Surah Al-Ikhlas — Verse 3

Word Meanings:

• Lam yalid (لَمْ يَلِدْ): He did not beget — meaning He has no offspring or children.
• Wa lam yūlad (وَلَمْ يُولَدْ): And He was not begotten — meaning He has no father, mother, or any origin.

Explanation of the Verse:

This verse completes the perfect description of Allah’s oneness and uniqueness. After establishing in the previous verse that Allah is the Absolute, Eternal Refuge upon whom all depend, this verse clarifies two more negations that remove any doubt about His nature.

First, "Lam yalid" — He does not beget. Allah is far above having a child, for begetting implies need, similarity to creation, and division of essence — all of which are impossible for the Creator who is completely self-sufficient and unique in His attributes. Having a child would require a partner and a like nature, and Allah is One with no equal.

Second, "Wa lam yūlad" — He was not begotten. Allah has no beginning and no origin. He is the First, the Eternal, the One who has always existed and will always exist. Everything else in existence was created and brought into being, but He is the Creator who was never created.

This verse beautifully refutes all false beliefs about Allah — whether the claim that He has a son, as some deviant groups have alleged, or the idea that He came into existence from something else, as polytheists once imagined. Allah is completely free from all such imperfections.

A Call to Reflection and Faith:

Dear reader, ponder the greatness of this verse! It liberates your heart from every false image of God. The Lord of the worlds is not like any of His creation — He does not give birth, nor was He born. He is the Eternal, the Everlasting, who was before everything and will remain after everything. This pure belief fills the heart with serenity and certainty. When you truly grasp that your Lord is One, Self-Sufficient, and unlike anything you can imagine, your worship becomes sincere, your trust becomes firm, and your love for Him deepens. This is the essence of Islam — the pure, untainted belief in the Oneness of Allah, which brings peace to the soul and success in this life and the Hereafter. Embrace this truth, and let it transform your heart into a home of tranquility and devotion.