5:110 Al-Maaida (The Table)

{ إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ اذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْكَ وَعَلى وَالِدَتِكَ } أي: اذكرها بقلبك ولسانك، وقم بواجبها شكرا لربك، حيث أنعم عليك نعما ما أنعم بها على غيرك. { إِذْ أَيَّدْتُكَ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ } أي: إذ قويتك بالروح والوحي، الذي طهرك وزكاك، وصار لك قوة على القيام بأمر الله والدعوة إلى سبيله. وقيل: إن المراد \"بروح القدس\" جبريل عليه السلام، وأن الله أعانه به وبملازمته له، وتثبيته في المواطن المشقة. { تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا } المراد بالتكليم هنا، غير التكليم المعهود الذي هو مجرد الكلام، وإنما المراد بذلك التكليم الذي ينتفع به المتكلم والمخاطب، وهو الدعوة إلى الله. ولعيسى عليه السلام من ذلك، ما لإخوانه من أولي العزم من المرسلين، من التكليم في حال الكهولة، بالرسالة والدعوة إلى الخير، والنهي عن الشر، وامتاز عنهم بأنه كلم الناس في المهد، فقال: { إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا وَجَعَلَنِي مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُ وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا } الآية. { وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ } فالكتاب يشمل الكتب السابقة، وخصوصا التوراة، فإنه من أعلم أنبياء بني إسرائيل -بعد موسى- بها. ويشمل الإنجيل الذي أنزله الله عليه. والحكمة هي: معرفة أسرار الشرع وفوائده وحكمه، وحسن الدعوة والتعليم، ومراعاة ما ينبغي، على الوجه الذي ينبغي. { وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ } أي: طيرا مصورا لا روح فيه. فتنفخ فيه فيكون طيرا بإذن الله، وتبرئ الأكمه الذي لا بصر له ولا عين. { وَالْأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِي وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوْتَى بِإِذْنِي } فهذه آيات بيِّنَات، ومعجزات باهرات، يعجز عنها الأطباء وغيرهم، أيد الله بها عيسى وقوى بها دعوته. { وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنْكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ } لما جاءهم الحق مؤيدا بالبينات الموجبة للإيمان به. { إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ } وهموا بعيسى أن يقتلوه، وسعوا في ذلك، فكفَّ الله أيديهم عنه، وحفظه منهم وعصمه. فهذه مِنَنٌ امتَنَّ الله بها على عبده ورسوله عيسى ابن مريم، ودعاه إلى شكرها والقيام بها، فقام بها عليه السلام أتم القيام، وصبر كما صبر إخوانه من أولي العزم.

يذكر تعالى ما امتن به على عبده ورسوله عيسى ابن مريم عليه السلام مما أجراه على يديه من المعجزات الباهرات وخوارق العادات فقال اذكر نعمتي عليك أي في خلقي إياك من أم بلا ذكر وجعلي إياك آية ودلالة قاطعة على كمال قدرتي على الأشياء وعلى والدتك حيث جعلتك لها برهانا على براءتها مما نسبه الظالمون والجاهلون إليها من الفاحشة إذ أيدتك بروح القدس وهو جبريل عليه السلام وجعلتك نبيا داعيا إلى الله في صغرك وكبرك فأنطقتك في المهد صغيرا فشهدت ببراءة أمك من كل عيب واعترفت لي بالعبودية وأخبرت عن رسالتي إياك ودعوت إلى عبادتي ولهذا قال" تكلم الناس في المهد وكهلا" أي تدعو إلى الله الناس في صغرك وكبرك وضمن تكلم تدعو لأن كلامه الناس في كهولته ليس بأمر عجيب وقوله" وإذ علمتك الكتاب والحكمة " أي الخط والفهم والتوراة وهي المنزلة على موسى بن عمران الكليم وقد يرد لفظ التوراة في الحديث ويراد به ما هو أعم من ذلك وقوله" وإذ تخلق من الطين كهيئة الطير بإذني" أي تصوره وتشكله على هيئة الطائر بإذني لك في ذلك فتنفخ فيها" فتكون طيرا بإذني" أي فتنفخ في تلك الصورة التي شكلتها بإذني لك في ذلك فتكون طيرا ذا روح تطير بإذن الله وخلقه. وقوله تعالى" وتبرئ الأكمه والأبرص بإذني" قد تقدم الكلام عليه في سورة آل عمران بما أغنى عن إعادته. وقوله" وإذ تخرج الموتي بإذني" أي تدعوهم فيقومون من قبورهم بإذن الله وقدرته وإرادته ومشيئته وقد قال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا أبي حدثنا مالك بن إسماعيل حدثنا محمد بن طلحة يعني ابن مصرف عن أبي بشر عن أبي الهذيل قال: كان عيسى ابن مريم عليه السلام إذا أراد أن يحيي الموتي صلى ركعتين يقرأ في الأولى تبارك الذي بيده الملك وفي الثانية ألم تنزيل السجدة فإذا فرغ منهما مدح الله وأثنى عليه ثم دعا بسبعة أسماء: يا قديم يا خفي يا دائم يا فرد يا وتر يا أحد يا صمد وكان إذا أصابته شدة دعا بسبعة أخر: يا حي يا قيوم يا الله يا رحمن يا ذا الجلال والإكرام يا نور السموات والأرض وما بينهما ورب العرش العظيم يا رب وهذا أثر عظيم جدا. وقوله تعالى" وإذا كففت بني إسرائيل عنك إذ جئتهم بالبينات فقال الذين كفروا منهم إن هذا إلا سحر مبين" أي واذكر نعمتي عليك في كفي إياهم عنك حين جئتهم بالبراهين والحجج القاطعة على نبوتك ورسالتك من الله إليهم فكذبوك واتهموك بأنك ساحر وسعوا في قتلك وصلبك فنجيتك منهم ورفعتك إلي وطهرتك من دنسهم وكفيتك شرهم وهذا يدل على أن هذا الامتنان كان من الله إليه بعد رفعه إلى السماء الدنيا أو يكون هذا الامتنان واقعا يوم القيامة وعبر عنه بصيغة الماضي دلالة على وقوعه لا محالة وهذا من أسرار الغيوب التي أطلع الله عليها نبيه محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Reminding `Isa of the Favors that Allah Granted him

Allah mentions how He blessed His servant and Messenger, `Isa, son of Maryam, and the miracles and extraordinary acts He granted him. Allah said,

اذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكَ

(Remember My favor to you) when I created you from your mother, without male intervention, and made you a sign and clear proof of My perfect power over all things. d

وَعَلَى وَلِدَتِكَ

(And to your mother) when I made you testify to her chastity and you thus absolved her from the sin that the unjust, ignorant liars accused her of,

إِذْ أَيَّدتُّكَ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ

(when I supported you with Ruh - il-Qudus) the angel Jibril, and made you a Prophet, calling to Allah in the cradle and manhood. I made you speak in the cradle, and you testified that your mother was free from any immoral behavior, and you proclaimed that you worship Me. You also conveyed the news of My Message and invited them to worship Me.

تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِى الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلاً

(so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity;) Meaning you called the people to Allah in childhood and in maturity. And the word Tukallim means invited, because his speaking to people while a child is nothing strange by itself. Allah's statement,

وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ الْكِتَـبَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ

(And when I taught you the Book and the Hikmah,) the power of writing and understanding,

وَالتَّوْرَاةَ

(and the Tawrah,) which was revealed to Musa, son of `Imran, who spoke to Allah directly. Allah's statement,

وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِى

(and when you made out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My permission,) means: `you shaped it in the figure of a bird by My permission, and it became a bird with My permission, after you blew into it'. Then, it became a flying bird with a soul by Allah's permission. Allah said;

وَتُبْرِىءُ الاٌّكْمَهَ وَالاٌّبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِى

(and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My permission,) This was explained before in Surah Al `Imran (chapter 3) and we do not need to repeat it here. Allah's statement,

وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوتَى بِإِذْنِى

(And when you brought forth the dead by My permission,) meaning, you called them and they rose from their graves by Allah's leave, power, lntent and will. Allah said next,

وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِى إِسْرَءِيلَ عَنكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَـتِ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَـذَا إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

(and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you since you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said: "This is nothing but evident magic.") Meaning: `remember My favor, when I stopped the Children of Israel from harming you, when you brought them the clear proofs and evidence, testifying to your prophethood and Message from Me to them. They rejected you and accused you of being a magician and tried to kill you by crucifixion, but I saved you, raised you to Me, purified you from their vulgarity and protected you from their harm.' The wording of this Ayah indicates that `Isa will be reminded of these favors on the Day of Resurrection. Allah used the past tense in these Ayat indicating that it is a forgone matter that will certainly occur. This Ayah also contains some of the secrets of the Unseen that Allah revealed to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ. Allah said,

وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ أَنْ ءَامِنُواْ بِى وَبِرَسُولِى

(And when I (Allah) Awhaytu Al-Hawariyyin to believe in Me and My Messenger.) This is also a reminder of Allah's favor on `Isa, by making discples and companions for him. It is also said that Awhaytu in the Ayah means, `inspired', just as in another Ayah, Allah said;

وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَى أُمِّ مُوسَى أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ

(And We inspired the mother of Musa (saying): Suckle him...) 28:7. Allah said in other Ayat,

وَأَوْحَى رَبُّكَ إِلَى النَّحْلِ أَنِ اتَّخِذِى مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا وَمِنَ الشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعْرِشُونَ

ثُمَّ كُلِى مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَتِ فَاسْلُكِى سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلاً

(And your Lord Awha (inspired) the bee, saying: "Take habitations in the mountains and in the trees and in what they erect. Then, eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord made easy (for you).") 16:68-69 Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented about the Hawariyyun, "Allah inspired them", while As-Suddi said, "`He put in their hearts," and the Hawariyyun said,

ءَامَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ

(We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.)

إِذْ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ يعِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ هَلْ يَسْتَطِيعُ رَبُّكَ أَن يُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا مَآئِدَةً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ قَالَ اتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ - قَالُواْ نُرِيدُ أَن نَّأْكُلَ مِنْهَا وَتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُنَا وَنَعْلَمَ أَن قَدْ صَدَقْتَنَا وَنَكُونَ عَلَيْهَا مِنَ الشَّـهِدِينَ - قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَآ أَنزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مَآئِدَةً مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيداً لاًّوَّلِنَا وَءَاخِرِنَا وَءَايَةً مِّنْكَ وَارْزُقْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ - قَالَ اللَّهُ إِنِّى مُنَزِّلُهَا عَلَيْكُمْ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بَعْدُ مِنكُمْ فَإِنِّى أُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَاباً لاَّ أُعَذِّبُهُ أَحَداً مِّنَ الْعَـلَمِينَ

Mention when God said ‘O Jesus son of Mary remember My favour to you and to your mother be thankful for it; when I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit Gabriel to speak to people tukallimu’l-nāsa is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the suffixed pronoun kāf in ayyadtu-ka in the cradle that is as a child and in maturity — this implies that he will descend before the Hour since he was raised up to God before middle age as has already been mentioned in sūrat Āl ‘Imrān Q. 355 and when I taught you the Scripture and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and how you create out of clay the likeness ka-hay’at the kāf here functions like a noun and is a direct object the image of a bird by My permission and you breathe into it and it becomes a bird by My permission by My will and you heal the blind and the leper by My permission and you raise the dead from their graves back to life by My permission; and how I restrained the Children of Israel from you when they intended to kill you when you brought them clear proofs miracles and the disbelievers among them said “This what you have done is nothing but manifest sorcery” a variant reading for sihrun ‘sorcery’ has sāhirun ‘sorcerer’ in other words he Jesus is nothing but a manifest sorcerer.

A Particular Question Asked from Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام)

The first verse (109) referred to prophets in general where a question was asked and its reply was given. In the second verse (100), and after that, in all the nine verses appearing through the end of the Surah, the text talks about Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ، the last prophet of the Bani Isra'il, and mentions some blessings of Allah on him. A particular question asked from him on the Day of Resurrection (Al-Mahshar) along with its answer has also been mentioned which follows in verses coming next.

The purpose of the question asked and the answer given is to show this disturbing sight to Bani Isra'il and to the entire creation. When on the plains of the Hashr, the one who is called, The Spirit of Allah (Ruhullah) and The Word of Allah (Kalimatullah) is asked the question as to why did his people make him a partner of God, he would be upset despite his being a great prophet and would hasten to plead his being free from what his followers did, not in one way, but in more than one. First he said. سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ (Pure are You, it does not be-hove me to say what is not right for me - 116).

Then, he pleads his innocence from another angle when he makes Almighty Allah his witness and says: ` Had I said it, You would have known it. You know what is in my heart and I do not know what is in Your's. You alone have the full knowledge of what is unseen - 116.' After this overture, he answers the main question.

The Answer given by Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) before His Lord

His answer was that he had taught his people precisely what he was commanded to teach, that is: أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّـهَ رَ‌بِّي وَرَ‌بَّكُمْ (Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord - 117). Then, after this teaching, as long as he lived among those people, he was a witness to what they said and did (upto that time, none of them said things like that about him). Then, after he was raised by his Lord towards Him, these people remained under His watch, and it is He who knew their words and deeds fully and truly.

The Mention of Special Blessings on Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام)

Before these verses where questions asked and their answers given by Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) have been mentioned, special blessings which were bestowed upon him as his miracles have also been described (110). Thus, by bringing the bestowal of blessings and the scenario of answerability in juxtaposition, both groups of Bani Isra'il have been ad-monished, one of which insulted, accused and harassed him while the other took him as God or son of God. By describing the blessings, the first group has been admonished while, by mentioning the questions and answers, it is the second group which has been warned. The detailed description of blessings which appears in many verses has one sentence which is worth special consideration, the sentence where it is said: تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا ۖYou spoke to the people when in the cradle and while middle-aged). In other words, a special miracle given to Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was that he talked to people in a state when he is a child, and he also does that in a state when he is middle-aged.

As for the first spectacle, it is obvious that it is a miracle and certainly a special blessing of Allah. In the early post-birth stage, children cannot talk (meaningfully). If a child were to start talking in the cradle or on the laps of the mother, that would be a particular distinction of the child. As for talking ` while middle-aged,' it does not seem to be worth mentioning, for everyone talks at this age. But, for a moment, think of the conditions surrounding Sayyidna ` Isa and you will realize that this too was a miracle - because Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was raised from the earth before reaching middle-age. Now that he would talk to people on the earth after reaching his middle-age can become possible only when he returns to this world - as is the collective belief of Muslims which stands proved on the basis of clear statements of the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is from here that we find out that in the manner it was a miracle of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) that he talked when a child, so in the same manner, talking while middle-aged because of his return to this world is nothing but a miracle.