Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AL MAA-IDAH [72]

72. Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ”Allah is the Messiah ﴿`Isa﴾, son of Maryam.'' But the Messiah said: ”O Children of Israel! worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.'' Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the wrongdoers there are no helpers. 73. Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ”Allah is the third of three.'' And there is no god but One God (Allah). And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them. 74. Will they not repent to Allah and ask His forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 75. The Messiah ﴿`Isa﴾, son of Maryam, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother ﴿Maryam﴾ was a Siddiqah. They both used to eat food. Look how We make the Ayat clear to them; yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth). Allah states that the Christians such sects as Monarchite, Jacobite and Nestorite are disbelievers, those among them who say that `Isa is Allah. Allah is far holier than what they attribute to Him. They made this claim in spite of the fact that `Isa made it known that he was the servant of Allah and His Messenger. The first words that `Isa uttered when he was still a baby in the cradle were, ”I am `Abdullah (the servant of Allah).'' He did not say, ”I am Allah,'' or, ”I am the son of Allah.'' Rather, he said,

(Verily, I am a servant of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet.) until he said,

(”And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the straight path.'') He also proclaimed to them when he was a man, after he was sent as a Prophet, commanding them to worship his Lord and their Lord, alone without partners,

(But the Messiah said, ”O Children of Israel! worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.'' Verily, whosoever sets up partners with Allah...) in worship;

(. ..then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode.) as He will send him to the Fire and forbid Paradise for him. Allah also said;

(Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills.) and,

(And the dwellers of the Fire will call to the dwellers of Paradise; ”Pour on us some water or anything that Allah has provide you with.'' They will say: ”Allah has forbidden both to the disbelievers.'') It is recorded in the Sahih that the Prophet had someone proclaim to the people,

(Only a Muslim soul shall enter Paradise.) In another narration,

(Only a believing soul...) This is why Allah said that `Isa said to the Children of Israel,

(Verily, whosoever sets up partners with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And there are no helpers for the wrongdoers.) There is no help from Allah, nor anyone who will support or protect them from the state they will be in. Allah's statement,

(Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ”Allah is the third of three.”) Mujahid and several others said that this Ayah was revealed about the Christians in particular. As-Suddi and others said that this Ayah was revealed about taking `Isa and his mother as gods besides Allah, thus making Allah the third in a trinity. As-Suddi said, ”This is similar to Allah's statement towards the end of the Surah,

(And (remember) when Allah will say: ”O `Isa, son of Maryam! Did you say unto men: `Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah' He will say, ”Glory be to You!”)﴿5:116﴾. Allah replied,

(But there is no god but One God.) meaning there are not many worthy of worship but there is only One God without partners, and He is the Lord of all creation and all that exists. Allah said next, while threatening and admonishing them,

(And if they cease not from what they say, ) their lies and false claims,

(verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them.) in the Hereafter, shackled and tormented. Allah said next,

(Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) This demonstrates Allah's generosity, kindness and mercy for His creatures, even though they committed this grave sin and invented such a lie and false allegation. Despite all of this, Allah calls them to repent so that He will forgive them, for Allah forgives those who sincerely repent to Him.   Allah said,

(The Messiah, son of Maryam, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him.) `Isa is just like the previous Prophets, and he is one of the servants of Allah and one of His honorable Messengers. Allah said in another Ayah,

(He ï´¿`Isaï´¾ was not more than a servant. We granted Our favor to him, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.) Allah said next,

(His mother was a Siddiqah) for she believed in Allah with complete trust in Him. This is the highest rank she was given, which proves that she was not a Prophet. Allah said next,

(They both used to eat food) needing nourishment and to relieve the call of nature. Therefore, they are just servants like other servants, not gods as ignorant Christian sects claim, may Allah's continued curses cover them until the Day of Resurrection. Allah said next,

(Look how We make the Ayat clear to them. ) making them unequivocal and plain,

(yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth).) look at the opinions, misguided ideas, and claims they cling to, even after Our clarification and plain, unequivocal explanation.