Tafsir of Maryam 19:37

"Then the factions differed from among them."

His saying—the Exalted—"Then the factions differed from among them" is for the purpose of ordering what follows upon what precedes it, as a warning regarding their evil deed in making that which necessitates agreement a source of disagreement. For what has been narrated of the statements of ‘Isa (peace be upon him)—despite them being definitive texts that he is the servant of Allah—the Exalted—and His Messenger—the Jews and the Christians differed through deficiency and excess.

The "factions" (al-ahzab) refers to the Jews and the Christians; this is what is narrated from al-Kalbi. The meaning of "from among them" is that the disagreement did not originate from outside them, but rather they were the ones who differed. "Between" (bayna) is an adverbial noun used as a noun by the entry of "min" (from) upon it. It was reported in al-Bahr that "min" is superfluous. It also reported the view that "the between" (al-bayn) here means distance, i.e., they differed concerning him due to their distance from the Truth, thus making it causal; its remoteness is not hidden.

It is said that what is meant by "the factions" are the sects of the Christians, for they differed regarding him after he was raised (peace be upon him). Nestorius said: "He is the son of God—Exalted is He above that!—He manifested Him, then raised Him." Jacob said: "He is God—the Exalted—who descended then ascended." The Melkites said: "He is the servant of Allah and His Prophet." In al-Milal wa al-Nihal, it is mentioned that the Melkites said: "The Word," meaning the Hypostasis of Knowledge, united with the Messiah (peace be upon him) and was clothed in his humanity. It also said: "The Messiah (peace be upon him) is a universal, not a partial, humanity, and it is eternal; Mary gave birth to an eternal, everlasting God, and the killing and crucifixion occurred upon the humanity and divinity together." We have already presented enough regarding the affairs of the Christians, so let it be remembered.

It is said that they are the Muslims, the Jews, and the Christians. From al-Hasan, it is said they are those who banded together against the prophets (peace be upon them). When the story of ‘Isa (peace be upon him) was related to them, they differed regarding him among the people. It is said that they are the disbelievers in general, thus including the Jews, the Christians, and the polytheists who were in the time of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and others. The Imam favored this, as there is no specificator for it. Others favored the view that they are the People of the Book, arguing that the mention of the disagreement following the story of ‘Isa (peace be upon him) dictates this. This is supported by His saying—the Exalted—"So woe to those who disbelieve," meaning the factions who differed; he expressed them as such to signal their disbelief collectively and to intimate the reason for the ruling. If it is said that the Muslims or the Melkites are included, and it is said that they stated he (peace be upon him) is the servant of Allah and His Prophet, then "the factions" refers to those who disbelieved from among them.

"...from the scene of a Great Day."

This refers to the scene of a day of great horror, reckoning, and recompense, which is the Day of Resurrection. Or it refers to the time of witnessing it, or the place of witnessing therein, or from the testimony of that day against them, which is that the angels, the prophets (peace be upon them), their tongues, and all their limbs will testify to their disbelief and wickedness. Or it refers to the time of the testimony, or its place.

It is said: It is what they witnessed regarding ‘Isa (peace be upon him) and his mother, and it is called "Great" due to the magnitude of what is in it, as in His saying—the Exalted—"Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths." It is said that it is the day of the killing of the believers when the factions differed, and this is as you see. The truth is that what is intended by that day is the Day of Resurrection.