“Our Lord, we believe in what You have revealed and have followed the Messenger, so record us among the witnesses. * They plotted, and Allah planned, and Allah is the best of planners. * When Allah said, ‘O Jesus, I will take you and raise you to Myself, purify you of those who disbelieve, and place those who follow you above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you regarding that over which you differed. * As for those who disbelieve, I will punish them severely in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers. * As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, He will pay them their rewards in full. Allah does not love the wrongdoers. * This is what We recite to you of the signs and the wise Reminder.’”
They said, “We believe in Allah.” “So record us among the witnesses”—that is, among those who bear the beneficial testimony: testimony to Allah’s oneness and affirmation of His Messenger, accompanied by acting accordingly. When they stood with Jesus in supporting Allah’s religion and upholding His revealed law, one group of the Children of Israel believed while another disbelieved. The two groups fought, and Allah strengthened those who believed by granting them victory over their enemy, so they became dominant. Hence Allah Most High says here, “They plotted”—meaning the unbelievers, who sought to kill Allah’s prophet and extinguish his light—“and Allah planned” against them in requital for their plotting, “and Allah is the best of planners.” Allah turned their scheme back upon them, and they became the losers.
“When Allah said, ‘O Jesus, I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify you of those who disbelieve.’” Allah raised His servant and messenger Jesus to Himself and caused someone else to bear his likeness. They seized the one who had been made to resemble him, killed him, and crucified him. Yet they incurred tremendous sin because they intended to kill Allah’s Messenger. Allah said, “They neither killed nor crucified him, but it was made to appear so to them.”
This verse is evidence that Allah is above His creation and that He truly rose over His Throne, as is also demonstrated by the Quranic texts and Prophetic hadiths that Ahl al-Sunnah have received with acceptance, faith, and submission. Allah is Almighty, Powerful, and Overwhelming. One manifestation of His might was that He restrained the Children of Israel from killing Jesus—peace be upon him—despite their firm resolve and although no worldly obstacle stood in their way. Allah Most High said, “And when I restrained the Children of Israel from harming you after you came to them with clear proofs, and those who disbelieved among them said, ‘This is nothing but manifest sorcery.’”
He is Wise and places all things in their proper places. There was supreme wisdom in His causing another to bear Jesus’ likeness before the Children of Israel, for they were consequently plunged into uncertainty. Allah Most High said, “Those who differed concerning him are surely in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it and follow only conjecture. They certainly did not kill him.”
Allah Most High then said, “And I will place those who follow you above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection.” It was stated previously that Allah strengthened the believers among them against the unbelievers. Thereafter, the Christians who professed affiliation with Jesus—peace be upon him—continued to prevail over the Jews because the Christians came closer to following Jesus than the Jews did. This continued until Allah sent our Prophet Muhammad—peace and blessings be upon him. The Muslims then became the true followers of Jesus, and Allah strengthened them and granted them victory over the Jews, the Christians, and all other unbelievers. Only at certain times are unbelievers—Christians and others—granted temporary ascendancy over the Muslims. This occurs for a wisdom from Allah and as punishment for the Muslims’ abandonment of following the Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him.
“Then to Me is your return”—that is, the final destination of all creatures—“and I will judge between you regarding that over which you differed.” Everyone claims that the truth is on his side, that he is correct, and that others are mistaken. These, however, are mere claims that require proof.
Allah then stated that He would judge between them with equity and justice:
“As for those who disbelieve”—in Allah, His signs, and His messengers—“I will punish them severely in this world and the Hereafter.” Their punishment in this world consists of the crushing calamities and manifest penalties that Allah brings upon them, as well as killing, humiliation, and other things that are a foretaste of the punishment of the Hereafter. The punishment of the Hereafter is the overwhelming catastrophe and the greatest calamity: the punishment of the Fire, the wrath of the Almighty, and deprivation of the reward of the righteous. “And they will have no helpers” to save them from Allah’s punishment—not those whom they claimed would intercede for them before Allah, nor those whom they took as allies besides Him, nor their friends and relatives; they cannot even save themselves.
“As for those who believe” in Allah, His angels, His scriptures, His messengers, resurrection after death, and everything else in which Allah has commanded belief, “and do righteous deeds”—deeds of the heart, tongue, and body prescribed by the messengers, through which they seek the pleasure of the Lord of all worlds—“He will pay them their rewards in full.” This indicates that in this world they receive a reward for their deeds in the form of honor, dignity, victory, and a wholesome life. The full payment of rewards, however, will occur on the Day of Resurrection, when they will find the good they sent ahead laid before them in full. Every doer among them will be given the reward of his deeds, and Allah will grant them even more from His bounty and generosity. “Allah does not love the wrongdoers.” Rather, He hates them and brings His wrath and punishment upon them.
“This is what We recite to you of the signs and the wise Reminder.” This is a tremendous favor upon His Messenger ⦗133⦘ Muhammad—peace and blessings be upon him—and upon his community, for He revealed to them this wise Reminder, which is decisive and perfect and sets forth rulings, what is lawful and unlawful, the accounts of earlier prophets, and the clear signs and manifest miracles Allah brought forth through them. This Quran sets forth for us every beneficial account and ruling, thereby providing knowledge, lessons, and firmness of heart—all of which are among the greatest manifestations of the Lord’s mercy toward His servants. Allah Most High then said: