Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

CHAPTER 3 (Surah Āl ‘Imrān), VERSES 42 - 60

وَإِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ اصْطَفَاكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَاصْطَفَاكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٤٢﴾ يَا مَرْيَمُ اقْنُتِي لِرَبِّكِ وَاسْجُدِي وَارْكَعِي مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ ﴿٤٣﴾ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ أَنبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَۚ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُونَ أَقْلَامَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ ﴿٤٤﴾ إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ ﴿٤٥﴾ وَيُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا وَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ ﴿٤٦﴾ قَالَتْ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِي وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌۖ قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ اللَّـهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُۚ إِذَا قَضَىٰ أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ ﴿٤٧﴾ وَيُعَلِّمُهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَالتَّوْرَاةَ وَالْإِنجِيلَ ﴿٤٨﴾ وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنِّي قَدْ جِئْتُكُم بِآيَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْۖ أَنِّي أَخْلُقُ لَكُم مِّنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًا بِإِذْنِ اللَّـهِۖ وَأُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ وَالْأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِ اللَّـهِۖ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٤٩﴾ وَمُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْۚ وَجِئْتُكُم بِآيَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ ﴿٥٠﴾ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُۗ هَـٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ ﴿٥١﴾ فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنْهُمُ الْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنصَارِي إِلَى اللَّـهِۖ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ اللَّـهِ آمَنَّا بِاللَّـهِ وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ ﴿٥٢﴾ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنزَلْتَ وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ ﴿٥٣﴾ وَمَكَرُوا وَمَكَرَ اللَّـهُۖ وَاللَّـهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ ﴿٥٤﴾ إِذْ قَالَ اللَّـهُ يَا عِيسَىٰ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَجَاعِلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ فِيمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ﴿٥٥﴾ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَأُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّاصِرِينَ ﴿٥٦﴾ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْۗ وَاللَّـهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿٥٧﴾ ذَٰلِكَ نَتْلُوهُ عَلَيْكَ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ وَالذِّكْرِ الْحَكِيمِ ﴿٥٨﴾ إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ اللَّـهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَۖ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ ﴿٥٩﴾ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ ﴿٦٠﴾

And when the angels said: ‘‘O Maryam! surely Allāh has chosen and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds (42). O Maryam! keep to obedience to your Lord and prostrate and bow down with those who bow’’ (43). This is of the tidings of the unseen which we reveal to you; and you were not with them when they cast their pens (to decide) which of them should have Maryam in his charge, and you were not with them when they contented one with another (44). When the angels said: ‘‘O Maryam! surely Allāh gives you good news of a Word from Him whose name is the Messiah, ‘Īsā son of Maryam, worthy of regard in this world and the hereafter and of those who are made near (to Allāh) (45). And he shall speak to the people when in the cradle and when of mature age, and (he shall be) one of the good ones’’ (46). She said: ‘‘My Lord! how shall there be a son (born) to me and man has not touched me?’’ He said: ‘‘Even so; Allāh creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it: ‘Be,’ and it is (47). And He will teach him the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Injīl (48). And (make him) a messenger to the Children of Israel: ‘That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I create for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allāh’s permission, and I heal the blind and the leper, and bring the dead ones to life with Allāh’s permission, and I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses; most surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are believers (49). And a verifier of that which is before me of the Torah, and that I may allow you part of that which has been forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, therefore fear Allāh and obey me (50). Surely Allāh is my Lord and your Lord, therefore worship Him; this is the straight path’’’ (51). But when ‘Īsā perceived unbelief on their part, he said:‘‘Who are my helpers to Allāh?’’ The disciples said: ‘‘We are helpers of Allāh: We believe in Allāh and be (our) witness that we are submitting ones (52). Our Lord! we believe in what Thou halt revealed and we follow the messenger; so write us down with those who bear witness’’ (53). And they planned and Allāh (also) planned, and Allāh is the best of planners (54). And when Allāh said: ‘‘O ‘Īsā! I am going to take you away completely and cause you to ascend unto Me and purify you of those who disbelieve, and make those who follow you above those who disbelieve to the Day of Resurrection; then to Me shall be your return, so I will decide between you concerning that in which you differed (55). Then as to those who disbelieve, I will chastise them with severe chastisement in this world and the hereafter, and they shall have no helpers’’ (56). And as to those who believe and do good deeds, He will pay them fully their rewards; and Allāh does not love the unjust (57). This we recite to you of the signs and the wise reminder (58). Surely the likeness of ‘Īsā is with Allāh as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, 6 AL-MĪZĀN then said to him: ‘‘Be,’’ and he was (59). The truth is from your Lord, so be not of the doubters (60).

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COMMENTARY

QUR’ĀN: And when the angels said: ‘‘O Maryam! surely Allāh has chosen you and purified you: The conjunctive, ‘‘And’’, joins it to the verse 35: When the woman of ‘Imrān said Both verses therefore describe the selection of the descendants of ‘Imrān mentioned in the verse 34: Surely Allāh chose Adam...

This verse proves that Maryam was one of ‘‘the spoken to’’; the angels talked to her and she heard their speech. It is proved also by the words of Allāh in the Chapter of Maryam: then We sent to her Our Spirit, and there appeared to her a well-made man He said: ‘‘I am only a messenger of your Lord ’’ (19:17 - 21): We shall write, at the end of this Commentary, about ‘‘the spoken to’’.

We have earlier written explaining the Divine Words, So her Lord accepted her with a good acceptance and made her grow up a good growing (3:37), that these sentences answer the pleas of Maryam’s mother: ‘‘and I have named her Maryam, and I commend her and her offspring into Thy protection from the accursed Satan’’ (3:36); also it was mentioned that the angels’ words in the verse under discussion, ‘‘O Maryam! surely Allāh has chosen you ...’’, show the status which Maryam had near Allāh. You may refer to that explanation for further details. Thus her choosing means that she was accepted a good acceptance for the worship of Allāh; and her purification implies that she held fast to the protection of Allāh. She was therefore a chosen one who was protected from sin. It has also been said that her purification means that she was a virgin who did not menstruate - thus she was not obliged to go out of the synagogue at any time. There is nothing wrong in this explanation although the meaning given by us is more in conformity with the context.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘and chosen you above the women of the worlds: We have already described (in the Commentary of the verse 3:33, Surely Allāh chose Adam above all the worlds) the connotation of choosing ‘‘above’’ the worlds; ‘‘above’’ shows that the chosen one was given excellence and precedence over other people in something exclusively given to him; and that it is more than mere selection which implies total surrender to the will of Allāh. The announcement that Maryam was chosen ‘‘above the women of the worlds’’ thus, means that she was given precedence over them.

Was she given precedence over them in all things? Or only in some matters? Look at the following verses:

When the angels said: ‘‘O Maryam! surely Allāh gives you good news of a Word from Him whose name is the Messiah...’’ (3:45).

And she who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our Spirit and made her and her son a sign for the worlds (21:91).

And Maryam, the daughter of ‘Imrān, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into it of Our Spirit, and she accepted the truth of the words of her Lord, and she was of the obedient ones (66:12).

These verses describe the only distinction which she was given to the exclusion of all women of the worlds - and that is her miraculously conceiving and giving birth to ‘Īsā (a.s.). It shows that it was this aspect of her life in which she was given precedence over all the women. The other qualities attributed to her in these verses (her purification, her acceptance of the words of Allāh and His Books, her obedience to God and her being spoken to) were not her exclusive virtues - they are found in others too.

It is said that she was chosen above the women of her time. But the verse is unconditional and general, and as such it cannot accept any limitation put to it.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘O Maryam! keep to obedience to your Lord and prostrate, and bow down with those who bow’’: ‘‘al-Qunūt’’ (اَلْقُنُوْتُ ) means keeping to obedience with submission and humility; as-sajdah ( =اَلسَّجْدَةُ translated here as prostration) is well-known ritual of worship; ar-rukū‘اَلرُّكوْعُ ) = to bow down; to be humble).

When someone calls another person, the called one looks towards the caller and listens to him. In this verse, Maryam is again called by name.

It is as though the angels wanted to tell her: We have brought to you good news and again some more; you should listen to both of the good tidings. The first concerns with the rank and status you have been given by Allāh. The second is what you are obliged to do alongside that Divine Favour; in other words, what you have got to offer to Allāh of the duties of servitude; it will show your gratitude for that rank and meet the demands of servitude. In this light, this verse, ‘‘O Maryam! keep to obedience ...’’, seems to branch out from the preceding one, ‘‘O Maryam! surely Allāh has chosen you ...’’; that is, because Allāh has chosen you, purified you and chosen you over the women of the worlds, you should keep to obedience to Him and prostrate and bow down with those who bow down. Each of the three orders given in this verse may possibly have emanated from one of the three excellences mentioned in the preceding one - although their respective relationship is not clear.

QUR’ĀN: This is of the tidings of the unseen which we reveal to you:

Allāh has counted it as a tiding of the unseen as He has done after relating the story of Yūsuf (a.s.): This is of the tidings of the unseen (which) we reveal to you, and you were not with them when they resolved upon their affair, and they were devising plans (12:102). Of course, the scriptures of the People of the Book contain stories about them, but no credence can be attached to them, because they have not remained safe from alterations, deletions and interpolations. For example, a lot of details and particulars given by the Qur’ān concerning the story of Zakariyyā are nowhere to be found in the Bible.

It is probably for this reason that Allāh goes on to say: ‘‘and you were not with them when they cast their pens...’’

Moreover, the Prophet and his people were unlettered; they had not known these stories, nor had they read them in books, as Allāh says after mentioning the story of Nūh: These a, e of the tidings of the unseen which We reveal to you; you did not know them - (neither) you nor your people - before this (11:49). But the first interpretation is more in keeping with the context of the verse.

QUR’ĀN: and you were not with them when they cast their pens (to decide) which of them should have Maryam in his charge: ‘‘al-Qalam’’(اَلْقَلَمُ = pen; plural: al-aqlām =اَلْاَقْلَامُ ), also means arrow shaft or arrow which was used for casting lot; in this meaning it is synonymous to as sahm (اَلسَّهْمُ ). Therefore, ‘‘when they cast their pens’’, means, when they cast their arrows to decide by lot which of them should have Maryam in his custody. This sentence shows that the contention mentioned in the next phrase, ‘‘and you were not with them when they contended one with another’’, refers to this same conflict which they had had about the guardianship of Maryam, and that they did not stop arguing with each other until they agreed to decide the matter by lot. They cast the lot and it came out in favour of Zakariyyā, and he took her charge, as Allāh says: and gave her into the charge of Zakariyyā (3:37).

According to some people, this contention and decision by lot probably occurred when Maryam was grown up and Zakariyyā had become too weak to look after her. Why did this idea occur to them?

Probably it was because this contention and its settlement through lot has been mentioned after the story of Maryam’s birth and her being chosen by Allāh, and also because the guardianship of Zakariyyā has already been mentioned before. Thus, according to them, this verse refers to another guardianship.

But it is not unusual, while describing an event, to repeat, or to allude to, some of its previously mentioned aspects in order to prove a claim. A similar style has been used in the story of Yūsuf, where Allāh says at the end: This is of the tidings of the unseen (which) We reveal to you, and you were not with them when they resolved upon their affair, and they were devising plans (12:102). This points to their conspiracy which is mentioned at the begining of the story: When they said: ‘‘Certainly Yūsuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we, Slay Yūsuf or cast him (forth) into some land ...’’ A speaker from among them said: ‘‘Do not slay Yūsuf, and cast him down into the bottom of the pit if you must do (it), (so that) some of the travellers may pick him up’’ (12:8 - 10).

QUR’ĀN: When the angels said: ‘‘O Maryam! surely Allāh gives you good news of a Word: Evidently it refers to the same event which is mentioned in the Chapter of Maryam in these words: then We sent to her Our Spirit and there appeared to her a well-made man. She said: ‘‘Surely I fly for refuge from you to the Beneficient God, if you are pious.’’ He said: ‘‘I am only a messenger of your Lord: That I should give you a pure boy’’ (19:17 - 19). The good tiding ascribed to the angels in the verse under discussion is thus attributed here to the Spirit. It is said that the word ‘‘angels’’ refers to Gabriel. He has been described with a plural, ‘‘angels’’, to show his great honour and high rank. People say: He went on a journey riding horses and sailing in ships - while actually he rode one horse and sailed in one ship only. Also, we say: People told him so, while in fact it was only one person who gave him the news. A similar style is seen in the story of Zakariyyā, mentioned earlier: Then the angels called to him… He said: ‘‘Even thus; does Allāh what He pleases’’ (3:39 - 40).

Others have said that there were other angels with Gabriel and they jointly gave her the good news.

However, if you ponder on the verses which describe the angels, you will see that the angels are of various ranks; some have precedence over others, some are nearer to Allāh than others. Those who are behind are mere followers of the orders of those who are in the forefront. The actions and words of the follower are counted as the actions and the words of the leader himself. It is not different from the activities of our own powers and limbs which are counted as our own activities without there being any duality of doers. We say: My own eyes saw it, my own ears heard it; and the same idea is conveyed when we say: I saw it and heard it. We say: My hand did it; my fingers wrote it; and also we say: I did it, I wrote it. Likewise the deeds and words of the angels of higher ranks are counted as the deeds and words of those of lower rank who follow the former’s orders, and vice versa. And similarly the actions and words of all the angels - the leaders and the followers - are attributed to Allāh Himself. Look at the action of giving death: In one place, Allāh attributes it to Himself: Allāh takes completely the souls at the time of their death (39:42); another verse ascribes it to the angel of death: Say: ‘‘The angel of death who is given charge of you shall take you completely’’ (32:11); and yet another one attributes it to a group of the angels: until when death comes to one of you, Our messengers take him completely (6:61).

A similar interchange is seen in the following verses: Surely We have revealed to you (4:163); The Faithful Spirit has descended with it upon your heart (26:193 - 194); Say: ‘‘Whoever is the enemy of Jibrīl - for surely he revealed it to your heart …’’ (2:97); Nay! surely it is an admonishment. So let him who pleases mind it. In honoured books, exalted, purified, in the hands of scribes, noble, virtuous (80:11 - 16).

Now it is clear that the announcement of good news by Gabriel was precisely the annoucement by the group of the angels under his authority.

And Gabriel is one of the chiefs of the angels, one of those who are nearer to Allāh, as the Divine Words show: Most surely it is the word of an honoured messenger, the possessor of strength, having an honourable place with the Lord of the Throne, one (to be) obeyed, and faithful in trust (81:19 - 21). We shall explain it further, Allāh willing, under the ch. 35.

You may have a glimpse of the above mentioned reality in the verse: He said: ‘‘Even so; Allāh creates what He pleases …’’ (3:47).

Apparently the speaker of these words is Allāh, while in ch. 19 the same thing has been attributed to the Spirit: He (i.e., the Spirit) said: ‘‘I am only a messenger of your Lord: That I should give you a pure boy.’’ She said: ‘‘How shall I have a boy and no mortal has touched me, nor have I been unchaste?’’ He said: ‘‘Even so, your Lord says: ‘It is easy to Me …’ ’’ (19:19 - 21).

That the angels and the Spirit talked with Maryam, shows that she was one of ‘‘the spoken to’’. Not only this; the earlier quoted words of ch. 19 show that in addition to hearing their speech, she even saw an angel: then we sent to her Our Spirit, and there appeared to her a wellmade man. We shall further explain it, Allāh willing, under the Traditions.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘a Word from Him whose name is the Messiah, ‘Īsā son of Maryam: We have fully explained the significance of the ‘‘speech of Allāh’’, under the verse: Those apostle, we have made some of them to excel the others (2:253).

al-Kalimah (اَلْكَلِمَةُ = word) is a collective noun, one unit of which is called al-kalim (اَلْكَلِمُ ), as is the case with at-tamrah and at-tamr (اَلتَّمْرَةُ اَلتَّمْرُ ، = date). al-Kalimah is used for one meaningful word as well as for a sentence (e.g., Zayd is standing); also, it is used with equal validity for a phrase or incomplete sentence (e.g., If Zayd is standing …). This explanation is according to language. As far as the terminology of the Qur’ān is concerned, as for example where it attributes a word to Allāh, it means: ‘that which shows the will of Allāh’; it may be an order, e.g., the word of creation when He says to a thing, ‘Be’; or it may be a word of revelation and inspiration, etc.

What is the meaning of ‘‘a Word from Allāh’’ when it is applied to ‘Īsā (a.s.)? Some people say: This title was given to ‘Īsā (a.s.) because the prophets who preceded him (or especially the prophets of Israel) had foretold his advent, giving the good news that he would be the saviour of Israel. We say in similar situations: This is my word which I had said.

And it is in the same meaning that this word has been used by Allāh in connection with the advent of Mūsā (a.s.): and the good word of your Lord was fulfilled in the Children of Israel because they bore up (sufferings) patiently (7:137).

COMMENT: Although the books of the Bible may support this interpretation, the Qur’ān does not subscribe to it. According to the Qur’ān, ‘Īsā son of Maryam was a prophet who had brought the good news of a Messenger who will come after me, his name being Ahmad (61:6); he was not the one whose good news was given by the others. Moreover, the phrase, ‘‘whose name is the Messiah’’, does not fit this interpretation; because according to this interpretation, ‘‘a Word from Him’’ refers to the advent of ‘Īsā, and not to ‘Īsā himself; while the phrase ‘‘whose name is the Messiah’’, says that the Messiah is the name of the word - and not the name of him in whom the word of Allāh was fulfilled.

Another interpretation: The ‘‘Word’’ refers to ‘Īsā (a.s.) because he explained the Torah giving it the meaning intended by Allāh, pointing out the interpolations and alterations made by the Jews, and clarifying the religious matters in which they had differed. Allāh quotes him as saying to the Children of Israel: … so that I may take clear to you part of what you differ in (43:63).

COMMENT: This interpretation justifies application of the ‘‘Word’’ to ‘Īsā (a.s.); but there is no association or proof in the Qur’ān to support it.

Third interpretation: The ‘‘Word’’ refers to the good news itself; Maryam was told that she would conceive ‘Īsā and deliver him.

Accordingly, ‘‘Allāh gives you good news of a Word from Him,’’ means that Allāh gives you good news that you will give birth to ‘Īsā without the agency of man.

COMMENT: Obviously, the phrase, ‘‘whose name is the Messiah, ‘Īsā son of Maryam’’, does not fit this interpretation.

Fourth interpretation: It refers to ‘Īsā (a.s.) because he was the word of creation, i.e., the Divine Command, ‘Be’. No doubt every man, nay, every thing, comes into being by the creative word, ‘Be’; but every man is conceived and born according to the well-known normal system: the usual course is for the male sperm to fertilize the female ovum - and it requires many main and supporting causes to materialize. That is why conception is attributed to man as its efficient cause - as every effect is attributed to its immediate cause. But conception of ‘Īsā did not follow this course; many usual and gradual causes were simply missing. His existence was just by the creative word, ‘Be’, and no usual causes intervened. And in this way, he became the ‘‘Word’’ itself, as we see in the verse: and His Word which He communicated to Maryam (4:171). It gets support from the verse 3:59, coming at the end: Surely the likeness of ‘Īsā is with Allāh as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, ‘‘Be’’, and he was.

COMMENT: This is the best of the interpretations.

al-Masīh (اَلْمَسِيْحُ = anointed; wiped clean), ‘Īsā (a.s.) was given this name because he was anointed with success and blessing. Or because he was wiped clean of sins, was purified. Or because he was anointed with holy olive-oil, with which the prophets were anointed. Or because Gabriel wiped him with his wings at his birth, so that it should be a protection from Satan. Or because he used to touch and wipe the heads of the orphans. Or because he used to wipe the eyes of the blind and they gained eye-sight. Or because whenever he touched and wiped any suffering person, he became whole. These are the reasons given by the exegetes for this name.

The fact is that this name was included in the good news given by Gabriel to Maryam, as Allāh quotes him as saying: O Maryam! surely Allāh gives you good news of a Word from Him whose name is al-Masīh, ‘Īsā son of Maryam. This word is the Arabicised form of the Meshiha, which is found in the Old and the New Testaments.1

The Bible shows that when a king was enthroned among the Children of Israel, the priests anointed him with the holy oil, so that he might be blessed in his rule. The king was therefore called messiah. It may be inferred from it that the messiah means either the king or the blessed one.

It appears from their books that ‘Īsā (a. s.) was called the Messiah because the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament contained the prophecy of his kingdom; it was believed that there would appear in the Children of Israel a king who would deliver them from bondage. The Gospel according to Luke describes the angel’s good news to Maryam in these words:

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail thou that are highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke, 1:28 - 33)

And that was the excuse offered by the Jews for not accepting ‘Īsā’s claim of prophethood. They said that the good news contained the prophecy of his kingdom and it did not materialize at any time during his life. And it was precisely to overcome this objection that the Christians interpreted the promised kingdom as the spiritual, and not the temporal one. Some Muslim exegetes too have taken the same line.

The author says: It is not unlikely that the name al-Masīh used in the good news may have meant ‘‘the blessed’’. When they anointed a king with the holy oil, it was done to bring blessings on him. This connotation may be supported by the verses: He said: ‘‘Surely I am a servant of Allāh, He has given me the Book and made me a prophet: and He has made me blessed wherever I may be ...’’ (19:30 - 31).

‘Īsā was originally Yashū‘ which they interpret as deliverer, saviour.

Some Muslims’ traditions say that it means ‘‘he lives’’. It seems more appropriate in view of the perfect similarity between ‘Īsā and Yahyā whose name too means ‘‘he lives’’.2

The name ‘Īsā is qualified with the phrase, son of Maryam, although the good news was being given to Maryam herself. It was done to emphasize the fact that he would be born without the agency of a father, and therefore would be known with this name; and that Maryam would jointly share this sign with him. Allāh says: and made her and her son a sign for the worlds (21:91).

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘worthy of regard in this world and the hereafter and of those who are made near (to Allah): al-Wijāhah (اَلْوِجَاهَةُ = translated here as worthiness of regard) means esteem, prestige, eminence and acceptability. ‘Īsā’s eminence and acceptability in this world is not a secret; and the Qur’ān confers this position to him in the hereafter too. Undoubtedly ‘Īsā (a. s.) was one of ‘‘those who are made near’’. He is near to Allāh, included in the rank of the friends of Allāh and the near angels in the verse: The Messiah does by no means disdain that he should be a servant of Allāh, nor do the angels who are near to Him (4:172). Allāh has explained the importance of being made near to Him, in the ch. 56. He says: When the great event comes to pass, and you shall be three sorts And the foremost are the foremost; these are they who are drawn near (to Allāh) (56:1 - 11). These verses point to the reality of the nearness to Allāh: Man presses forward leaving others behind in the way that leads one back to Allāh, then he comes nearer to Allāh. Proceeding on this way is prescribed for every man, nay, everything. Allāh says: O man! surely thou art striving to thy Lord, a hard striving, so that thou art to meet Him (84:6). Also, He says: now surely to Allāh do all affairs eventually come (42:53).

There is another aspect to this reality. Nearness to Allāh is an attribute of some angels. It means that this nearness is not necessarily a thing to be acquired by one’s endeavours; whatever it is a gift from Allāh. It may therefore be said that it is a rank it is a gift from Allāh. It may therefore be said that it is a rank and status which the angels get by Divine bestowal and the men by their striving.

The expression, ‘‘worthy of regard in this world and the hereafter’’ is a circumstantial phrase; and so are other words in conjunctive with it, i.e., ‘‘and of those who are made near’’; ‘‘and he shall speak’’; ‘‘and one of the good ones’’; ‘‘and He will teach him ...’’; ‘‘and a messenger ...’’

QUR’ĀN: ‘And he shall speak to the people when in the cradle and when of mature age ...’’:al-Mahd (اَلْمَهْدُ = cradle; bed or cot for infant, especially one on rockers). al-Kahl (اَلْكَهْلُ = one of mature age) is derived from al-kuhūlah (اَلْكُهُوْلَةُُ = to be of mature age); it is the middle age between youth and old age, it is the time when the body is at the height of its perfection and strength. That is why it is said that middle age is when white hair mixes with black. Others say that mature age means the age of forty-three.

In any case, it was a prophecy that he would live until he reached middle age; it was another good news for Maryam.

The Gospels say that he did not live on the earth more than thirtythree years. And yet the Qur’ān clearly talks about his middle age. It is a point to be pondered upon. It is because of this that some people have said that his middle age speech would occur after his coming down from the heaven - because he was not on the earth till his middle age. Some others have claimed that according to ‘‘historical research’’ ‘Īsā (a.s.) lived for about sixty-four years, contrary to what the Gospels say. But the expression, ‘‘when in the cradle and when of mature age,’’ shows that he would not reach old age - his life on this earth would end in his middle age. In other words, the verse gives us both sides of his age - the infancy and the middle age.

Usually a child is put in cradle in the beginning of its life when it is in diapers, before it starts crawling or walking - generally in its second year or even before; and it is the age when it starts talking. Therefore, for a child to speak in cradle is not an extraordinary achievement. But the verse obviously has another importance: It means that he would speak to the people, when in the cradle, a complete and thought provoking speech which men of understanding would listen to, as they listen to the talk of a middle-aged man. In other words, he would talk to them in his cradle in the same manner as he would do in his mature age. Surely such a talk from an infant is extraordinary sign, a miracle.

Apart from that, the story as given in the ch. 19, clearly shows that he had spoken to the people in the very first hour of his life, when Maryam brought him to them soon after his birth. And undoubtedly when a child talks on the day he is born, it must be a miracle. Allāh says: And she came to her people with him, carrying him (with her). They said: ‘‘O Maryam! surely you have done a strange thing. O sister of Hārūn! your father was not a bad man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman.’’ But she pointed to him. They said: ‘‘How should we speak to one who is a child in the cradle?’’ He said: ‘‘Surely I am a servant of Allāh; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet: And he has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and zakāt so long as I live: And dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me insolent, unblessed: And peace on me on the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life’’ (19:27 - 33).

QUR’ĀN: She said: ‘‘My Lord! how shall there be a son (born) to me and man has not touched me?’’: She addressed her talk to the Lord, although it was the Spirit in the form of a well-made man who was talking to her. It was based on the earlier explained reality that the talk of the angels and Spirit is in fact the talk of Allāh. She knew that it was God who was talking to her although the talk occurred through the agency of the Spirit or the angels. That is why she expressed her perplexity to her Lord.

Also, it is possible to look at this sentence as a cry for help. In that case, it will be a sentence in parenthesis, somewhat similar to the expression: he says: ‘‘Send me back, my Lord, send me back’’ (23:99).

QUR’ĀN: He said: ‘‘Even so; Allāh creates what He pleases when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be’, and it is: We have described earlier the syntactic position of the word, ‘‘Even so’’. We have shown that, putting this reply by the side of the verse 19:21 (He said: ‘‘Even so; your Lord says: ‘It is easy to Me: and that we may make him a sign to men and a mercy from Us; and it is a matter which has been decreed’ ’’), it may be inferred that the word, ‘‘Even so’’, is a complete sentence, implying: Even so is the matter. That is, what you have been told is a matter which has been decreed; nothing can avert it.

As for her astonishment, it could only be in place if the matter was beyond the power of Allāh, or very difficult for Him to do. So far as His power is concerned, it is unlimited, He does whatever He pleases. And as for difficulty it is imaginable only where the matter depends on preliminaries and causes - the more numerous and more formidable the causes and preliminaries, the more difficult that matter. But Allāh does not create, what He creates, with the help of the causes; ‘‘when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be’, and it is’’.

It is thus evident that the word, ‘‘Even so’’, is a complete sentence meant to remove the perplexity of Maryam; the next sentence, ‘‘Allāh creates what He pleases,’’ aims at getting rid of the possible misunderstanding about Allāh’s power; and lastly the sentence, ‘‘when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be’, and it is,’’ removes the delusion of difficulty and hardship.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘And He will teach him the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Injīl: The definite articles, in ‘‘the Book’’ and ‘‘the Wisdom’’, denote the genes of the Book and the Wisdom. The Book, as explained earlier refers to revelation which removes the people’s differences. The Wisdom is the useful knowledge related to the belief and action. Now the Torah and the Injīl themselves were books containing Wisdom. Yet, the Spirit or the angels mentioned them separately after the Book and the Wisdom. Sometimes a particular person or thing is mentioned after description of its genes, because that thing is important enough to deserve separate mention. The definite article in ‘‘the Book’’ is not for comprehensiveness. In other words, it does not say that ‘Īsā (a.s.) was taught all the book, all the revelation. Allāh says: And when ‘Īsā came with clear arguments, he said: ‘‘I have come to you indeed with Wisdom, and so that I may make clear to you part of what you differ in; so fear Allāh and obey me’’ (43:63) Note the word, ‘‘part of’’; we have written about it earlier.

When the Qur’ān mentions the Torah, it refers to the revelation which Allāh had sent down to Mūsā (a.s.) inscribed on the tablets when he was on the Mount Sinai, as Allāh describes in the ch. 7, i.e., ‘‘The Battlements’’. As for the books presently in the hands of the Jews, they themselves admit a big vaccum and void, a large gap, in its chain of narrators between the reigns of Nebuchadnezzer, King of Babylon, and Cyrus, King of Persia. Nevertheless, the Qur’ān confirms that the Torah which was with the Jews in the days of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was not altogether different from the original Torah - although it had been altered and interpolated to a great extent. The Qur’ānic verses clearly show these facts.

As for the Injīl - and it means ‘‘good news’’ - the Qur’ān says that it was a single book that was revealed to ‘Īsā (a.s.), it was therefore a revelation sent especially to him. Allāh says: and He revealed the Torah and the Injīl aforetime, a guidance for the people (3:3 - 4). But the present Gospels attributed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, were admittedly written and composed long after ‘Īsā (a.s.).

The Qur’ān also shows that the Law was only in the Torah; the Injīl did not bring any new sharī‘ah, except that it abrogated some rules of the Torah. Allāh says in the verses under discussion: ‘‘And a verifier of that which is before me of the Torah, and that I may allow you part of that which has been forbidden to you.’’ Again He says: and We gave him the Injīl in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of Torah, and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard (against evil). And the people of the Injīl should have judged by what Allāh revealed in it (5:46 - 47). It may be inferred from this verse that there were some affirmative rules too in the Injīl.

The Qur’ān also shows that the Injīl, like the Torah, contained the good news of the advent of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.), Allāh says: Those who follow the Messenger Prophet, the ummī, whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the Injīl (7:157).

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘And (make him) a messenger to the Children of Israel:

Evidently ‘Īsā (a.s.) was sent particularly to the Children of Israel; and the verses concerning Mūsā (a.s.) imply the same thing about him. But while writing on the subject of prophethood, under the verse: Mankind was but one people; so Allāh sent the prophets (2:213); we have explained that ‘Īsā (a.s.), like Mūsā (a.s.), was one of the ulu ’l-‘azm prophets, who were sent to the whole world.3

This problem may be solved if you look at the difference between a messenger and a prophet written there. It was mentioned that a prophet conveys to his people what is good for them in this world and the hereafter; and an apostle brings to them a special message which decides between the people with truth and finality - either providing them with eternal blissful life or bring to them destruction and perdition, as has been described in the words of Allāh: And every nation had a messenger; so when their messenger came, the matter was decided between them with justice and they shall not be dealt with unjustly (10:47).

In other words, a prophet is a man who is sent to explain the religion to the men, while a messenger is sent to convey a special message whose rejection brings destruction and perdition in its wake, and whose acceptance bestows eternity and bliss.4 This idea gets strengthened if we ponder on the messages given by the messengers (like: Nūh, Hūd, Sālih, Shu‘ayb and others, peace of Allāh be on them) to their nations, and which are quoted in the Qur’ān.

This being the case, being a messenger to a particular nation does not necessarily mean that he was sent as prophet to them only. Possibly a messenger sent to a particular nation could have been appointed as prophet to that nation together with other people - as was the case with Mūsā and ‘Īsā (a.s.).

We find in the Qur’ān evidence in support of the above views. For Example, Mūsā (a.s.) was sent to Pharaoh, as Allāh said to him: Go to Pharaoh, surely he has exceeded all limits (20:24); and the magicians of the Pharaoh’s nation believed in Mūsā (a.s.); evidently their belief was accepted by Allāh although they too were not from the Children of Israel, as Allāh says: they said: ‘‘We believe in the Lord of Hārūn and Mūsā’’ (20:70). Likewise, the call to the Divine Religion was addressed to the whole nation of Pharaoh: And certainly We tried before them the people of Pharaoh, and there came to them a noble messenger (44:17).

A similar phenomenon is seen about ‘Īsā (a.s.). Before the appearance of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.), there had entered into the religion of ‘Īsā a multitude of non-Israelites, like the Romans, the Franks, the Austrians, the Prussians and the Anglo-Saxons in the West, and the tribe of Najrān in the East. And when the Qur’ān speaks about the Christians, it does not single out the Israelite Christians. When it says something for or against them, it covers all Christians - Israelites and non-Israelites alike.5

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘ ‘That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I create for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allāh’s permission, and I heal the blind and the leper, and bring the dead ones to life with Allāh’s permission,: ‘‘al- Khalq’’ (اَلْخَلْقُ = to create; to assemble the parts of a thing). This verse ascribes creation to someone other than Allāh; the same idea is implied by the verse: so blessed be Allāh, the best of the creators (23:14).

al-Akmah (اَلْاَآْمَهُ = one who is born blind). ar-Rāghib says that it is sometimes used for one who has lost his eyesight, i.e., as synonymous to blind. It is said: His eyes kamahat (آَمَهَتُ = lost their sight until they became white).

al-Abras (اَلْاَبْرَصُ ) means one having al-bars (اَلْبَرْصُ = leprosy, a well-known skin disease).

He said, ‘‘and bring the dead ones to life’’, using the plural. It proves, or at least hints, that he brought to life many dead persons. And he said, ‘‘with Allāh’s permission’’, to make it clear that these miraculous signs appearing on his hands were actually attributed to Allāh, not that ‘Īsā (a.s.) had any independent power to do so. He went on repeating this phrase to put utmost emphasis on this aspect.

There was a real danger of people believing him to be a god - because of these miracles. That is why he repeatedly added the proviso, ‘‘with Allāh’s permission’’, after every miracle which could confuse and mislead the people, like creation of bird, and bringing the dead to life. And it was because of this very reason that he ended his talk saying: Surely Allāh is my Lord and your Lord, therefore worship Him; this is the straight path.

The verse, ‘‘that I create for you ...’’, apparently means that these miracles had actually happened on his hands; it was not just a talk, nor just a challenge. Had he wanted only to tell them that he had got that power - just to complete his argument against them - he would have added some proviso like, ‘‘if you ask for it’’, or ‘‘if you so desire’’.

Moreover, the talk that Allāh will have on the Day of Resurrection (a.s.) with ‘Īsā clearly shows that these miracles had actually happened: When Allāh will say: ‘‘O ‘Īsā son of Maryam! remember My favour on you and on your mother and when you created out of clay a thing like the form of a bird by My permission, then you breathed into it and it became a bird by My permission, and you healed the blind and the leper by My permission; and when you brought forth the dead ones by My permission ’’ (5:110).

Some people have said: Utmost that can be proved from these verses is that Allāh had given him this power, and that he mentioned that power when he argued with the people. Thus, he completed his proof against them, because he would have shown those miracles, if they had asked for them. But it does not prove that all or some of these miracles did actually happen.

COMMENT: The explanation given by us and the Divine Speech on the Day of Resurrection make it abundantly clear that all these miracles did actually take place, and that it is absolutely wrong to cast any doubt on them.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘and I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses ...: This is news of the unseen which is reserved for Allāh and his messengers who knew it by Divine Revelation. It is another miracle, an information of the unseen which was beyond any doubt or confusion - man, after all, cannot have any doubt about what he has eaten or has stored in his house.

This miracle does not have the proviso, ‘‘by permission of Allāh’’, although no miracle can take place without Allāh’s permission. Allāh Himself says: and it was not meet for a messenger that he should bring a sign except with Allāh’s permission (40:78). The reason of this omission lies in the verb ‘‘inform’’. ‘Īsā (a.s.) was to give them those informations; it would be a speech emanating from ‘Īsā (a.s.). In other words, it was ‘Īsā’s action, and as such was not worthy of being attributed to Allāh, in contrast to the preceding two signs, i.e., creation and bringing the dead to life, which are really the actions of Allāh and cannot be attributed to anyone else except by His permission.

Moreover, these two signs were not like giving those informations. They had more potentiality of leading people astray, when compared to his informing them of what they ate and what they kept in store. Simple minded people can very easily accept the Godhead of a creator of birds and resurrector of dead, rather than the divinity of one who gives them the news of the unseen. Common people do not think that the knowledge of the unseen is exclusively reserved for Allāh; they think that it is not so difficult an art and may be attained to by any magician through training and practice. That is why ‘Īsā (a.s.) found it necessary, when talking to them, to put the condition of Allāh’s permission, on the two signs, and not on this last one. The same is the case of healing; it was sufficient just to mention, as he did in the beginning, that it was ‘‘a sign from your Lord’’; and especially when he was talking with the people who claimed to be believers. That is why he ended his talk with the words, most surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are believers, i.e., if you are truthful in your claim that you are a believer.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘ ‘And a verifier of that which is before me of the Torah, and that I may allow you part of that which has been forbidden to you: It is in conjunction with ‘‘and a messenger to the Children of Israel’’. Of course, this phrase is in the first person (i.e., spoken by ‘Īsā, a.s.) while the former is in the third person (i.e., spoken by the Spirit); but it makes no difference because the former, i.e., ‘‘and a messenger ...’’, has been immediately explained by ‘Īsā (a.s.) in the following words: ‘‘That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord ...’’; and this has changed the mode from the third to the first person - and this makes the conjunction perfect.

He came as a verifier of the Torah; he verified the Torah which was revealed before him and which he was taught by Allāh, as the preceding verse says. In other words, he verified the original Torah which was given to Mūsā (a.s.). This phrase, therefore, does not show that he verified the Torah which was with the Jews in his time, nor does it imply that the Torah of his days was unaltered. The same applies to the verification of the Torah by our Prophet (s.a.w.a.).

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘ ‘and that I may allow you part of that which has been forbidden to you: Allāh had forbidden them some of the good things, as He says: Wherefore for the iniquity of those who are Jews did We disallow to them the good things which had been made lawful for them (4:160).

This talk shows that ‘Īsā (a.s.) had endorsed the laws of the Torah with exception of some tough rules prescribed for them in the Torah, which he abrogated. That is why it is said that the Injīl does not contain a new sharī‘ah.

The phrase, ‘‘and that I may allow you ...’’, is in conjunction with, the phrase, ‘‘with a sign from your Lord’’; the preposition, li (لِ = that), describes the purpose; the sentence therefore means: I have come to you for the purpose of abrogating some of the hard rules imposed on you in the Torah.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘ ‘and I have come to you with a sign from your Lord ...:

Apparently, this is to make it clear that the following phrases, ‘‘therefore fear Allāh and obey me’’, are based on his bringing a sign from Allāh, and not on his allowing some of the forbidden things. It is to remove this possible misunderstanding that the phrase, ‘‘and I have come to you with a sign from your Lord’’, has been repeated.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘ ‘Surely Allāh is my Lord and your Lord, therefore worship Him ...’ ’’: ‘Īsā (a.s.) said it in order to cut off the excuse of those who were to believe in his divinity - either because he (a.s.) had detected such tendency in them or because he was informed through revelation of these future happenings. It was a sincere attempt to remove all chances of misunderstandings, as he had done when he added the proviso, ‘‘with Allāh’s permission’’, while talking about creating a bird and bringing the dead ones to life. But it appears from his talk on the Day of Judgment as quoted by the Qur’ān in the verse 5:117 (I did not say to them aught save what Thou didst enjoin me with: That worship Allāh, my Lord and your Lord ...), that he had said it in pursuance of the order of Allāh and His revelation.

QUR’ĀN: But when ‘Īsā perceived unbelief on their part, he said: ‘‘Who are my helpers to Allāh?’’: The narration leaves unsaid his life story from his conception to the early days of his mission, because its important milestones had already been mentioned in the good news given to Maryam. That is why this verse picks up the thread of narration from the point when ‘Īsā (a.s.), after announcing his mission and showing the aforesaid miracles, faced resistance from his people. It describes how he selected his disciples, how his people planned against him, and how Allāh defeated their conspiracy by purifying him, taking him away to Himself and making him to ascend to Him. And thus the story ends.

The narrative throws light on those aspects only which were immediately needed for clarifying the subject matter to the Christians of Najrān, whose delegation was then at Medina for discussion and argument. That is why many other points of the story, mentioned in the Chapters of: ‘The Women,’ ‘The Table,’ ‘The Prophets,’ ‘The Embellishment’ and ‘The Ranks,’ have been omitted in this one. The use of the word, perception or sense, in connection with unbelief - although disbelief is a matter pertaining to heart - implies that their disbelief was so transparent that it could be perceived by external senses. It could alternatively mean that when they, because of their disbelief, planned to harm and kill him, he sensed it and in this way perceived their disbelief. The verse therefore means: When ‘Īsā perceived, i.e., felt, sensed and noticed the unbelief of the Children of Israel - whose name was mentioned in the good news given to Maryam - he said: ‘‘Who are my helpers to Allāh?’’ He asked this question as he wanted to distinguish and set apart a selected group of his people who would be solely dedicated to truth; they would strengthen the power of religion and form the nucleus around which the structure of religion would be built - they would be the centre from which the Divine Religion would spread. We find this phenomenon in every physical, social and other powers: When a party begins its activities, it finds it necessary to take for itself a core of dedicated cadre, on which it gets its strength. Otherwise, it could not pursue its activity and would become useless. In Islamic history, the same phenomenon is seen in the pledges of allegiance of the mountain pass and the tree. The Messenger of Allāh’s aim in the two pledges was to concentrate the full strength of Islam, reinforcing its power, in order that the Divine Mission could spread and succeed.

Thus ‘Īsā (a.s.) became sure that his mission was not succeeding in the Children of Israel - in a major part of them - and that they were not ready to believe in him no matter what he did. He was afraid that if they succeeded in destroying his life, the mission would fail and the difficulties would increase. Therefore, he wanted to make arrangements as a safeguard against that eventuality. He sought help of a selected group in proceeding towards Allāh. The disciples answered his call and thus were distinguished from among the whole nation by their belief. It paved the way to distinguish belief from disbelief, by making the faith victorious over faithlessness, spreading his mission and establishing proofs. Allāh says: O you who believe! be helpers of Allāh, as ‘Īsā son of Maryam said to (his) disciples: ‘‘Who are my helpers to Allāh?’’ The disciples said: ‘‘We are helpers of Allāh.’’ So a party of the Children of Israel believed and another disbelieved; then we aided those who believed against their enemy, and they became uppermost (61:14).

‘Īsā (a.s.) qualified his question, ‘‘Who are my helpers’’, with the phrase, ‘‘to Allāh’’. He did so to awaken their longing and arouse their eagerness to proceed towards Allāh, to be near Him. And this was the real reason for asking this question. The same was the idea behind the question, Who is it that will lend to Allāh, a goodly loan (2:245). It is the preposition ‘‘to’’, in ‘‘my helpers to Allāh’’, which implies the meaning of going or proceeding, etc. A similar connotation is found in the declaration of Ibrāhīm (a.s.) as quoted in the Qur’ān: Surely I go to my Lord: He will guide me (37:99).

Some commentators have said that ‘‘to’’ in the above sentence means ‘‘with’’; the question according to them means: Who are my helpers with Allāh? But there is no evidence to support this explanation. Moreover, it is against the manners of the Qur’ān to count Allāh in line with others. The Qur’ān cannot count others as the helpers when it counts Allāh as the Helper. Nor is it in conformity with the manners of ‘Īsā (a.s.) which shines so brightly everywhere in his narrative in the Qur’ān. Furthermore, the reply of the disciples too does not support this interpretation. In case this meaning were correct, the disciples should have said: ‘We are your helpers with Allāh.’ (Think over it).

QUR’ĀN: The disciples said: ‘‘We are helpers of Allāh: We believe in Allāh and be (our) witness that we are submitting ones: A man’s ‘‘alh awāriyy’’ (اَلْحَوَارِيُّ ) is the one exclusively attached to him. It is reportedly derived from al-hawr (اَلْحَوْرُ = intense whiteness; marked contrast between the white of the corona and the black of the iris). The Qur’ān has not used this word except for the close companions of ‘Īsā (a.s.).

The sentence: ‘‘We believe in Allāh’’, is a sort of explanation of their former declaration, ‘‘We are helpers of Allāh’’. This too supports the above exegesis that ‘Īsā’s phrase, ‘‘my helpers to Allāh’’, implies proceeding on the way leading to Allāh, because true belief is the prescribed way.

Was it their first entry into the circle of faith? Obviously not. The wordings used in verse 61:14 (...‘Īsā son of Maryam said to [his] disciples: ‘‘Who are my helpers to Allāh?’’ The disciples said: ‘‘We are helpers of Allāh.’’ So a party of the Children of Israel believed ...), show that it was a belief after belief. And there is nothing strange in it, as we have already explained that the īmān and islām are of various ranks, one upon the other.

Going a step further, look at the verse: And when I revealed to the disciples, saying, ‘‘Believe in Me and My messenger,’’ they said: ‘‘We believe and be our witness that we are the submitting ones’’ (5:111). It clearly shows that this reply of theirs was based on a revelation from Allāh; in other words, they were prophets. Therefore, the belief referred to in their reply was a belief after belief.

Proceeding further, we find them saying: and be our witness that we are submitting ones. Our Lord! we believe in what Thou hast revealed and we follow the messenger; so write us down with those who bear witness. The islām or submission to which they have referred, is unconditional surrender and submission to all that Allāh demands from them and desires for them. This too implies that it was not the initial belief, but a belief after belief, because such submission is not found except in the sincere believers; it is not within the reach of those who merely bear witness to the Oneness of God and the prophethood of the Prophet. We have earlier explained in detail that every stage of īmān is preceded by a relevant stage of islām. Their words: ‘‘We believe in Allāh and be (our) witness that we are submitting ones,’’ also point to this very fact: They used the verb for belief (implying a new occurrence) and adjective for submission (implying a sort of permanence). The first stage of islām is submission and generally bearing witness to the basic of religion. This is followed by a heartfelt belief in the above testimony in principle. Then comes the second stage of islām and that is the sincere submission to the meaning of the said belief. When this stage comes, all possibilities are removed of anger or annoyance with what Allāh and His messenger has ordered. In other words, the believer puts in practice the tenets of religion. It is followed by the second stage of īmān. This is the stage when deeds become sincere and the attributes of servitude are deeply ingrained in all actions and activities. This is followed by the third stage of islām which means surrender to the love of Allāh and to His will; such a Muslim does not love anything except because of Allāh and does not want anything except for Allāh; then nothing happens on his hands except that which Allāh loves and desires, and the man’s own love and desire are completely forgotten. It is followed by the third stage of īmān, when this servile submission permeates all his actions and deeds.

Keep in view this short description of the stages of islām and īmān. Then ponder on the call of ‘Īsā (a.s.) as he said: ‘‘therefore fear Allāh and obey me. Surely Allāh is my Lord and your Lord, therefore worship Him; this is the straight path’’. Note that he (a.s.) first told them to fear Allāh and obey himself. And he gave the reason of that order, in these words, ‘‘Surely Allāh is my Lord and your Lord’’. That is, Allāh is your Lord, O people of my nation, and He is also the Lord of His messenger whom He has sent to you. Therefore, it is obligatory for you to fear Him by believing in Him, and to obey me by following me. In short, you are obliged to worship and serve Him with piety and His fear, obeying His messenger, i.e., with belief and following. This much is clearly understood from his words. That is why the fear of Allāh and obedience of the prophet have been changed to the phrase, ‘‘therefore worship Him’’; He effected this change to make it clear that this order and this affair is attributed to Allāh, and that attribution becomes crystal clear in the worship. Then he said that this worship is a straight path - it is a way that leads the walker to Allāh.

After issuing that call, he perceived their disbelief, and he felt that there was no ground for hoping that their general public would accept true faith. Therefore, he said: ‘‘Who are my helpers to Allāh?’’ He was seeking helpers for proceeding on this straight path to which he had invited the people. That is the path of servitude - the piety and obedience. The disciples answered his call accepting the same thing he had asked for. They said: ‘‘We are helpers of Allāh.’’ Then they proceeded to explain it in these words: ‘‘We believe in Allāh and be (our) witness that we are submitting ones.’’ The submission here refers to their obedience and following. It was for this reason that when they humbly and beseechingly spoke to their Lord, telling Him what they had promised ‘Īsā (a.s.), they changed the word, submission, to the following; and expanded the circle of belief to cover all that was revealed by Allāh. They said: ‘‘Our Lord! we believe in what Thou hast revealed and we follow the messenger.’’

It means that they believed in all that Allāh had revealed, and in what He had taught ‘Īsā son of Maryam of the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Injīl, and they followed the messenger in this matter. You will appreciate that it is among the highest ranks of belief, not its lower ones.

The disciples did not say: We believe in Allāh and we are submitting ones. Instead they asked ‘Īsā (a.s.) to be their witness regarding their submission and following. They did so in order that they should have a proof when they spoke to their Lord and said: ‘‘Our Lord! we believe in what Thou hast revealed and we follow the messenger.’’ It was as though they said: Our Lord! This is our condition and Thy messenger is our witness for it.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘Our Lord! we believe in what Thou hast revealed and we follow the messenger; so write us down with those who bear witness’’: It is direct quotation of what the disciples said - without using an introductory phrase, like, ‘They said.’ This dramatic style of the Qur’ān (as we have mentioned somewhere) puts the audience in a position where they seem to hear the words directly from the speakers - not through a narrator. They asked their Lord to write them down with those who bear witness. And they based this prayer on their islām and īmān both. A messenger conveys his message when he explains what Allāh has revealed to him - both in words and in practice. He teaches the tenets of religion and himself acts upon them. Those who shall bear witness that the messenger conveyed the Divine Message to his people shall do so by learning the message from the messenger and following him in the sharī‘ah. In this way, it will be seen that the messenger himself practises what he tells others to do - he does not ignore it nor does he transgress it.

Apparently, this witnessing refers to their testimony that the messenger had truly conveyed the message, as Allāh says in the verse: Most certainly then We will question those to whom (the messengers) were sent, and most certainly We will question the messengers (7:6). As for the witnessing mentioned in the verse 5:83 (And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you will see their eyes overflowing with tears on account of the truth that they recognize; they say: ‘‘Our Lord! we believe, so write us down with the witnesses.’’), it refers to bearing witness for the truth of the messengership not for conveying the message. And Allāh knows better.

Another possible explanation: They had asked the messenger to be witness for their islām; thereafter they prayed to Allāh to write them down with those who bear witness. Probably they wanted Allāh to write them among those who shall bear witness for deeds, as appears from the prayer of Ibrāhīm and Ismā‘īl (a.s.) quoted in the Qur’ān: ‘‘Our Lord! and make us both submissive to Thee and (raise) from our offspring a group submitting to Thee, and show us our ways of devotion (2:128). Refer for details to what we have written under that verse.

QUR’ĀN: And they planned and Allāh (also) planned, and Allāh is the best of planners: The planners were the Children of Israel, as appears from the preceding verse, ‘‘But when ‘Īsā perceived unbelief on their part ...’’ We have explained under the verse 2:26 ( but He does not cause to err by it [any] except the transgressors) what planning means when it is attributed to Allāh.

QUR’ĀN: And when Allāh said: ‘‘O ‘Īsā! I am going to take you away completely: ‘‘at-Tawaffī’’ (اَلتَّوَفِّي ) is to take something completely. It is for this reason that it is also used for death, because at the time of death Allāh takes man’s soul away from his body. See, for example, the following verses:

... Our messengers take him completely (6:61), i.e., cause him to die.

And they say: ‘‘What! when we have become lost in the earth, shall we then indeed be in a new creation?’’ Say: ‘‘The angel of death who is given charge of you shall take you completely (i.e., cause you to die), then to your Lord you shall be brought back’’ (32:10 - 11).

Allāh takes completely the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their 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).

Pondering on the last two verses you will see that the Qur’ān has not used at-tawaffī in the meaning of death, rather the word gives the idea of taking and preserving. In other words, when at-tawaffī is used for death, it is not because it means death; rather it is used to emphasize the connotation of taking and preserving, to show and establish that man’s soul does not perish, is not destroyed by death - contrary to what ignorant people think; Allāh keeps and preserves it until comes the time to return it to its body for resurrection. At other places where this sense is not involved, Allāh uses the word al-mawt(اَلْمَوْتُ = death), and not attawaffī. For example:

And Muhammad is no more than a messenger, the messengers have already passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed, will you turn back upon your heels? (3:144).

... it shall not be finished with them entirely so that they should die (35:36).

There are a lot of other verses of this type, not excepting some verses in ‘Īsā’s story itself: For example, there are, ‘Īsā’s words about himself:

And peace be on me on the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life (19:33); and Allāh’s words about him: And there is not one of the people of the Book but most certainly shall believe in him before his death, and on the Day of Resurrection he (‘Īsā) shall be a witness against them (4:159).

It all shows that at-tawaffī does not necessarily mean death.

This interpretation is also supported by the words of Allāh refuting the claim of the Jews: And their saying: ‘‘Surely we killed the Messiah, ‘Īsā son of Maryam, the messenger of Allāh;’’ and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like ‘Īsā); and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture; and they killed him not for sure. Rather, Allāh took him up to Himself; and Allāh is Mighty, Wise. And there is not one of the people of the Book but most certainly shall believe in him before his death and on the Day of Resurrection he (‘Īsā) shall be a witness against them (4:157 - 159). The Jews claimed that they had killed the Messiah, ‘Īsā son of Maryam, and likewise the Christians think that the Jews had killed ‘Īsā son of Maryam by crucifixion, and that after he was crucified Allāh raised him up from his grave to the heaven, as the Gospels say. But the Qur’ānic verses, as you see, unequivocally refute the story of killing and crucifixion both.

It is apparent from the Divine Words, And there is not one of the people of the Book ..., that ‘Īsā (a.s.) is alive near Allāh and that he will not die until all the people of the Book shall believe in him. Keeping all these factors in view, the word at-tawaffī, used in the verse under discussion, would only mean that Allāh was to take him away completely from among the Jews. Yet the verse does not say so clearly; it is only its apparent connotation. (We shall write in detail on this subject at the end of the fourth Chapter, ‘The Women’.)

QUR’ĀN: ‘and cause you to ascend unto Me and purify you of those who disbelieve: ‘‘ar-Raf‘ ’’ (اَلرَّفْعُ = to raise, to cause to ascend) is opposite of al-wad‘ (اَلْوَضْعُ = to put down); at-tahārah ( =اَلطَّهَارَةُ cleanliness, purity) is opposite of al-qadhārah (اَلْقَذَارَةُ = dirtiness, impurity). We have already explained the meaning of cleanliness. The phrase, ‘‘cause you to ascend’’, is qualified by the word, ‘‘unto Me’’; and it implies that the ascension was spiritual, rather than physical; because Allāh has no place like the physical spaces in which a body or things related to body arrive, stay or settle down, and from which they depart or to which they come nearer. Accordingly, this phrase will have the same connotation as the words at the end of this very verse have: then to Me shall be your return. This interpretation will be strengthened if attawaffī is taken to mean ‘‘to cause to die’’; because in that case, ‘‘to cause to ascend to Me’’ would imply raising his rank and taking him nearer to Allāh. Its meaning will, then, be similar to the verse 3:169, wherein Allāh says about those who are martyred in His way: they are alive near their Lord; and the verse 19:57, where He says about Idrīs (a.s.): And We raised him to a high station.

Another interpretation: The ascension refers to his being raised alive with his body and soul together to the heaven; because the apparent meaning of the Qur’ānic verses suggest that the heaven - i.e. the physical one - is the place of nearness to Allāh, the venue from which the Divine favours and blessings are sent down, and where the honoured angels live. Probably, we shall discuss the meaning of as-samā’ (اَلسَّمَآءُ = sky, heaven) somewhere else, Allāh willing.

Purification from the unbelievers, as it is preceded by ascension to Allāh, implies spiritual, rather than physical purification. Accordingly, it means that Allāh would keep him away from the unbelievers, protect him from mingling with them, and remove him from their society - the society that is polluted by their unbelief and rejection of truth.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘and make those who follow you above those who disbelieve to the Day of Resurrection: In this verse Allāh gives a promise that He will surely make the followers of ‘Īsā (a.s.) prevail over his adversaries who disbelieved in his prophethood, and that this predominance will continue upto the Day of Resurrection. This verse distinguishes the superior group from the inferior one, saying that the superior ones are those who follow ‘Īsā (a.s.) and the opposite group is that of the unbelievers - without mentioning that they were from the Children of Israel, or that they were the Jews who professed to follow the sharī‘ah of Mūsā (a.s.) or pointing to them in. any other way.

Of course, looking at the fact that his adversaries have been defined as unbelievers, it appears that ‘‘those who follow you’’ refers to the following in the way of truth, a following that is approved by Allāh and which He is pleased with. Accordingly, his followers would be those Christians who did not deviate from his straight path before Islam came to abrogate ‘Īsā’s religion; and after the advent of Islam it is the Muslims who are his followers - because only these two groups are his followers in the path of truth. If so, then the promised superiority would mean their superiority in their arguments and proofs, not their material domination or their rule over his adversaries. The meaning thus will be as follows: The proof of your followers, i.e., the above mentioned Christians and the Muslims, shall be victorious over the proof of those who disbelieve in you, i.e., the Jews, upto the Day of Resurrection.

The above was the explanation given and chosen by the exegetes. But I think that the verse does not support this interpretation either explicitly or implicitly. Evidently the whole sentence, ‘‘I am going to take you away completely and cause you to ascend unto Me and purify you of those who disbelieve, and make those who follow you above those who disbelieve to the Day of Resurrection,’’ is news of what was to happen in the future: His being taken away, his ascension to Allāh, his purification from disbelievers and the domination of his followers over unbelievers - all was to happen sometimes after Allāh had given him this news. Moreover, the words, ‘‘and make those who follow you above those who disbelieve,’’ contain a promise and a good tiding, and good tiding always refer to some future event. And it is known that the proof of the ‘Īsā’s followers is nothing but the proof of ‘Īsā himself. These are the very proofs which were mentioned in the good news given to Maryam. And those proofs had certainly gained ascendancy over those of the unbelievers, both when ‘Īsā (a.s.) was present before his ascension, as well as after his ascension. It may rather be said that before his ascension those proofs were more decisive and more convincing in face of his adversaries’ claims than they were after his ascension. This being the case, what is the meaning of a promise that his followers’ proofs would overcome those of his adversaries - in future? Again, why should this dominance be limited ‘‘to the Day of Resurrection’’ only? If a proof is victorious and convincing it should remain so for all times, without any limitation of time or day. Moreover, victory of a true proof over false ones will be even more manifest on the Day of Resurrection, as the Qur’ān informs us in connection of that Day’s happenings.

A suggestion: Perhaps predominance of proof means that it would be more popular, more widely accepted - people would heed more to it, would accept it more readily; in this way their number would increase, and their power be more formidable.

COMMENT: Does it mean that his true followers would prevail over the disbelievers, would rule over them and overwhelm them with their power? But the fact is otherwise. It is no use saying that it may be a good news which would come true in distant future in the last days of the world, because the wordings of the verse do not allow such delay.

Or does it mean predominance in number? That is, his followers - the followers of truth after ‘Īsā (a.s.) - would be more numerous than the followers of falsehood? But reality belies it. The followers of falsity have always been in majority, and the people of truth always in minority, right from the time of ‘Īsā (a.s.) upto these days of ours - a long period of two millennia. Moreover, the wordings of the verse do not support this interpretation either. Look at the context; the verse gives ‘Īsā (a.s.) the good news that Allāh’s displeasure was to descend on the Jews, that they were to be overwhelmed by Divine Anger. In this background, the predominance of his followers conforms more with his followers’ hold and dominance over his adversaries - either through convincing proofs or through rule and domination. But in no way does it point to the majority in number.

Let us have a fresh look at this verse: It distinguishes the two groups with two verbs: ‘‘those who follow you’’, and ‘‘those who disbelieve’’. The verb shows that an action has taken or will take place within the framework of a time - past, present or future. The implication would differ if these phrases were changed to adjectives: ‘‘followers’’ and ‘‘disbelievers’’; because adjectives show a more or less permanent attribute which transcends time limits, the said attribute is found in its related thing or person at all times. Suppose there is a group of people who do something good or bad, and the rest of the nation is pleased with it, even the coming generations agree with what their ancestors did, then this much ideological identity and psychological identification are enough to ascribe that action or thing to the whole nation. For example, the Qur’ān admonishes the Jews and condemns them because of their ancestors’ actions like hurting and slaying the prophets, their arrogance in face of the commands of Allāh and His messengers, their alterations and interpolations in the Book of Allāh and many other things like that.

In view of the above-mentioned two principles, ‘‘those who disbelieve’’ may be interpreted as the whole Jewish nation; and ‘‘those who follow you’’ may mean all the Christians because their early fathers had believed in and followed ‘Īsā (a.s.) - and it was a correct belief and true following - although Allāh was not pleased with those among them who believed in the trinity before Islam, nor was He pleased with the whole nation when they continued to follow ‘Īsa (a.s.) even after the advent of Islam.

The sentence therefore means that Allāh was to make the Christians - whose ancestors had truly followed ‘Īsā (a.s.) - dominant over the Jews because they had disbelieved in ‘Īsā (a.s.) and had planned and conspired against him.

The aim is to show that Allāh’s wrath has descended on the Jews, and His severe chastisement has engulfed their nation. (We have explained above that the early Christians had truly followed ‘Īsā [a.s.]; and therefore the whole Christian nation may be included in the phrase, ‘‘those who follow you’’.)

Going further, we find the phraseology changed. Instead of saying ‘‘those who follow you’’, Allāh says: ‘‘And as to those who believe and do good deeds ...’’ This too supports our interpretions that ‘‘those who follow you’’ covers all the Christians, irrespective of their present belief and behaviour. It does not mean only the Muslims and those Christians who had correct belief and had truly followed ‘Īsā (a.s.) - in short it is not confined to those who will be saved in the hereafter. Otherwise, Allāh would have continued the earlier mode of expression and said: And as to those who follow you, He will pay them fully their rewards.

Another interpretation: ‘‘those who follow you’’ covers all the Christians and all the Muslims; and the verse foretells that upto the Day of Resurrection the Jews would always remain under the domination of those who believe that it is obligatory to follow ‘Īsā (a.s.) - and the basis of the explanation is the same as above. And it is the best of the interpretations written for this verse.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘then to Me shall be your return, so I will decide between you concerning that in which you differed: This talk is addressed jointly to ‘Īsā (a.s.) and those who followed him and those who disbelieved in him. It gives their ultimate result on the Day of Resurrection. And with this verse the story of ‘Īsā (a.s.) comes to its end - from the time Maryam got the good news to the end of his earthly life.

QUR’ĀN: ‘‘Then as to those who disbelieve, I will chastise them with severe chastisement in this world and the hereafter, ...’’: Apparently, it branches out from the phrase, ‘‘so I will decide between you’’; it gives detail of that preceding general statement, describing the Divine Judgment on the Day of Resurrection - severe chastisement for the Jews who disbelieve, and full reward for the believers.

But the phrase ‘‘in this world’’ shows that the verse branches out from two preceding sentences: ‘‘and make those who follow you above those who disbelieve ...’’; ‘‘Then to Me shall be your return ...’’ Thus, the verse says that as a result of that ‘‘making’’ and that ‘‘returning’’, the disbelievers shall be severely punished in this world on the hands of those whom Allāh has made dominant above them, and in the hereafter with the Fire, and they shall have no helpers.

It is another proof to show that in the preceding verse, making dominant means domination through power and rule, not through proofs.

The sentence ‘‘and they shall have no helpers’’ proves that they will not be able to avail of any intercession which could protect them from the chastisement. It is a firm decree which cannot change.

QUR’ĀN: And as to those who believe and do good deeds, He will pay them fully their rewards ...: It is an attractive promise of good reward for those who followed ‘Īsā (a.s.). But, as mentioned above, the phrase ‘‘those who follow you’’ could be applied to the whole nation even when only a few of them actually followed him. Application of a name is one thing and actually having that attribute personally is something else. Good result and lovely reward is given only to him who actually has that attribute - not to him who is merely included in nomenclature. Allāh says: Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabaeans, whoever believes in Allāh and the Last Day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve (2:62).

This then is the reward of those who believed and did good deeds from among those who followed ‘Īsā (a.s.); Allāh will pay them fully their reward. The other group from those followers shall get no reward. Allāh has pointed to this fact at the end of the verse: and Allāh does not love the unjust.

It is now clear why this verse - a verse of mercy and paradise - has ended with the phrase ‘‘and Allāh does not love the unjust’’. Otherwise, such verses usually end with Divine Names of mercy and forgiveness, or on praise of those for whom the verse is revealed. For example:

And Allāh has promised good to all; and Allāh is aware of what you do (57:10).

If you lend to Allāh a goodly loan, He will double it for you and forgive you; and Allāh is grateful, forbearing (64:17).

... and whoever believes in Allāh and does good, He will remove from him his evil and cause him to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein for ever; that is the great achievement (64:9).

Then as to those who believed and did good, their Lord will make them enter into His mercy; that is the manifest achievement (45:30).

We may go on quoting such examples from the Qur’ān. However, it is now clear that the phrase ‘‘and Allāh does not love the unjust’’ describes the other group from among those who claim to follow ‘Īsā (a.s.) but are not true believers, nor do they do good deeds.

QUR’ĀN: This we recite to you of the signs and the wise reminder. It indicates the end of the story. The ‘‘wise reminder’’ is the Qur’ān; it reminds one of Allāh and is firm and wise in its verses and descriptions; falsehood cannot enter it, nor can non-serious talk pollute it.

QUR’ĀN: Surely the likeness of ‘Īsā is with Allāh as the likeness of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: ‘‘Be,’’ and he was: It is the summary of the necessary points described in detail in preceding verses. Such summing up after detailed description - especially in arguments and discussions - is a beauty of style. The verses were revealed for arguments with the delegation of the Christians of Najrān. It was proper to sum up the basic point of ‘Īsā’s creation - after giving the story in detail - to show that the particular circumstances of his birth do not prove anything except that he was a created man like Adam (peace be on them both). Therefore, it is not permissible to say about him more than that which is said about Adam (a.s.) - that is, he was a man whom Allāh created without the agency of a father.

The verse therefore means: The condition of ‘Īsā (a.s.) in the eyes of Allāh - as Allāh knows how He had created ‘Īsā - is only that the manner of his creation resembles that of Adam’s creation. How was Adam created? Allāh gathered various portions of earth and said to him, ‘‘Be’’, and he became a human being without any father.

This verse actually contains two independent proofs, either is sufficient to refute the idea of ‘Īsā’s divinity.

First: ‘Īsā is a creature created by Allāh - as Allāh knows, and He is never confused in His knowledge. He created him a man, albeit without a father. And such a person is a servant of Allāh, not a god.

Second: ‘Īsā’s creation is not greater than that of Adam. If ‘Īsā’s unusual creation may in any way justify the belief in his godhead, then Adam’s creation will justify the same belief. But no Christian says that Adam was god. Therefore, they should not have such belief about ‘Īsā (a.s.). After all, both cases are the same.

The verse shows that ‘Īsā’s creation, like that of Adam, was physical and of this world, although it happened against the usual manner of conception, because usually a child is conceived through the agency of a father.

Apparently, fa-yakūn (فَيَكُونُ = lit: and he is) is used here to describe a past event - that is why we have translated it as ‘‘and he was’’.

The phrase, ‘‘then said to him, ‘Be’, and he was’’, shows instant, not gradual creation, but we know that both Adam and ‘Īsā had undergone a gradual process of creation. The fact is that there is no contradiction in these two aspects - because condition changes with the change of context. All things, whether they come into being gradually or instantly, are created by Allāh, brought into being by His command, i.e., by the word, ‘‘Be’’, as He says: His command, when He intends anything, is only that He says to it, ‘‘Be’’, and it is (36:82). Many of these things, come into existence gradually - when they are seen in the framework of their gradual causes. But when they are seen in relation to Allāh, then there is no graduality in their existence, no gap between the command, ‘‘Be’’, and their ‘‘being’’; Allāh says: And Our command is but one, as the twinkling of an eye (54:50). We shall explain it in detail in a more appropriate place, Allāh willing.

The main idea behind the statement, ‘‘then said to him, ‘Be’, and he was’’, is as follows: Allāh is not dependent on causes when He creates a thing. Things which He intends to create have equal relation with Him. If they were related to Him through causes, their conditions could have differed one with another, some would have looked possible, others impossible; one would have been easy, the other difficult; one nearer, another far away - all depending on the conditions of the relevant causes. But Allāh does not need any cause to bring about an effect; whatever He intends, He says to it, ‘‘Be’’, and it comes into being.

QUR’ĀN: The truth is from your Lord, so be not of the doubters: It emphasizes the meaning of the preceding verse which was itself emphasized by the use of the particle ‘‘surely’’. It serves the same purpose as the verse, ‘‘This We recite to you of the signs and the wise reminder’’, revealed at the end of the detailed story. It was to set the Prophet’s mind at rest that he was on truth, and to strengthen him in the argument.

The sentence, ‘‘The truth is from your Lord’’, is one of the finest expressions of the Qur’ān. It uses the preposition, ‘‘from’’, which shows beginning point. The truth starts from your Lord. If you were to change it to some other particle, e.g., ‘‘with’’, saying, the truth is with your Lord, it would give a hint of polytheism; and would actually show God as helpless, in need of that truth.

The true maxims and the propositions showing real and unalterable facts are self-evident and impossible to change; for example, four is an even number; one is half of two; and so on. Man finds out these selfevident truths from the really existing things; and existence - all of it - is from Allāh. Therefore, the truth - all of it - is from Him. That is why Allāh is not questioned concerning what He does and men are questioned. An action of a creature, if it is correct and right, accompanies the truth, but the action of Allāh is existence itself, and therefore, truth itself.

TRADITIONS

The Imām (a.s.) said6 about the words of Allāh, O Maryam! surely Allāh has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds: ‘‘(Allāh) chose her twice: As for the first, He chose her, i.e., selected her; and as for the second, she conceived without a husband; in this way, He made her excel over the women of the worlds.’’ (at-Tafsīr, al-Qummī) Abū Ja‘far (a.s.) said about this verse: ‘‘It means that He selected you for the progeny of the prophets, and purified you from unchastity, and chose you for the birth of ‘Īsā (a.s.) without a husband.’’ (Majma‘u ’lbayān)

The author says: The saying of the Imām, ‘‘He selected you for the progeny of the prophets’’, means that He selected you to be a good offspring worthy of being related to the prophets The phrase, ‘‘and purified you from unchastity’’, means that He gave you protection from unchastity; this is the best explanation of the Qur’ānic words, because she had given birth to ‘Īsā (a.s.) without a husband. Thus, the tradition describes some concomitants of her selection and purification.

The two traditions are not in conflict with each other, as may be seen manifestly. And we have explained that the verse implies this meaning.

It has been narrated by Ahmad, at-Tirmidhī (and he said that it is correct), Ibnu ’l-Mundhir, Ibn Habbān, and al-Hākim from Anas, that he said: ‘‘Verily the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.w.a.) said: ‘‘Sufficient are in excellence from among the women of the worlds, Maryam bint ‘Īmrān, and Khadījah bint Khuwaylid, and Fātimah bint Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) and Āsiyah wife of Pharaoh!’’ (ad-Durru ’l-manthūr)

as-Suyūtī has said that Ibn Abī Shaybah has narrated it from al-Hasan without connecting the chain of narrators with the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).

al-Hākim has narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās (and has said that it is correct), that he said: ‘‘The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.w.a.) said: ‘The most excellent of the women of the worlds are Khadījah, and Fātimah, and Maryam, and Āsiyah wife of Pharaoh.’ ’’ (ibid.)

Ibn Marduwayh narrates from al-Hasan that he said: ‘‘The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.w.a.) said: ‘Verily, Allāh chose four (women) over the women of the worlds: Āsiyah bint Muzāhim, and Maryam bint ‘Īmrān, and Khadījah bint Khuwaylid, and Fātimah bint Muhammad (s.a.w.a.).’ ’’(ibid.)

Ibn Abī Shaybah and Ibn Jarīr have narrated from Fātimah (may Allāh be pleased with her!) that she said: ‘‘The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.w.a.) said to me: ‘‘You are the chief of the women of the people of the Garden, (and) not Maryam, The Virgin.’’ (ibid.)

Ibn ‘Asākir has narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās that he said: ‘‘The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.w.a.) said: ‘The chief of the women of the people of the Garden are Maryam bint ‘Īmrān, then Fātimah, then Khadījah, then Āsiyah wife of Pharaoh.’ ’’ (ibid.)

Ibn ‘Asākir has narrated through the chain of Muqātil from ad-Dahhāk from Ibn ‘Abbās from the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that he said: ‘‘Four women are the chiefs of the worlds: Maryam bint ‘Īmrān, and Āsiyah bint Muzāhim, and Khadījah bint Khuwaylid, and Fātimah bint Muhammad (s.a.w.a.); and the most excellent of them in the world is Fātimah.’’ (ibid.)

Ibn Abī Shaybah narrates from ‘Abdu ’r-Rahmān ibn Abī Laylā that he said: ‘‘The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.w.a.) said: ‘Fātimah is the chief of the women of the worlds after Maryam bint ‘Īmrān, and Āsiyah wife of the Pharaoh, and Khadījah bint Khuwaylid.’ ’’ (ibid.)

as-Sadūq narrates through his chains from ‘Ikrimah from Ibn ‘Abbās that he said: ‘‘The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.w.a.) drew four lines, then said: ‘The best of the women of the Garden are Maryam bint ‘Īmrān, and Khadījah bint Khuwaylid, and Fātimāh bint Muhammad, and Āsiyah bint Muzāhim, wife of the Pharaoh.’ ’’ (al-Khisāl)

Also, he narrates through his chains from Abu ’1-Hasan al-Awwal (a.s.) that he said: ‘‘The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.w.a.) said: ‘Verily Allāh, the Mighty, the Great, has selected four from among the women: Maryam, and Āsiyah, and Khadījah, and Fātimah ...’ ’’ (ibid.)

The author says: There are numerous traditions of nearly the same meaning, narrated by both sects. The fact that these four are the chiefs of the women does not preclude the difference in excellence as amongst themselves, as may be seen in the sixth tradition quoted from ad-Durru’lmanthūr, as well as other traditions. And a similar discourse was written under the verse: Surely Allāh chose Adam and Nūh (3:33).

A point to ponder: The verse talks about selection and choosing, while the above traditions describe their supremacy.

There is a difference between selection and supremacy; the latter being a degree of the former’s perfection.

al-Bāqir (a.s.) said explaining the words of Allāh: when they cast their pens (to decide) which of them should have Maryam in his charge:

‘‘They were drawing the lot about her, when she was orphaned of her father.’’ (al-‘Ayyāshī)

The Imām (a.s.) said about the verse: And when the angels said. ‘O Maryam! surely Allāh has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds’: ‘‘(Allāh) chose her twice: As for the first, He chose her, i.e., selected her, and as for the second, she conceived without a husband; in this way He made her excel over the women of the worlds.

‘‘... Then Allāh said to His Prophet: ‘This is of the tidings of the unseen which We reveal to you, (O Muhammad!) and you were not with them when they cast their pens (to decide) which of them should have Maryam in his charge, and you were not with them when they contended one with another.’ When she was born the family of ‘Īmrān contended one with another about her; everyone said: ‘We shall have her in our charge.’ So they went out and cast lot among themselves with the arrows, and the arrow of Zakariyyā came out (in the draw) ...’’ (at-Tafsīr, al-Qummī)

The author says: The Commentary written above supports this and the preceding tradition. There are numerous traditions giving the details regarding the good news given to Maryam, birth of ‘Īsā (a.s.), his mission and his miracles. But the general outline of his story, given in these verses is enough for the purpose of exegesis. That is why we have not written them here except the important ones.

al-Bāqir (a.s.) said about the words of Allāh, and I inform you of what you eat ...: ‘‘ ‘Īsā (a.s.) used to say to the Children of Israel: ‘I am the messenger of Allāh to you, and I create for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allāh’s permission, and I heal the blind and the leper; ’ (al-Akmah means blind).

They said: ‘We do not think that what you do is anything but sorcery.

Show us therefore a sign by which we may know that you are truthful.’

He said: ‘Do you think that you would know I was truthful if I informed you of what you eat and what you store in your houses, i.e., what you had eaten before you came out of your houses and what you had stored at night?’ They said: ‘Yes.’ So he used to tell them: ‘You ate this and this.’

Some of them confirmed his words and became believers, and other rejected it. And there was for them a sign in it, if they were believers.’’ (ibid.)

The author says: The style of the verse when describing the latter two signs differs from that used for the former ones, as we had pointed out in the Commentary. And this difference supports the theme of this tradition.

as-Sādiq (a.s.) said explaining the verse, And a verifier of that which is before me of the Torah, and that I may allow you ...: ‘‘There was (a distance of) four hundred years between Dāwūd and ‘Īsā; and it was the sharī‘ah of ‘Īsā that he was sent with monotheism and sincerity, and with what (Allāh) had enjoined on Nūh, Ibrāhīm and Mūsā; and He revealed to him Injīl; and took from him the covenant that was taken from (all other) prophets; and He ordained for him in the Book establishing the prayer with religion, and enjoining good, and forbidding evil, and prohibiting unlawful, and allowing lawful; and revealed to him in Injīl the sermons and the parables, and the panel code which did not have retaliation; it contained neither (detailed) rules of panel code nor the shares of inheritance; and He revealed to him alleviation of what was (ordained) for Mūsā in the Torah. And this is (the meaning of) the words Allāh quoting what ‘Īsā said to the Children of Israel: and that I may allow you part of that which has been forbidden to you. And ‘Īsā ordered those who were with him, from among those who followed him of the believers, to believe in the sharī‘ah of the Torah and the Injīl.’’ (al-‘Ayyāshī)

The author says: This tradition is narrated in Qisasu ’l-anbiyā’, in detail, from as-Sādiq (a.s.), and there it says that there was a distance of four hundred and eighty years between Dāwūd and ‘Īsā (a.s.). But neither of these dates conforms with the history of the People of the Book.

ar-Ridā’ (a.s.) was asked: ‘‘Why the disciples were called alh awāriyyūn?’’ (اَلْحَوَارِيُّونَ = companions, disciples; the root word denotes ‘‘intense whiteness’’). He said: ‘‘According to (other) people, they were named al-hawāriyyūn, because they were washer-men, they cleansed the dirt from clothes by washing; and it is a name derived from al-hawr (اَلْحَوْرُ = to bleach, to whiten). But according to us, they were given this name because they were pure in their ownselves and cleansed others from filth of sins by sermon and reminder.’’ (‘Uyūnu ’l-akhbār)

The same Imām said that they were twelve men, and the most excellent and most learned of them was Luke.7 (at-Tawhīd)

as-Sādiq (a.s.) said, inter alia, in a tradition: ‘‘Allāh sent ‘Īsā son of Maryam; and entrusted to him light, knowledge and wisdom; and (gave him) all knowledge of the previous prophets, and added Injīl to it. And He sent him to Baytu’l-Maqdis, to the Children of Israel, (he came) calling them to his Book and his wisdom, and to the belief in Allāh and His messenger. But most of them insisted on exceeding (the limits) and disbelieving. When they did not believe (in him), he prayed to his Lord, and adjured on Him (to punish them). So (Allāh) transformed (some) satans from among them, in order to show them a sign, so that they might take lesson from it.

‘‘But it did not increase in them except (their) transgression and disbelief. Then (‘Īsā) came to Baytu’l-Maqdis, and continued calling them to, and awakening their interest in, that which is with Allāh, for thiry-three years, until the Jews got up in his pursuit. And they claimed that they tortured him and buried him in the earth alive. And some of them claimed that they killed and crucified him. But Allāh was not to give them power over him; but it only appeared to them so; and they were not able to torture and kill him or to kill and crucify him, because if they could do so it would have been a refutation of the words of Allāh; but Allāh caused him to ascend after taking him away completely.’’ (Kamālu ’d-dīn)

The author says: The words of the Imām: ‘‘Allāh transformed (some) satans from among them,’’ means that He transformed a group of evil persons from among them. ‘‘And continued calling them for thirty-three years’’; perhaps it refers to his span of life, as it is wellknown that he lived on this earth for thirty-three years. ‘Īsā (a.s.) talked to them from his cradle upto his mature age, and he was prophet from his early childhood, as the Qur’ān quotes him saying in the verses: But she pointed to him. They said: ‘‘How should we speak to one who is a child in the cradle?’’ He said: ‘‘Surely I am a servant of Allāh; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet (19:29 - 30).

‘‘... it would have been a refutation of the words of Allāh; but Allāh caused him to ascend after taking him away completely’’. It is a paraphrase of the Qur’ānic words: Rather Allāh took him, up to Himself (4:158); and, ‘‘I am going to take you away completely and cause you to ascend unto Me. ’’ As this verse mentions taking him away before causing him to ascend, the tradition infers that the events happened in the same sequence.

al-Bāqir (a.s.) said: ‘‘ ‘Īsā (a.s.) made a promise to his companions, the night when Allāh took him up to Himself. So they gathered near him in the evening, and they were twelve men; and he made them enter into a house. Then he came to them from a fountain that was in the corner of the house, shaking off water from his hair. Then he said: ‘Verily Allāh has revealed to me that He is going to take me up just now to Himself and purify me from the Jews. Now who among you (agrees) that my features be put on him, in order that he is killed and crucified (in my place) and he shall be with me in my rank?’ A young man among them said: ‘I, O Spirit of Allāh!’ He said: ‘So you are that.’ Then ‘Īsā said to them: ‘Why! surely there is one of you who will reject me twelve times before it is morning.’ One of them asked: ‘Am I that? O prophet of Allāh!’ ‘Īsā said to him: ‘Do you feel it in your heart? Then be you that.’

Thereafter ‘Īsā told them: ‘Why! surely you will divide after me in three groups: two groups, forging lie against Allāh, (shall be) in the Fire; and one group following Sham‘ūn8 , being true to Allāh, (shall be) in the Garden.’ Then Allāh caused ‘Īsā to ascend to Him from the corner of the house while they were looking at him.’’

Then the Imām (a.s.) said: ‘‘The Jews came searching for ‘Īsā the same night. And they caught the man about whom ‘Īsā had said: ‘Surely there is one of you who will reject me twelve times before it is morning’; and they took the young man who had been given the features of ‘Īsā and he was killed and crucified. And he for whom ‘Īsā had said that he would reject him twelve times before it was morning, did (indeed) reject him.’’ (at-Tafsīr, al-Qummī)

The author says: The traditions of nearly the same meaning have been narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās, Qatādah and others. Some people have said that the man who was made to look like ‘Īsā was the same person who had guided the Jews so that they could arrest and kill him. There are some other views regarding those details. But the Qur’ān is silent on this subject; and we shall write on it in detail under the verse: and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (4:157).

ar-Ridā (a.s.) said: ‘‘There never was, in the eyes of the people, any uncertainty concerning the affairs of any prophet or Proof of Allāh except the affair of ‘Īsā alone; because he was taken up from the earth alive, and he was given death between the heaven and the earth, then he was taken up to the heaven. And this is (the meaning of) the words of Allāh, the Mighty, the Great: And when Allāh said: ‘O ‘Īsā! I am going to take you away completely and cause you to ascend unto Me and purify you’; and (also) Allāh says quoting the words of ‘Īsā (which he will say) on the Day of Resurrection: ‘and I was a witness of them so long as I was among them, but when Thou didst take me (away) completely, Thou wert the watcher over them, and Thou art witness of all things (5:117).’ ’’ (‘Uyūnu ’l-akhbār)

as-Sādiq (a.s.) said: ‘‘ ‘Īsā son of Maryam was taken up with a woollen outer garment, spun by Maryam, and woven by Maryam, and sewn by Maryam. But when he reached the heaven, he was addressed: ‘O ‘Īsā! Lay down your worldly embellishment.’ ’’ (al-‘Ayyāshī)

The author says: We shall explain the meaning of the above quoted two traditions, Allāh willing, at the end of the Chapter 4, ‘‘The Women.’’

It is written in ad-Durru’l-manthūr about the verse: Surely the likeness of ‘Īsā is with Allāh ...: ‘Abd ibn Hamīd and Ibn Jarīr have narrated from Qatādah that he said: ‘‘We have been told that as-Sayyid and al-‘Āqib, the two chiefs and bishops of the people of Najrān, met the Prophet of Allāh (s.a.w.a.) and asked him about ‘Īsā, and said to him:

‘Every human being has a father. Then why is it that ‘Īsā (a.s.) had no father?’ Then Allāh revealed this verse about him: Surely the likeness of ‘Īsā is with Allāh as the likeness of Adam ...’’

The author says: The traditions of nearly the same meaning have been narrated from as-Suddī, ‘Ikrimah and others; al-Qummī also has narrated in his at-Tafsīr, that the verse was revealed on the same occasion.

SOME OTHER TRADITIONS ABOUT AL-MUHADDATH

Zurārah said: ‘‘I asked Abū ‘Abdillāh (a.s.) about the messenger, the prophet and al-muhaddath ( اَلْمُحَدَّثُ = the one spoken to). He said: ‘The messenger is the one who sees the angel (who) brings the message of his Lord to him, and tells him: ‘‘(Allāh) orders you so-and-so.’’ And the messenger is a prophet with (the added rank of) messengership. And the prophet does not see the angel, something comes down to him - the news (comes) to his heart; and he becomes as though he be in a trance, and he sees (the vision) in his dream.’ I said: ‘Then how does he know that what he saw in his dream was truth?’ He said: ‘Allāh makes it clear to him, so that he knows that it is truth; and he does not see the angel.

And al-Muhaddath is the one who hears the voice and does not see (the speaker) in person.’ ’’ (Basā’iru ‘d-darajāt)

The Author says: It has been narrated from the same Imām in al-Kāfī also.

The original word of the Imām at the end of the tradition is shāhidan (شَاهِداً = translated here as ‘‘in person’’); it literally means ‘‘at present’’; also it may be a conditional phrase related to the subject; in other words, it may mean, ‘‘he does not see manifestly’’.

Burayd enquired from al-Bāqir and as-Sādiq (peace be on both of them), inter alia, in a tradition: ‘‘Then what is a messenger, a prophet and ‘the one spoken to’?’’ He (the Imām) said: ‘‘A messenger is one to whom the angel appears and speaks; and a prophet is one who sees in his dream; and possibly the messengership and the prophethood is combined in a single person. The muhaddath is the one who hears the voice of the angel but does not see his person.’’ Burayd said: ‘‘I said: ‘May Allāh make things right for you! How can he know that what has he seen in his dream is the truth and that it is from the angel?’ He (the Imām) said: ‘He is directed in the right way until he knows it (with certainty). Allāh has surely set a seal on the (divine) books with your Book, and on the prophets with your prophet.’ ’’ (ibid.)

Muhammad ibn Muslim said: ‘‘I mentioned al-Muhaddath in the presence of Abū ‘Abdillāh (a.s.). He said: ‘Verily he hears the voice but does not see his person.’ I said: ‘May Allāh make things right for you!

How does he know that it is the speech of the angel?’ He said: ‘He is given tranquillity and dignity so that he knows that it is the angel (speaking).’ ’’ (ibid.)

Abū Basīr narrates from the same Imām that he said: ‘‘ ‘Alī was the muhaddath, and Salmān was the muhaddath.’’ Abū Basīr says: ‘‘I said:

‘Then what is the sign of the muhaddath?’ He said: ‘The angel comes to him and scratches his heart (i.e., communicates to him) so-and-so.’ ’’(ibid.)

Humrān ibn A‘yan said: ‘‘Abū Ja‘far (a.s.) said to me that ‘Alī was the muhaddath. (When I told this to) our Companions, (they) said: ‘You did nothing when you did not ask him who used to speak to him?’ Then it happened that I (again) met Abū Ja‘far; and I said to him: ‘Did not you inform me that ‘Alī was spoken to?’ He said: ‘Surely.’ I said: ‘Who used to speak to him?’ He said: ‘An angel.’ I said: ‘Then I may say that he was a prophet or a messenger?’ He said: ‘No. But you should say that his likeness was the likeness of the Companion of Sulaymān and the Companion of Mūsā; and his likeness was the likeness of Dhū ’l- Qarnayn. Why! Have not you heard that ‘Alī was asked about Dhu ’l-Qarnayn whether he was a prophet?’ He said: ‘No. But he was a servant who loved Allāh, so (Allāh) loved him; and he was sincere towards Allāh, so (Allāh) gave him good advice (i.e., guided him). So this also is like that.’ ’’ (ibid.)

The author says: There are numerous traditions narrated from the Imāms of the Ahlu ’l-bayt about the meaning of ‘the one spoken to’ found in Basā’iru ’d-darajāt, al-Kāfī, Kanzu ’l-fawā’id, al-Ikhtisās and other books. This topic is found in the Sunnī traditions too.

As for the distinction given by these traditions, between a prophet, a messenger and ‘the one spoken to’, we have described the difference between a messenger and a prophet. Also it has been explained that through revelation Allāh speaks to His servant, and it creates by itself firm and certain knowledge, and this knowledge does not require any other proof. Among all Divine messeges, revelation has the same position as the self-evident truths have in human knowledge - man does not need any proof or logical deduction to know that it is truth.

As for the dream, you must have noted that the traditions explain it in another way; it is not the vision which one sees normally in sleep; rather it denotes something like a trance, in which the external senses of the prophet are suspended, and then he observes what Allāh wants him to see - in the same way as we observe the things in our wakening. Then Allāh strengthens his conviction by bestowing on him the certainty that what he has seen is from Allāh and not a Satanic manipulation.

As for being spoken to, it denotes hearing the voice of an angel. But he hears it by his heart, not by the ears, nor is it something like ideas or imaginations occurring in the mind, because idea or imagination is not called ‘hearing the voice’ - except as a far-fetched allegory. That is why the traditions describe it as hearing the voice and also as communicating to the heart; and yet name it as speech and talk. In short, the muhaddath hears the voice of the angel and listen to it with his ‘hearing, power’ just as we hear and listen to normal talks and voices heard in this material world; but no other person can share in that talk or hear that voice, and therefore it is called a matter of heart.

As for his firm knowledge that what he heard was an angel’s talk and not a Satanic whispering, it happens by the help of Allāh, as is explained in the above-quoted tradition of Muhammad ibn Muslim: ‘‘He is given tranquillity and dignity so that he knows that it is the angel (speaking).’’

The Satanic whispering - surely a falsehood - may come in either of the two ways: It may appear in a form which the believer knows to be false, and then he naturally will know that it cannot be the talk of an angel because angels do not disobey Allāh and do not go against His command. Or, it may appear wearing a mask of truth and fact - hoping to bring in its wake falsehood and lie. In such case, the Divine Light, which always leads the believer, exposes its reality. Allāh says: Is he who was dead then We raised him to life and made for him a light by which he walks among the people (6:122).

Apart from that, whispering and evil suggestions always create restlessness in soul and turmoil in heart, contrary to the remembrance of Allāh and His speech which create gravity, and tranquillity. Allāh says: It is only the Satan that frightens his friends (3:175); now surely by Allāh’s remembrance are the hearts set at rest (13:28); Surely those who are pious, when a visitation from the Satan afflicts them they become mindful, then to ! they see (7:201).

When therefore the heart of the muhaddath is blessed with tranquillity and dignity at the time when he hears the message, it conclusively proves that the message is from Allāh. Conversely, restlessness and anxiety would show that it was a Satanic whispering, which brings precipitation, anxiety, anguish, etc., in its wake.

The traditions say that the muhaddath hears the voice of the angel and does not see him. It looks at the reality of being spoken to, and gives its academic definition. But it does not mean that the muhaddath cannot see the angel. A man becomes al-muhaddath (اَلْمُحَدَّثُ = the one spoken to), as soon as he hears an angel’s voice, it is not necessary for him to see the angel. And if the muhaddath sees the angel, it is not because he is spoken to; it is an added excellence. Many verses clearly show that some of those spoken to had seen the angels when they spoke to them.

For example:

Maryam: then We sent to her Our Spirit, and there appeared to her a well-made man. She said: ‘‘Surely I fly for refuge from you to the Beneficient Allāh, if you are pious.’’ He said: ‘‘I am only a messenger of your Lord: That I should give you a pure boy’’ (19:17 - 19).

Wife of Ibrāhīm: And certainly Our messengers came to Ibrāhīm with good news. They said: ‘‘Peace,’’ ‘‘Peace,’’ said he And his wife was standing (by), so she laughed; then We gave her the good news of Ishāq and after Ishāq of (a son’s son) Ya‘qūb. She said: ‘‘O woe to me! shall I bear a son (now) when I am an (extremely) old (woman) and this my husband an (extremely) old (man)? Most surely this is an amazing thing.’’ They said: ‘‘Do you wonder at the decree of Allāh? The mercy of Allāh and His blessings be on you, O people of the house surely He is Praised, Glorious’’ (11:69 - 73).

However, the above traditions may have got another explanation: The statement that the muhaddath does not see the angel, may mean that he does not see the reality of the angels, although he might see them in the form which they assume when appearing before him. After all, the above-quoted verses only show that Maryam and the wife of Ibrāhīm had seen the angels in human form - the assumed form.

Someone has suggested a third interpretation: The statement means that the angel does not bring to him any revelation of the Sharī‘ah; he does not appear before him with a legislative order; and this distinction is meant to protect the dignity of the messengers and the prophets.

But it is a far-fetched interpretation.

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