Tafsir of Az-Zukhruf 43:57

Surah Az-Zukhruf (The Ornaments): Verse 57

{ ولما ضرب ابن مريم مثلا إذا قومك منه يصدون } (And when the son of Maryam was cited as an example, behold, your people from it raise a clamor.)

Issue 1: Context of the Clamor

The Almighty mentioned various forms of their disbelief in this Surah and responded to them in many ways. The preceding points included:

1. His saying: {And they have designated for Him from His servants a part} (Az-Zukhruf: 15).
2. His saying: {And they have made the angels, who are the servants of the Most Merciful, females} (Az-Zukhruf: 19).
3. His saying: {And they say, "If the Most Merciful had willed, we would not have worshipped them"} (Az-Zukhruf: 20).
4. His saying: {And they say, "Why was this Qur'an not sent down to a great man from the two towns?"} (Az-Zukhruf: 31).
5. This current verse, which we are now interpreting.

The wording of the verse only indicates that when the example of the son of Maryam (Jesus) was presented, the people became agitated and raised their voices. The specific nature of that example is not explicitly stated in the text. Commentators have offered several possible interpretations:

• Interpretation 1: When the disbelievers heard that the Christians worshipped Jesus, they said: If they worship Jesus, then our idols are better than Jesus. They said this because they used to worship angels.
• Interpretation 2 (Narrative): It is narrated that when the verse {Indeed, you and what you worship besides Allah are fuel for Hell} (Al-Anbiya: 98) was revealed, 'Abdullāh ibn al-Zaba'rī said: Is this specific to us and our idols, or to all nations? The Prophet (PBUH) replied: (Rather, it is for all nations.) He then said: "You have silenced me, by the Lord of the Ka'bah! Do you not claim that Jesus, son of Maryam, is a Prophet and speak well of him and his mother? You know that the Christians worship them, and the Jews worship Uzayr, and [some people] worship the angels. If these are in the Fire, then we are content to be with them and our idols." The Prophet (PBUH) fell silent, and the people rejoiced, laughed, and clamored. Then Allah revealed: {Indeed, those for whom the best has preceded from Us—they will be kept far from it} (Al-Anbiya: 101), and this verse was also revealed. The meaning here is: When 'Abdullāh ibn al-Zaba'rī used Jesus as an example and argued with the Messenger of Allah using the Christians' worship of him, your people (the Quraysh) from this example raise a clamor and uproar out of joy and argumentation, and laughter, because they saw that the Messenger of Allah was silenced. It is customary that when one of two disputants is defeated, the other shows joy and noise, saying: "Are our gods lesser [than Jesus]?"
• Interpretation 3 (Meaning): When the Prophet (PBUH) recounted that the Christians worshipped the Messiah and made him a god, the disbelievers of Mecca said: Muhammad wants to make a god for us just as the Christians made the Messiah a god for themselves. Then, they said: {Or is it better than him?} meaning: Are our idols better, or is Muhammad [better]? They mentioned this because they claimed Muhammad was calling them to worship himself, whereas their fathers claimed that worshipping these idols was obligatory. If one of these two matters must occur, then worshipping the idols is preferable because their ancestors adhered to it. As for Muhammad, he is suspected regarding his call for us to worship him, so adhering to the worship of idols is more appropriate. Then, the Almighty clarified that we did not say that engaging in the worship of the Messiah is a good path; rather, it is false speech, for Jesus is nothing but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor. If this is the case, their suspicion that Muhammad wants to command them to worship himself is removed. These three interpretations are all plausible based on the wording of the verse.

Issue 2: The Reading of {يَصُدُّونَ} (Yassadūn)

• Reading 1 (with ḍamma on the ṣād): Nāfi', Ibn 'Āmir, Al-Kisā'ī, and Abū Bakr (from 'Āṣim) read it as yaṣuddūna (with a ḍamma). This is also the reading of 'Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (may Allah be pleased with him).
• Reading 2 (with kasra on the ṣād): The rest read it as yaṣṣadūn (with a kasra). This is the reading of Ibn 'Abbās.

Difference in Meaning:

• Al-Kisā'ī said they mean the same thing, similar to the variation between ya'rūshūn and ya'rūshūn (they build/decorate) or ya'kifūn (they devote themselves).
• Others differentiated:
  • The reading with ḍamma (yaṣuddūna) means they turn away from the Truth because of this example.
  • The reading with kasra (yaṣṣadūn) means they raise a clamor/uproar.

Issue 3: The Reading of {أَآلِهَتُنَا} (Ā-Ālihatunā)

• 'Āṣim, Ḥamzah, and Al-Kisā'ī read it with two hamzas, the second being elongated (a madd), indicating strong interrogation.
• The rest read it with one hamza followed by a madd (a single elongated sound).

Then Allah Almighty said: { مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلًا } (They did not cite it for you except for argument.)

They did not present this example to you except for the sake of argument and winning the debate, not for seeking the distinction between truth and falsehood. { بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ } (Nay, they are a quarrelsome people.) They are exaggerated in their disputation.

This is because the statement {Indeed, you and what you worship besides Allah} (Al-Anbiya: 98) does not encompass the angels or Jesus. The clarification for this is in several ways:

1. The word mā (what) never refers to rational beings.
2. The word mā is not explicit in totality, as evidenced by the possibility of adding the words kull (all) or ba'ḍ (some). One could say: "Indeed, you and all that you worship besides Allah," or "Indeed, you and some that you worship besides Allah."
3. If the statement {Indeed, you and all that you worship besides Allah} were addressed to specific individuals present, perhaps none of them worshipped Jesus or the angels.
4. Even if the statement {Indeed, you and what you worship besides Allah} were general, the specific texts indicating the veneration of the angels and Jesus take precedence over the general statement.

Issue 4: The Condemnation of Argumentation (Jadal)

Those who condemn argumentation rely on this verse. However, we have previously mentioned in the exegesis of {None dispute the verses of Allah except those who disbelieve} (Ghafir: 4) that many verses indicate that argumentation is praiseworthy.

The reconciliation is that those verses refer to argumentation that establishes the Truth, while this verse refers to argumentation that establishes falsehood.

Then Allah Almighty said: { إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ } (He is not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor.)

Meaning, Jesus is nothing but a servant like other servants, upon whom We bestowed favor by making him a Sign (Ayah) through creating him without a father, just as We created Adam, and by honoring him with Prophethood, and making him a wondrous lesson, like a common proverb.

{ وَلَوْ نَشَاءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنكُم مَّلَائِكَةً يَخْلُفُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ } (And if We willed, We could have made among you angels who would inherit the earth.) If We willed, We could have created offspring from you, O men, just as you have offspring, similar to how We created Jesus from a female without a male, so that you might recognize Our distinction through manifest Power, and so that you might know that the entry of procreation and being begotten is possible for angels, while the essence of Allah is exalted above that.

{ وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِّلسَّاعَةِ } (And indeed, he is a sign for the Hour.) He is one of the signs of the Hour, by which it is known, so the sign indicating something is named a sign because knowledge of it is attained through it. Ibn 'Abbās recited it as li-'ilmin (as a sign/mark). It is also read as li-l-'ilm (for the knowledge) and by Ubayy as li-dhikr (as a reminder).

• Hadith Mentioned: (Indeed, Jesus will descend upon a ridge in the Holy Land called Afiq, holding a spear with which he will kill the Dajjal. He will come to Jerusalem for the dawn prayer, and the Imam will be leading them. The Imam will step back, and Jesus will step forward and pray behind him according to the law of Muhammad (PBUH). Then he will kill the pigs, break the cross, destroy churches and synagogues, and kill the Christians except those who believe in him.)

{ فَلَا تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهِ } (So do not doubt concerning it.) Tamarrun means doubt (mariyya). { وَاتَّبِعُونِ } (And follow Me.) Follow my guidance and my Law. { هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ } (This is a straight path.) Meaning, what I call you to is a straight path. { وَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ } (And let not Satan divert you; indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.) His enmity has become evident to you because he is the one who expelled your father from Paradise and stripped him of the garment of light.

Verses 61–64

{ وَلَمَّا جَاءَ عِيسَىٰ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ قَالَ قَدْ جِئْتُكُم بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَلِأُبَيِّنَ لَكُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي تَخْتَلِفُونَ فِيهِ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ * إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ ۚ هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ * فَاخْتَلَفَتِ الْأَحْزَابُ مِن بَيْنِهِمْ ۚ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمٍ أَلِيمٍ * هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا السَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُم بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ }

(And when Jesus came with clear proofs, he said, "I have certainly brought you wisdom and will make clear to you some of what you differ about. So fear Allah and obey me. Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path." But the factions differed among themselves. So woe to those who wronged, from the punishment of a painful Day. Do they await anything other than the Hour to come upon them suddenly while they do not perceive?)

Translation:

{ And when Jesus came with clear proofs, he said, "I have certainly brought you wisdom and will make clear to you some of what you differ about. } When Jesus came with clear signs and evidence, he said: I have brought you wisdom (Prophethood and sound judgment) and I will clarify for you some of the matters about which you were disputing.

{ So fear Allah and obey me. } Therefore, be mindful of Allah and obey my command.

{ Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path. } Verily, Allah is my Lord and your Lord; therefore, worship Him alone. This is the straight path.

{ But the factions differed among themselves. } Then the groups (sects) among them disagreed concerning him and his message.

{ So woe to those who wronged, from the punishment of a painful Day. } So, destruction and severe punishment await those who wronged themselves by rejecting the truth and creating division, on the Day of painful torment.

{ Do they await anything other than the Hour to come upon them suddenly while they do not perceive? } Do they expect anything other than the Hour (Resurrection) to come upon them unexpectedly while they are unaware?