This Ayah ﴿3:79﴾ means, it is not for a person whom Allah has given the Book, knowledge
in the Law and prophethood to proclaim to the people, "Worship me instead of Allah,''
meaning, along with Allah. If this is not the right of a Prophet or a Messenger,
then indeed, it is not the right of anyone else to issue such a claim.
This criticism refers to the ignorant rabbis, priests and teachers of misguidance,
unlike the Messengers and their sincere knowledgeable followers who implement their
knowledge; for they only command what Allah commands them, as their honorable Messengers
conveyed to them. They also forbid what Allah forbade for them, by the words of
His honorable Messengers. The Messengers, may Allah's peace and blessings be on
all of them, are the emissaries between Allah and His creation, conveying Allah's
Message and Trust. The messengers indeed fulfilled their mission, gave sincere advice
to creation and conveyed the truth to them. Allah's statement,
﴿وَلَـكِن كُونُواْ رَبَّـنِيِّينَ
بِمَا كُنتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ الْكِتَـبَ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ﴾
(On the contrary (he would say), "Be you Rabbaniyyun, because you are teaching the
Book, and you are studying it.'') means, the Messenger recommends the people to
be Rabbaniyyun. Ibn `Abbas, Abu Razin and several others said that Rabbaniyyun means,
"Wise, learned, and forbearing.'' Ad-Dahhak commented concerning Allah's statement,
﴿بِمَا كُنتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ الْكِتَـبَ
وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ﴾
(because you are teaching the Book, and you are studying it.) "Whoever learns the
Qur'an deserves to become a Faqih (learned).''
﴿وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ﴾
(and you are studying it), preserving its words.
Allah then said,
﴿وَلاَ يَأْمُرَكُمْ أَن تَتَّخِذُواْ
الْمَلَـئِكَةَ وَالنَّبِيِّيْنَ أَرْبَابًا﴾
(Nor would he order you to take angels and Prophets for lords.) The Prophet does
not command worshipping other than Allah, whether a sent Messenger or an angel.
﴿أَيَأْمُرُكُم بِالْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ
إِذْ أَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ﴾
(Would he order you to disbelieve after you have submitted to Allah's will) meaning,
he would not do that, for whoever calls to worshipping other than Allah, will have
called to Kufr. The Prophets only call to Iman which commands worshipping Allah
Alone without partners. Allah said in other Ayat,
﴿وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن
رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ ﴾
(And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad ) but We revealed to him
(saying): "None has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me''.) ﴿21:25﴾,
﴿وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ
رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ﴾
(And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship
Allah (Alone), and avoid Taghut (all false deities).'') ﴿16:36﴾, and,
﴿وَاسْئلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ
مِن رُّسُلِنَآ أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ الرَّحْمَـنِ ءَالِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ ﴾
(And ask those of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: "Did We ever appoint gods
to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious (Allah)'') ﴿43:45﴾
Allah said concerning the angels,
﴿وَمَن يَقُلْ مِنْهُمْ إِنِّى إِلَـهٌ
مِّن دُونِهِ فَذلِكَ نَجْزِيهِ جَهَنَّمَ كَذَلِكَ نَجْزِى الظَّـلِمِينَ ﴾
(And if any of them should say: "Verily, I am a god besides Him (Allah),'' such
a one We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the wrongdoers.) ﴿21:29﴾.
﴿وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ
مِيثَـقَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ لَمَآ ءَاتَيْتُكُم مِّن كِتَـبٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَآءَكُمْ
رَسُولٌ مُّصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنصُرُنَّهُ قَالَ ءَأَقْرَرْتُمْ
وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَى ذلِكُمْ إِصْرِى قَالُواْ أَقْرَرْنَا قَالَ فَاشْهَدُواْ وَأَنَاْ
مَعَكُمْ مِّنَ الشَّـهِدِينَ - فَمَنْ تَوَلَّى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ
الْفَـسِقُونَ ﴾
(81. And (remember) when Allah took the covenant of the Prophets, saying: "Take
whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah, and afterwards there will come to
you a Messenger confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and
help him.'' Allah said: "Do you agree (to it) and will you take up Isri'' They said:
"We agree.'' He said: "Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses.'')
(82. Then whoever turns away after this, they are the rebellious.)