Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 69–75

5. Al-Maaida · The Table

Madinan120 verses

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلصَّٰبِـُٔونَ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَٰلِحًۭا فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

5:69Indeed the faithful, the Jews, the Sabaeans, and the Christians—those who have faith in Allah and the Last Day and act righteously—they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.

لَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَٰقَ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَأَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمْ رُسُلًۭا ۖ كُلَّمَا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌۢ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰٓ أَنفُسُهُمْ فَرِيقًۭا كَذَّبُوا۟ وَفَرِيقًۭا يَقْتُلُونَ

5:70Certainly We took a pledge from the Children of Israel, and We sent apostles to them. Whenever an apostle brought them that which was not to their liking, they would impugn a part of them, and a part they would slay.1

وَحَسِبُوٓا۟ أَلَّا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌۭ فَعَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ ثُمَّ تَابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ عَمُوا۟ وَصَمُّوا۟ كَثِيرٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ

5:71They supposed there would be no testing, so they became blind and deaf. Thereafter Allah accepted their repentance, yet [again] many of them became blind and deaf, and Allah watches what they do.2

لَقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۖ وَقَالَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَىٰهُ ٱلنَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍۢ

5:72They are certainly faithless who say, ‘Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary.’ But the Messiah had said, ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord, and your Lord. Indeed whoever ascribes partners to Allah, Allah shall forbid him [entry into] paradise, and his refuge shall be the Fire, and the wrongdoers will not have any helpers.’

لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَٰثَةٍۢ ۘ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ إِلَّآ إِلَٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۚ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُوا۟ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

5:73They are certainly faithless who say, ‘Allah is the third [person] of a trinity,’ while there is no god except the One God. If they do not relinquish what they say, there shall befall the faithless among them a painful punishment.3

أَفَلَا يَتُوبُونَ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَهُۥ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

5:74Will they not repent to Allah and plead to Him for forgiveness? Yet Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.

مَّا ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلَّا رَسُولٌۭ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُۥ صِدِّيقَةٌۭ ۖ كَانَا يَأْكُلَانِ ٱلطَّعَامَ ۗ ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ ثُمَّ ٱنظُرْ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ

5:75The Messiah, son of Mary, is but an apostle. Certainly, [other] apostles have passed before him, and his mother was a truthful one. Both of them would eat food. Look how We clarify the signs for them, and yet, look, how they go astray!4

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

The style of this verse shows that it is more important to recognize the revealed message than to recognize the bearer of Apostleship and its danger of preaching was left at that time, when Islam passed from all the difficult stages and had obtained victory in Khyber and Khandaq. It is clear, that this danger was not for the life of Prophet (5.a.) and he did not care for this matter that he would postpone the command of Allah for the danger. He had sacrificed all and was still ready for any other sacrifice. The danger was only that people would blame him for dynastic rule and deviate from Islam and all his efforts would be in danger. The scholars of Islam have interpreted with ulterior motives about that command and at long last agreed that after the revelation of this verse, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) took Ali (a.s.) by his hands in Ghadeer Khum and announced - “For whomsoever I am the master, this Ali is (a.s.) his master” and Fakhruddin Razi has written in his Tafseer and other commentators have also written that this tradition of “Man Kunto Maula” has been narrated in the books of Musnad Ahmad, Nasai, Tinnidhi, Ibne Majah and Zahabi, and it is authentic and they have explained that this sermon is the announcement to help and love of Ali (a.s.). That is why we love him and his companions and keep enmity with their enemies and which is entirely proved obligatory like the love of Prophet (s.a.) and to have faith that separation of Book and Progeny is not possible. They both are the representatives of the Prophet (s.a.) and that is why whenever the Progeny has consensus, we accept it otherwise we reject it to be from Allah and His Apostle. This proves that this Ayat is revealed for the appointment of Ali (a.s.) and for remaining issues, detailed argument is necessary.

Verse 72

1.Both, affection and enmity make people blind and deaf. A friend goes beyond the limit in love and the enemy becomes inconceivable in enmity. The same state of affairs happened about Isa (a.s.) that Jews interpreted him as an illegal son and Christians interpreted him to be the son of God. Both these are the result of excuses and abstinence from truth. If they had used their sense, they would come to know that unlawful son would not be a Prophet having a book revealed to him. Prophet is a devoted slave of Allah, and not Allah. Christians have no evidence of Isa’s (a.s.) divinity and the Holy Quran has given the proof in different styles and there is a link of perceptible argument that many Prophets have passed by and they were not God. The Holy Quran says, his mother was pure and ever truthful and they can’t blame her character. They both required food and nourishment. So he can’t be a God. Allah means Provider. Isa (a.s.) is not an owner of Profit or loss in comparison of Allah, therefore they can’t worship him as their god. But it is surprising that though Isa (a.s.) has himself clarified this but Christians believe him to be their God. Likewise, the Nusairis called Ali (a.s.) God and on the other hand despite confession of Caliphs of Islam, Muslims give them respect more than Ali (a.s.). Love and faith can deviate man. May Allah save us from blind faith.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    The disbelievers do not care for the reality. They are only concerned with the present situation. So when they saw there was no problem or calamity they denied the truth. Then, when the people of Babel renovated they repented and when the Almighty forgave them, they again fell into blindness and dearness, and killed Zakariya and Yahya (a.s.), and denied Isa (a.s.). They alleged against Maryam (a.s.) and thus crossed their limits.

  2. 2

    The Christians are so crazy about their faith that sometimes they call Isa(a.s.) God and sometimes consider him to be a third entity of the Godhead. While both these views are wrong according to Islam.

  3. 3

    This shows that the original belief of Christians was monotheism. Later they divided into two. Some of them continued to be monotheists and some became Trinitarians. In the end all of them became Trinitarians and the belief in monotheism was completely finished among them.

  4. 4

    ‘Unzur’ indicates that the matter is absolutely clear. It can be discerned even by common sense and even by looking at it. In spite of this these people are unable to understand.