نَقُولُWe sayهُوَheلَاnotيُنْزِلُbring downبِشَرِيعَةٍwith a lawجَدِيدَةٍnewوَإِنَّمَاbutيَحْكُمُrulesبِشَرِيعَةِwith the lawالنَّبِيِّof the Prophet
We say: he does not bring down a new law, but rules with the law of the Prophet.
فَإِذَاSo ifقَالَsaidقَائِلٌa speakerمِنْwhoالمُتَّفِقagreedعَلَيْهِupon himأَنْthatخَيْرٌthe bestهَذِهِof thisالأُمَّةnationبَعْدَafterنَبِيِّهَاits Prophet,أَبُوAbuبَكْرٍBakr,وَعِيسَىand Jesusيَحْكُمُrulesبِشَرِيعَةِwith the lawالنَّبِيِّof the Prophet,فَيَكُونُtherefore he isمِنْfromأَتْبَاعِهِhis followers
So if a speaker says: it is agreed that the best of this nation after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, and Jesus rules by the law of the Prophet, therefore he is one of his followers.
فَكَيْفَThen howيَصِحُّis it correctقَوْلُنَاour saying:إِنَّthatخَيْرٌthe bestهَذِهِof thisالأُمَّةnationبَعْدَafterنَبِيِّهَاits ProphetأَبُوAbuبَكْرٍBakr
Then how is it correct for us to say that the best of this nation after its Prophet is Abu Bakr?
فَالْجَوَابُThe answer is:أَحَدٌoneثَلاثَةٍthreeوُجُوهٍaspects:
The answer is one of three aspects:
أَوَّلُهَاThe first is:أَنْthatعِيسَىJesusعَلَيْهِupon himالصَّلَاةُthe prayerوَالسَّلَامُand peaceرَسُولٌa messengerمُسْتَقِلٌّindependentمِنْfromأُولِيthe messengersالْعَزْمِof determination,وَلَاand does notيَخْطُرُoccurبَالٍin the mindالْمُقَارَنَةُthe comparisonبَيْنَهُbetween himوَبَيْنَand betweenالْواحِدِoneمِنْofهَذِهِthisالْأُمَّةِnation;فَكَيْفَThen howبِالْمُفَاضَلَةِin the preference؟
The first is that Jesus, peace be upon him, is an independent messenger from the messengers of determination, and it does not occur in the mind to compare him with one from this nation; then how about preferring?
وَعَلَىAnd onهَذَاthisيَسْقُطُfallsهَذَاthisالإِيرَادُobjectionمِنْfromأَصْلِهِits origin؛لِأَنَّهُbecause it isمِنْfromالتَّنَطُّعِrestrictive،وَقَدْand indeedهَلَكَتْperishedالْمُتَنَطِّعُونَthose who are restrictive؛كَمَاasقَالَhe saidالنَّبِيُّthe Prophet ﷺ
And on this, this objection falls from its origin; because it is from being restrictive, and indeed those who are restrictive have perished; as the Prophet ﷺ said.
الثَّانِيThe second is:أَنْthatنَقُولَwe say:هُوَheخَيْرٌthe bestالأُمَّةِof the nationإِلَّاexceptعِيسَىJesusوَandعَلَيْهِupon himالصَّلَاةُthe prayerوَالسَّلَامُand peace
The second is: we say: he is the best of the nation except for Jesus.
الثَّالِثThe third is:أَنْthatنَقُولَwe say:إِنَّthatعِيسَىJesusلَيْسَis notمِنَfromالأُمَّةِthe nation,وَلَاnorيَصِحُis it rightأَنْto sayنَقُولَthat we say:إِنَّهُthat heمِنْfromأُمَّتِهِhis nationوَهُوَand he isسَابِقٌprecedingعَلَيْهِupon himلَكِنْbutمِنْfromأَتْبَاعِهِhis followersإِذَاifنَزَلَتْdescends؛لِأَنَّbecauseشَرِيعَةَthe lawالنَّبِيِّthe Prophet ﷺبَاقِيَةٌremainsإِلَىuntilيَوْمِthe dayالْقِيَامَةِof resurrection
The third is: we say: that Jesus is not from the nation, nor is it right to say that he is of his nation while he is preceding him, but he is one of his followers if he descends; because the law of the Prophet ﷺ remains until the Day of Resurrection.
فَإِنْThen ifقَالَsaidقَائِلٌa speaker:كَيْفَhowيَكُونُis itتَابِعًاa follower,وَهُوَwhile heيَقْتُلُkillsالْخِنزِيرَthe pig,وَيَكْسِرُand breaksالصَّلِيبَthe cross,وَلَاand does notيَقْبَلُacceptsإِلَّاexceptالْإِسْلَامَIslamمَعَwithأَنْthatالْإِسْلَامَIslamيُقَرُّrecognizesأَهْلَthe peopleالْكِتَابِof the Bookبِالْجِزْيَةِwith the tribute
Then if a speaker says: how can he be a follower, while he kills the pig, and breaks the cross, and does not accept except Islam, while Islam recognizes the people of the Book with the tribute?!
يَكُونُIt will beعَلَيْهِمْupon themشَهِيدًاa witnessوandيَكُونُit will beشَاهِدٌa witnessلَهُمْfor themيَوْمَthe dayالْقِيَامَةِof resurrection
It will be upon them a witness, and it will be a witness for them on the Day of Resurrection.
رَوَىReportedمُسْلِمٌby Muslim(٢٦٧٠)(2670)عَنْfromابْنِIbnمَسْعُودٍMas'udرَضِيَMay Allah be pleasedاللَّهُAllahعَنْهُwith him.
Reported by Muslim (2670) from Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him.