Az-Zukhruf 43:58
The Ornaments of Gold · Juz 25 · Page 493
وَقَالُوٓاْ ءَأَٰلِهَتُنَا خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ هُوَۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلَۢاۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٌ خَصِمُونَ ٥٨
And they said, "Are our gods better, or is he?"1 They did not present it [i.e., the comparison] except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute.
1 translator’s note
- Implying that they must all be the same. ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 43:57–59
Commentary
وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ (And when the example of the son of Maryam was cited, your people started at once shouting at it [ in joy ]...43:57). Exegetes have narrated three events as background of the revelation of these verses. One is that once the Holy Prophet ﷺ had addressed the tribe of Quraish and said, "0 people of Quraish! there is no good in whatever is worshipped beside Allah." The polytheists responded by saying, "The Christians worship Sayyidna ` Isa ﷺ ، although you yourself say that he was a virtuous slave of Allah, and His prophet." These verses were then revealed in reply to this objection (Qurtubi).
The second narration is that the objection of the infidels related to the following verse of the Holy Qur'an:
إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ
"Surely, you and whatever you worship other than Allah are the fuel of Jahannam." (21:98)
When this verse was revealed, 'Abdullah Ibn-uz-ziba'ra claimed that he had the proper answer to this verse which was that the Christians worship Sayyidna Masih (Isa علیہ السلام) and Jews worship Sayyidna ` Uzair (علیہ السلام) ، so will they both become fuel of Hell? Upon hearing this, the polytheists of Quraish became very joyful, and Allah then revealed the following verse of the Holy Qur'an:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُم مِّنَّا الْحُسْنَىٰ أُولَٰئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ ﴿101﴾
"Surely, those for whom the good (news) from Us has come earlier shall be kept away from it." (21:101)
The above verses of Surah Zukhruf was also revealed in this context. (Ibn Kathir, etc.,)
The third narration is that once the pagans of Makkah expressed the absurd thought that the Holy Prophet ﷺ wanted to claim godhead for himself, so that he might be worshipped like Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is worshipped by the Christians; these verses were revealed in that context.
In reality, there is no conflict between these three narrations. The infidels will have said all the three things, and in reply Allah Ta` ala revealed these verses in such a comprehensive manner that took care of all the three objections. The answer to the last objection is quite clear in these verses as to those who started worshipping Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) did not do so in obedience to any Divine command, nor had Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ever desired it for himself, nor does the Qur'an support it. Their misconception was based on the miraculous birth of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) without a father which was, according to them, a sign of his being god or a son of God. The Holy Qur'an has refuted this misconceived argument. How is it then possible that the Holy Prophet ﷺ will claim Godhead in imitation of the Christians?
The gist of the objection mentioned in the first and second narrations is essentially the same. The statement in the Qur'an that all those who are worshipped except Allah will become fuel for Hell or the statement of the Holy Prophet ﷺ that there is no good in whatever is worshipped except Allah, refer to the lifeless objects of worship, such as idols or those living beings who directed their followers towards their own worship, or who liked to be worshipped, such as shaitans, Fir'aun, Namrud, etc.. So Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is obviously not included in this category, since at no stage did he like to be worshipped. Christians do not worship him because of any direction having being given by Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ، rather they were misled and started worshipping him by deducing the wrong conclusion from his birth without a father which was a sample of Allah's power to show to the people that Allah does not need even any apparent cause or means to create something. This worship of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) by Christians was not only irrational, but also against his own teachings, because he had always preached 'tauhid' (Oneness of Allah); his own disgust against being worshipped simply does not allow his inclusion in the ranks of false gods.
Page 493
43:48
وَمَا نُرِيهِم مِّنۡ ءَايَةٍ إِلَّا هِيَ أَكۡبَرُ مِنۡ أُخۡتِهَاۖ وَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِٱلۡعَذَابِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡجِعُونَ ٤٨
And We showed them not a sign except that it was greater than its sister, and We seized them with affliction that perhaps they might return [to faith].
43:49
وَقَالُواْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَ ٱلسَّاحِرُ ٱدۡعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِندَكَ إِنَّنَا لَمُهۡتَدُونَ ٤٩
And they said [to Moses], "O magician, invoke for us your Lord by what He has promised you. Indeed, we will be guided."
43:50
فَلَمَّا كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابَ إِذَا هُمۡ يَنكُثُونَ ٥٠
But when We removed from them the affliction, at once they broke their word.
43:51
وَنَادَىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنُ فِي قَوۡمِهِۦ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ أَلَيۡسَ لِي مُلۡكُ مِصۡرَ وَهَٰذِهِ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِيٓۚ أَفَلَا تُبۡصِرُونَ ٥١
And Pharaoh called out among his people; he said, "O my people, does not the kingdom of Egypt belong to me, and these rivers flowing beneath me; then do you not see?
43:52
أَمۡ أَنَا۠ خَيۡرٞ مِّنۡ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِي هُوَ مَهِينٞ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُبِينُ ٥٢
Or am I [not] better than this one [i.e., Moses] who is insignificant and hardly makes himself clear?1
1 translator’s note
- That was true previous to his appointment as a prophet, at which time Allāh corrected his speech impediment. ↩
43:53
فَلَوۡلَآ أُلۡقِيَ عَلَيۡهِ أَسۡوِرَةٞ مِّن ذَهَبٍ أَوۡ جَآءَ مَعَهُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ مُقۡتَرِنِينَ ٥٣
Then why have there not been placed upon him bracelets of gold or come with him the angels in conjunction?"
43:54
فَٱسۡتَخَفَّ قَوۡمَهُۥ فَأَطَاعُوهُۚ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُواْ قَوۡمٗا فَٰسِقِينَ ٥٤
So he bluffed his people, and they obeyed him. Indeed, they were [themselves] a people defiantly disobedient [of Allāh].
43:55
فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا ٱنتَقَمۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡ فَأَغۡرَقۡنَٰهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٥٥
And when they angered Us, We took retribution from them and drowned them all.
43:56
فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُمۡ سَلَفٗا وَمَثَلٗا لِّلۡأٓخِرِينَ ٥٦
And We made them a precedent and an example for the later peoples.
43:57
۞ وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوۡمُكَ مِنۡهُ يَصِدُّونَ ٥٧
And when the son of Mary was presented as an example,1 immediately your people laughed aloud.
1 translator’s note
- Of a creation of Allāh which is being worshipped along with Him. ↩
43:58
وَقَالُوٓاْ ءَأَٰلِهَتُنَا خَيۡرٌ أَمۡ هُوَۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلَۢاۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٌ خَصِمُونَ ٥٨
And they said, "Are our gods better, or is he?"1 They did not present it [i.e., the comparison] except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute.
1 translator’s note
- Implying that they must all be the same. ↩
43:59
إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا عَبۡدٌ أَنۡعَمۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ وَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ مَثَلٗا لِّبَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ ٥٩
He [i.e., Jesus] was not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.
43:60
وَلَوۡ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلۡنَا مِنكُم مَّلَٰٓئِكَةٗ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَخۡلُفُونَ ٦٠
And if We willed, We could have made [instead] of you angels succeeding [one another]1 on the earth.
1 translator’s note
- Or "succeeding [you]." ↩