Reference: Tayseer Al-Kareem Al-Rahman Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al Mannan (Tafseer Al-Sa’adi) [4:172-173]
Allah Subhaanahu Wa ta’ala said:
{Never would the Messiah reject to be a servant of Allaah, nor would the angels near [to Him]. And whoever rejects His worship and is arrogant, He will gather them to Himself all together} [4:172-173]
When Allaah (the Most High) mentioned [in the previous verses] the extremism and excessiveness of the Christians towards ‘Eesa, He also mentioned that ‘Eesa is His slave and messenger; He then mentioned that ‘Eesa does not reject the worship of his Lord out of pride and arrogance i.e. He does not abandon the worship of Allaah, desiring other than it. He (Eesa) does not do this.
{nor would the angels near to Him} so Allah absolved them from rejection and disdain of His worship, and more so arrogance. The negation of a particular attribute proves the existence of its opposite.
This shows that Eesa (‘alayhi assalaam) and the closest Angels to Allaah crave and desire the worship of Allaah. They loved the worship of Allaah and thus strived to attain it with that which is befitting their [lofty] status. This is why Allaah blessed them with great honour and success.
They (Prophet ‘Eesa and the Angels) did not have disdain and arrogance towards the worship of Allaah as well as His lordship, rather they considered themselves in dire need of their Lord.
It is incorrect therefore, for anyone to think that raising ‘Eesa and any other creation above their rightful station which Allaah has designated for them – as well as raising them above the obligation of worship – necessitates perfection; rather this in itself is imperfection and a case of reproach. [1]
Due to this, Allaah said
{Whoever rejects His worship and is arrogant, He will gather them to Himself all together} i.e. Allaah will gather all of creation – those who are arrogant as well as His believing slaves. He will then judge between them with justice and with a decisive recompense.
Footnote
[1] This is because worshipping Allah alone is in fact the pinnacle of perfection. And this perfection has been reached by Isa and the closest Angels.
لَنْ يَسْتَنْكِفَ الْمَسِيحُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَبْدًا لِلَّهِ وَلَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ
المرجع: تيسير الكريم الرحمن في تفسير كلام المنان
قال الله تعالى:
{لَنْ يَسْتَنْكِفَ الْمَسِيحُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَبْدًا لِلَّهِ وَلَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ وَمَنْ يَسْتَنْكِفْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيَسْتَكْبِرْ فَسَيَحْشُرُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ جَمِيعًا} [4:172]
لما ذكر تعالى غلو النصارى في عيسى عليه السلام، وذكر أنه عبده ورسوله، ذكر هنا أنه لا يستنكف عن عبادة ربه، أي: لا يمتنع عنها رغبة عنها، لا هو {وَلا الْمَلائِكَةُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ} فنزههم عن الاستنكاف وتنزيههم عن الاستكبار من باب أولى، ونفي الشيء فيه إثبات ضده.
أي: فعيسى والملائكة المقربون قد رغبوا في عبادة ربهم، وأحبوها وسعوا فيها بما يليق بأحوالهم، فأوجب لهم ذلك الشرف العظيم والفوز العظيم، فلم يستنكفوا أن يكونوا عبيدا لربوبيته ولا لإلهيته، بل يرون افتقارهم لذلك فوق كل افتقار.
ولا يظن أن رفع عيسى أو غيره من الخلق فوق مرتبته التي أنزله الله فيها وترفعه عن العبادة كمالا بل هو النقص بعينه، وهو محل الذم والعقاب، ولهذا قال:
{وَمَن يَسْتَنكِفْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيَسْتَكْبِرْ فَسَيَحْشُرُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ جَمِيعًا} أي: فسيحشر الخلق كلهم إليه، المستنكفين والمستكبرين وعباده المؤمنين، فيحكم بينهم بحكمه العدل، وجزائه الفصل
