Al-Ma'idah (5:76) Say: "Do you worship besides Allah..."

This is another proof demonstrating the falsehood of the Christians' assertion. This proof admits of several lines of argument:

1. The Jews were hostile to him and intended him harm, yet he was unable to inflict any damage upon them. Conversely, his supporters and companions loved him, yet he was unable to bring them any worldly benefit. How can one who is incapable of causing harm or conferring benefit be conceived of as a god?
2. The Christian doctrine holds that the Jews crucified him and tore his ribs. When he thirsted and asked them for water, they poured vinegar into his nostrils. How can one who was in such a state of weakness be conceived of as a god?
3. The God of the universe must be self-sufficient (Ghani) from everything else, and everything else must be in need of Him. If Jesus were such a being, it would be impossible for him to be occupied with the worship of God Almighty, because a god is not worshipped; rather, the worshipper is the one who seeks a god. Since it is known through continuous transmission (tawatur) that he was diligent in obedience and acts of worship, we know that he only performed them because he was in need of another being to attain benefits and repel harms. How can one who is like this be capable of conveying benefits to His servants and repelling harms from them? If this is the case, then he is a servant like all other servants. This is precisely the argument that God Almighty recounted from Abraham, peace be upon him, when he said to his father: { "O my father, why do you worship that which does not hear and does not see and does not avail you in anything?" } (Maryam: 42).

Then the Almighty said: { And Allah is the Hearing, the Knowing. } The meaning intended here is a threat: He is Hearing your disbelief and Knowing your innermost intentions.

{ Say, "O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion beyond the truth, and do not follow the inclinations of a people who went astray before and led many astray and strayed far from the sound path." } (5:77)