Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 171–175

4. An-Nisaa · The Women

Madinan176 verses

يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُۥٓ أَلْقَىٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌۭ مِّنْهُ ۖ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ ثَلَٰثَةٌ ۚ ٱنتَهُوا۟ خَيْرًۭا لَّكُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥٓ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌۭ ۘ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًۭا

4:171O People of the Book! Do not exceed the bounds in your religion, and do not attribute anything to Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only an apostle of Allah, and His Word that He cast toward Mary and a spirit from Him. So have faith in Allah and His apostles, and do not say, ‘[God is] a trinity.’ Relinquish [such a creed]! That is better for you. Allah is but the One God. He is far too immaculate to have any son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and Allah suffices as trustee.1

لَّن يَسْتَنكِفَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ أَن يَكُونَ عَبْدًۭا لِّلَّهِ وَلَا ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ ۚ وَمَن يَسْتَنكِفْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِۦ وَيَسْتَكْبِرْ فَسَيَحْشُرُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ جَمِيعًۭا

4:172The Messiah would never disdain being a servant of Allah, nor would the angels brought near [to Him]. And whoever disdains His worship and is arrogant, He will gather them all toward Him.2

فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدُهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦ ۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَنكَفُوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ فَيُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًۭا وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِيًّۭا وَلَا نَصِيرًۭا

4:173As for those who have faith and do righteous deeds, He will pay them in full their rewards, and He will enhance them out of His grace. But those who are disdainful and arrogant, He will punish them with a painful punishment, and they will not find besides Allah any guardian or helper.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَكُم بُرْهَٰنٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكُمْ نُورًۭا مُّبِينًۭا

4:174O mankind! Certainly, a proof has come to you from your Lord, and We have sent down to you a manifest light.

فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱعْتَصَمُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَسَيُدْخِلُهُمْ فِى رَحْمَةٍۢ مِّنْهُ وَفَضْلٍۢ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَيْهِ صِرَٰطًۭا مُّسْتَقِيمًۭا

4:175As for those who have faith in Allah, and hold fast to Him, He will admit them to His mercy and grace, and He will guide them on a straight path to Him.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 171

1.Exaggeration of faith is a disease of some people in every nation and every human being has a trait of character from which he develops devotion and tries to increase the position of his object of faith beyond its actual worth. The same issue goes on in different stages among the Muslims. The true believers of Allah never encourage such tendencies. They oppose this as much as it is possible for them. Thus Isa (a.s.) also spoke about his slaveship when he was in the cradle. He knew that this idea would be created in the minds of people. He worshipped Allah his whole life till Allah raised him to the heaven and by Allah’s will when he will descend to the earth he would again pray. It is a moment of contemplation for Christians that due to continuous prayer of Isa (a.s.) they believed him to be God; what then would they think of him behind whom he will pray?

Verse 172

2.This is one of the best ways of argument that a person personally should be presented for witness and the people are made aware of their own stupidity. When Isa (a.s.) himself has not denied his slaveship and calls himself Abdullah (slave of Allah) then what right do his followers have to set up a new belief’? It is a fact that devotion makes people thoughtless. Ali (a.s.) calls himself a slave of Allah and Nusairis call him God. The Caliphs confessed their ignorance and guilt and proclaimed their destruction but for the help of Ali (a.s.), and ignorant Muslims consider them superior to Ali (a.s.).

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Though both Christians and Jews are people of the Book this ayat is with regard to only Christians. Because they alone resort to extremism in the status of Isa (a.s.) and believe in the trinity of Godhead. May Allah keep all the Muslims safe from the belief in triad.

  2. 2

    The Christians have tried to prove from the words ‘Kalima’ and ‘Ruh’ that according to Quran Isa (a.s.) is a part of divinity and a special word of Allah. While the same cannot be imagined about other people. These foolish people do not see that this ayat has also called their belief to be an extremism. It has also prohibited them from the belief of trinity. ‘Kalima’ and ‘Rub’ indicates the birth of Isa (a.s.) without a father, in the same way as Quran says’ And we blew in him our soul’ about Adam (a.s.). It is said that in the creation of common people material aspects accompany the saying of ‘Be!’. In the case of Isa (a.s.) the Almighty Allah just addressed this word towards Maryam (a.s.). And in the same way Allah refers to Isa (a.s.) the ‘spirit’ because his creation was not subject to material factors. The remarkable point is that when Isa (a.s.) had no objection in accepting his human status why should his followers do so? Isa (a.s.) is called the son of Maryam in sixteen places and here only once its mentioned. Being a Messenger, a word or spirit is proof of his being a creation. ‘Rub minho’ is just like the heavens and the earth are ‘Jamian Minho’ (all are from Him).