وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَى ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ ۖ يُضَـٰهِـُٔونَ قَوْلَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ قَـٰتَلَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ 30
Translations
The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allāh"; and the Christians say, "The Messiah is the son of Allāh." That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before [them]. May Allāh destroy them; how are they deluded?
Transliteration
Wa qālati al-yahūdu 'Uzayr ibnu Allāh wa qālati an-nasārā al-masīḥu ibnu Allāh. Dhālik qawluhum bi-afwāhihim. Yuḍāhi'ūn qawl alladhīna kafarū min qablu. Qātalahumu Allāh. Annā yu'fakūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes the false claims of both Jews and Christians regarding the divinity of 'Uzayr (Ezra) and 'Īsā (Jesus) respectively. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that these claims were made without evidence—merely uttered by their forefathers—and represent a grave distortion of monotheism (tawhīd). The phrase 'yuḍāhi'ūn qawl alladhīna kafarū min qablu' (they resemble the speech of disbelievers before them) indicates that such deification claims follow the pattern of pre-Islamic polytheistic societies, showing that Christians and Jews fell into the same error as earlier nations.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Medina during the period when the Prophet Muhammad encountered both Jewish and Christian communities. The surah At-Tawbah addresses the hypocrites and People of the Book regarding their departures from monotheism. This ayah specifically responds to the theological errors of these communities who lived among or near the Muslims of Medina.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah (shirk)' (Sahih Bukhari 4476). Additionally, the Prophet forbade imitating the practices of disbelieving nations, which relates to how these theological errors propagated through cultural tradition rather than divine guidance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims to question inherited beliefs and to verify them against divine revelation rather than accepting claims merely because they are traditional or widespread. It serves as a warning against allowing cultural practices and ancestral customs to override the clear message of God's absolute Oneness and uniqueness.
Related Ayahs
لَوْ يَجِدُونَ مَلْجَـًٔا أَوْ مَغَـٰرَٰتٍ أَوْ مُدَّخَلًا لَّوَلَّوْا۟ إِلَيْهِ وَهُمْ يَجْمَحُونَ
If they could find a refuge or some caves or any place to enter [and hide], they would turn to it while they run heedlessly.
وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَـٰنٍ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى تَحْتَهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhājireen and the Anṣār and those who followed them with good conduct - Allāh is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.
لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَـٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُ ۚ وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ
Had it been a near [i.e., easy] gain and a moderate trip, they [i.e., the hypocrites] would have followed you, but distant to them was the journey. And they will swear by Allāh, "If we were able, we would have gone forth with you," destroying themselves [through false oaths], and Allāh knows that indeed they are liars.
فَإِذَا ٱنسَلَخَ ٱلْأَشْهُرُ ٱلْحُرُمُ فَٱقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَٱحْصُرُوهُمْ وَٱقْعُدُوا۟ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ ۚ فَإِن تَابُوا۟ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَخَلُّوا۟ سَبِيلَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And when the inviolable months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.