Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (3/377)

“O Allah, bear witness.”

Thus, nothing in these words touches on the notion that the Messiah is God. One may likewise observe that there is nothing requiring the term lord (rabb) here to mean God, for rabb can also denote “the obeyed master,” and the passage clearly distinguishes between the two words. In one place it says, “God will dwell with the people,” and then follows with, “the lord shall be a witness over it.” The prophets testify against their nations.

The same meaning was conveyed by the Messiah, peace be upon him: “I was a witness over them as long as I remained among them; but when You took me, You Yourself became the Watcher over them” (al-Maʾida 117).

The Exalted has also said: “We have sent to you a Messenger as a witness over you, just as We sent a Messenger to Pharaoh” (al-Muzzammil 15), and: “So how will it be when We bring from every community a witness and bring you as a witness over these?” (al-Nisaʾ 41).

اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَد. وَحِينَئِذٍ فَلَيْسَ فِي هَذَا تَعَرُّضٌ لِكَوْنِ الْمَسِيحِ هُوَ اللَّهَ، وَقَدْ يُقَالُ أَيْضًا: لَيْسَ فِيهِ أَنَّ الْمُرَادَ بِلَفْظِ الرَّبِّ هُنَا هُوَ اللَّهُ، وَلَفْظُ الرَّبِّ يُرَادُ بِهِ السَّيِّدُ الْمُطَاعُ، وَقَدْ غَايَرَ بَيْنَ اللَّفْظَيْنِ، فَقَالَ هُنَاكَ: إِنَّهُ سَيَسْكُنُ اللَّهُ مَعَ النَّاسِ، فَقَالَ: فَيَكُونُ الرَّبُّ عَلَيْهَا شَاهِدًا، وَالْأَنْبِيَاءُ يَشْهَدُونَ عَلَى أُمَمِهِم، كَمَا قَالَ الْمَسِيحُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: {وَكُنْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنْتَ أَنْتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ} [المائدة: ١١٧] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ رَسُولًا شَاهِدًا عَلَيْكُمْ كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ رَسُولًا} [المزمل: ١٥] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جِئْنَا مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بِشَهِيدٍ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ عَلَى هَؤُلَاءِ شَهِيدًا} [النساء: ٤١] .