أَن دَعَوْا۟ لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ وَلَدًا 91
Translations
That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son.
Transliteration
An da'aw li-ar-Rahmani walada
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah expresses the shock and gravity of the claim that Allah has taken a child, which is presented as one of the most serious accusations against Allah's oneness. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this statement reflects the blasphemous assertions of the pagans and People of the Book who attributed children to Allah—whether the Christians claiming 'Isa (Jesus) as the son of God, or others making similar claims. The ayah serves to refute this fundamental denial of Allah's absolute transcendence and uniqueness (tawhid).
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Maryam's broader refutation of false claims about Allah's attributes and offspring. The surah addresses both Christian claims about Jesus being the son of God and pre-Islamic Arab polytheistic beliefs. The context surrounding this ayah (19:88-98) presents the pagans' astonishment at the concept of the Merciful (Ar-Rahman) having offspring, emphasizing the gravity of such a claim against Allah's perfect attributes.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah (shirk) and to claim that Allah has a son.' This theme is reinforced throughout hadith literature condemning the Christian belief in Jesus as the Son of God, found in various collections including At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers of the absolute uniqueness and transcendence of Allah, teaching us to guard against any theological claims that diminish His perfect nature. It calls us to reflect on how we speak about Allah and ensure our beliefs strictly conform to His revealed attributes of perfection and oneness.