﴿ ٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَٰنَهُمْ أَرْبَابًۭا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَسِيحَ ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَٰهًۭا وَٰحِدًۭا ۖ لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴾

“They have taken their rabbis and their monks-as well as the Christ, son of Mary-for their lords beside God, although they had been bidden to worship none but the One God, save whom there is no deity: the One who is utterly remote, in His limitless glory, from anything to which they may ascribe a share in His divinity!”

They have taken their rabbis the scholars among the Jews and their monks the devout among the Christians as lords beside God — following them in making lawful what God has made unlawful and making unlawful what He has made lawful — and the Messiah son of Mary when they were not commanded in the Torah and the Gospel except to worship One God there is no god except Him; glory be to Him as an affirmation of His transcendence high above what they associate with Him.