وَمَا يَنۢبَغِى لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا 92
Translations
And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son.
Transliteration
Wa mā yanbaghī lir-rahmāni an yattakhidha waladan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah emphatically denies that Allah (the Most Merciful) would take a son, refuting the Christian doctrine of Jesus as the son of God and pre-Islamic Arab polytheistic beliefs. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this statement reflects Allah's absolute transcendence and uniqueness (tawhīd); having a son would necessitate physical composition, mortality, and diminishment—all incompatible with Allah's perfection and self-sufficiency. The ayah underscores that Allah's mercy and compassion do not require the biological relationship of parenthood, as His care extends to all creation through His divine will alone.
Revelation Context
Surah Maryam addresses theological disputes prevalent in 7th-century Arabia, particularly Christian claims about Jesus's divine sonship. This ayah appears within the broader narrative defending Mary's honor and clarifying Jesus's status as a servant and messenger of Allah. The surah responds to misunderstandings about the nature of Allah and His relationship to creation that were circulating among the People of the Book and Arabian pagans.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (3440): The Prophet ﷺ stated that Allah says, 'The son of Adam denies me and insults me, and he has no right to do so. As for denying me, it is his saying that I cannot recreate him as I created him before.' This contextualizes the theme of Allah's creative power independent of parenthood. Additionally, the Hadith Qudsi emphasizes Allah's absolute attributes beyond human familial relationships.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to recognize the fundamental difference between the Creator and creation, rejecting any anthropomorphic understanding of Allah. For modern readers, it reinforces intellectual humility in theological matters and the importance of defending Islamic monotheism against theological corruptions while maintaining respectful dialogue with people of other faiths.
Related Ayahs
فَأَتَتْ بِهِۦ قَوْمَهَا تَحْمِلُهُۥ ۖ قَالُوا۟ يَـٰمَرْيَمُ لَقَدْ جِئْتِ شَيْـًٔا فَرِيًّا
Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, "O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented.
۞ فَحَمَلَتْهُ فَٱنتَبَذَتْ بِهِۦ مَكَانًا قَصِيًّا
So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place.
وَهُزِّىٓ إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ ٱلنَّخْلَةِ تُسَـٰقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّا
And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates.
أَطَّلَعَ ٱلْغَيْبَ أَمِ ٱتَّخَذَ عِندَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ عَهْدًا
Has he looked into the unseen, or has he taken from the Most Merciful a promise?