Allah the Exalted encourages the believers to fight the polytheists,
disbelieving Jews and Christians, who uttered this terrible statement and utter
lies against Allah, the Exalted. As for the Jews, they claimed that `Uzayr was
the son of God, Allah is free of what they attribute to Him. As for the
misguidance of Christians over `Isa, it is obvious. This is why Allah declared
both groups to be liars,
[ذلِكَ قَوْلُهُم
بِأَفْوَهِهِمْ]
(That is their saying with their mouths), but they have no proof that
supports their claim, other than lies and fabrications,
[يُضَـهِئُونَ]
(resembling), imitating,
[قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ
كَفَرُواْ مِن قَبْلُ]
(the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime.) They imitate the previous
nations who fell into misguidance just as Jews and Christians did,
[قَـتَلَهُمُ
اللَّهُ]
(may Allah fight them), Ibn `Abbas said, "May Allah curse them.''
[أَنَّى
يُؤْفَكُونَ]
(how they are deluded away from the truth!) how they deviate from truth, when
it is apparent, exchanging it for misguidance. Allah said next,
[اتَّخَذُواْ
أَحْبَـرَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـنَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ
مَرْيَمَ]
(They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, and
the Messiah, son of Maryam) [9:31]. Imam Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Jarir
At-Tabari recorded a Hadith via several chains of narration, from `Adi bin
Hatim, may Allah be pleased with him, who became Christian during the time of
Jahiliyyah. When the call of the Messenger of Allah reached his area, `Adi ran
away to Ash-Sham, and his sister and several of his people were captured. The
Messenger of Allah freed his sister and gave her gifts. So she went to her
brother and encouraged him to become Muslim and to go to the Messenger of Allah
. `Adi, who was one of the chiefs of his people (the tribe of Tai') and whose
father, Hatim At-Ta'i, was known for his generosity, went to Al-Madinah. When
the people announced his arrival, `Adi went to the Messenger of Allah wearing a
silver cross around his neck. The Messenger of Allah recited this Ayah;
[اتَّخَذُواْ
أَحْبَـرَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـنَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ]
(They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah).
`Adi commented, "I said, `They did not worship them.''' The Prophet said,
«بَلَى إِنَّهُمْ
حَرَّمُوا عَلَيْهِمُ الْحَلَالَ وَأَحَلُّوا لَهُمُ الْحَرَامَ فَاتَّبَعُوهُمْ
فَذَلِكَ عِبَادَتُهُمْ إِيَّاهُم»
(Yes they did. They (rabbis and monks) prohibited the allowed for them
(Christians and Jews) and allowed the prohibited, and they obeyed them. This is
how they worshipped them.) The Messenger of Allah said to `Adi,
«يَا عَدِيُّ مَا
تَقُولُ؟ أَيُفِرُّكَ أَنْ يُقَالَ: اللهُ أَكْبَرَ؟ فَهَلْ تَعْلَمُ شَيْئًا
أَكْبَرَ مِنَ اللهِ؟ مَا يُفِرُّكَ؟ أَيُفِرُّكَ أَنْ يُقَالَ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا
اللهُ؟ فَهَلْ تَعْلَمُ مَنْ إِلهٌ إِلَّا اللهُ؟»
(O `Adi what do you say Did you run away (to Ash-Sham) so that 'Allahu Akbar'
(Allah is the Great) is not pronounced Do you know of anything greater than
Allah What made you run away Did you run away so that `La ilaha illallah' is not
pronounced Do you know of any deity worthy of worship except Allah)
The Messenger invited `Adi to embrace Islam, and he embraced Islam and
pronounced the Testimony of Truth. The face of the Messenger of Allah beamed
with pleasure and he said to `Adi,
«إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ
مَغْضُوبٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَالنَّصَارَى ضَالُّون»
(Verily, the Jews have earned the anger (of Allah) and the Christians are
misguided.) Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, `Abdullah bin `Abbas and several others said
about the explanation of,
[اتَّخَذُواْ
أَحْبَـرَهُمْ وَرُهْبَـنَهُمْ أَرْبَاباً مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ]
(They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah...)
that the Christians and Jews obeyed their monks and rabbis in whatever they
allowed or prohibited for them. This is why Allah said,
[وَمَآ أُمِرُواْ
إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُواْ إِلَـهاً وَحِداً]
(while they were commanded to worship none but One God), Who, whatever He
renders prohibited is the prohibited, whatever He allowed is the allowed,
whatever He legislates, is to be the law followed, and whatever He decides is to
be adhered to;
[لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ
هُوَ سُبْحَـنَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ]
(None has the right to be worshiped but He. Hallowed be He above what they
associate (with Him).) Meaning, exalted, sanctified, hallowed above partners,
equals, aids, rivals or children, there is no deity or Lord worthy of worship
except Him.
[يُرِيدُونَ أَن
يُطْفِئُواْ نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللَّهُ إِلاَّ أَن يُتِمَّ
نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَـفِرُونَ - هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى
وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ
الْمُشْرِكُونَ ]
(32. They want to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths, but Allah will
not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the disbelievers
hate (it).) (33. It is He Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the
religion of truth, to make it superior over all religions even though the
idolators hate (it).)