وَقَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَلَدًا 88
Translations
And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son."
Transliteration
Wa qalū ittakhādha ar-Rahmānu waladan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah records the false claim of the disbelievers and those who associated partners with Allah, asserting that the Most Merciful (ar-Rahmān) has taken a child or offspring. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this statement represents one of the gravest forms of shirk (polytheism), whether directed at Allah or applied to the creation of Jesus Christ by Christian communities. The ayah presents their claim as utterly absurd and incompatible with Allah's absolute transcendence and perfection.
Revelation Context
Surah Maryam addresses Christian beliefs about Jesus being the son of God, as well as pagan Arab claims about angels being daughters of Allah. This ayah appears within a series of refutations of such false claims, establishing the theological foundation for understanding Jesus's true status as a messenger and human servant of Allah, not a divine offspring.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah' (Sahih Bukhari 2654). Additionally, 'Whoever says that Allah has a son has uttered a dreadful word' relates to the theme of this ayah's refutation of such claims.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to firmly reject false theological claims about Allah's nature and to understand that attributing offspring or human characteristics to the Divine represents a fundamental denial of His absolute transcendence. For modern Muslims, it reinforces the importance of maintaining pure monotheism and understanding Islamic theology correctly in interfaith contexts.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلَّيْلَ سَرْمَدًا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مَنْ إِلَـٰهٌ غَيْرُ ٱللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُم بِضِيَآءٍ ۖ أَفَلَا تَسْمَعُونَ
Say, "Have you considered: if Allāh should make for you the night continuous until the Day of Resurrection, what deity other than Allāh could bring you light? Then will you not hear?"
وَلَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ ٱلدِّينُ وَاصِبًا ۚ أَفَغَيْرَ ٱللَّهِ تَتَّقُونَ
And to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and to Him is [due] worship constantly. Then is it other than Allāh that you fear?
ٱتَّبِعْ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Follow, [O Muḥammad], what has been revealed to you from your Lord - there is no deity except Him - and turn away from those who associate others with Allāh.
لَّوْ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا لَّٱصْطَفَىٰ مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۖ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْوَٰحِدُ ٱلْقَهَّارُ
If Allāh had intended to take a son, He could have chosen from what He creates whatever He willed. Exalted is He; He is Allāh, the One, the Prevailing.