إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ رَبّي وَرَبُّكُم فَاعبُدوهُ ۚ هٰذا صِراطٌ مُستَقيمٌ

Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord; so worship Him. This is a straight path.’

EXEGESIS

The pronoun huwa in inna allāha huwa rabbī is known as the pronoun of separation (ḍamīr al-faṣl) which restricts the predicate to the subject. It would thus be more accurate to translate the verse as: Indeed, only Allah is my Lord.^{‎[1]Ibn Ashur, 25/283.}

The use of the emphatic particle inna (indeed) as well as the repetition of Lord in instead of ‘Allah is our Lord’ are all rhetorical devices to emphasise to the people that Prophet Jesus (a) considered himself just like the rest in that their Lord was one and the same, and that he was equally in need of his Lord for his existence and nurturing as they were.^{‎[2]Amthal, 16/86.} Some exegetes add that although Prophet Jesus (a) addressed a people who professed belief in one God, deviations had emerged among certain groups, such as attributing sonship to Prophet Ezra (a) (9:30). Thus, the use of multiple emphatic tools was to underscore the importance of reaffirming God’s absolute oneness even to those who claimed to believe in it.^{‎[3]Ibn Ashur, 25/283.}

Some exegetes suggest that perhaps the Jews at the time of Prophet Jesus (a) were engaged in some form of polytheism in lordship (al-shirk fī al-rubūbiyyah) and that is why Prophet Jesus (a) emphasised this point. Furthermore, this could also indicate that some elements of extremism (ghuluww) regarding the personality of Prophet Jesus (a) had already begun to develop during his lifetime, or at the very least, was something that Prophet Jesus (a) had foreseen and was thus trying to prevent.^{‎[4]Rahnama, 17/91.} In light of this, some exegetes state that the reason why Prophet Jesus (a) referred to himself before his people in my Lord and your Lord was to pre-emptively close the doors to exaggeration and claims of divinity.^{‎[5]Ibn Ashur, 25/283.}

EXPOSITION

This verse has been regarded as a conclusive proof against those who assert the divinity of Prophet Jesus (a). Employing emphatic rhetorical devices, as highlighted in the Exegesis, Prophet Jesus (a) calls upon people to worship God alone and unequivocally proclaims Him to be both his Lord and theirs.^{‎[6]Mizan, 18/119.} The decisive statement that God is the Lord of Jesus (a) and the Lord of the Christians can be contrasted with 5:18, whereby The Jews and the Christians say: ‘We are Allah’s children and His beloved ones’.^{‎[7]Atyab, 12/51.}

By juxtaposing the command to worship God with the declaration that This is a straight path, Prophet Jesus (a) underscored that the straight path consists precisely in servitude and obedience to God – a principle reinforced elsewhere in the Quran, as in, Worship Me. That is a straight path (36:61). Moreover, this juxtaposition suggests that the recognition of God’s lordship and nurturing care should naturally incline man toward His worship.^{‎[8]Rahnama, 17/91.}

This declaration by Prophet Jesus (a) of the straight path has been repeated in an almost identical fashion in 19:36 and 3:51. Perhaps the frequent mention of this is to further cement the argument against the followers of Prophet Jesus (a) that he always called towards the worship of one God and never claimed divinity for himself.^{‎[9]Amthal, 16/86.} In fact, this message can also be seen in the Bible: ‘And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent’ (John 17:3).^{‎[10] Wadih, 3/403.}

Some exegetes have suggested that the phrase This is a straight path may not be part of the speech of Prophet Jesus (a), but instead represents an interjection by God.^{‎[11] Alusi, 13/96; Baydawi, 5/95.} However, the sequence and coherence of the verses indicate otherwise; the natural flow of the discourse points to the entire verse being uttered by Prophet Jesus (a) himself.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one isgood but One, that is, But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”^{‎[12] Matthew 19:16-17.}
2. Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one isgood but One, that is,”^{‎[13] Mark 10:17-18.}
3. And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”^{‎[14] Luke 4:8.}
4. Then a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.”^{‎[15] Luke 18:18-19.}
5. And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”^{‎[16] Revelation 19:10.}

[1] Ibn Ashur, 25/283.
[2] Amthal, 16/86.
[3] Ibn Ashur, 25/283.
[4] Rahnama, 17/91.
[5] Ibn Ashur, 25/283.
[6] Mizan, 18/119.
[7] Atyab, 12/51.
[8] Rahnama, 17/91.
[9] Amthal, 16/86.
[10] Wadih, 3/403.
[11] Alusi, 13/96; Baydawi, 5/95.
[12] Matthew 19:16-17.
[13] Mark 10:17-18.
[14] Luke 4:8.
[15] Luke 18:18-19.
[16] Revelation 19:10.