5:18 Al-Maaida (The Table)

ومن مقالات اليهود والنصارى أن كلا منهما ادعى دعوى باطلة، يزكون بها أنفسهم، بأن قال كل منهما: { نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ } والابن في لغتهم هو الحبيب، ولم يريدوا البنوة الحقيقية، فإن هذا ليس من مذهبهم إلا مذهب النصارى في المسيح. قال الله ردا عليهم حيث ادعوا بلا برهان: { قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُمْ بِذُنُوبِكُمْ } ؟ فلو كنتم أحبابه ما عذبكم [لكون الله لا يحب إلا من قام بمراضيه] { بَلْ أَنتُم بَشَرٌ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقَ } تجري عليكم أحكام العدل والفضل { يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاءُ } إذا أتوا بأسباب المغفرة أو أسباب العذاب، { وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ } أي: فأي شيء خصكم بهذه الفضيلة، وأنتم من جملة المماليك ومن جملة من يرجع إلى الله في الدار الآخرة، فيجازيكم بأعمالكم.

قال تعالى ردا على اليهود والنصارى في كذبهم وافترائهم "وقالت اليهود والنصارى نحن أبناء الله وأحباؤه" أي نحن منتسبون إلى أنبيائه وهم بنوه وله بهم عناية وهو يحبنا ونقلوا عن كتابهم أن الله تعالى قال لعبده إسرائيل أنت ابني بكري فحملوا هذا على غير تأويله وحرفوه وقد رد عليهم غير واحد ممن أسلم من عقلائهم وقالوا: هذا يطلق عندهم على التشريف والإكرام كما نقل النصارى من كتابهم أن عيسى قال لهم: إني ذاهب إلى أبي وأبيكم يعني ربي وربكم ومعلوم أنهم لم يدعوا لأنفسهم من النبوة ما ادعوها في عيسى عليه السلام وإنما أرادوا من ذلك معزتهم له به وحظوتهم عنده ولهذا قالوا: نحن أبناء الله وأحباؤه. قال الله تعالى رادا عليهم " قل فلم يعذبكم بذنوبكم " أي لو كنتم كما تدعون أبناؤه وأحباؤه فلم أعددت لكم نار جهنم على كفركم وكذبكم وافترائكم؟ وقد قال بعض شيوخ الصوفية لبعض الفقهاء: أين تجد في القرآن أن الحبيب لا يعذب حبيبه؟ فلم يرد عليه فتلا عليه الصوفي هذه الآية " قل فلم يعذبكم بذنوبكم " وهذا الذي قاله حسن وله شاهد في المسند للإمام أحمد حيث قال: حدثنا ابن أبي عدي عن حميد عن أنس قال: مر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في نفر من أصحابه وصبي في الطريق فلما رأت أمه القوم خشيت على ولدها أن يوطأ فأقبلت تسعى وتقول ابني ابني وسعت فأخذته فقال القوم: يا رسول الله ما كانت هذه لتلقي ولدها في النار قال فحفظهم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال:" لا والله ما يلقي حبيبه في النار" تفرد به أحمد " بل أنتم بشر ممن خلق " أي لكم أسوة أمثالكم من بني آدم وهو سبحانه الحاكم في جميع عباده " يغفر لمن يشاء ويعذب من يشاء " أي هو فعال لما يريد لا معقب لحكمه وهو سريع الحساب " ولله ملك السموات والأرض وما بينهما " أي الجميع ملكه وتحت قهره وسلطانه " وإليه المصير " أي المرجع والمآب إليه فيحكم في عباده ما يشاء وهو العادل الذي لا يجور وروى محمد بن إسحق عن محمد بن أبي محمد عن عكرمة أو سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس قال: وأتى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم نعمان بن آصا وبحري بن عمرو وشاس بن عدي فكلموه وكلمهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ودعاهم إلى الله وحذرهم نقمته فقالوا: ما تخوفنا يا محمد نحن أبناء الله وأحباؤه كقول النصارى فأنزل الله فيهم " وقالت اليهود والنصارى نحن أبناء الله وأحباؤه " إلى آخر الآية.رواه ابن أبي حاتم وابن جرير ورويا أيضا من طريق أسباط عن السدي في قول الله " وقالت النصارى نحن أبناء الله وأحباؤه " أما قولهم " نحن أبناء الله " فإنهم قالوا: إن الله أوحى إلى إسرائيل أن ولدك بكري من الولد فيدخلهم النار فيكونون فيها أربعين ليلة حتى تطهرهم وتأكل خطاياهم ثم ينادي مناد أن أخرجوا كل مختون من ولد إسرائيل فأخرجوهم فذلك قولهم لن تمسنا النار إلا أياما معدودات.

The Polytheism and Disbelief of the Christians

Allah states that the Christians are disbelievers because of their claim that `Isa, son of Maryam, one of Allah's servants and creatures, is Allah. Allah is holier than what they attribute to Him. Allah then reminds them of His perfect ability over everything and that everything is under His complete control and power,

قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً

(Say: "Who then has the least power against Allah, if He were to destroy the Messiah, son of Maryam, his mother, and all those who are on the earth together") Therefore, if Allah wills to do that, who would be able to stop Him or prevent Him from doing it Allah then said,

وَللَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ

(And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them. He creates what He wills.) All things in existence are Allah's property and creation and He is able to do everything. He is never asked about what He does with His power, domain, justice and greatness so this refutes the Christian creed, may Allah's continued curses be upon them until the Day of Resurrection.

Refuting the People of the Book's Claim that they are Allah's Children

Allah then refutes the Christians' and Jews' false claims and lies,

وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَـرَى نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ

(And the Jews and the Christians say, "We are the children of Allah and His loved ones.") They claim: "We are the followers of Allah's Prophets, who are His children, whom He takes care of. He also loves us." The People of the Book claim in their Book that Allah said to His servant Isra'il, "You are my firstborn." But they explained this statement in an improper manner and altered its meaning. Some of the People of the Book who later became Muslims refuted this false statement saying, "This statement only indicates honor and respect, as is common in their speech at that time." The Christians claim that `Isa said to them, "I will go back to my father and your father," meaning, my Lord and your Lord. It is a fact that the Christians did not claim that they too are Allah's sons as they claimed about `Isa. Rather this statement by `Isa only meant to indicate a closeness with Allah. This is why when they said that they are Allah's children and loved ones, Allah refuted their claim,

قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُم بِذُنُوبِكُم

(Say, "Why then does He punish you for your sins") meaning, if you were truly as you claim, Allah's children and loved ones, then why did He prepare the Fire because of your disbelief, lies and false claims

بَلْ أَنتُمْ بَشَرٌ مِمَّنْ خَلَقَ

(Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created,) Allah states: you are just like the rest of the children of Adam, and Allah is the Lord of all His creation,

يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ

(He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills.) Allah does what He wills, there is none who can escape His judgement, and He is swift in reckoning.

وَللَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا

(And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them;) Therefore, everything is Allah's property and under His power and control,

وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ

(and to Him is the return.) In the end, the return will be to Allah and He will judge between His servants as He will, and He is the Most Just Who is never wrong in His judgment.

The Jews and Christians both of them say ‘We are the sons of God that is we are like his sons in terms of closeness and rank and He is like a father to us in terms of compassion and care and His beloved ones’. Say to them O Muhammad (s) ‘Why then does He chastise you for your sins? if what you say is true. For the father does not punish his son nor the loving his beloved; but He has punished you and therefore you are saying lies. Nay; you are mortals from among all those mortals He created you shall be rewarded as they are rewarded and you shall be requited as they are requited. He forgives him for whom He wills forgiveness and He chastises him for whom He wills’ chastisement and there can be no objection thereto. For to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth and all that is between them; to Him is the journey’s end the final return.

Commentary

Refuted here in this verse is only one saying of the Christians - which is the belief of a sect among them - that Sayyidna Masih (علیہ السلام) is God. But, the argument employed in the refutation virtually covers the false beliefs of all sects against the inalienable principle of Tauhid, that is the Oneness of Allah. This may be a belief in a son of God or a belief in one of the three Gods - the argument refutes all of them.

That Sayyidna Masih (علیہ السلام) and his blessed mother have been mentioned here jointly could be because of two wise considerations. Firstly, it is the humility of Sayyidna Masih before Allah Ta` ala that he could never think of saving himself against the will of Allah, or his mother whose care and service a good son considers dearer than his own life. Secondly, by doing so, the view of the sect which takes Sayyidah Maryam as one of the three Gods also stands refuted.

Also noteworthy at this point is the mention of the death of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and Sayyidah Maryam, peace be upon both of them, as a supposition - although, the death of Sayyidah Maryam was no supposition at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an; it had already occured, in fact. The reason for this may either be the superimposition (Taghlib) of the desired subject, that is, since the real intent here was to describe the death of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) as a supposition, the mention of his blessed mother was also made as a corollary of the same subject, even though, her death had already occurred - or, it can also be said that the expression means: The way We have made death take away Sayyidah Maryam, it lies within Our power to make it overtake Sayyidna Masih (علیہ السلام) and the rest of the creation as well. And the statement: يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ (He creates what He wills - 5:17), is there to refute this particular base which Christians use to deify Sayyidna Masih (علیہ السلام) because they reason out that his birth came to pass, against all rules of nature operative in this world, without a father and from the mother alone - had he too been a human being, he would have been born through a mother and father both, very much in accordance with the natural law.

This one sentence answers the reasoning by saying that Allah has the most perfect and the most comprehensive power to create what He wills and how He wills. The same doubt has been removed in the verse: إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ اللَّـهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ (Surely, the case of ` Isa, in the sight of Allah, is like the case of Adam - 3:59) where it has been established that the creation of Sayyidna Masih (علیہ السلام) as separate from the habitual law of nature cannot become an argument in favour of his being taken as God.

The reason lies in pondering that Allah Ta` ala did create Sayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) without a father and mother both. He has the power, all power, over everything. He is the Creator and the Master and the most worthy of worship. No one else can be associated with His Divinity as a partner or sharer.