Tafsir of Az-Zukhruf 43:57

The Contempt of the Quraysh for the son of Maryam, and His true Status with Allah Allah tells us how the Quraysh persisted in their disbelief and stubborn arguments:

ولما ضرب ابن مريم مثﻼ إذا قومك منه يصدون

And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, your people cry aloud thereat. Several others narrated that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, Mujahid, Ikrimah, As-Suddi and Ad-Dahhak said, "They laughed, i.e., they were astounded by that.'' Qatadah said, "They were repelled by that and they laughed.'' Ibrahim An-Nakha`i said, "They turned away.'' The reason for this was mentioned by Muhammad bin Ishaq in As-Sirah. He said, "According to what I have heard, the Messenger of Allah sat down one day with Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah in the Masjid, and An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came and sat down with them. There were also other men from the Quraysh in the gathering. The Messenger of Allah spoke, then An-Nadr bin Al-Harith came up to him and the Messenger of Allah spoke to him until he defeated him in argument. Then he recited to him and to them,

إنكم وما تعبدون من دون الله حصب جهنم أنتم لها واردون

Certainly you and that which you are worshipping now besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! (Surely) you will enter it. (21:98) Then the Messenger of Allah got up and went to sit with Abdullah bin Al-Zab`ari At-Tamimi. Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah said to him, By Allah, An-Nadr bin Al-Harith could not match the son of Abd Al-Muttalib in argument. Muhammad claims that we and these gods that we worship are fuel for Hell.' Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said, `By Allah, if I meet with him I will defeat him in argument. Ask Muhammad whether everyone that is worshipped instead of Allah will be in Hell with those who worshipped him, for we worship the angels, and the Jews worship Uzayr, and the Christians worship the Messiah Isa bin Maryam.' Al-Walid and those who were sitting with him were amazed at what Abdullah bin Az-Zab`ari said, and they thought that he had come up with a good point. He said this to the Messenger of Allah, who said:

كل من أحب أن يعبد من دون الله فهو مع من عبده فٳنهم إنما يعبدون الشيطان ومن أمرهم بعبادته

"Everyone who likes to worship something other than Allah will be with the one whom he worshipped, for indeed they are worshipping the Shaytan and whomever told them to worship that person.'' Then Allah revealed the words:

إن الذين سبقت لهم منا الحسنى أوليك عنها مبعدون

Verily, those for whom the good has preceded from Us, they will be removed far therefrom (Hell). (21:101), meaning that Isa , Uzayr and rabbis and monks who were also worshipped, who spent their lives in devotion towards Allah. The misguided people who came after them took them as lords instead of Allah. Concerning the notion of worshipping the angels as daughters of Allah, the following words were revealed:

وقالوا اتخذ الرحمن ولدا سبحانه بل عباد مكرمون

And they say: "The Most Gracious has begotten a son (or children).'' Glory to Him! They are but honored servants. (21:26) Concerning Isa bin Maryam, the fact that he is worshipped instead of Allah, and to the amazement of Al-Walid and the others who were present at the argument, the following was revealed:

ولما ضرب ابن مريم مثﻼ إذا قومك منه يصدون

And when the son of Maryam is quoted as an example, behold, your people cry aloud thereat. meaning, they take this argument as a basis for rejecting your message

وقالوا أآلهتنا خير أم هو ما ضربوه لك إﻻ جدﻻ

بل هم قوم خصمون