Surah Al-Ma'idah, Ayah 110

Remember when Allah addressed Jesus (peace be upon him) and told him to remember Allah’s favour to him when He created him without a father; to his mother, Mary (peace be upon her), when He chose her over all the women of her time; and upon him when He strengthened him with Gabriel (peace be upon him.). Allah told him that he used to speak to people as a baby, calling them to Allah; and that he used to speak to them in his adulthood, telling them what Allah had sent him with. Allah reminded him of the favour of being taught how to write; and that He taught him the Torah that He had revealed to Moses (peace be upon him) and the Gospel that He revealed to him. He was reminded of the favour of being taught the secrets of the sacred law and its benefits and wisdom. Allah reminded him of how he would make the shape of a bird from clay, blow into it and it used to become a living bird. He used to cure the person who was born blind, and he would treat the leper and heal his skin. He also used to bring the dead to life by praying to Allah to give them life. All of this happened with Allah’s permission. Another favour that Allah reminded him about was that Allah protected him from the Israelites when they intended to kill him after he brought to them clear miracles. The only thing they could do was to deny them; and they said, ‘Jesus has brought nothing but plain sorcery’.

(Remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): "O 'Isa, son of Maryam! Remember My favor to you and to your mother when I supported you with Ruh - il-Qudus [Jibril] so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you the Book, the Hikmah, the Tawrah and the Injil; and when you made out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My permission, and you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My permission, and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My permission, and when you brought forth the dead by My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you since you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said: 'This is nothing but evident magic.' (110)"And when I Awhaytu [put in the hearts of] Al-Hawariyyin to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: 'We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.' (111)

Reminding 'Isa of the Favors that Allah Granted him

Allah mentions how He blessed His servant and Messenger, 'Isa, son of Maryam, and the miracles and extraordinary acts He granted him. Allah said,

اذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْكَ

(Remember My favor to you) when I created you from your mother, without male intervention, and made you a sign and clear proof of My perfect power over all things.

وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَتِكَ

(And to your mother) when I made you testify to her chastity and you thus absolved her from the sin that the unjust, ignorant liars accused her of,

إِذْ أَيَّدتُّكَ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ

(when I supported you with Ruh-il-Qudus) the angel Jibril, and made you a Prophet, calling to Allah in the cradle and manhood. I made you speak in the cradle, and you testified that your mother was free from any immoral behavior, and you proclaimed that you worship Me. You also conveyed the news of My Message and invited them to worship Me.

تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِي الْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا

(so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity;) Meaning you called the people to Allah in childhood and in maturity.

And the word Tukallim means invited, because his speaking to people while a child is nothing strange by itself. Allah's statement,

وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ

(And when I taught you the Book and the Hikmah,) the power of writing and understanding,

وَالتَّوْرَاةَ

(and the Tawrah,) which was revealed to Musa, son of 'Imran, who spoke to Allah directly. Allah's statement,

وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ الطِّينِ كَهَيْئَةِ الطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِي

(and when you made out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My permission,) means: 'you shaped it in the figure of a bird by My permission, and it became a bird with My permission, after you blew into it'. Then, it became a flying bird with a soul by Allah's permission. Allah said;

وَتُبْرِئُ الْأَكْمَهَ وَالْأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِي

(and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My permission,) This was explained before in Surah Āl-'Imrān (chapter 3) and we do not need to repeat it here. Allah's statement,

وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ الْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِي

(And when you brought forth the dead by My permission,) meaning, you called them and they rose from their graves by Allah's leave, power, lntent and will. Allah said next,

وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُم بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

(and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you since you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said: "This is nothing but evident magic.")

Meaning: 'remember My favor, when I stopped the Children of Israel from harming you, when you brought them the clear proofs and evidence, testifying to your prophethood and Message from Me to them. They rejected you and accused you of being a magician and tried to kill you by crucifixion, but I saved you, raised you to Me, purified you from their vulgarity and protected you from their harm.'

The wording of this Ayah indicates that 'Isa will be reminded of these favors on the Day of Resurrection. Allah used the past tense in these Ayat indicating that it is a forgone matter that will certainly occur. This Ayah also contains some of the secrets of the Unseen that Allah revealed to His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ. Allah said,

وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ أَنْ آمِنُوا بِي وَبِرَسُولِي

(And when I (Allah) Awhaytu Al-Hawariyyin to believe in Me and My Messenger.)

This is also a reminder of Allah's favor on 'Isa, by making discples and companions for him. It is also said that Awhaytu in the Ayah means, 'inspired', just as in another Ayah, Allah said;

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمِّ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ

(And We inspired the mother of Musa (saying): Suckle him...)[28:7] Allah said in other Ayat,

وَأَوْحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى النَّحْلِ أَنِ اتَّخِذِي مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا وَمِنَ الشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعْرِشُونَ - ثُمَّ كُلِي مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ فَاسْلُكِي سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلًا

(And your Lord Awha (inspired) the bee, saying: "Take habitations in the mountains and in the trees and in what they erect. Then, eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord made easy (for you).")[16:68-69]

Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented about the Hawariyyun, "Allah inspired them", while As-Suddi said, "He put in their hearts," and the Hawariyyun said,

آمَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ

(We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.)