"The Jews and the Christians said: We are the children of Allah and His beloved ones." The Jews said this about themselves, and the Christians said this about themselves.

Al-Hasan said: They mean: Our proximity to Allah and His love for us is like the proximity of a child to their parent, and like the love of a parent for their child; it is not in the same manner as what the Christians said regarding Jesus. Allah said to the Prophet: "Say: Why then does He punish you for your sins?" He made from among you apes and swine. If you truly had this proximity and this love, He would not have punished you! "Rather, you are human beings from among those He has created; He forgives whom He wills"—for the believers—"and punishes whom He wills"—the disbelievers.