The Meaning of the Disciples’ Faith

The faith of the Disciples (ḥawāriyyīn) was a real continuation of their previous faith, not initial faith, nor a formal continuation of their previous faith. The evidence for this:

1. What is meant by revelation (waḥy) in this verse is inspiration (ilhām), and God through this means cast into the hearts of the Disciples that they should in reality renew their covenant and strengthen their faith and support Jesus. Thus the verse refers to the renewal of covenant and strengthening of previous faith, not initial faith.

2. “Disciple” (ḥawārī) refers to sincere companions and close associates who believed in Jesus Christ before others. Indeed, if it had said “And when I inspired the Children of Israel to believe,” it could have indicated a request for initial faith from them.

3. “And when I inspired” is similar to the verses “When I strengthened you” (217) and “and when I held off the Children of Israel from you” (218) in which God enumerates His blessings upon Jesus and his mother, and is a reminder of a new blessing upon that personage; if the faith of the Disciples (ḥawāriyyīn) had not been real and was merely formal, God would not have bestowed favor upon Jesus Christ and would not have said “remember this blessing.”

The Disciples (ḥawāriyyīn), as a result of renewing and strengthening their previous real faith, were able to help Jesus Christ and suppress his opponents: “The Disciples said, ‘We will be Allah’s helpers!’ So a group of the Children of Israel believed, and a group disbelieved. Then We strengthened the faithful against their enemies, and they became the dominant ones.” (219)