Question: How shall we understand the verse 3:45 of Qur'an in terms of destiny/measure?
The verse 3:45 is as the following:
“And when the angels said: ‘O Mary! Allah gives you the glad tidings of a word from Him: his name shall be Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary. He shall be highly honoured in this world and in the hereafter, and shall be one of those near stationed to Allah.” (Al-e-Imran/Family of Imran 3:45)
Allah creates every person with an intention for them to be among the righteous like the mentioned prophets. On the other hand, he devalues the ones who commit wrongs. Let’s look at chapter The Fig:
“By the fig and the olive; and by the Mount Sinai, and by this safe city (of Makkah); surely We created human in the best mould. Then We reverted him to the lowest of the low, except those who have faith and do righteous deeds. Theirs is a never ending reward. What, then, makes you lie against this religion? Is it not Allah’s ruling that is the most just?” (Tin/The Fig 95:1-8)
Moreover, the warning issued to all human beings is issued to Jesus and other prophets, as well:
“(O Prophet), say: “Ignorant people! Do you order me to serve any other beside Allah?” (Oh Muhammad) it was revealed to you and to all the messengers before you: “If you join others with Allah, your works will surely come to naught and you will certainly be among the losers. Therefore, serve Allah alone and be among the grateful. They did not recognize the true worth of Allah. On the Day of Rising the whole earth will be in His grip, and the heavens shall be folded up in His right. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.” (Az-Zumar/ The Companies 39:63-67)
Since Jesus had died before the revelation of Qur’an, there are praising statements in Qur’an about him. On the other hand Muhammad (p.b.u.h) was alive when Qur’an was being revealed. So we must clearly understand the following hadith and the verse after that:
“Narrated Kharija bin Zaid bin Thabit: Um Al-‘Ala’, an Ansari woman who gave the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet said to me, “The emigrants were distributed amongst us by drawing lots and we got in our share ‘Uthman bin Maz’un. We made him stay with us in our house. Then he suffered from a disease which proved fatal when he died and was given a bath and was shrouded in his clothes, Allah’s Apostle came I said, ‘May Allah be merciful to you, O Abu As-Sa’ib! I testify that Allah has honored you’. The Prophet said, ‘How do you know that Allah has honored him?’ I replied, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! Let my father be sacrificed for you! On whom else shall Allah bestow His honor?’ The Prophet said, ‘No doubt, death came to him. By Allah, I too wish him good, but by Allah, I do not know what Allah will do with me though I am Al lah’s Apostle. ‘ By Allah, I never attested the piety of anyone after that.” (Bukhari 23. Al-Janaaiz / Funerals, 334)
One verse on this subject is as the following:
“Tell them: “I am not the first of the Messengers; and I do not know what shall be done with me or with you. I follow only what is revealed to me, and I am nothing but a plain warner.”” (Al-Ahqaf/ The Curved Dunes 46:9)
Please also see:
Jesus’s Test:
http://www.islamandquran.org/?p=5092
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