Surah Maidah ayat 18 Tafsir Quran 5:18

﴿وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَىٰ نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ ۚ قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُم بِذُنُوبِكُم ۖ بَلْ أَنتُم بَشَرٌ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقَ ۚ يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ﴾
[ المائدة: 18]

5:18 But the Jews and the Christians say, "We are the children of Allah and His beloved." Say, "Then why does He punish you for your sins?" Rather, you are human beings from among those He has created. He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, and to Him is the [final] destination.

The Jews and Christians both of them say ‘We are the sons of God that is we are like his sons in terms of closeness and rank and He is like a father to us in terms of compassion and care and His beloved ones’. Say to them O Muhammad (s) ‘Why then does He chastise you for your sins? if what you say is true. For the father does not punish his son nor the loving his beloved; but He has punished you and therefore you are saying lies. Nay; you are mortals from among all those mortals He created you shall be rewarded as they are rewarded and you shall be requited as they are requited. He forgives him for whom He wills forgiveness and He chastises him for whom He wills’ chastisement and there can be no objection thereto. For to God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth and all that is between them; to Him is the journey’s end the final return.

The Jews and the Christians say: We are the sons of Allah and His beloved ones. Say to them Muhammad: Why then does He punish you and afflict you with pain and suffering in requital for your evil deeds! Indeed you are but creatures constituting a part of those He brought into being and caused to exist. He forgives whom He will and torments whom He will. To Him alone belong all that is in the heavens and on earth and all in between. He is the end and the purpose for which all are destined

The Polytheism and Disbelief of the Christians Allah states that the Christians are disbelievers because of their claim that `Isa, son of Maryam, one of Allah's servants and creatures, is Allah.
Allah is holier than what they attribute to Him.
Allah then reminds them of His perfect ability over everything and that everything is under His complete control and power, قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً ( Say: "Who then has the least power against Allah, if He were to destroy the Messiah, son of Maryam, his mother, and all those who are on the earth together" ) Therefore, if Allah wills to do that, who would be able to stop Him or prevent Him from doing it Allah then said, وَللَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ( And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them.
He creates what He wills. ) All things in existence are Allah's property and creation and He is able to do everything.
He is never asked about what He does with His power, domain, justice and greatness so this refutes the Christian creed, may Allah's continued curses be upon them until the Day of Resurrection. Refuting the People of the Book's Claim that they are Allah's Children Allah then refutes the Christians' and Jews' false claims and lies, وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَـرَى نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ ( And the Jews and the Christians say, "We are the children of Allah and His loved ones." ) They claim: "We are the followers of Allah's Prophets, who are His children, whom He takes care of.
He also loves us." The People of the Book claim in their Book that Allah said to His servant Isra'il, "You are my firstborn." But they explained this statement in an improper manner and altered its meaning.
Some of the People of the Book who later became Muslims refuted this false statement saying, "This statement only indicates honor and respect, as is common in their speech at that time." The Christians claim that `Isa said to them, "I will go back to my father and your father," meaning, my Lord and your Lord.
It is a fact that the Christians did not claim that they too are Allah's sons as they claimed about `Isa.
Rather this statement by `Isa only meant to indicate a closeness with Allah.
This is why when they said that they are Allah's children and loved ones, Allah refuted their claim, قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُم بِذُنُوبِكُم ( Say, "Why then does He punish you for your sins" ) meaning, if you were truly as you claim, Allah's children and loved ones, then why did He prepare the Fire because of your disbelief, lies and false claims بَلْ أَنتُمْ بَشَرٌ مِمَّنْ خَلَقَ ( Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created, ) Allah states: you are just like the rest of the children of Adam, and Allah is the Lord of all His creation, يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ ( He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. ) Allah does what He wills, there is none who can escape His judgement, and He is swift in reckoning. وَللَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ( And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them; ) Therefore, everything is Allah's property and under His power and control, وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ ( and to Him is the return. ) In the end, the return will be to Allah and He will judge between His servants as He will, and He is the Most Just Who is never wrong in His judgment.

The Polytheism and Disbelief of the Christians Allah states that the Christians are disbelievers because of their claim that `Isa, son of Maryam, one of Allah's servants and creatures, is Allah.
Allah is holier than what they attribute to Him.
Allah then reminds them of His perfect ability over everything and that everything is under His complete control and power, قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً إِنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُهْلِكَ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعاً ( Say: "Who then has the least power against Allah, if He were to destroy the Messiah, son of Maryam, his mother, and all those who are on the earth together" ) Therefore, if Allah wills to do that, who would be able to stop Him or prevent Him from doing it Allah then said, وَللَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ( And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them.
He creates what He wills. ) All things in existence are Allah's property and creation and He is able to do everything.
He is never asked about what He does with His power, domain, justice and greatness so this refutes the Christian creed, may Allah's continued curses be upon them until the Day of Resurrection. Refuting the People of the Book's Claim that they are Allah's Children Allah then refutes the Christians' and Jews' false claims and lies, وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَـرَى نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ اللَّهِ وَأَحِبَّاؤُهُ ( And the Jews and the Christians say, "We are the children of Allah and His loved ones." ) They claim: "We are the followers of Allah's Prophets, who are His children, whom He takes care of.
He also loves us." The People of the Book claim in their Book that Allah said to His servant Isra'il, "You are my firstborn." But they explained this statement in an improper manner and altered its meaning.
Some of the People of the Book who later became Muslims refuted this false statement saying, "This statement only indicates honor and respect, as is common in their speech at that time." The Christians claim that `Isa said to them, "I will go back to my father and your father," meaning, my Lord and your Lord.
It is a fact that the Christians did not claim that they too are Allah's sons as they claimed about `Isa.
Rather this statement by `Isa only meant to indicate a closeness with Allah.
This is why when they said that they are Allah's children and loved ones, Allah refuted their claim, قُلْ فَلِمَ يُعَذِّبُكُم بِذُنُوبِكُم ( Say, "Why then does He punish you for your sins" ) meaning, if you were truly as you claim, Allah's children and loved ones, then why did He prepare the Fire because of your disbelief, lies and false claims بَلْ أَنتُمْ بَشَرٌ مِمَّنْ خَلَقَ ( Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created, ) Allah states: you are just like the rest of the children of Adam, and Allah is the Lord of all His creation, يَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ ( He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. ) Allah does what He wills, there is none who can escape His judgement, and He is swift in reckoning. وَللَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ( And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them; ) Therefore, everything is Allah's property and under His power and control, وَإِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ ( and to Him is the return. ) In the end, the return will be to Allah and He will judge between His servants as He will, and He is the Most Just Who is never wrong in His judgment.

( The Jews ) the Jews of Medina ( and Christians ) the Christians of Najran ( say: We are sons of Allah ) we are the sons and prophets of Allah ( and His loved ones ) who follow His religion; it is also said that this means: we follow Allah’s religion as if we were His sons and loved ones; and it is said that this means: we are to Allah like His sons and we are followers of His religion. ( Say ) to the Jews, O Muhammad; ( Why then doth He chastise you for your sins ) due to worshipping the calf for 40 days, if you are like sons to Him; have you ever seen a father torturing his sons with fire? ( Nay, ye are but mortals ) created servants ( of His creating ) like all His other created beings. ( He forgiveth whom He will ) whoever repents of Judaism and Christianity, ( and chastiseth whom He will ) whoever dies professing Judaism or Christianity. ( Allah’s is the Sovereignty ) the stores ( of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them ) of created beings and marvels, ( and unto Him is the journeying ) returning to Him is the end result of those who believe and those who do not.

And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are the children of Allah and His loved ones." Say: "Why then does He punish you for your sins?" Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and to Him is the return (of all).

Page 111 English transliteration