, and bear thou witness that we are submitting ones.b
فَلَمَّآ أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنۡہُمُ ٱلۡكُفۡرَ قَالَ مَنۡ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ قَالَ ٱلۡحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحۡنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَٱشۡهَدۡ بِأَنَّا مُسۡلِمُونَ (٥٢)
3-52a: أَحَسَّ – The meaning of احساس is to perceive something from what is visible. Jesus’ perception of their disbelief is an indication that their disbelief was so apparent that it could be sensed even before any manifestation in an overt form (R). For an alternative meaning see 3-152a.
مَنۡ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ – أَنصَار is the plural of نصیر which means a helper. Ibn Jarir has explained the meaning of مَنۡ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ as من اعوانی علی المکذبین بحجة ٱللَّه (who will be my helper with Allah’s arguments against those who falsify), and he says that إِلَى ٱللَّهِ stands for مع ٱللَّهِ. Some have explained its meaning as: ملتجأ الی ٱللَّهِ او ذاھبا او ضاما الیه (Who is my helper given that I am a seeker of refuge in Allah or seeker of Allah or a developer of a connection with Allah) (Bd). And أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ that follows means the helper of the religion of Allah, or helper of the Messenger of Allah, that is a helper of the religion of Allah or the Messenger of Allah.
ٱلۡحَوَارِيُّونَ – It is the plural of حواری and is derived from حَوۡر and the meaning of حَوۡر is to return from a thing or to return towards a thing. Also derived from it is يَحُورَ as in: إِنَّهُ ۥ ظَنَّ أَن لَّن يَحُورَ (Surely he thought that he would never return (to Allah)) (84:14) and تحاور which is the back and forth return of talk in a conversation, as in: وَٱللَّهُ يَسۡمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَآ (And Allah hears the contentions of both of you) (58:1). And حَوۡر actually means whiteness. حَوۡراء is spoken of a woman whose whiteness of the eyes is very bright and the blackness intensely black and who is otherwise fair as well. For this reason, the nomadic rural people called the women living in cities حواریات because they were fair compared to those living in the rural areas (LA). And the meaning of تحویر is تبییض that is to whiten.
Why the disciples were called حواری : According to Ibn Kathir, Raghib and others the word حواری is derived from تحویر . Most commentators have explained that this word was used for the disciples of Jesus because حواری is a name for قَصَّار and قَصَّار is one who washes the clothes and whitens them. The disciples close to Jesus worked as washermen and so came to be called حواری. As a derivation from the disciples of Jesus, this name came to be spoken for all helpers and a special and dear friend. An example of this use from the hadith is: والزبیر ابن عمتی و حواریَّ من اُمتی (Zubair is my paternal aunt’s son and my helper and friend ( حواری ) from my followers). A narration from Zajjaj in Lisan al-Arab states: الحواریون خلصان الانبیاء و صفوتہم (The pure and pious disciples of prophets are called حواری). Some have stated the reason for this to be their pure intentions and the purity of their character, and others have said that it is so because they cleanse the dirt of sin and purify the populace.
Names of Jesus’ disciples: Jesus had twelve disciples whose names in the Gospel are given in Luke 6:14-16 and Mark 10:3 as follows:
- Simon surnamed Peter 2. Andrew his brother 3)James the son of Zebedee 4)John the brother of James 5)Philip 6)Bartholomew 6)Matthew 7)Thomas 8)James the son of Alpheus 9)Simon called Zelotes 10)Judas the brother of James 11)Thaddaeus 12)Judas Iscariot, which also was a traitor.
These disciples were commanded: Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. The work they were given was: Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. They were commanded not to keep anything with them: Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses. Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves. (Matthew 10:5-10). It is difficult to believe what has been written about the state of the faith of these twelve disciples that it was so. They have been variously called, O ye of little faith (Matthew 16:8), O faithless and perverse generation (Matthew 17:17), devoid of faith as a grain of mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). Peter, who was the leading disciple, has been referred to with the name Satan. One of the disciples, Judas Iscariot finally betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. With this betrayal only eleven disciples are left, however Paul is added to keep the number twelve. The faith of the other disciples too is such that Peter, who Jesus called the rock on which his church will be built (Matthew 16:18), denied Jesus three times, and when a maid spotted him and said this man was also with Jesus, he lied to save his life and said that he did not know him (Lucas 22:57). When Jesus was being arrested, the disciples ran away although the rewards they were promised by Jesus was indeed great.
Promises made with the disciples: Peter was told: And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19). And the promise for the twelve disciples was: Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28). Quran has not mentioned these shortcomings of the disciples and has only narrated their good qualities and has thereby honored the help and service they performed. This is a great favor that Islam has done to the Christians that not only their prophet but even his disciples have been remembered for their good qualities and no mention is made of their shortcomings. But this thankless nation has put all their energy in the false and baseless character assassination of their benefactor.
3-53 Our Lord, we believe in that which Thou hast revealed and we follow the messenger, so write us down with those who bear witness.
رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا بِمَآ أَنزَلۡتَ وَٱتَّبَعۡنَا ٱلرَّسُولَ فَٱڪۡتُبۡنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ (٥٣)
3-53a: ٱلشَّـٰهِدِينَ – There are a number of opinions in the commentary of شَّـٰهِدِينَ . In the opinion of this commentator, the explanation of Zajjaj is the best, which is: الشاھدون للانبیاء بالتصدیق (RM), that is these are the people who believe in the truthfulness of prophets and thereby become their witnesses. This meaning is also befitting because these people are witnesses of the prophet’s spiritual power and by practically becoming pure, they bear testimony to the truthfulness of the prophet.
3-54 And (the Jews) planned and Allah (also) planned. And Allah is the best of planners.
وَمَڪَرُواْ وَمَڪَرَ ٱللَّهُۖ وَٱللَّهُ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡمَـٰكِرِينَ (٥٤)
3-54a: مَڪَرُواْ – Lisan al-Arab describes this as: اَلۡمَکۡرُ اِحتیال فی خُفیة, that is doing اِحتیال secretly. And what is اِحتیال ? It is defined as: الۡحَوۡلُ و الۡحَیۡلُ و الحِوَل و الحِیۡلَة … و الاحتیال … کل ذٰلك الحذۡقُ و جَوۡدة النظرِ و الۡقُدۡرَةُ علیٰ دِقَّةِ التصُّرفِ (LA), that is , حَوۡلُ – حَیۡلُ – حِوَل – حِیۡلَة – اِحتیال all have the same meaning which is to have wisdom, a sharp eye and the power of craftiness. Thus, اِحتیال and حِیۡلَة is the name for a finely crafted and strong plan. So the meaning of مَکۡر will be a secret, well crafted and strong plan. The Mufradat of Raghib gives the meaning of مَکۡر as: صَرۡفُ الغَیۡرِ عَمّا یَقۡصِدُ ہٗ بِحِیۡلَة that is to frustrate the attempt of another by a finely crafted and strong plan. He further adds that مَکۡر is of two types. One is a praiseworthy مَکۡر which is done with the intention of doing a good deed with it and has given as an example: مَكر ٱللَّهُۖ وَٱللَّهُ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡمَـٰڪِرِينَ و (And Allah made a plan and Allah is the best of planners). The other one is a contemptible and blameworthy مَکۡر that is done with vile intentions and an example of which is given as: وَإِذۡ يَمۡكُرُ بِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ (And when those who disbelieved devised plans against thee…) (8:30). So, the word is used for plans both good and evil. There is also a discussion on this in Tafsir al-Kabir, and it is stated that مَکۡر is that firm and decisive intention which is protected from defects and shortcomings. In the presence of so much clarification about the meaning of مَکۡر, it is lack of understanding or mischief by the opponents of Islam to suggest, based on the meaning that the word مَکۡر has taken on in Urdu, that a name of Allah is مکار meaning cunning or deceitful in Urdu. That is not its meaning in Arabic. Sometimes a word of one language when it enters into the vocabulary of another language acquires a specific meaning distinct from its meaning in the original language. If the word مَکۡر is used in a bad sense in Urdu language, it is entirely incorrect to conclude from it that the word is used in the same sense in Arabic. The Arabic meaning of the word becomes obvious in the Quran because in one instance the word خَيۡرُ is used with the word مَکۡر as in وَٱللَّهُ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡمَـٰڪِرِينَ (and Allah is the best of planners) and in another place the word سَّيِّئُ is used with مَکۡر as in: وَلَا يَحِيقُ ٱلۡمَكۡرُ ٱلسَّيِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهۡلِهِۚ (And the evil plan besets none but the authors of it) (35:43). The Quranic use of the word مَکۡر clearly shows that the word مَکۡر is neutral and has neither good or bad connotation because an action that is necessarily evil cannot have خَيۡر attached with it and an action that is good cannot have a vilification like سَّيِّئُ attached to it. The people addressed in مَڪَرُواْ are those about which it was stated: فَلَمَّآ أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنۡہُمُ ٱلۡكُفۡر, that is, the opponents of Jesus.
The opponents of Jesus whose carefully crafted plan is mentioned here did not simply stop at rejecting Jesus or even killing him, but they crafted a cunning plan to have Jesus strung on the Cross by the rulers of the time, as is indicated in another place in the Quran, but is narrated in much greater detail in the Gospel.
Raising of Jesus to heaven cannot be called a secret course of action: وَمَڪَرَ ٱللَّهُۖ Allah, the Most High, also designed a fine plan. What was this fine plan? The common belief is that Allah lifted Jesus into heaven and transformed one of his disciples into a Jesus look alike who was then crucified. There are three reasons why this was not so. The first is that effecting a release of a person from his enemies by lifting him up to heaven cannot be called a secret finely crafted plan. The second is that مَکۡر is that secret course of action that is free from flaws and shortcomings. When one disciple was killed and killed by crucifixion, such a plan is defective. Jesus was saved from a cursed death but in his place a disciple who is one of the انصار اللّٰه died a cursed death. The most serious objection is that the objective of the Jews was fulfilled in that the mission and propagation of Jesus came to an end, and Bani Israel was left bereft of guidance. The words وَٱللَّهُ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡمَـٰڪِرِينَ cannot be spoken about such a flawed plan. The Divine course of action as will be shown later was to save Jesus from death on the Cross by a finely crafted plan, and to send him to the rest of Bani Israel. In this way, the attempt of the Jews failed on two scores. Jesus kept up the work of his ministry and was also saved from death on the Cross.
Bayan-ul-Quran 