Appearance
Verses 170–175
In the previous section God had rebutted their demand to His Messenger that he should bring to them a book from the heaven; and clearly stated that the Messenger has come with truth from his Lord, and the Book which he has brought from Him was a convincing proof in which there was no doubt. Consequently, it was perfectly right to call in this section all the people to believe in the Messenger of God and the Book brought by him.
It was also described that all His messengers and prophets, including Jesus, were sent on one pattern, with similar framework and comparable religion; and that was the pattern of revelation from God. It was but natural that the Prophet should call the Christians (being the People of the Book and revelation) not to exceed the limit in their religion; rather they should join hands with all other monotheist believers by believing about Jesus what they and others do believe about other prophets: that they were the servants of God and messengers to His creation.
God has begun this section of His speech by calling all the people to believe in His Messenger because the previous section had clearly described the truth of his prophethood when He has said: Surely We have revealed to you as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him…
Then He calls them not to exceed the limit concerning Jesus because Jesus’s status has been described in the above verses.
Then He calls them to follow His Book, that is the Honored Qur’an, because it was described clearly in the last part of the previous section: But Allah bears witness by what He has revealed to you that He has revealed it with His knowledge…
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمُ الرَّسُولُ بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَآمِنُوا خَيْرًا لَكُمْ ۚ وَإِنْ تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا ١٧٠
(4:170) O people! Surely the Messenger has come to you with the truth from your Lord, therefore believe, (it shall be) good for you; and if you disbelieve, then surely whatever is in the heavens and the earth is Allah’s; and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
It is addressed to all the people, be they the People of the Book, or others, and it branches out from the previous speech addressed to the People of the Book. Now, the talk is addressed to the whole mankind because the Prophet’s messengership was all-encompassing and the belief in the Messenger was incumbent for all.
The phrase, khayran lakum (translated here as: [it shall be] good for you) is grammatically the circumstantial clause of the verb ‘believe’. It is a concomitant condition and would literally means: believe as it is inseparable virtue of belief that it is good for you.
…and if you disbelieve, then surely whatever is in the heavens and the earth is Allah’s; and Allah is Knowing, Wise: If you disbelieve, that disbelief will not increase anything to you nor decrease anything from God. Everything that is in the heavens and the earth belongs to God. It is impossible for anyone to take away anything from God because it exclusively belongs to Him. All that is in the heavens and the earth is by nature a property of God who has no partner or colleague. To say that a thing exists, is exactly the same as saying that it belongs to God. How can a thing be removed from God’s Ownership as long as it exists?
This verse is a comprehensive and all-encompassing speech; the deeper you contemplate it, the finer the points come before your eyes; and a comprehensive and wondrous vista appears before you. When you will look at the comprehensive Ownership of God which covers the things and their effects, you will find out wonderful connotations of belief and disbelief, obedience and disobedience. It will do you good to ponder on it more and more.
يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْحَقَّ ۚ إِنَّمَا الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ ۖ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ۖ وَلَا تَقُولُوا ثَلَاثَةٌ ۚ انْتَهُوا خَيْرًا لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا اللَّهُ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۖ سُبْحَانَهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ ۘ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلًا ١٧١
(4:171) O People of the Book! do not exceed the limits in your religion and do not speak about Allah except the truth; the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary is only a Messenger of Allah and His Word which He conveyed to Mary and a spirit from Him; believe therefore in Allah and His messengers, and say not, Three. Desist, it is better for you; Allah is only one God: far be it from His glory that He should have a son; whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His; and Allah is sufficient for a Protector
Apparently, it is addressed to the Christians because it describes the affairs of the Messiah. They have been addressed with the words “People of the Book” which is a common adjective covering Jews and Christians both. But it was preferred because their being among the People of Book demands that they should not exceed the limit of what God has revealed and explained in His Books, and one of the things described therein is that they should not speak about God except the truth.
Also, it could be an address to both the Jews and the Christians because the Jews too were not different from the Christians in their exceeding in religion and speaking about God other than truth, as God has said: And the Jews say: “ ʿUzayr is the son of Allah!” (). Also, He says: They have taken their scholars and their monks for Lords besides Allah (); Say: “O People of the Book! Come to a word, common between us and you… and (that) some of us shall not take others for Lords besides Allah ().
In view of this interpretation, the words: the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary is only a Messsenger of Allah… narrows the talk after its generality, by addressing a particular group of the audience regarding its particular straying. However, this view does not correspond with the context: The words, “the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary is only a Messenger of God… “, give apparently the reason for the preceding clause, “do not exceed the limits in your religion”. [As the two sentences are connected together, it follows that the verse is addressed to the Christians only.] The title, “the Messiah”, has been further explained with the words, “’Jesus son of Mary”; this explicit mention of his and his mother’s names prevents the word, Messiah, to be explained or applied to some other person. Also, it proves that he was a human being, created, like any human being born of his mother. and His Word which He conveyed to Mary: it explains the meaning of the ‘word’; he was the word ‘Be’, which was conveyed to Mary. His creation had not taken place through normal causes like marriage and father. God says: Allah creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it: “B” and it is (). In fact, everything is the word of God; however, other things come into being through the agency of normal cause, while Jesus was born without some of the normal causes. That is why he was called “the Word”.
and a spirit from Him: The spirit is from the command. God says: Say: “The soul is from the command of my Lord… “ (); as Jesus was the creative word, “Be” and it is a command, therefore, he was called “the spirit”. We have discussed this verse in detail in the third volume of this book.
…believe therefore in Allah and His messengers, and say not, Three. Desist, it is better for you; Allah is only one God;…: It is based on the beginning clauses and springs from the words: the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary is only a Messenger of Allah. In this situation, you are obligated to believe in the prescribed way, that is, belief in God and His Lordship and His messengers (including Jesus) and their prophethood. “and say not, Three.” Desist from the belief in trinity. This desistance or this belief in God and His messengers and rejection of trinity is good for you. “Three” refers to the three persons of trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. We have discussed it in detail in the third chapter, “The Family of ʿImrān”.
…far be it from His glory that He should have a son; whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His;…: Subhāna (translated here as “far be it from His glory”). Grammatically, it is a cognate accusative for emphasis, with its verb, usabbihu (I glorify) omitted but understood; “that He should have a son” is attached to that accusative case. The meaning is: I glorify Him to the utmost degree that He should have a son. This is a parenthetical clause for acknowledging the glory of God. “Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His.” It could be circumstantial clause or an independent sentence. Anyhow, it gives the proof why God has no son. A son resembles the father in the origin of his person and existence and development of his body. When all that is in the heavens and the earth belongs to God in its person and effects, and when He manages everything alone, then nothing in the universe can resemble Him. Consequently, nothing can be called “His offspring.”
The connotation is that no existing thing can be called God’s son; as such, the words, “whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth”, are an extended metaphor to show that everything other than God belongs to Him. (The heavens and the earth themselves are included in this argument while they are not in the heavens or in the earth.
This verse contains imperative and prohibitive orders and gives a comprehensive guidance to their good in this world and the hereafter. That is why the speech ends with the words: and Allah is sufficient for a Protector. He is your guardian, manages your affairs, guides you to what is good for you and calls you to the straight path.
لَنْ يَسْتَنْكِفَ الْمَسِيحُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَبْدًا لِلَّهِ وَلَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ ۚ وَمَنْ يَسْتَنْكِفْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيَسْتَكْبِرْ فَسَيَحْشُرُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ جَمِيعًا ١٧٢ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدُهُمْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ ۖ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ اسْتَنْكَفُوا وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا فَيُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا ١٧٣
(4:172-173) The Messiah does by no means disdain that he should be a servant of Allah, nor do the angels who are near to Him, and whoever disdains His worship and is proud, He will gather them all together to Himself. Then as for those who believe and do good, He will pay them fully their rewards and give them more out of His grace; and as for those who disdain and are proud, He will chastise them with a painful chastisement. And they shall not find for themselves besides Allah a guardian or a helper.
It is another argument for refutation of divinity of Messiah, no matter whether he is supposed to be son of God or one of the three persons of God. The Messiah is a servant of God and he by no means disdains worshipping God; even the Christians do not deny it as the Gospels found with them explicitly say that he was worshipping God; and it is unimaginable that a son who is similar to his father in origin and make-up would worship him; nor that he would worship his own self; nor for one of the three persons of trinity to worship the other two when he is equal in rank to them. We have already explained it while describing the affairs of Jesus in the third chapter, “The Family of ʿImrān”.
The words, “nor do the angels who are near (to Him)”, extend the talk to the angels because the argument exactly applies to them too, as the polytheists of Arabia used to say that they were the daughters of God. The sentence is a digression from the main topic.
The verse refers to Jesus as the Messiah and describes the angels as the near ones; and in this way alludes to the reason why they would not disdain God’s worship. How can Jesus disdain the worship of God when he is the Messiah; anointed and blessed; or the angels when they are near to God? Had there been any possibility of their disdaining God’s worship, God would not have blessed Jesus nor brought the angels nearer. By the way, God has depicted Messiah too as the one near to God, as He says:… worthy of regard in this world and the hereafter and of those who are made near (to Allah), ().
…and whoever disdains His worship and is proud, He will gather them all together to Himself: It points to the condition of the Messiah and the angels, and gives the reason why they wouldn’t disdain His worship. How can they do so when they know that those who disdain His worship and are proud—be they human beings, jinn or angels—will be gathered all together to Him and will be requited according to their deeds? The Messiah and the angels believe in Him and fear Him and know these realities.
We have said that the words, “and whoever disdains His worship and is proud” show that the Messiah and the near angels are fully aware that the ones who disdain shall be gathered to Him all together. This idea is depicted by the word, “and is proud”. Mere disdaining, if it is not the result of pride, does not attract Divine wrath, as happens in those who are ignorant or weak; but if the Messiah and the angels were to disdain His worship it would only be a result of pride because they know the status of their Lord. The meaning of the verse would be that they are well aware that “whoever disdains His worship and is proud “
The words, “will gather them all together” encompass good servants as well as bad ones. This paves the way for the categorization coming in the next verse: Then as for those who believe and do good, He will pay them fully their rewards and give them more out of His grace; and as for those who disdain and are proud, He will chastise them with a painful chastisement.
…And they shall not find for themselves besides Allah a guardian or a helper: The negation of guardian or helper stands face to face with their belief in Divinity of Messiah and the angels.
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بُرْهَانٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَأَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ نُورًا مُبِينًا ١٧٤
(4:174) O people! Surely there has come to you manifest proof from your Lord and We have sent to you clear light
al-Rāghib has said:
“al-Burhān (exposition of argument). It is on the paradigm of fuʾlān like al-rujhān. Some people say that it is a verbal noun of baraha, yabrahu [it became white]).”
In any case, it is a verbal noun. Sometimes, it is used in the meaning of active participle, e.g., when it is used for the argument and proof itself.
The light refers to the Qur’an as the word “sent down to you” shows. Possibly, the “manifest proof” also means the same. Thus, the two sentences do strengthen each other.
Another possibility: The light may mean the Prophet. This idea is strengthened when we see that the verse comes in the wake of the verses showing the truthfulness of the Prophet in his prophethood and the revelation of the Qur’an from God; and then realize that the verse has branched from the previous verses. Also, the words of God in the coming verse: and hold fast by Him, support this view, as we have explained in the chapter of “The Family of ʿImrān” vr.101 (And whoever holds fast to Allah, he indeed is guided to the straight path) that holding fast to God means accepting His Book and following His Messenger.
فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِهِ فَسَيُدْخِلُهُمْ فِي رَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَفَضْلٍ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَيْهِ صِرَاطًا مُسْتَقِيمًا ١٧٥
(4:175) Then as for those who believe in Allah and hold fast by Him, He will cause them to enter into His mercy and grace and guide them to Himself on a straight path
It describes the reward of those who follow the proof of their Lord and the light which has descended from Him. The verse is drawn from the preceding verse which describes the reward of those who believe and do good: Then as for those who believe and do good, He will pay them fully their rewards and give them more out of His grace;… (). Perhaps, that is why this verse does not mention the recompense of those who shrink from following the proof and the light. As the same punishment as mentioned in the previous verse applies in this case too, there was no need to repeat it again; this verse has shown that the reward of the followers here is the same as that given to the followers in the preceding verse; and there are only two groups: the followers and the transgressors.
Accordingly, the clause in this verse, “He will cause them to enter into His mercy”, goes parallel to: He will pay them fully their rewards, and it is the garden. And the word ‘grace’ in this verse is parallel to the clause in that verse: and give them more out of His grace. The ending clause, “and guide them to Himself on a straight path” gives the result of holding fast to God (mentioned in this verse) as God says: And whoever holds fast to Allah, he indeed is guided to the straight path ().
al-Mīzān, (Eng.), vol.6, p.12. (tr.) ↩︎