SURAH AN-NISA (AYAH 151 to 160)

أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ حَقًّا ۚ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُهِينًا {4:151}

[Q4:151] Ulaaa'ika humul kaafiroona haqqaa; wa a'tadnaa lilkaafireena 'azaabam muheenaa. 

[Q4:151] These it is that are truly unbelievers, and We have prepared for the unbelievers a disgraceful chastisement.
[Q4:151] Mereka itulah orang-orang yang kafir dengan sebenar-benarnya dan Kami telah menyediakan bagi orang-orang kafir itu azab seksa yang menghina.  

(see commentary for verse 150)

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(4:151) It is they, indeed they, who are, beyond all doubt, unbelievers; *178 and for the unbelievers We have prepared a humiliating chastisement.

*178. Insofar as being an unbeliever is concerned, there is no difference between 
(1) those who believe neither in God nor in the Prophets, (2) those who believe in God but not in the Prophets, and (3) those who believe in some Prophets but reject others. 

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ أُولَٰئِكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا {4:152}

[Q4:152] Wallazeena aamanoo billaahi wa Rusulihee wa lam yufarriqoo baina ahadim minhum ulaaa'ika sawfa yu'teehim ujoorahum; wa kaanal laahu Ghafoorar Raheema. 

[Q4:152] And those who believe in ALLAH (SWT) and His messengers and do not make a distinction between any of them-- ALLAH (SWT) will grant them their rewards; and ALLAH (SWT) is Forgiving, Merciful.
[Q4:152] Dan orang-orang yang beriman kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan Rasul-rasulNya dan mereka pula tidak membeza-bezakan (imannya terhadap) seseorang pun di antara Rasul-rasul itu, (maka) mereka yang demikian, ALLAH (SwT) akan memberi mereka pahala mereka dan (ingatlah) adalah ALLAH (SwT) Maha Pengampun, lagi Maha Mengasihani.  

(see commentary for verse 150)

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(4:152) For those who believe in Allah and His Messengers, and do not differentiate between them, We shall certainly give them their reward. *179 Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate *180

*179. This means that only those who acknowledge God to be their sole object of worship and their only sovereign, and who commit themselves to follow all the Prophets, will merit reward for their acts in the Hereafter. What that reward will be depends on the nature and extent of their acts of goodness. Those who do not either acknowledge the exclusive sovereignty of God or who rebelliously reject some Messengers of God and believe only in those whom they choose to, will not be rewarded, for in God's sight their apparently good acts are essentially not valid.
*180. God will be lenient and forgiving in judging the conduct of those who believe in Him and the Prophets. 

SECTION 22

Violation of the Covenant by the Jews

Jews’ violating the Covenant---Their accusing Jesus and his mother Mary---The Truth concerning the Crucifixion of Jesus.

يَسْأَلُكَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ أَنْ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ كِتَابًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ ۚ فَقَدْ سَأَلُوا مُوسَىٰ أَكْبَرَ مِنْ ذَٰلِكَ فَقَالُوا أَرِنَا اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ الصَّاعِقَةُ بِظُلْمِهِمْ ۚ ثُمَّ اتَّخَذُوا الْعِجْلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ فَعَفَوْنَا عَنْ ذَٰلِكَ ۚ وَآتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ سُلْطَانًا مُبِينًا {4:153}

[Q4:153] yas'aluka Ahlul Kitaabi an tunazzila 'alaihim Kitaabam minas samaaa'i faqad sa aloo Moosaa akbara min zaalika faqaaloo arinal laaha jahratan fa akhazat humus saa'iqatu bizulmihim; summat takhazul 'ijla mim ba'di maa jaa'at humul baiyinaatu fa'afawnaa 'ann zaalik; wa aatainaa Moosaa sultaanam mubeenaa. 

[Q4:153] The followers of the Book ask you to bring down to them a book from heaven; so indeed they demanded of Musa a greater thing than that, for they said: Show us ALLAH (SWT) manifestly; so the lightning overtook them on account of their injustice. Then they took the calf (for a ALLAH (SWT)), after clear signs had come to them, but We pardoned this; and We gave to Musa clear authority.
[Q4:153] Ahli Kitab (kaum Yahudi) meminta kepadamu (wahai Muhammad) supaya engkau menurunkan kepada mereka sebuah Kitab dari langit. (Janganlah engkau merasa pelik), kerana sesungguhnya mereka telah meminta kepada Nabi Musa lebih besar dari itu. Mereka berkata: (Wahai Musa) perlihatkanlah ALLAH (SwT) kepada kami dengan nyata (supaya kami dapat melihatNya dan percaya kepadaNya). Lalu mereka disambar oleh petir dengan sebab kezaliman mereka (menderhaka kepada ALLAH (SwT)); kemudian mereka pula menyembah (patung) anak lembu sesudah datang kepada mereka keterangan-keterangan (mukjizat), lalu Kami maafkan mereka dari perbuatan yang sedemikian itu (ketika mereka bertaubat) dan Kami telah memberi kepada Nabi Musa kekuasaan yang nyata (untuk mengalahkan kaum yang kafir itu).

Refer to the commentary of al-Baqarah 2:51 and 55.

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(4:153) The People of the Book now ask of you to have a Book come down on them from heaven; *181 indeed they asked of Moses even greater things than this, for they said: 'Make us see Allah with our own eyes' - whereupon the thunderbolt suddenly smote them for their wickedness. *182 Then they took to worshipping the calf after clear signs had come to them. *183 Still, We forgave them, and conferred a manifest commandment upon Moses,

*181. One of the odd demands which the Jews of Madina made to the Prophet (peace be on him) was that if he wanted them to accept his claim to prophethood he should have them either witness a book descending from the heavens or that each one of them should receive a writ from on high, confirming Muhammad's prophethood and the absolute necessity of believing in him. 
*182. The purpose here is not to describe the details of any particular event, but merely to mention, in brief, the crimes of the Jews. Hence passing references are made to the main incidents in the national history of the Jews. The particular event referred to has been mentioned earlier in Surah al-Baqarah. (See Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. I, Surah 2: 55; also n. 71.) 
*183. 'Clear signs' refer here to the signs which people had constantly witnessed from the time of Moses' appointment to his prophetic office, to the drowning of Pharaoh and the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt. It is clear that He Who had secured the deliverance of the Israelites from the clutches of the powerful Egyptian empire was not the calf, but God, the Lord of the Universe. One is simply staggered at the overpowering predisposition of the Jews to error, as evidenced by the fact that at that very juncture in their history when they had experienced the most illustrious signs of God's power and grace they bowed down before the image of the calf, rather than before God, their Benefactor. 

وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَهُمُ الطُّورَ بِمِيثَاقِهِمْ وَقُلْنَا لَهُمُ ادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُلْنَا لَهُمْ لَا تَعْدُوا فِي السَّبْتِ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُمْ مِيثَاقًا غَلِيظًا{4:154}

[Q4:154] Wa rafa'naa fawqahumut Toora bimeesaaqihim wa qulnaa lahumud khulul baaba sujjadanw wa qulnaa lahum laa ta'doo fis Sabti wa akhaznaa minhum meesaaqan ghaleezaa. 

[Q4:154] And We lifted the mountain (Sainai) over them at (the time taking of the covenant) and We said to them: Enter the door making obeisance; and We said to them: Do not exceed the limits of the Sabbath, and We made with them a firm covenant.
[Q4:154] Dan Kami telah mengangkat "Gunung Tursina" ke atas mereka disebabkan (mereka ingkar akan) perjanjian setia mereka (mematuhi hukum-hukum Taurat) dan Kami perintahkan mereka: Masuklah kamu melalui pintu (negeri) itu dengan merendah diri dan Kami juga perintahkan mereka: Janganlah kamu melanggar perintah larangan yang ditentukan pada hari Sabtu dan Kami telah mengambil daripada mereka perjanjian setia yang teguh (yang mewajibkan mereka mengerjakan suruhan ALLAH (SwT) dan meninggalkan laranganNya).

Refer to the commentary of al-Baqarah 2:58, 63, and 65.

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(4:154) and We raised the Mount high above them and took from them a covenant *184 (to obey the commandment), and ordered them: 'Enter the gate in the state of prostration.' *185 And We said to them: 'Do not violate the law of the Sabbath', and took from them a firm covenant. *186

*184. This 'manifest commandment' refers to the commandments hichhad been handed over to Moses on tablets. (For a more detailed account of this incident see Surah al-A'raf 7, verses 143 ff.) The covenant referred to here is that which had been entered into by the representatives of Israel in the valley of Mount Sinai. (For this see Surah al-Baqarah 2: 63 and Surah al-A'raf 7l:17)
*185. See Towards Understanding the Qur'an. vol. I, Surah 2: 58-9 and n. 75. 
*186. See ibid., Surah 2: 65 and nn. 82-3.

فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِمْ مِيثَاقَهُمْ وَكُفْرِهِمْ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَقَتْلِهِمُ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَقَوْلِهِمْ قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ ۚ بَلْ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهَا بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا {4:155}

[Q4:155] Fabimaa naqdihim meesaaqahum wa kufrihim bi Aayaatil laahi wa qatlihimul Ambiyaaa'a bighairi haqqinw wa qawlihim quloobunna ghulf; bal taba'al laahu 'alaihaa bikufrihim falaa yu'minoona illaa qaleelaa.
[Q4:155] Therefore, for their breaking their covenant and their disbelief in the communications of ALLAH (SWT) and their killing the prophets wrongfully and their saying: Our hearts are covered; nay! ALLAH (SWT) set a seal upon them owing to their unbelief, so they shall not believe except a few.

[Q4:155] Maka (Kami laknatkan mereka) dengan sebab mereka mencabuli perjanjian setia mereka dan mereka kufur ingkar akan ayat-ayat keterangan ALLAH (SwT) dan mereka pula membunuh Nabi-nabi dengan tiada sesuatu alasan yang benar dan mereka juga mengatakan: Hati kami tertutup (tidak dapat menerima ajaran Islam yang dibawa oleh Nabi Muhammad). (Sebenarnya hati mereka tidak tertutup), bahkan ALLAH (SwT) telah memeteraikan hati mereka disebabkan kekufuran mereka. Oleh itu mereka tidak beriman kecuali sedikit sahaja (di antaranya).

Refer to the commentary of al-Baqarah 2:61, and 87.

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(4:155) (They have incurred Allah's wrath) for their breaking the covenant, and their rejection of the signs of Allah, and for slaying Prophets without right, and for saying: 'Our hearts are wrapped up in covers' *187 -even though in fact Allah has sealed their hearts because of their unbelief, so that they scarcely believe *188

*187. This statement of the Jews has already been mentioned in Surah al-Baqarah 2: 88. In fact, like all ignorant worshippers of falsehood, these people also boasted that their faith in the ideas and prejudices, customs and usages of their forefathers was so firm that they could never be made to forsake them. Whenever the Messengers of God tried to admonish them, they have been told point-blank that no matter what argument or evidence the latter might adduce in support of their message, they would never be prepared to alter their viewpoint. (See Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. I, Surah 2, n. 94.) 
*188. This is a parenthetical statement.

وَبِكُفْرِهِمْ وَقَوْلِهِمْ عَلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ بُهْتَانًا عَظِيمًا {4:156}

[Q4:156] Wa bikufrihim wa qawlihim 'alaa Maryama buh taanan 'azeema. 
[Q4:156] And for their unbelief and for their having uttered against Marium a grievous calumny.

[Q4:156] Demikian juga (Kami laknatkan mereka) dengan sebab kekufuran mereka dan tuduhan mereka terhadap Mariam (dengan tuduhan yang amat dustanya. 

THE JEWS NOT ONLY DISBELIEVED IN ISA BUT ALSO SPOKE DREADFUL CALUMNIES OF MARYAM, GOING TO ANY LENGTH IN ACCUSING HER OF IMMORALITY.

µ  In the ancient Jewish "Life of Jesus" (the Toldoth Jeshu) it is written that she was seduced by Joseph, the son of Pandera, because she was under the impression that he was her betrothed. For this outrageous slander ALLAH (SWT) had sealed their hearts (refer to the preceding verse).

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(4:156) and for their going so far in unbelief *189 as uttering against Mary a mighty calumny, *190

*189. This marks the resumption of the main theme of the discourse. 
*190. The Jews had no grounds for suspicion regarding the miraculous birth of Jesus. The day he was born God made the entire Jewish people witness that it was the birth of an extraordinary person, and that his birth had taken place miraculously rather than as the result of an act of moral corruption. When this unmarried girl, of a highly esteemed and pious Israelite family, produced a new-born infant, thousands of people of all age groups thronged to her house out of curiosity. Instead of replying to their queries verbally, Mary pointed to the baby, indicating that he would himself reply. The wonder-struck crowd inquired if they were expected to direct their questions to the infant child who lay in the cradle. To their amazement the child addressed the crowd in a clear and eloquent style: 'I am indeed a servant of God, and to me has He vouchsafed Revelation, me has He made a Prophet'. (Surah Maryam 19: 30.)
Thus God demolished every basis for casting doubt on the birth of Jesus. When Jesus was young no one accused Mary of either unchastity or Jesus of being born illegitimately. When Jesus reached the age of thirty he launched his prophetic mission, censuring the Jews for their misdeeds and reproaching the rabbis and the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He also called attention to the moral degeneration to which they had sunk, urging people to rise up and engage in the perilous struggle to establish the hegemony of God's religion. Such a struggle called for all kinds of sacrifices and involved confrontation with Satanic forces on all fronts. Once Jesus launched this mission these criminals decided to spare no weapon, however base, in their bid to silence this fearless voice of truth. It was at this point that they flung at Mary the accusation of unchastity and at Jesus that of illegitimate birth. They made these accusations despite full knowledge that both mother and child were absolutely chaste and innocent. That is why this accusation is not characterized as either a wrong or a falsehood. It is rather branded as disbelief (kufr) since the calumny was motivated chiefly by the desire to obstruct the path of true faith and not just to bring an innocent woman into disrepute. 

وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِنْهُ ۚ مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ ۚ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا {4:157}

[Q4:157] Wa qawlihim innaa qatal nal maseeha 'Eesab-na-Maryama Rasoolal laahi wa maa qataloohu wa maa salaboohu wa laakin shubbiha lahum; wa innal lazeenakh talafoo fee lafee shakkim minh; maa lahum bihee min 'ilmin illat tibaa'az zann; wa maa qataloohu yaqeenaa; 

[Q4:157] And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Marium, the messenger of ALLAH (SWT); and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa) and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure.
[Q4:157] Dan juga (disebabkan) dakwaan mereka dengan mengatakan: Sesungguhnya kami telah membunuh Al-Masih Isa Ibni Mariam, Rasul ALLAH (SwT). Padahal mereka tidak membunuhnya dan tidak memalangnya (di kayu palang salib), tetapi diserupakan bagi mereka (orang yang mereka bunuh itu seperti Nabi Isa) dan Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang telah berselisih faham, mengenai Nabi Isa, sebenarnya mereka berada dalam keadaan syak (ragu-ragu) tentang menentukan (pembunuhannya). Tiada sesuatu pengetahuan pun bagi mereka mengenainya selain daripada mengikut sangkaan semata-mata dan mereka tidak membunuhnya dengan yakin.

THE JEWS BOAST AND BRAG THAT THEY HAD SLAIN ISA, BUT neither had they slain him nor they crucified him. ALLAH (SWT) RAISED HIM UNTO HIMSELF. For details please refer to the commentary of Ali Imran 3:55, which clearly expose the myth of crucifixion and resurrection of Isa.

»    Wama salabuhu (nor they crucified him) has been misinterpreted by the Ahmadi commentators. They say: "The words of the Qur’an do not deny the fact that Jesus was nailed to the cross and that he was wounded but did not die; and that he was taken away by a faithful disciple who put him in an open grave from where he escaped unnoticed; BECAUSE he had prayed throughout the night before his arrest to be saved from the accursed death; and again reminded his Lord on the cross by saying: 'O Lord, my ALLAH (SWT), why has Thou forsaken me?"

       The commentary of Ali Imran 3:55 also deals with the conjectures of the Ahmadi commentators. They rely on the book corrupted by the Christian church and do not accept the clear words of the Qur’an (nor they crucified him).

As has been proved, on the authority of Christian books, in the commentary of Ali Imran 3:55, it was another man who actually suffered the agony of crucifixion; and as recorded in the 80th psalm and in Daniel's vision Isa was raised to heaven.

ISA WAS RUHULLAH (SPIRIT OF ALLAH (SWT), THEREFORE, HE WAS NOT FORSAKEN. A MAN FORSAKEN BY ALLAH (SWT) CANNOT BE HIS PROPHET.

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(4:157) and their saying: 'We slew the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary', the Messenger of Allah *191 - whereas *192 in fact they had neither slain him nor crucified him but the matter was made dubious to them *193 - and those who differed about it too were in a state of doubt! They have no definite knowledge of it, but merely follow conjecture; *194 and they surely slew him not,

*191. Their criminal boldness had reached such proportions that they attempted to put an end to the life of the one they themselves knew to be a Prophet, and subsequently went around boasting of this achievement. The least reflection on the incident of Jesus talking in his cradle (see the preceding note) makes it clear that there was no strong reason to doubt his prophethood. Moreover, the miracles of Jesus which they themselves witnessed (see Surah Al 'Imran 3: 49) had firmly established his claim to prophethood. Thus, whatever treatment they meted out to him was not based on any misconception, for they were fully aware that the person whom they were subjecting to criminal treatment had been appointed by God as the bearer of His message. It seems strange that a people should recognize a man to be a Prophet in their hearts and still try to assassinate him. The ways of degenerate nations are indeed strange. Such people are absolutely unprepared to tolerate the existence of those who reproach them for their corruption and seek to prevent them from evil. Hence the reformers, including Prophets, who arise among corrupt nations are always persecuted; they are imprisoned and even put to death. The Talmud mentions that:
Nebuchadnezzar laid waste the land of Israel. . . when the city had been captured, he marched with his princes and officers into the Temple ... on one of the walls he found the mark of an arrow's head, as though somebody had been killed or hit nearby, and he asked: 'Who was killed here?' 'Zachariah, the son of Yohoyadah, the high priest', answered the people. 'He rebuked us incessantly on account of our transgressions, and we tired of his words, and put him to death.' (The Talmud Selections by H. Polano, London, Frederick Warne & Co.)
The Bible also mentions that when the corrupt practices of Israel exceeded all limits, and Jeremiah warned them that God would have them overrun by other nations in punishment for their wickedness, his warning was greeted by the Jews with the accusation that he was a collaborator with the Chaldeans and hence a traitor. And under that pretext Jeremiah was sent to prison. In the same manner, about two and a half years before Jesus' crucifixion, John the Baptist suffered a cruel fate. On the whole the Jews knew him to be a Prophet, or at least acknowledged him to be one of the most religious people in the nation. But when he criticized the royal court of Herod, the King of Judah, he was first thrown into prison, and then, in response to the demand of a dancing girl, who was Herod's favourite 'mistress', his head was cut off.
If this record of the Jews is kept in mind, it does not seem surprising that, after having subjected Jesus - according to their belief - to crucifixion, they might have been overcome by jubilation and in a fit of self-congratulation might have boastfully exclaimed: 'Yes, we have put a Prophet of God to death!' (For similar incidents see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. I, Surah 2, n. 79 - Ed.) 
*192. This again is a parenthetical statement. 
*193. This verse categorically states that Jesus was raised on high before he could be crucified, and that the belief of both the Jews and the Christians that Jesus died on the cross is based on a misconception. As a result of a comparative study of the Qur'anic and Biblical versions we are persuaded that, so far as the trial at the court of Pilate is concerned, it was probably Jesus who was tried. Pilate sentenced him to death after the Jews showed their deep hostility to Truth and righteousness by openly declaring that, in their view, the life of a thief was of higher value than that of a man with such a pure soul as Jesus. It was then that God raised Jesus up to heaven. The person the Jews subsequently crucified was someone else who, for one reason or another, was mistaken for the person of Jesus. The fact that the person who had actually been crucified was someone other than Jesus does not in any way detract from the guilt of those Jews, for in their minds it was Jesus whose head they were crowning with thorns, in whose face they were spitting, and whom they were subjecting to crucifixion. We are not in a position now to find out how and why such a confusion arose. As no authentic source of information is available to us, it would be inappropriate to conjecture and speculate about the cause of the misapprehension which led the Jews to believe that they had crucified Jesus, the son of Mary, whereas he had already passed far beyond their grasp.
*194. "Those who differed' refers to the Christians. The Christians have dozens of different versions, rather than one universally agreed view, regarding the crucifixion of the Messiah. This in itself is an eloquent testimony that the Christians were doubtful about the actual event. Some of them held the view that the one who was crucified was someone other than-Jesus and that Jesus himself in fact remained standing somewhere nearby, laughing at their folly. Others were of the opinion that the one who was crucified was certainly Jesus himself, but that he did not die on the cross and was still alive when brought down from it. Others asserted that though Jesus died on the cross, he later returned to life, met his disciples and conversed with them about ten times. Again, some believe that the human body of Jesus suffered death and was buried, while the spirit of godhead in him was taken up on high. Yet others believe that after his death the Messiah was resurrected physically and was subsequently taken up to heaven in physical form. Had the truth been fully known and well-established so many divergent views could not have gained currency. 

بَلْ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا {4:158}

[Q4:158] Bar rafa'ahul laahu ilayh; wa kaanal laahu 'Azeezan Hakeema. 
[Q4:158] Nay! ALLAH (SWT) took him up to Himself; and ALLAH (SWT) is Mighty, Wise.

[Q4:158] Bahkan ALLAH (SwT) telah mengangkat Nabi Isa kepadaNya dan adalah ALLAH (SwT) Maha Kuasa, lagi Maha Bijaksana.  

(see commentary for verse 157)

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(4:158) but Allah raised him to Himself. *195 Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

*195. This is the truth revealed by God. What is categorically asserted here is merely that the Jews did not succeed in killing the Messiah, but that God raised him unto Himself. The Qur'an furnishes no detailed information about the actual form of this 'raising'. It neither states categorically that God raised him from the earthly sphere to some place in heaven in both body and soul, nor that his body died on earth and his soul alone was raised to heaven. Hence neither of the two alternatives can be definitely affirmed nor denied on the basis of the Qur'an. If one reflects on the Qur'anic version of the event one gets the impression that, whatever the actual form of this 'raising', the event was of an extraordinary character. This extraordinariness is evident from three things:
First, the Christians believed in the ascension of the Messiah in both body and soul, which was one of the reasons for large sections of people to believe in the godhead of Jesus. The Qur'an does not refute that idea but employs the same term, raf (i.e. 'ascension'), employed by the Christians. It is inconceivable that the Qur'an, which describes itself as the 'Clear Book', would employ an expression that might lend support to a misconception it seeks to repudiate. 
Second, one might assume that either the ascension of the Messiah was of the kind that takes place at every person's death or that this 'ascension' meant merely the exaltation of a Prophet's position, like that of Idris: 'And We raised him to an exalted station' (Surah Maryam 19: 57). Had it been so, this idea would have been better expressed by a statement such as: And indeed they did not kill the Messiah; Allah delivered him from execution and caused him to die a natural death. The Jews had wanted to slight him but Allah granted him an exalted position. 
Third, if this raf (exaltation, ascension) referred to in the verse: 'Allah raised him to Himself was of an ordinary kind, the statement which follows, namely that 'Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise', would seem altogether out of context. Such a statement is pertinent only in the context of an event which manifested, in a highly extraordinary manner, by the overwhelming power and wisdom of God.
The only Qur'anic argument that can be adduced to controvert this view is the verse in which the expression mutawaffika (see Surah Al 'Imran 3: 55) is employed. But as we have pointed out (see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. I, Surah 3, n. 51), this word can denote either God's taking a man unto Himself in soul or taking him unto Himself in both body and soul. Arguments based on the mere use of this word are not enough to repudiate the arguments we have already adduced. Some of those who insist on the physical death of Jesus support their argument by pointing out that there is no other example of the use of the word tawaffa for God's taking unto Himself a man in body as well as in soul. But this argument is not tenable since the ascension of Jesus was a unique event in human history and, therefore, the quest for another example of the use of this term in the same context is meaningless. What is worth exploring is whether or not the use of the word in such a sense is valid according to Arabic usage. If it is, we will have to say that the choice of this particular word lends support to belief in the ascension of Jesus.
If we reflect on this verse in the light of the assumption that Jesus died physically, it appears strange that the Qur'an does not employ those terms which would exclude signifying the simultaneous physical and spiritual ascension of Jesus. On the contrary, the Qur'an prefers a term which, since it is liable to both interpretations (i.e. it can mean both spiritual and physical ascension), lends support to belief in the physical ascension of Jesus, even though that notion was used as a basis to support the false belief in the godhead of Jesus.
Belief in the physical ascension of Jesus is further reinforced by those numerous traditions which mention the return of Jesus, son of Mary, to the world and his struggle against the Anti-Christ before the end of time. (For these traditions see our appendix to Surah 33.) These traditions quite definitively establish the second coming of Jesus. Now it is for anybody to judge which is more reasonable: Jesus' return to this world after his death, or his being alive somewhere in God's universe, and returning to this world at some point in time? 

وَإِنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ ۖ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا {4:159}

[Q4:159] Wa im min Ahlil Kitaabi illaa layu'minanna bihee qabla mawtihee wa Yawmal Qiyaamati yakoonu 'alaihim shaheedaa. 

[Q4:159] And there is not one of the followers of the Book but most certainly believes in this before his death, and on the day of resurrection he (Isa) shall be a witness against them.
[Q4:159] Dan tidak ada seorang pun dari kalangan ahli Kitab melainkan dia akan beriman kepada Nabi Isa sebelum matinya dan pada hari kiamat kelak Nabi Isa akan menjadi saksi terhadap mereka. 

THE JEWS WILL ULTIMATELY BELIEVE IN ISA AND THE CHRISTIANS WILL RECOGNISE HIS TRUE POSITION WHEN HE WILL COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT IMAM MUHAMMAD BIN HASAN AL-MAHDI AS A MUSLIM, AND PRAY SALAT BEHIND HIM. ISLAM WILL BE THE RELIGION OF THE WHOLE WORLD. THEN ISA WILL DIE AND THE MUSLIMS WILL OFFER HIS FUNERAL PRAYER. (Minhajus Sadiqin and Umdatul Bayan).

µ  The Imams of the Ahlul Bayt have said that Isa would come in this world again. The whole world will embrace Islam and believe in Isa and Al Mahdi, the representative of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). All disputes will disappear before the death of Isa.

v  Imam Ali ibne Abi Talib has said:

Whoever dies sees me; be he a believer or a hypocrite. To see Ali means to witness the truth. The personal pronoun (whoever) refers to Isa, or to one who dies, or both, because an authentic tradition of the Ahlul Bayt says that Isa, a witness over all the people of the book, since the beginning to the end, will at last die. Therefore the pronoun refers to both.

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(4:159) There are none among the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death, *196 and he will be a witness against them on the Day of Resurrection. *197

*196. The death mentioned here could refer either to the death of Jesus or to the death of each and every person among 'the People of the Book'. The text lends itself to both meanings. We have adopted the first in our translation. If we accept the alternative meaning, the verse would mean: "There is no one among the People of the Book who, before his death, will not believe in Jesus.' The expression, 'People of the Book' here refers to the Jews and possibly even to the Christians. In the light of this latter meaning, the purpose of the verse would be to affirm that at the time when the physical death of Jesus takes place, all the living 'People of the Book' would have come to believe in him (i.e. in his prophethood). Alternatively, the verse would mean that the prophethood of Jesus will become manifest to every person among the People of the Book just before he dies so that they will believe in him, but at a time when believing would be of no avail. Both these views have been supported by several Companions, Successors and outstanding scholars of Qur'anic exegesis. The truth of the matter is best known to God alone. 
*197. This means that on the Day of Judgement Jesus will stand in the court of the Almighty and testify to the treatment meted out to him and to the message he brought. (For the nature of this testimony see Surah al-Ma'idah 5: 109 ff. below.) 

فَبِظُلْمٍ مِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا حَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ طَيِّبَاتٍ أُحِلَّتْ لَهُمْ وَبِصَدِّهِمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًا {4:160}

[Q4:160] Fabizulmin minal lazeena haadoo harramnaa 'alaihim taiyibaatin uhillat lahum wa bisadihim 'an sabeelil laahi kaseeraa. 

[Q4:160] Wherefore for the iniquity of those who are Jews did We disallow to them the good things which had been made lawful for them and for their hindering many (people) from ALLAH (SWT)'s way.
[Q4:160] Maka disebabkan kezaliman yang amat besar dari perbuatan orang-orang Yahudi, Kami haramkan atas mereka makanan yang baik-baik yang pernah dihalalkan bagi mereka dan disebabkan mereka banyak menghalang manusia dari jalan ALLAH (SwT). 

THE JEWS [1]CORRUPTED THE TAWRAT, [2]OPPOSED ISA AND PLOTTED TO KILL HIM, AND, IN THE DAYS OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), **dissuaded many pagans from embracing Islam and **hatched plots in league of the hypocrites to hinder the mission of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) by saying that he was not the promised prophet although they knew about his promised advent in their book (see al-Baqarah 2:40).

Ë  Usury has been forbidden in the religion of ALLAH (SWT) (see commentary of al-Baqarah 2:275),

·         and also in Tawrat:

You shall fear your ALLAH (SWT), and your brother shall live with you; you shall not charge interest when advancing him money nor add interest to the payment due for food supplied on credit. (Leviticus 25: 36 + 37)

Yet they always practised usury for usurping other's wealth unjustly. Their long and unbroken record of wrongdoing will land them in hell to suffer painful torment forever.

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(4:160) Thus, *198 We forbade them many clean things which had earlier been made lawful for them, *199 for the wrong-doing of those who became Jews, for their barring many from the way of Allah, *200

*198. After this parenthetical statement, the main discourse is once again resumed.
*199. This may refer to the regulation mentioned in Surah al-An'am 6: 146, that all beasts with claws, and the fat of both oxen and sheep, were prohibited to the Jews. It might also refer, however, to the highly elaborate set of prohibitions found in Judaic Law. To restrict the choice of alternatives in their life is indeed a kind of punishment for a people. (For a fuller discussion see Surah al-An'am 6, n. 122 below.)
*200. The Jews, on the whole, are not satisfied with their own deviation from the path of God. They have become such inherent criminals that their brains and resources seem to be behind almost every movement which arises for the purpose of misleading and corrupting human beings. And whenever there arises a movement to call people to the Truth, the Jews are inclined to oppose it even though they are the bearers of the Scripture and inheritors of the message of the Prophets. Their latest contribution is Communism - an ideology which is the product of a Jewish brain and which has developed under Jewish leadership. It seems ironical that the professed followers of Moses and other Prophets should be prominent as the founders and promoters of an ideology which, for the first time in human history, is professedly based on a categorical denial of, and an undying hostility to God, and which openly strives to obliterate every form of godliness. The other movement which in modern times is second only to Communism in misleading people is the philosophy of Freud. It is a strange coincidence that Freud too was a Jew.