Ali 'Imran 3:59
Family of Imran · Juz 3 · Page 57
إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَۖ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن تُرَابٖ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ٥٩
Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allāh1 is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, "Be," and he was.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., regarding His creation of him. ↩
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
Detailed · A modern classic, with rulings and practical points.
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Commentary on 3:59–60
The event of Mubahala and the refutation of heretics.
The background of these verses is that the Holy Prophet ﷺ ultimatum to the Christians of Najran which included three options in the order given below:
1. Accept Islam, or
2. Pay jizya جزیہ (a levy on free non-Muslims under Muslim rule), or
3. Get ready for a war.
After mutual consultation, the Christians sent a delegation to the Holy Prophet ﷺ consisting of Shurahbil ` Abdullah b. Shurahbil and Jabbar ibn Fayd to the Holy Prophet ﷺ ۔ They came and began their talks on religious issues. When they, in their effort to prove the godhood of Jesus (علیہ السلام) ، took their debate to the extremes of dispute, that was the moment this verse of Mubahala was revealed. Thereupon, the Holy Prophet ﷺ invited the Christians to join in the Mubahala confrontation (a form of resolving disputes by praying to Allah, the details of which shall shortly be discussed) and quite readily, he himself came out with Sayyidah Fatimah ؓ Sayyidna Ali ؓ and their sons, Hasan and Husain ؓ along with him all set for the مُباھلہ Mubahalah. Looking at this, Shurahbil said to his two comrades: 'Look, you already know that he is a prophet of Allah and getting into a Mubahalah confrontation with a prophet means certain death and destruction for us. So find out some other way to get out of this fix.' His comrades asked him as to what he thought it could be. Shurahbil said: 'I think the best solution is to opt for a truce as advised by the prophet'. So, on this everybody agreed. As a result, the Holy Prophet ﷺ made peace by fixing a levy on them which was accepted by them as well. (Tafsir ibn Kathir).
Page 57
3:53
رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا بِمَآ أَنزَلۡتَ وَٱتَّبَعۡنَا ٱلرَّسُولَ فَٱكۡتُبۡنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ ٥٣
Our Lord, we have believed in what You revealed and have followed the messenger [i.e., Jesus], so register us among the witnesses [to truth]."
3:54
وَمَكَرُواْ وَمَكَرَ ٱللَّهُۖ وَٱللَّهُ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡمَٰكِرِينَ ٥٤
And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allāh planned. And Allāh is the best of planners.
3:55
إِذۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوۡقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ فَأَحۡكُمُ بَيۡنَكُمۡ فِيمَا كُنتُمۡ فِيهِ تَخۡتَلِفُونَ ٥٥
[Mention] when Allāh said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify [i.e., free] you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allāh alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ.
3:56
فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَأُعَذِّبُهُمۡ عَذَابٗا شَدِيدٗا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن نَّٰصِرِينَ ٥٦
And as for those who disbelieved, I will punish them with a severe punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers."
3:57
وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمۡ أُجُورَهُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٥٧
But as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, He will give them in full their rewards, and Allāh does not like the wrongdoers.
3:58
ذَٰلِكَ نَتۡلُوهُ عَلَيۡكَ مِنَ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ وَٱلذِّكۡرِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ ٥٨
This is what We recite to you, [O Muḥammad], of [Our] verses and the precise [and wise] message [i.e., the Qur’ān].
3:59
إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَۖ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن تُرَابٖ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ٥٩
Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allāh1 is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, "Be," and he was.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., regarding His creation of him. ↩
3:60
ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡمُمۡتَرِينَ ٦٠
The truth is from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters.
3:61
فَمَنۡ حَآجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ فَقُلۡ تَعَالَوۡاْ نَدۡعُ أَبۡنَآءَنَا وَأَبۡنَآءَكُمۡ وَنِسَآءَنَا وَنِسَآءَكُمۡ وَأَنفُسَنَا وَأَنفُسَكُمۡ ثُمَّ نَبۡتَهِلۡ فَنَجۡعَل لَّعۡنَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ ٦١
Then whoever argues with you about it after [this] knowledge has come to you - say, "Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then supplicate earnestly [together] and invoke the curse of Allāh upon the liars [among us]."