وَقَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۖ بَل لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُۥ قَـٰنِتُونَ 116
Translations
They say, "Allāh has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him,
Transliteration
Wa qalū ittakhadha Allāhu waladan subḥānahu bal lahu mā fī as-samāwāti wa-al-arḍi kullun lahu qānitūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refutes the false claims of those who attributed children to Allah, a blasphemy common among pre-Islamic Arabs and certain People of the Book. The verse emphasizes Allah's absolute transcendence (tanzīh) through the word 'Subḥānahu' (Glory be to Him), declaring that everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him alone, and all creation stands in obedience to Him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurṭubī note this directly addresses Quraish claims that angels were Allah's daughters, and Christian claims about Jesus being the Son of God, establishing that Allah is beyond partnership and procreation.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the early Medinan portion of Surah Al-Baqarah, revealed in response to the theological misconceptions of the Quraysh and People of the Book (Jews and Christians) living in Medina. The broader context addresses fundamental Islamic beliefs about the oneness of Allah (Tawḥīd) and refutes polytheistic and anthropomorphic concepts of the Divine.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records a hadith where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most grievous sin is to associate partners with Allah, for Allah has created me and created you, but I have not created anyone, and you have not created anyone.' Additionally, Sunan An-Nasai contains hadith emphasizing that speaking against Allah's oneness is among the greatest sins.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to guard our beliefs against false theological concepts and to understand that Allah alone deserves worship and obedience—not creation itself, which exists in complete subjugation to His will. For believers today, it reinforces that true faith requires rejecting any notion that diminishes Allah's absolute uniqueness and perfection.
Related Ayahs
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ نَزَّلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَفِى شِقَاقٍۭ بَعِيدٍ
That is [deserved by them] because Allāh has sent down the Book in truth. And indeed, those who differ over the Book are in extreme dissension.
إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةَ وَٱلدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allāh. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَقُولُوا۟ رَٰعِنَا وَقُولُوا۟ ٱنظُرْنَا وَٱسْمَعُوا۟ ۗ وَلِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
O you who have believed, say not [to Allāh's Messenger], "Rāʿinā" but say, "Unẓurnā" and listen. And for the disbelievers is a painful punishment.
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ كِتَـٰبٌ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُوا۟ كَفَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ۚ فَلَعْنَةُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
And when there came to them a Book [i.e., the Qur’ān] from Allāh confirming that which was with them - although before they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved - but [then] when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allāh will be upon the disbelievers.