سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 40
أَفَأَصْفَىٰكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِٱلْبَنِينَ وَٱتَّخَذَ مِنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنَـٰثًا ۚ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَقُولُونَ قَوْلًا عَظِيمًا ﴿40﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Has then your Lord (O pagans of Makkah!) preferred for you sons, and taken for Himself from among the angels daughters? Verily you indeed utter an awful saying.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَفَأَصْفَىٰكُمْ
afa-aṣfākum
Then has your Lord chosen (for) you
رَبُّكُم
rabbukum
Then has your Lord chosen (for) you
بِٱلْبَنِينَ
bil-banīna
sons
وَٱتَّخَذَ
wa-ittakhadha
and He has taken
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ
l-malāikati
the Angels
إِنَـٰثًا ۚ
ināthan
daughters
إِنَّكُمْ
innakum
Indeed, you
لَتَقُولُونَ
lataqūlūna
surely say
قَوْلًا
qawlan
a word
عَظِيمًۭا
ʿaẓīman
grave
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 40){ اَفَاَصْفٰىكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ بِالْبَنِيْنَ …:} In this verse, there is sarcasm directed at the ignorance of the Arab polytheists, who used to worship angels by claiming that they are the daughters of Allah. See Surah An-Najm (21, 22, 27, 28), Az-Zukhruf (19), and An-Nahl (57, 58). It is said: What a grave statement you are making, that He who is the Creator and Owner of everything has chosen sons for you from among children, who are considered superior, and has taken daughters for Himself, whom you regard as extremely inferior and a source of disgrace, and sometimes you do not even refrain from burying them alive. Surely, this is a very audacious thing to say. If He had intended to take offspring, He could have created whatever kind He wished, so why would He only have daughters? (See Az-Zumar: 4) He is far above sons and daughters, for this implies neediness. See the commentary of Surah Al-Ikhlas, the last verse of Surah Bani Isra'il, and the verses of Maryam (88 to 95).
