(25–27) “Indeed, We sent Our messengers with clear proofs and sent down with them the Book and the balance so that people might uphold justice. We also sent down iron, in which there is great might and benefits for people, and so that Allah might make known who supports Him and His messengers in the unseen. Surely Allah is All-Strong, Almighty. * Indeed, We sent Noah and Abraham and placed prophethood and the Book among their descendants. Some of them are rightly guided, but many of them are defiantly disobedient. * Then We sent Our messengers in their footsteps, and We followed them with Jesus son of Mary. We gave him the Gospel and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. They invented monasticism themselves; We had not prescribed it for them, but they did so seeking Allah’s pleasure. Yet they did not observe it as it ought to have been observed. So We gave those among them who believed their reward, but many of them are defiantly disobedient.”
The Most High says: “Indeed, We sent Our messengers with clear proofs”—namely, the evidence, testimonies, and signs demonstrating the truth and authenticity of what they brought.
“And sent down with them the Book.” This is a generic term encompassing all the scriptures Allah sent down to guide creation and direct them to what benefits them in their religious and worldly affairs. “And the balance” means justice in words and deeds. The religion brought by the messengers is entirely just and equitable in its commands and prohibitions, in people’s dealings, and in matters of crimes, legal retaliation, prescribed punishments, [inheritance, and other matters]. This was “so that people might uphold justice” by adhering to Allah’s religion and securing their innumerable interests. This proves that the messengers agreed upon the foundational principle of revealed law, namely, upholding justice, even though its particular forms varied according to different times and circumstances. “We also sent down iron, in which there is great might,” manifested in implements of war such as weapons, armor, and the like.
“And benefits for people”—as may be seen in its usefulness for various industries and trades, utensils, and farming implements. Indeed, scarcely anything exists that has no need of iron.
“And so that Allah might make known who supports Him and His messengers in the unseen.” That is, the Most High establishes the arena of trial through the Book and iron that He sent down, thereby making evident who supports Him and His messengers while matters remain unseen. It is then that faith is beneficial, before direct witnessing, when faith would no longer be of benefit because it would then be compelled.
“Surely Allah is All-Strong, Almighty.” Nothing can thwart Him, and no fugitive can escape Him. Among the manifestations of His strength and might is that He sent down iron, from which powerful instruments are made. Another manifestation of His strength and might is that He is fully able to triumph over His enemies. Yet He tests His allies through His enemies so that He may make known who supports Him in the unseen. In this (1) passage, the Most High joined the Book and iron together because through these two things Allah supports His religion and exalts His word: through the Book, which contains proof and decisive evidence, and through the sword, which brings victory by Allah’s permission. Both are upheld through justice and equity, which attest to the Creator’s wisdom and perfection, ⦗843⦘ and to the perfection of the law He prescribed through His messengers.
After mentioning the prophethood of the prophets in general, He singled out from among them the two noble prophets Noah and Abraham, peace be upon them, in whose descendants Allah placed prophethood and the Book. He said: “Indeed, We sent Noah and Abraham and placed prophethood and the Book among their descendants.” That is, all the earlier and later prophets were descendants of Noah and Abraham. Likewise, all the scriptures were sent down to the descendants of these two noble prophets. “Some of them”—meaning those to whom We sent the messengers—“are rightly guided” by their call, submitting to their command and seeking guidance through their guidance.
“But many of them are defiantly disobedient”—that is, they depart from [obedience to Allah and] obedience to the messengers and prophets (2), as the Most High says: “Most people, no matter how eagerly you desire it, will not believe.”
“Then We sent” means that We caused to follow “Our messengers in their footsteps, and We followed them with Jesus son of Mary.” Allah singled out Jesus, peace be upon him, because the context concerns the Christians, who claim to follow Jesus, peace be upon him. “We gave him the Gospel,” which is one of Allah’s noble scriptures, “and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him.” As the Most High says: “You will surely find the Jews and those who associate partners with Allah to be the most hostile toward the believers, and you will surely find those who say, ‘We are Christians,’ to be the nearest to them in affection. That is because there are priests and monks among them and because they are not arrogant,” and the subsequent verses.
For this reason, the Christians had gentler hearts than others when they adhered to the law of Jesus, peace be upon him.
“They invented monasticism themselves.” Monasticism means worship. They devised a form of worship themselves, imposed it upon themselves, and committed themselves to its requirements. Allah had neither prescribed it for them nor made it obligatory. Rather, they bound themselves to it of their own accord, intending thereby to seek the pleasure of Allah Most High. Even so, “they did not observe it as it ought to have been observed.” That is, they neither upheld it nor fulfilled its requirements. They thus fell short in two respects: by inventing it and by failing to uphold what they had imposed upon themselves. This is the predominant condition among them.
Some among them, however, remain upright in obeying Allah. Hence He says: “So We gave those among them who believed their reward”—that is, those who believed in Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, while also believing in Jesus. Allah rewarded each according to his faith. “But many of them are defiantly disobedient.”