As-Suddi said that the Ahbar are Jewish rabbis, while the Ruhban are
Christian monks. This statement is true, for Ahbar are Jewish rabbis, just as
Allah said,
[لَوْلاَ يَنْهَـهُمُ
الرَّبَّـنِيُّونَ وَالاٌّحْبَارُ عَن قَوْلِهِمُ الإِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ
السُّحْتَ]
(Why do not the Ahbar (rabbis) and the religious learned men forbid them from
uttering sinful words and eating unlawful things.) [5:63] The Ruhban are
Christian monks or worshippers, while the `Qissisun' are their scholars. Allah
said in another Ayah,
[ذلِكَ بِأَنَّ
مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَاناً]
(This is because among them, there are Qissisin and Ruhban...)[5:82]. This
Ayah warns against corrupt scholars and misguided worshippers. Sufyan bin
`Uyaynah said, "Those among our scholars who become corrupt are similar to the
Jews, while those among our worshippers who become misguided are like
Christians.'' An authentic Hadith declares,
«لَتَرْكَبُنَّ
سُنَنَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ حَذْوَ القُذَّةِ بِالْقُذَّة»
(You will follow the ways of those who were before you, step by step.) They
asked, "Jews and Christians'' He said,
«فَمَن»
؟ (Who else) In another narration, they asked, "Persia and Rome'' He said,
«فَمَنِ النَّاسِ
إِلَّا هَؤُلَاءِ؟»
(And who else if it was not them) These texts warn against imitating them in
action and statement, for they, as Allah stated,
[لَيَأْكُلُونَ
أَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَـطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ]
(devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the way of
Allah.) They sell the religion in return for worldly gains, using their
positions and status among people to illegally devour their property. For
instance, the Jews were respected by the people of Jahiliyyah and collected
gifts, taxes and presents from them. When Allah sent His Messenger , the Jews
persisted in their misguidance, disbelief and rebellion, hoping to keep their
status and position. However, Allah extinguished all this and took it away from
them with the light of Prophethood and instead gave them disgrace and
degradation, and they incurred the anger of Allah, the Exalted. Allah said next,
[وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن
سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ]
(and hinder (them) from the way of Allah.) Therefore, they illegally devour
people's property and hinder them from following the truth. They also confuse
truth with falsehood and pretend before their ignorant followers that they call
to righteousness. The true reality is that they call to the Fire and will not
find any helpers on the Day of Resurrection.
ICTruth.info