قَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۖ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ۖ لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنْ عِندَكُم مِّن سُلْطَـٰنٍۭ بِهَـٰذَآ ۚ أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ 68
Translations
They have said, "Allāh has taken a son." Exalted is He; He is the [one] Free of need. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. You have no authority for this [claim]. Do you say about Allāh that which you do not know?
Transliteration
Qaloo ittakhadha Allahu waladan subhanahu huwa al-ghanniyyu lahu ma fee al-samawati wa ma fee al-ardi in indakum min sultanin bihatha ataqooluna ala Allahi ma la talamoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refutes the pagan claim that Allah has taken a son, which is a grave theological error. Allah is declared to be perfect and transcendent (Subhanahu), self-sufficient (al-Ghanni), and the owner of everything in the heavens and earth, making such claims absurd and baseless. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that the polytheists lack any evidence (sultan) for their false attribution, and Allah condemns them for speaking about Him without knowledge, highlighting the gravity of making unfounded claims about the Divine.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Yunus, a Meccan surah revealed during the early Islamic period when the Quraysh and other Arab pagans were making blasphemous claims about Allah having offspring (whether angels as daughters or other beings). The broader context addresses refutations of polytheistic beliefs and emphasizes Allah's absolute oneness (Tawhid).
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim record that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah in worship and to attribute a son to Him.' Additionally, in Surah Al-Ikhlas (112:3), the Quran states 'He neither begets nor is begotten,' which directly elaborates on the concept presented in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims must guard against making claims about Allah and His attributes without knowledge, and should understand that attributing partners, offspring, or limitations to Allah contradicts His absolute transcendence and self-sufficiency. This ayah teaches us that our faith must be grounded in evidence and revelation, not in unfounded cultural practices or assumptions.