Regarding His statement: "The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a truthful woman. They both used to eat food." This means: How can they be two gods when they are both created beings who eat food?
"Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded." That is: How are they turned away from them? Meaning: from the signs.
Muhammad said: "Fi'il" is one of the forms of intensification. His statement: "a truthful woman (siddiqah)" means: one who is excessive in truthfulness.
His statement: "They both used to eat food." It is said: It is a form of brevity and metonymy, and by mentioning the eating of food, it draws attention to its consequence; which is the call of nature, and Allah knows best.
قَوْله:
﴿مَا الْمَسِيح ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صديقَة، كَانَا يأكلان الطَّعَام﴾ أَيْ: فَكَيْفَ يَكُونَانِ إِلَهَيْنِ، وَهُمَا مَخْلُوقَانِ يَأْكُلَانِ الطَّعَامَ.
﴿انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ الآيَاتِ ثُمَّ انْظُرْ أَنى يؤفكون﴾ كَيْفَ يُصْرَفُونَ عَنْهَا؟ يَعْنِي: عَنِ الْآيَاتِ.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: فِعِّيلٌ مِنْ أبنية الْمُبَالغَة، وَقَوله: ﴿صديقَة﴾ أَيْ: مُبَالِغَةٌ فِي الصِّدْقِ.
وَقَوْلُهُ: ﴿كَانَا يأكلان الطَّعَام﴾ قِيلَ: إِنَّهُ مِنَ الِاخْتِصَارِ وَالْكِنَايَةِ، وَنَبَّهَ بِأَكْلِ الطَّعَامِ عَلَى عَاقِبَتِهِ؛ وَهُوَ الْحَدث، وَالله أعلم.
