25. CHAPTER ON DECLARATION THAT ALLAH, MOST HIGH, HAS NO SON
Allah, Most High, says at the end of this Soorah, And they say, “The Most Beneficent (Allah) has begotten a son (or offspring or children) [as the Jews say: ‘Uzair is the son of Allah, the Christians say that He has begotten a son (‘Eesa), and the pagan Arabs say that He has begotten daughters (angels, etc.)]. Indeed you have brought forth (said) a thing ‘iddan! That is, a terrible, evil saying and a lie. Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the Earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins, that they ascribe a son (or offspring or children) to the Most Beneficent (Allah). But it is not suitable for (the Majesty of) the Most Beneficent (Allah) that He should beget a son (or offspring or children). There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Beneficent (Allah) as a slave. Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting. And everyone of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection (without any helper, or protector or defender). (Soorah Maryam 19:88-95) Thus Allah, Most High, has made it clear that it is not fitting that He should have a son, because He is the Creator of all things and the Owner of all things and everything is in need of Him, submits to Him and is humbled before Him. And all of the inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth are His slaves, while He is their Lord, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He) – and there is no lord but He, as He, Most High, says, Yet, they join the Jinn as partners in worship with Allah, though He has created them (the Jinn), and they attribute falsely without knowledge sons and daughters to Him. Be He Glorified and Exalted above (all) that they attribute to Him. He is the Originator of the heavens and the Earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the Knower of everything. Such is Allah, your Lord! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Wakil (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian, etc.) over all things. No vision can grasp Him, but His Grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Subtle and Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things. (Soorah Al-An‘am 6:100-103) So He has made clear that He is the Creator of all things, so how can He have a son, when a son cannot be produced except from two like beings – and Allah, Most High, has no like or equal, so He can have no consort and therefore, no son, as He, Most High, says, Say (O Muhammad, “He is Allah, (the) One. Allah-us Samad (the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He begotten; and there is none coequal or comparable unto Him.” (Soorah Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4) He has determined that He is the One, Who has no equal in His Divine Essence, in His Attributes or His Actions. “Allah-us Samad (the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks).” He is the Master, Who is Complete in His Knowledge, His Wisdom, His Mercy and all of His Attributes. “He begets not.” That is, No son has come from Him “…nor was He begotten” means He was not born to anyone or anything that existed before Him (because nothing existed before Him). “…and there is none coequal or comparable unto Him.” That is, there is nothing equal to Him, nor anything similar to Him. So He is without equal in all ways and all senses, to it is not possible that he could have a son, since a son can only be begotten of two equal things, or similar things. Far Above that is Allah, Most High.
He, Most High, says, And they say, “The Most Beneficent (Allah) has begotten a son (or children).” Glory to Him! They (those whom they call children of Allah, i.e. the angels, ‘Eesa son of Maryam, ‘Uzair, etc.), are but honored slaves. They speak not until He has spoken, and they act on His Command. He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is Pleased. And they stand in awe for fear of Him. And if anyone of them should say, “Verily, I am an ilah (a god) besides Him (Allah),” such a one We should recompense with Hell. Thus We recompense the zalimoon (polytheists, wrongdoers, etc.). (Soorah Al-Anbiya’ 21:26-29)
And He, Most High, says at the beginning of Soorah Al-Kahf, which was revealed in Makkah, All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad) the Book (the Qur’an), and has not placed therein any crookedness. (He has made it) Straight to give warning (to the disbelievers) of a severe punishment from Him, and to give glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allah, Islamic Monotheism), who work righteous deeds, that they shall have a fair reward (i.e. Paradise). They shall abide therein forever. And to warn those (Jews, Christians, and pagans) who say, “Allah has begotten a son (or offspring or children).” No knowledge have they of such a thing, nor had their fathers. Mighty is the word that comes out of their mouths (i.e. that He begot (took) sons and daughters). They utter nothing but a lie. (Soorah Al-Kahf 18:1-5)
And He, Most High, says, They (Jews, Christians and pagans) say, “Allah has begotten a son (children).” Glory be to Him! He is Rich (Free of all wants). His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the Earth. No warrant have you for this. Do you say against Allah what you know not? Say, “Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah will never be successful.” – A brief enjoyment in this world! – And then unto Us will be their return, then We shall make them taste the severest torment because they used to disbelieve (in Allah, belie His Messengers, deny and challenge His Ayat.) (Soorah Yoonus 10:68-70)
The Noble Verses, which were revealed in Makkah include a reply to all of those disbelieving parties, such as the philosophers, the pagan Arabs, the Jews and the Christians, who claimed – without knowledge – that Allah has a son (or children). Glorified be He! He is Far Above what the unjust wrongdoers say.
And since the Christians – may Allah’s Curse be on them in perpetuity, until the Day of Resurrection – were among the foremost of those who made this claim, they were mentioned frequently in the Qur’an, in order for Allah to reply to their claims and to expose their contradictions, their lack of knowledge and their deep ignorance.
Their sayings of disbelief take manifold forms and this is because falsehood has a way of diversifying into many branches, varieties and mutual contradictions. As for the truth, it does not vary and it does not suffer from any confusion or contradiction. Allah, Most High, says, Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much contradictions. (Soorah An-Nisa’ 4:82) This proves that truth is one and is in agreement and conformity with itself, while falsehood is contradictory and confused. A party from among their ignorant and misguided folk claimed that the Maseeh (Peace be upon him) is Allah, Most High, while another party said that he is the son of Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Another group said that he is the third part of a trinity of which they claim that Allah consists. He, Most High, says, Surely, in disbelief are they who say that Allah is the Maseeh, son of Maryam. Say (O Muhammad), “Who then has the least power against Allah, if He were to destroy the Maseeh, son of Maryam, his mother, and all those who are on the earth together?” And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the Earth, and all that is between them. He creates what He wills. And Allah is Able to do all things. (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:17)
So Allah, Most High, informs us about their disbelief and their ignorance and He makes it clear that He is the Creator, Who is Able to do all things, and it is He Who disposes of the affairs of all things, and He is the Lord of all things, the Owner of all things and the God Who should be worshipped by all things. At the end of Soorah Al-Ma’idah, He, Most High, says, Surely, they have disbelieved who say, “Allah is the Maseeh (‘Eesa), son of Maryam.” But the Maseeh said, “O, Children of Isra’eel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zalimoon there are no helpers. Surely, disbelievers are those who said, “Allah is the third of the three (in a trinity).” But there is no ilah (god) (none who has the right to be worshipped) but One Ilah (God – Allah). And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them. Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. The Maseeh, son of Maryam, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother (Maryam) was a Siddiqah (i.e. she believed in the Words of Allah and His Books. They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allah does not eat). Look how We make the Ayat clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth). (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:72-75)
Allah, Most High, has delivered His Verdict on their disbelief with good cause and He informs us that this (disbelief) emanated from them, in spite of the fact that the Messenger sent to them, i.e. ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him), the son of Maryam, had made clear to them that he was a slave, subject to Allah’s Lordship, created and fashioned in the womb and he called the people to the worship of Allah, Alone, without partners. And he warned them that opposing this would lead to punishment in the Hellfire in the Eternal Abode and humiliation, degradation and ignominy in the Hereafter. This is why He says, Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zalimoon there are no helpers. (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:72) Then He says, Surely, disbelievers are those who said, “Allah is the third of the three (in a trinity).” But there is no ilah (god) (none who has the right to be worshipped) but One Ilah. (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:73) Ibn Jareer At-Tabari and others said that what is meant by this is their saying regarding the personages of the trinity, the personage of the Lord, the personage of the son and the personage of the Word sent from the father to the son, according to all the differing sects, including the Melkites to the Jacobites and the Nestorians – may Allah’s Curse be on them. And we shall explain how they differed in this and the three councils they held during the reign of Constantine, son of Constantius – three hundred years after ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him) and three hundred years before the commencement of the Mission of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him). This is why Allah, Most High, says, But there is no ilah (god) (none who has the right to be worshipped) but One Ilah. (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:73). That is, there is no god who has the right to be worshipped, except Allah, Alone, without partners and He has no equal, no like, no consort and no son.
Then He warned them and threatened them, saying, And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them. (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:73) Then He called upon them, with His Mercy and Kindness, to repent and ask forgiveness for these terrible sins and enormities, which merit the Fire; He says, Will they not repent to Allah and seek His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:74) Then He made clear the situation of the Maseeh (Peace be upon him) and his mother and emphasized that he was a slave and Messenger and that his mother was a Siddiqah, i.e. she was not an adulteress, as the Jews claim – may Allah’s Curse be on them. And in this there is evidence that she was not a Prophet, as a group of scholars have claimed.
And He, Most High, says, They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allah does not eat). (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:75) This is an allusion to the fact that food was excreted by them, just as it is excreted by others. That is to say, how can anyone who shares such an attribute be a deity? Far Above their claim and their ignorance is Allah, Most High.
As-Suddi and others said that what is intended by Allah’s Saying: Surely, disbelievers are those who said, “Allah is the third of the three (in a trinity)” (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:73) is a reference to their claim that ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him) and Maryam are deities besides Allah, i.e. as Allah, Most High, made clear regarding their disbelief in this matter, in His Saying: And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection), “O ‘Eesa, son of Maryam! Did you say unto men, ‘Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah’?” He will say, “Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner self, though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You, are the All-Knowing of all that is hidden and unseen. Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allah) did command me to say: ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You tawaffaitani, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things.” (This is a great admonition and warning to the Christians of the whole world) “If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You are the Almighty, the Most Wise.” (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:116-118)
Allah, Most High, informs us that He will question ‘Eesa (Peace be upon him) on the Day of Resurrection, in a manner which honors him and which rebukes and censures those who worshipped him. Those who lie against him and invent a calumny, claiming that he is the son of Allah, or that he is Allah, or that he is His partner – Allah is Far Above all that they ascribe to Him. He will question him, even though He knows that he did not do what he is being asked about. But He will ask in order to rebuke those lied against him; He will say to him, Did you say unto men, ‘Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah’?” He will say, “Glory be to You!” (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:116) That is, You are Far Above the partners they ascribe to You. It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say) (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:116) means no one has this right but You. “Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner self, though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You, are the All-Knowing of all that is hidden and unseen.” (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:116) One may note that great courteousness is shown in the question and the answer. “Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allah) did command me to say” (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:117) means when You sent me to them and revealed to me the Scripture, which I used to recite to them. Then he explained what he used to say to them in his words: “Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:117) That is, my Creator and your Creator, my Sustainer and your Sustainer. “And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You tawaffaitani…” (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:117) That is, when You raised me up to You, when they intended to crucify me and kill me, but You had Mercy on me and saved me from them, casting my likeness upon one of them, so that they took their vengeance upon him. And when this happened, “You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things.” (This is a great admonition and warning to the Christians of the whole world). (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:117) Then he said, in tones indicating submission to the Will of the Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful and a declaration of self-exoneration from the claims of the Christians, “If You punish them, they are Your slaves…” (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:118) means they deserve that. “…and if You forgive them, verily You, only You are the Almighty, the Most Wise.” (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:118) All matters refer back to Allah, for He does what He Wills and none can question Him about what He does, while He will question them, which is why he said, “…verily You, only You are the Almighty, the Most Wise.” (Soorah Al-Ma’idah 5:118). He did not say, the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
And it has been confirmed in an authentic Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said, “Allah, Most High, says, “The son of Adam has reviled Me and he had no right to do so; he claims that I have a son, when I am the One, As-Samad, Who does not beget and Who was not begotten and like unto Whom there is none.”
By Ibn Katheer
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