لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۚ قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ شَيْـًٔا إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ ٱلْمَسِيحَ ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُۥ وَمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ۗ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۚ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ 17
Translations
They have certainly disbelieved who say that Allāh is Christ, the son of Mary. Say, "Then who could prevent Allāh at all if He had intended to destroy Christ, the son of Mary, or his mother or everyone on the earth?" And to Allāh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them. He creates what He wills, and Allāh is over all things competent.
Transliteration
Laqad kafara alladhina qalu inna Allaha huwa al-Masih ibnu Maryam. Qul faman yamliku min Allahi shayan in arada an yuhlika al-Masih ibna Maryam wa ummahu wa man fi al-ardi jami'an. Wa lillahi mulku al-samawati wa al-ardi wa ma baynahuma. Yakhluqu ma yasha. Wa Allahu 'ala kulli shay'in qadir.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refutes the Christian belief that Jesus (Isa) is God or the son of God, declaring such a claim as kufr (disbelief). The Qur'an uses a powerful logical argument: if Allah willed it, He could destroy Jesus, his mother Mary, and all creation on earth, demonstrating that Jesus is merely a created being subject to Allah's absolute power and will. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this verse establishes Allah's absolute uniqueness (tawhid) and sovereignty—only Allah possesses power over all creation, making the claim of divinity for any creature a fundamental negation of Islamic monotheism.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Ma'idah is a Medinan surah revealed during the later period of the Prophet Muhammad's life when interactions with Christians and Jews were frequent. This ayah specifically addresses Christian theological positions prevalent in Arabia and nearby regions. The surah emphasizes clarifying Islamic doctrine regarding Jesus, his nature, and the oneness of Allah in response to Christian communities' beliefs about the Trinity and the divine nature of Jesus.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The most complete of the believers in faith are those who have the best character' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1162). Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet clarified that Jesus will appear before the Day of Judgment to break the cross and kill the swine, rejecting false beliefs about his nature and correcting Christian doctrine.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to maintain absolute conviction in Allah's oneness and to understand that no created being—however honored or revered—can share in Allah's divinity or possess independent power. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of protecting Islamic creed from distortions and trusting in Allah's complete control over all existence, which should inspire reliance and submission to Him alone.