Az-Zukhruf (Ornaments of gold)

57. And when the son of Mary (as) is quoted [by idolaters] as an example [that if objects of worship besides God will go to Hell, He will go there as well], your people cried out derisively [at the example].

58. And said: “Are your gods better or is he [better]? [If Jesus (as) who is better than our objects of worship is in Hell, ending up in Hell is neither important to us nor to our objects of worship.] They quoted not the above example except for argument but they are a quarrelsome people.

59. He [Jesus (as)] was not more than a servant. We granted Our Favor to him and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.

60. And if it were Our Will, We would have made angels to replace you on the earth.

Upon the revelation of:

“Disbelievers and the objects of worship [besides Allah] are fuel for Hell!”1 ,

the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) was asked:

“If it is true, Jesus (as) and Ezra (as) are the objects of worship for Christians and Jews and according to the Verse, they will be the fuel for Hell! If Jesus (as) is in Hell, We and our idols wish to be admitted to Hell.”

Disbelievers cried out derisively.

The Noble Prophet (S) replied:

“Objects of worship from amongst men who wish to be worshipped, like Pharaoh, will go to Hell, but Jesus (as) and Ezra (as) never wished to be worshipped.”

There are many reports narrated by exegets regarding the point in question,¹ the summary of their contents is that the Noble Prophet (S) said:

“‘Ali (as) among my people is like Jesus (as) son of Mary among his people.”

His people dislike his words and uttered words mentioned in the following Verse.

The Noble Prophet (S) means that Jesus’ (as) followers divided into three sects:

1. A Jewish sect that turned into Jesus’ (as) bitterest enemies, hated him, and attributed false claims to him

2. A Christian sect that went to the extreme regarding him and regarded him as the Son of God and God Himself

3. A moderate sect that regarded him as the Arch-prophet, the Messenger of God, and God’s servant.

The first two sects went to extreme and became disbelievers and were condemned to torments in Hell. The third sect found deliverance and felicity. Likewise, a sect was the bitterest enemy of ‘Ali (as) and even attributed disbelief to him, e.g. tyrants, Ummayads, and Kharijis.

They entertained hatred against ‘Ali (as) and on the tenth day (‘Ashura) of Muharrum said unto Abi ‘Abd Allah (as):

“Verily, we will enter into battle with you out of hatred in the same manner that we did with your father and what we did in the Battles of Badr and Hunayn.”

The second sect went to the extreme and regarded ‘Ali (as) as the creator of the heavens and the earth. These two sects share their torment in Hell.

The third sect regard him as Imam and the immediate successor of the Noble Prophet (S) and consider ‘Ali’s (as) eleven male offspring as the Imams and people’s Guide after the Prophet (S).

They neither innovate anything in matters of religion nor do they deny the dogmatic principles. They act upon the religion of Islam and form the moderate community of Muslims who enjoy deliverance and felicity.

Regarding:

“And when the son of Mary (as) is quoted”

it is also said that the:

“quoter” (darib)

is the Noble Prophet and the similitude or example (mathal) is the Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as), who is likened to Jesus (as) son of Mary among the two communities in terms of beliefs in them.

“Your people cried out derisively [at the example]”

makes a reference to the hypocrites around the Noble Prophet (S) who were disbelievers outwardly Muslims and inwardly polytheists.

“Cried out derisively”

refers to disbelievers’ hatred against the Noble Prophet (S) and the Islamic faith and their likening ‘Ali (as) to Jesus (as).

“Crying out loudly derisively” (yasiddun)

indicates disbelievers’ hatred and animosity to such extent that they liken ‘Ali (as) to Jesus (as). The above is reported by Hafis Abu Bakr ibn Mardiwayh, the eminent Sunni scholar, in his Manaqib.²

According to Verse 58, polytheists said:

“Are our gods better or is he [better]?” They quoted not the above example except for argument but they are a quarrelsome people. The antecedent of the pronoun “he” (am huwa) is a rhetorical question denoting that their idols are better than Jesus (as), since Jesus (as) is an ordinary human being undeserving divinity like other human beings.

The reply to their rhetorical question is that your idols are pieces of wood or metal undeserving to be worshipped like other pieces of wood and metal. Jesus (as) possessed understanding, perception, distinction, and he could move whereas your idols lack the same, since man stands above animals, plants, and inanimate objects in the hierarchy of existence. Some exegets maintain that the antecedent of the pronoun:

“he”

is the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Ali (as) asking why the Noble Prophet (S) did likened ‘Ali (as) to Jesus (as) so that some believe in him and some fail to do so.

Why did he not liken him to our idols so that some of us believe in their divinity and some fail to do so? The reply to the question may be thus provided: firstly, regarding your idols there are two sects. Polytheists believe in their divinity but some people fail to do so saying that they are no more than pieces of metal and wood fashioned by you.

There were three sects regarding Jesus (as) and ‘Ali (as), two of whom went to the extreme and one treading the path of moderation.

Secondly, the Noble Prophet of Islam (S) believed that Jesus (as) was an Arch-prophet and the spirit of God and worked wonders such as reviving the dead, healing incurable diseases, e.g. leprosy and blindness, whereas idols made no effects. The Noble Prophet (S) intended to say that the rank of ‘Ali (as) is as elevated as that of Arch-angels even more elevated than them.

“They quoted not the above example except for argument.”

Disbelievers roused disputations to abrogate truth and substantiate falsehood in the same manner that they made attempts to attribute sorcery, lying, and the like to the Noble Prophet of Islam (S).

“But they are a quarrelsome people.”

They uttered such idle talk out of their animosity toward the Noble Prophet of Islam (S), but if they had distinction and could perceive the truth, they would not be ensnared in such error.

According to Verse 59,

“He [Jesus (as)] was not more than a servant. We granted Our Favor to him and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.”

It is said in Verse 60 that in the same manner that We could create a son without father,

“if it were Our Will,”

We have the Power to destroy you and

“make angels to replace you on the earth.”

Angels who obey Divine Decree know nothing but to obey Him.