Allah the Exalted encourages the believers to fight the polytheists, disbelieving Jews and Christians, who uttered this terrible statement and utter lies against Allah, the Exalted. As for the Jews, they claimed that ‘Uzayr was the son of God, Allah is free of what they attribute to Him. As for the misguidance of Christians over Isa, it is obvious. This is why Allah declared both groups to be liars,
iThat is their saying with their mouths}, but they have no proof that supports their claim, other than lies and fabrications,
^.resembling}, imitating,
4 the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime.}
They imitate the previous nations who fell into misguidance just as Jews and Christians did,
4may Allah fight them}, Ibn ‘Abbas said, “May Allah curse them.”
}how they are deluded away from the truth !} how they deviate from truth, when it is apparent, exchanging it for misguidance. Allah said next,
iThey took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah, and the Messiah, son of Maryam} [9:31].
Imam Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Jarir At-Tabari recorded a Hadlth via several chains of narration, from ‘Adi bin Hatim, may Allah be pleased with him, who became Christian during the time of Jdhiliyyah. When the call of the Messenger of Allah reached his area, ‘Adi ran away to Ash-Sham, and his sister and several of his people were captured. The Messenger of Allah freed his sister and gave her gifts. So she went to her brother and encouraged him to become Muslim and to go to the Messenger of Allah. ‘Adi, who was one of the chiefs of his people (the tribe of Tal 1 ) and whose father, Hatim At-Ta’i, was known for his generosity, went to Al-Madlnah. When the people announced his arrival, ‘Adi went to the Messenger of Allah wearing a silver cross around his neck. The Messenger of Allah recited this Ayah;
iThey took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah}.
‘Adi commented, “I said, They did not worship them.’” The Prophet said,
« Yes they did. They (rabbis and monks) prohibited the allowed for them (Christians and Jews) and allowed the prohibited, and they obeyed them. This is how they worshipped them .»
The Messenger of Allah said to ‘Adi,
(Mm worship except Him.