Tafsir & Commentary
The Repentance (التوبة) · Medinan
وَقَالَتِ ٱلْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَى ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ ٱللَّهِ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَٰهِهِمْ ۖ يُضَـٰهِـُٔونَ قَوْلَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ ۚ قَـٰتَلَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ30
9:30
Translation — Sahih International
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 (Asbab al-Nuzul)
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 Lessons
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.