52. "and when jesus perceived infidelity on their part, he said:
"who are going to be my helpers (on the way) towards allah"
the disciples: said: 'we are the helpers (on the way of)
allah! we believe in allah and bear you witness that we are muslims'."
commentary:
the arabic term /hawariyun/ (helpers) is the plural form of
/hawari/ in the sense of ' change of way'. the ' helpers ' on the way
towards allah were those who left the deviated way of people and
joined to the path of right.
in safinat-ul-bihar, it is narrated from imam rida (a.s.) who in
this respect, said:
"they were some people who purified and brightened
themselves and tried to purify others both."1
it is cited in al-kafi, narrated from imam sadiq (a.s.) who said:
"the helpers of jesus left him when the stage of action came forth, but our
helpers heartily accept kind of calamities and do not abandon our
obedience. ..."2
as moses (a.s.) prophesied, too, before coming jesus (a.s.), the
jewish people were waiting for his advent, but when he appeared and
the unlawful interest of a perverted group of children of israel were
exposed to danger, only a small group followed jesus (a.s.). the verse
says:
"and when jesus perceived infidelity on their part, he said:
' who are going to be my helpers (on the way) towards allah?'..."
here, only a small group responded this invitation positively. the
qur'an refers to these people as /hawariyun/ (helpers, the special
disciples of jesus (a.s.).)
"...the disciples said: 'we are the helpers (0n the way of) allah!
we believe in allah and bear you witness
that we are muslims '."
to prove their sincerity; the disciples of jesus, in answer to him,
said that they were the helpers (on the way of) allah and they did not
say that they were his helpers.
1
safinat-ul-bihar, vol. 2, p.493
2
ibid, narrated from ai-kafi, kitab-ul-kufr
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