๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ (๐ฎ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐) ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง (๐:๐๐) ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง (๐๐:๐๐)?
Mohamad Mostafa Nassar
Twitter:@NassarMohamadMR
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง:
In the Qurโan, it mentions that the followers of Jesus (upon whom be peace) were made โabove the disbelieversโ (3: 55) and made โdominantโ (61: 14)
๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฐ๐๐ซ:
๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ก, ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ, ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฒ.
Dear questioner,
Thank you for your important question.
The verses in question are as follows:
โ[Mention] when Allah said, โO Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allah alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection Qurโan (3:55).
And,
โAnd a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominantโ Qurโan (61:14).
Regarding the first verse (3: 55):
Baydawi mentions that โthose who follow youโ refers to the Christians who followed Jesus (upon whom be peace) and then, with the coming of Islam, the Muslims (Tafsir al Baydawi).
The idea that it means solely the Muslims is cited by Alusi as the position of many of the Early Muslims (Ruh al Maani, Alusi).
Qurtubi adds another possibility, namely that it means those who will follow Jesus when he returns. These followers will be both politically and religiously โsuperiorโ to those who disbelieve (Jami Ahkam al Quran, Qurtubi).
Regarding the second verse (61: 14):
Qurtubi and Alusi mention that โdominanceโ refers to the political power enjoyed by the Muslims (Jami Ahkam al Quran, Qurtubi; Ruh al Maani, Alusi).ย Another position that they both mention is that the โsupportโ and โdominanceโ referred to did apply to the Christians but it happened later on by Allah sending the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).
Yet another position mentioned by both Qurtubi and Alusi is that their โdominanceโ was not political, but theological: they were theologically dominant in that the Apostles had clear proofs against the Jewish community.
Baydawi and Ibn Ashur opine that Allah has always given the Christians the political upper hand over the Jews (Tafsir al Baydawi; al Tahrir wa al Tanwir, Ibn Ashur).
These are [all authoritative opinions. The safest position in my humble opinion is that the โsuperiorityโ and โdominanceโ of โthose who follow youโ applies to the Muslims who follow Jesus (upon whom be peace) at the end of time. This is because we know that they are genuinely following him, and truly politically โdominantโ. And Allah knows best.
I pray this helps.
[Ustadh] Farid
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Allah knows Best.