Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: "And you will surely find the nearest in affection to those who believe are those who say, 'We are Christians'"
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
This questioner says regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted[Al-Ma'idah 5:82] Are the Christians not polytheists? Why were they excluded from the polytheists mentioned in this?
Answer:
They embraced Islam and their Islam was good, like the Negus, like those who embraced Islam; they are the ones about whom Allah spoke well. Or when they heard what was revealed[Al-Ma'idah 5:82-83]. Truth [Al-Ma'idah 5:83-84].
The presenter:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh,
This questioner says regarding the saying of Allah the Exalted
You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allah; and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, "We are Christians."
لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُم مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّا نَصَارَىٰAnswer:
They embraced Islam and their Islam was good, like the Negus, like those who embraced Islam; they are the ones about whom Allah spoke well. Or when they heard what was revealed
That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant. (83) And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth.
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَىٰ أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنَ الْحَقِّThey say, "Our Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses. (84) And why should we not believe in Allah and what has come to us of the truth? And we aspire that our Lord will admit us [to Paradise] with the righteous people."
يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ وَمَا لَنَا لَا نُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَمَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَنَطْمَعُ أَن يُدْخِلَنَا رَبُّنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الصَّالِحِينَThe presenter:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh,
Source
المنتقى من أخبار سيد المرسلين 01-01-1436هـ — alfawzan.live (1:06:23)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.