وَيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًا 4
Translations
And to warn those who say, "Allāh has taken a son".
Transliteration
Wa yundhir alladhīna qālū ittakhadha Allāhu waladan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah states that the Quran warns those who falsely claim that Allah has taken a son, a grave theological error that contradicts the absolute oneness and transcendence of Allah. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this warning addresses both the Christian doctrine of the Trinity and pre-Islamic Arab polytheists who attributed children to Allah, emphasizing that such claims are among the gravest forms of shirk (polytheism). The verse establishes that the primary purpose of the Quranic message includes refuting these false doctrines and clarifying Allah's perfect attributes.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Kahf is a Meccan surah revealed during a period when the Prophet Muhammad faced intense opposition from polytheists and those with corrupted theological beliefs. This particular ayah occurs within the opening verses that establish the Quran's purpose: to warn against major theological errors and affirm strict monotheism. The context reflects the broader Meccan emphasis on correcting fundamental beliefs about Allah's nature and oneness.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah (shirk)' - Sahih Bukhari. Additionally, 'Whoever says that Allah has a son has uttered one of the greatest enormities against Allah' - related in various hadith collections emphasizing the severity of this claim.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers of the paramount importance of maintaining pure monotheistic belief and understanding that Allah is beyond human categories like parenthood or familial relationships. For modern Muslims, it serves as a call to actively defend and articulate correct Islamic theology against contemporary misconceptions about Allah's nature.
Related Ayahs
أَفَحَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَن يَتَّخِذُوا۟ عِبَادِى مِن دُونِىٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۚ إِنَّآ أَعْتَدْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ نُزُلًا
Then do those who disbelieve think that they can take My servants instead of Me as allies? Indeed, We have prepared Hell for the disbelievers as a lodging.
قُلِ ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثُوا۟ ۖ لَهُۥ غَيْبُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ أَبْصِرْ بِهِۦ وَأَسْمِعْ ۚ مَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَلِىٍّ وَلَا يُشْرِكُ فِى حُكْمِهِۦٓ أَحَدًا
Say, "Allāh is most knowing of how long they remained. He has [knowledge of] the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth. How Seeing is He and how Hearing! They have not besides Him any protector, and He shares not His legislation with anyone."
مَّا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ وَلَا لِـَٔابَآئِهِمْ ۚ كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ ۚ إِن يَقُولُونَ إِلَّا كَذِبًا
They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers. Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths; they speak not except a lie.
وَٱضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَٱخْتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ ٱلرِّيَـٰحُ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرًا
And present to them the example of the life of this world, [its being] like rain which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and [then] it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allāh is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability.