سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ
Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 91
مَا ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِن وَلَدٍ وَمَا كَانَ مَعَهُۥ مِنْ إِلَـٰهٍ ۚ إِذًا لَّذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلَـٰهٍۭ بِمَا خَلَقَ وَلَعَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ﴿91﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
No son (or offspring) did Allâh beget, nor is there any ilâh (god) along with Him. (If there had been many gods), then each god would have taken away what he had created, and some would have tried to overcome others! Glorified be Allâh above all that they attribute to Him!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَا
mā
Not
ٱتَّخَذَ
ittakhadha
Allah has taken
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah has taken
مِن
min
any
وَلَدٍۢ
waladin
son
وَمَا
wamā
and not
كَانَ
kāna
is
مَعَهُۥ
maʿahu
with Him
مِنْ
min
any
إِلَـٰهٍ ۚ
ilāhin
god
إِذًۭا
idhan
Then
لَّذَهَبَ
ladhahaba
surely (would have) taken away
كُلُّ
kullu
each
إِلَـٰهٍۭ
ilāhin
god
بِمَا
bimā
what
خَلَقَ
khalaqa
he created
وَلَعَلَا
walaʿalā
and surely would have overpowered
بَعْضُهُمْ
baʿḍuhum
some of them
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
[on]
بَعْضٍۢ ۚ
baʿḍin
others
سُبْحَـٰنَ
sub'ḥāna
Glory be
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(to) Allah
عَمَّا
ʿammā
above what
يَصِفُونَ
yaṣifūna
they attribute
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 92, 91) ➊ When { مَا اتَّخَذَ اللّٰهُ مِنْ وَّلَدٍ …: ’’ وَلَدٍ ‘‘} comes as an indefinite noun with { ’’ مَا ‘‘ } in a negation, it creates generality, meaning "Allah has not taken any child." With {’’ مِنْ ‘‘}, this generality is further emphasized, so it is translated as: "Allah Almighty has not taken any child at all." That is, neither any angel, nor prophet, nor saint, nor anyone else.
➋ In Tafsir Ibn Kathir it is stated: "Allah Almighty is declaring His transcendence from having any child or partner, whether in sovereignty, in control, or in being worthy of worship. He is unique; He has neither any child nor any partner. If it is assumed that there are multiple gods (objects of worship), then each should be the independent owner of its own creation. In such a case, the system among the existents could not remain established, whereas the management of the universe is perfect. The higher world, the lower world, the heavens and the earth, etc., are all engaged in their respective tasks with perfect coordination. They do not deviate an inch from the set order. Thus, it is known that the Creator and Owner of all these is only One, not several. Then, in the case of accepting many gods (objects of worship), it is also evident that each would want to subdue and overpower the other and be dominant and powerful itself; if it became dominant, then the subdued god would no longer be a god, and if it did not become dominant, then it itself would not be a god." (Ibn Kathir)
Thus, it is established that the only deity is Allah. Those wrongdoers, rebellious, and transgressing polytheists who attribute children to Allah and declare partners for Him, the Divine Essence is far above and exalted and pure from the attributes they describe. He knows everything that is hidden from creation and also what is apparent to creation, so He is pure from all those partners whom the polytheists and deniers declare as Allah's partners. For the refutation of Allah having a child or partner, see the tafsir of Surah Al-Anbiya (22), Bani Isra'il (42, 111), An-Nahl (57, 58), and Al-Kahf (4).
➋ In Tafsir Ibn Kathir it is stated: "Allah Almighty is declaring His transcendence from having any child or partner, whether in sovereignty, in control, or in being worthy of worship. He is unique; He has neither any child nor any partner. If it is assumed that there are multiple gods (objects of worship), then each should be the independent owner of its own creation. In such a case, the system among the existents could not remain established, whereas the management of the universe is perfect. The higher world, the lower world, the heavens and the earth, etc., are all engaged in their respective tasks with perfect coordination. They do not deviate an inch from the set order. Thus, it is known that the Creator and Owner of all these is only One, not several. Then, in the case of accepting many gods (objects of worship), it is also evident that each would want to subdue and overpower the other and be dominant and powerful itself; if it became dominant, then the subdued god would no longer be a god, and if it did not become dominant, then it itself would not be a god." (Ibn Kathir)
Thus, it is established that the only deity is Allah. Those wrongdoers, rebellious, and transgressing polytheists who attribute children to Allah and declare partners for Him, the Divine Essence is far above and exalted and pure from the attributes they describe. He knows everything that is hidden from creation and also what is apparent to creation, so He is pure from all those partners whom the polytheists and deniers declare as Allah's partners. For the refutation of Allah having a child or partner, see the tafsir of Surah Al-Anbiya (22), Bani Isra'il (42, 111), An-Nahl (57, 58), and Al-Kahf (4).
