Surah Al-Maidah — Verse 116

Word Meanings:

• "اتَّخِذُونِي": Take me as, or make me.
• "إِلَٰهَيْنِ": Two gods.
• "سُبْحَانَكَ": Glory be to You (declaring Allah's absolute perfection and transcendence above any partner or deficiency).
• "مَا يَكُونُ لِي": It is not befitting or possible for me.
• "عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ": The All-Knower of the unseen — everything hidden, concealed, and unknown to creation.

Explanation of the Verse:

On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will address His prophet and messenger, Jesus (peace be upon him), son of Mary, in a scene that will be witnessed by all of creation. Allah will ask him directly: "O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you ever tell the people to take you and your mother as two gods besides Me?" This question is not because Allah does not know the answer — far from it, for nothing is hidden from Him. Rather, it is a public declaration to expose the falsehood of those who claimed that Jesus and his mother were divine, and to affirm Jesus's own innocence before all of humanity.

Jesus's response is one of profound humility, reverence, and submission to his Lord. He begins by declaring: "Glory be to You!" — exalting Allah above any suggestion of a partner or equal. He then says: "It is not befitting for me to say what I have no right to say." In other words, how could a servant and messenger of Allah ever claim divinity for himself or his mother? Such a claim would contradict his very nature as a created being and his mission as a prophet who called people to worship Allah alone.

Jesus continues: "If I had said it, You would have known it." This is a beautiful expression of trust in Allah's perfect knowledge. He then adds: "You know what is within my soul, and I do not know what is within Your Self. Indeed, You are the All-Knower of the unseen." Jesus acknowledges the absolute limit of his own knowledge compared to Allah's infinite knowledge. He cannot even comprehend the depths of Allah's essence, let alone claim divinity for himself.

This verse carries a powerful lesson for every believer. It reminds us that the prophets were pure servants of Allah, free from any form of shirk (associating partners with Allah). It also teaches us the importance of humility before Allah, acknowledging our complete dependence on Him and His absolute knowledge over all things. When we truly understand this, we protect ourselves from falling into any form of false worship or exaggeration regarding any human being, no matter how noble they are.

A Call to Reflection and Faith:

Dear reader, ponder this magnificent scene: the Messiah himself, the one whom some have wrongly elevated to divinity, stands before his Creator and declares his own servitude. He does not defend himself with pride but with complete submission and glorification of Allah. This is the essence of true faith — to know our place as servants of Allah, and to love and respect His prophets as His chosen messengers, not as gods.

This verse is a golden opportunity to purify your heart from any misconception about Allah's oneness. Embrace the pure message of Islam: worship Allah alone, love His prophets, and follow their guidance. This is the path to true peace and salvation. Let this verse strengthen your conviction that Allah is the only One worthy of worship, and that all creation — including the greatest prophets — are but humble servants of His majesty.