Surah Az-Zumar (39) — Ayah 4

(Ayah4) ➊ {لَوْ اَرَادَ اللّٰهُ اَنْ يَّتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا … :} In this verse, another act of polytheism of the polytheists, namely attributing offspring to Allah Almighty, has been negated, because some of them considered ‘Uzair (peace be upon him) and some considered ‘Isa (peace be upon him) as the son of Allah Almighty, and some considered the angels as the daughters of Allah Almighty. Obviously, offspring can be of two types: one is real offspring. This is logically impossible for Allah Almighty, as Allah Almighty has said: « اَنّٰى يَكُوْنُ لَهٗ وَلَدٌ وَّ لَمْ تَكُنْ لَّهٗ صَاحِبَةٌ وَ خَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَ هُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيْمٌ » [ الأنعام : ۱۰۱ ] “How can He have a child when He has no wife, and He created everything and He is All-Knowing of everything.” That is, Allah has no wife, and offspring without a wife is impossible. Then, everything is His creation, and offspring is not the creation of the parent but is of the same kind as the parent. The second case is to adopt someone as a declared child. It is said, if Allah Almighty wanted to take someone as His child, He could have chosen whomever He wished from His creation, and would not have left this matter to these polytheists and misguided Jews and Christians. But neither did He wish this, nor did He make anyone His child, because it is not possible for Allah Almighty to have such a will. Here, the word {’’ لَوْ ‘‘} is used for an impossible condition, as He said: «لَوْ اَرَدْنَاۤ اَنْ نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْوًا لَّاتَّخَذْنٰهُ مِنْ لَّدُنَّاۤ اِنْ كُنَّا فٰعِلِيْنَ » [ الأنبیاء : ۱۷ ] “If We intended to take a pastime, We could have taken it from Ourselves, if We were to do so.”
➋ { سُبْحٰنَهٗ :} This is the evidence that Allah Almighty does not make anyone His child. Elsewhere, this evidence is explained in detail: «وَ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللّٰهُ وَلَدًا سُبْحٰنَهٗ بَلْ لَّهٗ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ كُلٌّ لَّهٗ قٰنِتُوْنَ» [ البقرۃ : ۱۱۶ ] “And they say, ‘Allah has taken a child.’ Glory be to Him! Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth; all are obedient to Him.” In this verse, the rejection of Allah Almighty taking anyone as a child is made in three ways. See also Surah Al-Baqarah (116).
➌ { هُوَ اللّٰهُ الْوَاحِدُ :} While negating that Allah Almighty has taken anyone as a child, He first mentioned His personal name {’’ اللّٰهُ ‘‘}, then described His attribute {’’ الْوَاحِدُ ‘‘}, that the One to whom you attribute a child is not a human or any creature, but is Allah, Who is actually {’’اَلْاِلٰهُ‘‘}, that is, He is the deity, and all others are servants. So, how can a servant be His child? Due to the definite article on {’’ الْوَاحِدُ ‘‘} and {’’ الْقَهَّارُ ‘‘}, exclusivity is created in the statement, meaning He alone is One, there is no other One besides Him. His being One is contrary to taking anyone as a child, because a child is of the same kind as the parent, as a human can only have a human child, and Allah Almighty has no kind, because He is alone, so how can anyone be His child?
➍ { الْقَهَّارُ :} And He alone is the Subduer, thus negating offspring and every kind of partner, because everything is subdued by Him. He is not only dominant and prevailing over all, but He is the Subduer and the Most Powerful, whereas the relationship between father and son is not like this. In the following verses, several other things indicating His Oneness, power, and greatness are mentioned.

4. 1. That is, then why would His offspring be only daughters? Just as was the belief of the polytheists. Rather, from among His creation, whomever He wished, that would be His offspring, not those whom they claim. But He is free from this deficiency altogether. (Ibn Kathir)

If Allah had wished to take a son, He could have chosen whomever He willed from His creation [7]. But He is far above such things. He is the One, the Supreme.

[7] This is actually a response to the belief of the polytheists who used to say that the angels are the daughters of Allah. Whereas, daughters are displeasing to them for themselves. The answer given to them is that for Allah, having offspring is itself impossible. This is because between a father and a son there is sexual and generic similarity. Also, a son is neither the owned nor the creation of the father. Whereas all things are owned and created by Allah. Therefore, any kind of similarity between them is impossible. And if, for the sake of argument, Allah were to take offspring, then would He choose daughters for Himself? As you say, while you absolutely do not like them for yourselves.