Allah said,
﴿وَبِكُفْرِهِمْ وَقَوْلِهِمْ عَلَى
مَرْيَمَ بُهْتَـناً عَظِيماً ﴾
(And because of their (Jews) disbelief and uttering against Maryam a grave false
charge.) `Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn `Abbas stated that the Jews accused Maryam
of fornication.This is also the saying of As-Suddi, Juwaybir, Muhammad bin Ishaq
and several others. This meaning is also apparent in the Ayah, as the Jews accused
Maryam and her son of grave accusations: They accused her of fornication and claimed
that `Isa was an illegitimate son. Some of them even claimed that she was menstruating
while fornicating. May Allah's continued curse be upon them until the Day of Resurrection.
The Jews also said,
﴿إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى
ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ﴾
("We killed Al-Masih, `Isa, son of Maryam, the Messenger of Allah,'') meaning, we
killed the person who claimed to be the Messenger of Allah. The Jews only uttered
these words in jest and mockery, just as the polytheists said,
﴿يأَيُّهَا الَّذِى نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ
الذِّكْرُ إِنَّكَ لَمَجْنُونٌ﴾
(O you to whom the Dhikr (the Qur'an) has been sent down! Verily, you are a mad
man!) When Allah sent `Isa with proofs and guidance, the Jews, may Allah's curses,
anger, torment and punishment be upon them, envied him because of his prophethood
and obvious miracles; curing the blind and leprous and bringing the dead back to
life, by Allah's leave. He also used to make the shape of a bird from clay and blow
in it, and it became a bird by Allah's leave and flew. `Isa performed other miracles
that Allah honored him with, yet the Jews defied and bellied him and tried their
best to harm him. Allah's Prophet `Isa could not live in any one city for long and
he had to travel often with his mother, peace be upon them. Even so, the Jews were
not satisfied, and they went to the king of Damascus at that time, a Greek polytheist
who worshipped the stars. They told him that there was a man in Bayt Al-Maqdis misguiding
and dividing the people in Jerusalem and stirring unrest among the king's subjects.
The king became angry and wrote to his deputy in Jerusalem to arrest the rebel leader,
stop him from causing unrest, crucify him and make him wear a crown of thorns. When
the king's deputy in Jerusalem received these orders, he went with some Jews to
the house that `Isa was residing in, and he was then with twelve, thirteen or seventeen
of his companions. That day was a Friday, in the evening. They surrounded `Isa in
the house, and when he felt that they would soon enter the house or that he would
sooner or later have to leave it, he said to his companions, "Who volunteers to
be made to look like me, for which he will be my companion in Paradise'' A young
man volunteered, but `Isa thought that he was too young. He asked the question a
second and third time, each time the young man volunteering, prompting `Isa to say,
"Well then, you will be that man.'' Allah made the young man look exactly like `Isa,
while a hole opened in the roof of the house, and `Isa was made to sleep and ascended
to heaven while asleep. Allah said,
﴿إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يعِيسَى إِنِّي
مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ﴾
(And (remember) when Allah said: "O `Isa! I will take you and raise you to Myself.'')
When `Isa ascended, those who were in the house came out. When those surrounding
the house saw the man who looked like `Isa, they thought that he was `Isa. So they
took him at night, crucified him and placed a crown of thorns on his head. The Jews
then boasted that they killed `Isa and some Christians accepted their false claim,
due to their ignorance and lack of reason. As for those who were in the house with
`Isa, they witnessed his ascension to heaven, while the rest thought that the Jews
killed `Isa by crucifixion. They even said that Maryam sat under the corpse of the
crucified man and cried, and they say that the dead man spoke to her. All this was
a test from Allah for His servants out of His wisdom. Allah explained this matter
in the Glorious Qur'an which He sent to His honorable Messenger, whom He supported
with miracles and clear, unequivocal evidence. Allah is the Most Truthful, and He
is the Lord of the worlds Who knows the secrets, what the hearts conceal, the hidden
matters in heaven and earth, what has occurred, what will occur, and what would
occur if it was decreed. He said,
﴿وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ
وَلَـكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ﴾
(but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it appeared as that to them,) referring
to the person whom the Jews thought was `Isa. This is why Allah said afterwards,
﴿وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ
لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلاَّ اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ﴾
(and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge,
they follow nothing but conjecture.) referring to the Jews who claimed to kill `Isa
and the ignorant Christians who believed them. Indeed they are all in confusion,
misguidance and bewilderment. This is why Allah said,
﴿وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِيناً﴾
(For surely; they killed him not.) meaning they are not sure that `Isa was the one
whom they killed. Rather, they are in doubt and confusion over this matter.
﴿بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ وَكَانَ
اللَّهُ عَزِيزاً﴾
(But Allah raised him up unto Himself. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful,) meaning,
He is the Almighty, and He is never weak, nor will those who seek refuge in Him
ever be subjected to disgrace,
﴿حَكِيماً﴾
(All-Wise.) in all that He decides and ordains for His creatures. Indeed, Allah's
is the clearest wisdom, unequivocal proof and the most glorious authority. Ibn Abi
Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "Just before Allah raised `Isa to the heavens,
`Isa went to his companions, who were twelve inside the house. When he arrived,
his hair was dripping water and he said, `There are those among you who will disbelieve
in me twelve times after he had believed in me.' He then asked, `Who volunteers
that his image appear as mine, and be killed in my place. He will be with me (in
Paradise)' One of the youngest ones among them volunteered and `Isa asked him to
sit down. `Isa again asked for a volunteer, and the young man kept volunteering
and `Isa asking him to sit down. Then the young man volunteered again and `Isa said,
`You will be that man,' and the resemblance of `Isa was cast over that man while
`Isa ascended to heaven from a hole in the house. When the Jews came looking for
`Isa, they found that young man and crucified him. Some of `Isa's followers disbelieved
in him twelve times after they had believed in him. They then divided into three
groups. One group, Al-Ya`qubiyyah (Jacobites), said, `Allah remained with us as
long as He willed and then ascended to heaven.' Another group, An-Nasturiyyah (Nestorians),
said, `The son of Allah was with us as long as he willed and Allah took him to heaven.'
Another group, Muslims, said, `The servant and Messenger of Allah remained with
us as long as Allah willed, and Allah then took him to Him.' The two disbelieving
groups cooperated against the Muslim group and they killed them. Ever since that
happened, Islam was then veiled until Allah sent Muhammad .'' This statement has
an authentic chain of narration leading to Ibn `Abbas, and An-Nasa'i narrated it
through Abu Kurayb who reported it from Abu Mu`awiyah. Many among the Salaf stated
that `Isa asked if someone would volunteer for his appearance to be cast over him,
and that he will be killed instead of `Isa, for which he would be his companion
in Paradise.
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