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