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[These
Nazarenes debate you concerning Jesus, the son of Mary.] Indeed God selected Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham and
the family of Imraan
for the guidance of others,
preferring them over [all else in] the entire world. They were the progeny, one of the other
and [God is fully aware of whatever guidance they gave to others and whatever
they did during their lives, because] God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (33 - 34)
[Remind
them of the incident] when Imran's wife said [while praying]: "My
Lord, I consecrate whatever is in my womb solely to Your service, freeing it of
all worldly responsibilities. Therefore accept this consecration from me. For
indeed You are the Hearer of
[my supplications] and are Omniscient."
Then, when she delivered [a girl] she said: "Lord, I have delivered a girl"
- and God was well aware of what she had delivered,
and the male [she had hoped for] was in no way comparable to the female [she delivered]
- [but now that You have granted me this girl,] "I
have named her Mary and I seek your refuge for her and her descendents to from
Satan, the Condemned." [These were the feelings with which she dedicated
Mary in the way of God.] Consequently, her Lord graciously accepted the girl and
arranged for her the
most suitable upbringing and [for this purpose] placed her in the care of
Zachariah.
Whenever Zachariah visited her in the chamber, he found [God's] blessings surrounding her. [It was at one such instance
that] he asked: "O Mary, from
where do you get these [blessings]?"
She replied: "All this is from
God." [This was a special favor of God upon her, and]
indeed, God blesses infinitely whom He
pleases. (35 - 37)
It was then that Zachariah called upon his Lord,
saying: "My Lord, [how
I wish You would] grant me of Your special grace [such] pious offspring. Indeed,
You hear the prayers [of Your servants]. In response, [one day] while he was
standing in his chambers praying,
the angels
called out to him saying, "God gives you glad tidings of John,
who will be a witness to [the coming of] a Word of God,
a leader,
one withdrawn from worldly pleasures and a prophet [of God] from amongst the pious.
He asked [with surprise]: "My Lord, from where can I have a son, while I am an
old man and my wife is barren?"
He said: "Thus, God does whatever He pleases."
He said: "My Lord, appoint a sign for me [so that I may be certain that this glad
tiding comes from God and is not merely my heart voicing its desire]." He
replied: "Your sign is that you will not be able to speak to people for three
days, except [that you will be able to communicate with them] through gestures [but you will have no problem in praising and
glorifying God] and [therefore, during these three days] remember your Lord much
and glorify [Him] night and day.
(38 - 41)
And
[similar to the birth of John (pbuh), the birth of Jesus (pbuh) too was by the
direct intervention of God,] remind them of the time when the angels said: "O
Mary, God selected you and cleansed you
and, preferring you over all the women of the world, chose you [for the
manifestation of one of His greatest signs in this world.
Therefore,] continue to be obedient to God and prostrate and bow [in surrender
to Him], with those who bow [to Him]." (42 - 43)
This is an account of events unknown [to you, O
Prophet], which We reveal to you. You were not present when they drew lots to
determine who would take charge of Mary
and nor were you present when they argued with each other [on this matter]. (44)
[Remind them of the time] when the angels said: "O
Mary, God gives you glad tidings of [a son, that you will conceive through] a
Word from Him.
His name will be, the Messiah,
Jesus son of Mary.
He will be highly respected in this world as well as in the Hereafter and will
be from among those who enjoy closeness [to God]. He will address the people [as
a prophet of God] while in the cradle
as well as when he reaches a mature age,
and will be from amongst the righteous." She asked: "My Lord, from
where can I have a child, while no man has ever even touched me?" He said: "Thus does God
create whatever He decides. When He decides on something, He only says to it:
'Be'
and it materializes. [This is surely going to happen] and God will teach him the
Law and the Wisdom - that is, the Torah and the Gospel
- and will appoint him as a messenger to the Israelites."
[So it happened and Jesus was born to Mary. And he called the Israelites to the
path of God, saying:] 'I have come to you with a clear sign from your Lord: I
make from clay the shape of a bird in front of you, then blow into it and, by
the command of God, it becomes a real bird; and I heal those who are blind since
their birth and the lepers and I raise the dead, by the command of God; and I
can inform you about what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed,
there is a clear sign in these things for you, if you are inclined towards
believing. And I have come as one attesting the Torah that came before me; and have
come to make lawful for you some of the things which were forbidden for you.
And [now that] I have come with a clear sign from your Lord, you must fear God
and obey me. Indeed, God is my Lord and your Lord, therefore worship Him alone.
This indeed is the straight path [leading to God's pleasure].'" (45 - 51)
Then, when Jesus sensed [about his people] that
they were bent upon rejection
he said: Who will be my helper in the way of God?
His Disciples [answered his call and readily] called out: We are God's helpers.
We have believed in God and [on the Day of Judgment,] bear witness [for us] that
we have submitted to Him. Our Lord, [we declare that] we have believed in what
you have revealed and [to fulfill its requirements,] we follow the messenger.
Therefore, record us among those who have [accepted and have] borne witness of
the Truth. (52 - 53)
And [in contrast to these disciples, the scholars persisted
in their rejection. And] they started scheming [against Jesus], and [in
response,] God made a plan [against them]; and God, indeed, is the best of
planners. The time, when God said: "Jesus, I have decided that I will cause
you to die and raise you to Myself and will cleanse you of those who have
rejected you and will grant dominance to those who have [believed in you and
have] followed you over those who have rejected you, till the Day of
Resurrection. Then [on that Day,] to Me shall be your return. I will then decide
between you in all the matters in which you have been differing. As for those
who have rejected, I will punish them severely in this world as well as in
the hereafter. And they will find no one to help them [against Me]. And as for
those who believe [in God] and do good deeds, He will give them their reward in
full. And, indeed, God does not like the unjust. (54 - 57)
[Prophet,] these are Our verses
and a reminder full of wisdom that we recite to you. Indeed, Jesus, in the sight
of God, is like Adam. He created him from dust and then said to him 'Become [a
human being],' and thus, he became [a human being].
This is the truth [in this regard] from your Lord, therefore do not be in any
doubt [regarding it].
As for those who continue to argue the matter with you, even after the true
knowledge has come to you [from your Lord], say to them, "Come, we will call our
children, and [you call] your children, [we will call] our women, and [you call]
your women, and [we present] ourselves and [you present] yourselves and then we
pray [to God] calling for His curse on the liars [in this regards, amongst
us]". (58 - 62)
Undoubtedly, this is the true narration [regarding
Jesus] and the fact is that there is no one worthy of worship besides the one
God and God, indeed, is the Mighty, the Wise.
Now, if they turn away [from this truth], then [they will most definitely bear
the burden of their rejection, for] God, indeed, is fully aware of the ones bent
upon evil. (63)
Here ends the preface of the Surah.
From here onwards, the Qur'an has commented upon the beliefs of the
Nazarenes and has completely established the flaws entailed in them. Thus,
just like Surah Al-Baqarah
was the Surah of
Itmam al-Hujjah - i.e. the
severance of all excuses for rejection - for the Banu Israel, this
Surah,
Aal Imraan, is a
Surah of
Itmam al-Hujjah for the
Nazarenes.
As has been clarified in the following verses. Imraan was the father of Mary
(pbuh). Thus, even though the family of Imraan was part of the family of
Abraham (pbuh), it is because of the significance of the family of Imraan in the
context of Jesus (pbuh) that it is mentioned separately.
This refers to God's selection and appointment of Adam and Noah (pbut) as
prophet and messenger in their individual capacities and then his
appointment of the family of Abraham (pbuh) and the family of Imraan - being a part
of the family of Abraham (pbuh) - as witnesses of God's justice, in their
collective capacities.
This is a reminder to the addressees that these people were all born to
generations of human beings. The family of Imraan were all the progeny of
Abraham who, in turn, was himself born to generations of humans reaching
Adam (pbuh).
There is an element of disappointment in this sentence. According to the
Jewish tradition, only the male child was dedicated to the service of the
places of worship.
Implying that God not only had full knowledge of what she had delivered but
it was in fact God, Who with His absolute knowledge and wisdom, had decided
to answer her sincere prayers and bless her with this female child.
The goodness and blessings that were to emanate from that girl, at the birth
of whom her mother had shown her disappointment, were only known to God at
that time.
Zachariah was the priest from the family of Aaron
(pbuh), from the course of Abia.
The Bible mentions Zachariah and his wife as: "And they were both righteous
before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord
blameless." (Luke 1: 6). Zachariah's wife was a relative of Mary (see, Luke
1: 36).
Deeply effected by the piety of Mary (pbuh) and by the special blessings of
God on her, Zachariah prayed to God to bless him with pious progeny, as well.
The best time for supplications and the most effective time for the
closeness of God is when one stands in prayers.
The plural form of the word 'angels' is not to suggest that there was more
than one angel delivering this message, on the contrary, it is only to
suggest that the voice that Zachariah heard was one of any one of the
angels, not of one known to Zachariah. It was merely a voice that Zachariah heard
about which the Qur'an has clarified that it was of one of the angels.
The Arabic name John is Yahya (pbuh). John's
(pbuh) birth preceded the birth of
Christ (pbuh) by six months (See Easton's Bible Dictionary "John the Baptist").
It is clear from verse 45 of this
Surah that the Word of God referred to
here is Jesus (pbuh), the son of Mary
(pbuh) . Jesus (pbuh) has been called the Word of God
because in contrast to the normal course of conception and birth of a child,
Jesus (pbuh) was born merely by a command of God. It is clear from these
words that the basic mission of John (pbuh) was to foretell and bear witness to the
coming of the Christ (pbuh).
Even though all prophets of God speak with the authority of God and are
leaders of their people,; but, the authority with which John and Jesus (pbut)
addressed their people was phenomenal and quite incomparable.
Both John and Jesus (pbut) shared the quality of being withdrawn from
worldly pleasures. The reason for this withdrawal, according to the Qur'an,
is that Jesus (pbuh) was the embodiment of God's last warning to the
Israelites, on the one hand, and the last chance given to the Israelites to
regain their glory. Rejecting Jesus (pbuh) was to open the doors of God's
wrath upon the Israelites. It was this specific position of Jesus (pbuh) -
and as a preamble to Jesus (pbuh), that of John (pbuh) - which kept them
detached from involving themselves in worldly pleasures and interests.
With all these qualities, he will still be only a pious human being and a
prophet of God.
This is not an expression of doubt regarding God's power, but is, in fact, a
search for confirmation of the good news.
As required by His perfect knowledge, Wisdom, Mercy and Justice.
Here, the Qur'an has clarified that Zachariah's inability to speak was
not as a punishment for his incredulity regarding God's powers, but was in
fact a sign given to him by God. The Gospel of Luke presents a different
picture of this incident. Luke 1: 18 - 20 reads as:
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an
old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said
unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to
speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou
shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things
shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be
fulfilled in their season.
The miraculous birth of John (pbuh) was mentioned as a preamble to the
reference to the birth and life of Jesus (pbuh), which is the actual topic
discussed in this part of the Surah.
By arranging for the most appropriate upbringing for Mary
(pbuh), and thereby,
preparing her to face the upcoming incidents in life.
This is the reference to the coming of the Christ (pbuh), who was one of the
greatest signs of God and a source of the ultimate Itmam al-Hujjah (i.e.,
removal of all excuse for rejection) for the Israelites.
It is well known that in the Jewish tradition, various duties were assigned
to the priests by way of drawing lots (see: Jewish Encyclopedia, "Tamid").
Clearly implying that Mary (pbuh) will bear a child without coming in contact with
a man.
Literally, 'Al-Maseeh'
implies 'the one anointed'. The word 'Al-Maseeh'
is an established appellation for Jesus (pbuh). According to the established
tradition among the Israelites, the appointment of a prophet and of kings
was generally declared through anointing a kind of sacred oil on the
individual's head. For Jesus (pbuh), this declaration of his appointment was
made directly by the Almighty. Thus, 'Al-Maseeh',
with reference to Jesus (pbuh) implies the one anointed directly by God.
By calling Jesus (pbuh) the son of Mary (pbuh), against the established tradition
of the Israelites in particular, whereby a child was known with reference to
his father, the Qur'an has made a clear implication that Jesus (pbuh) was
born without a father.
This was a special Divine arrangement to protect Mary (pbuh) from the slander of
her people.
This entails the glad tidings for Mary (pbuh) that her son will live to a mature
age and will continue to deliver God's message to his people.
This is the Word through which Jesus' conception in Mary's womb took place.
With these words, the Qur'an has also clarified the mutual positioning of
the Torah and the Gospel. The Torah consists mainly of the Divine Law, while
the Gospel consists mainly of teachings relating to faith, morality and the
spirit of the laws entailed in the Torah.
In contrast to John (pbuh), Jesus (pbuh) was not merely a prophet (Nabi)
but was also a messenger (Rasu'l)
of God, sent to the Israelites. Thus, as a result of rejecting Jesus (pbuh),
the Israelites were subjected to the Divine law relating to God's
messengers and were punished to live in subjection of those who believed in
Jesus (pbuh).
i.e. things that were prohibited for you through the pronouncements of the
scholars and the jurists.
Here the Qur'an has pointed out the real teaching of Jesus (pbuh).
This is a reference to the leaders of the Israelites and the influential
among them.
"Now that
the leaders of the Israelites are bent upon rejecting me, is there anyone who will help and support me in
fulfilling God's ordainments and directives?" After being completely
disappointed by the religious elite of the Israelites, Jesus (pbuh) turned
towards ordinary men and found his partners, helpers and supporters in the
fishermen, the peasants and the tax collectors.
A messenger of God is God's representative on earth. Helping the messenger
in his mission is in fact to help God.
The foregoing narration regarding the life and teachings of Jesus (pbuh) is
not merely an alternative presentation of the story. On the contrary, it is
the truth revealed by God, the one who knows all the apparent as well as the
hidden. Anything that contradicts this narration, contradicts the
information given directly by the One God.
The physical laws of cause and effect are themselves a creation of the
Almighty. God, in carrying out any of His decisions, is not bound by the
limits of His creations. Thus, when
He decides to carry something out, the
implementation of His will is not hindered by the unavailability of any or
all of the inputs required for it. Even if born without a father, Jesus (pbuh)
remains a creation of God, as any other of His creations. In this regard,
the position of Jesus (pbuh), in the sight of God, is similar to that of
Adam (pbuh), who was born without either of the parents.
The Prophet (pbuh) is addressed here as the representative of the believers,
who were subjected to the continual propaganda of the Christians around
them.
God alone is the one worthy of worship. Jesus (pbuh) does not share in any
of God's powers. God alone is the one possessing absolute might and wisdom.
Thus, God's will is never hindered by the absence of any input necessary
for the incidence of His will. Furthermore, God's will is never devoid of
deep wisdom.
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