Surah Zumar ayat 4 Tafsir Quran 39:4

﴿لَّوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا لَّاصْطَفَىٰ مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ سُبْحَانَهُ ۖ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ﴾
[ الزمر: 4]

39:4 If Allah had intended to take a son, He could have chosen from what He creates whatever He willed. Exalted is He; He is Allah, the One, the Prevailing.

Had God wanted to take a son — as they allege that He has ‘The Compassionate One has taken to Himself a son’ Q. 1988 He could have chosen from what He has created whatever He willed and taken it as a child instead of the angels whom they claim to be God’s daughters or their claim that ‘Ezra is the son of God’ or that ‘Jesus is the son of God’ cf. Q. 930. Glory be to Him in exaltation of Him as being above that He should take a child. He is God the One the All-Compelling over all His creatures.

Had Allah willed to beget, adopt or take a son He would have taken by preference as He willed the best out of those whom He Created. Glory be to Him, He is Allah, AL-Wahid (the Absolute), and AL-Qahhar (the Irresistible)

Which was revealed in Makkah The Virtues of Surat Az-Zumar An-Nasa'i recorded that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to fast until we would say, `He does not want to break fast,' and he would not fast until we would say, `He does not want to fast.' And he used to recite Bani Isra'il Al-Isra' and Az-Zumar every night." بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Order for Tawhid and the Refutation of Shirk Allah tells us that the revelation of this Book, which is the magnificent Qur'an, is from Him, and is truth in which there is no doubt whatsoever.
This is like the Ayat: وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الاٌّمِينُ - عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ - بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِىٍّ مُّبِينٍ ( And truly, this is a revelation from the Lord of the creatures, which the trustworthy Ruh (Jibril ) has brought down upon your heart that you may be ( one ) of the warners, in the plain Arabic language.) ( 26:192-195 ) إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِالذِّكْرِ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ وَإِنَّهُ لَكِتَـبٌ عَزِيزٌ - لاَّ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَـطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ ( And verily, it is a mighty Book.
Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is ) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) ( 40: 41,42 ) And Allah says here: تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَـبِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ ( The revelation of this Book is from Allah, the Almighty, ) meaning, the Almighty, All-Powerful. الْحَكِيمُ ( the All-Wise. ) meaning, in all that He says, does, legislates and decrees. إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصاً لَّهُ الدِّينِ ( Verily, We have sent down the Book to you in truth.
So, worship Allah by doing religious deeds sincerely for Him only. ) means, so worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and call mankind to that, and teach them that it is not right to worship anyone or anything except Him Alone, and He has no partner, equal or rival.
Allah says: أَلاَ لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ ( Surely, the religion is for Allah only. ) meaning, He will not accept any deed unless it is done purely and sincerely for Him Alone, with no partner or associate.
Then Allah tells us that the idolators say: مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى ( We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah. ) meaning what motivates them to worship them is the fact that they made their idols in the image of the angels -- or so they claim -- and when they worship those images it is like worshipping the angels, so that they will intercede with Allah for them to help and give them provision and other worldly needs.
As far as the resurrection is concerned, they denied it and did not believe in it.
Qatadah, As-Suddi and Malik said, narrating from Zayd bin Aslam and Ibn Zayd: إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى ( only that they may bring us near to Allah.
) means, "So that they may intercede for us and bring us closer to Him." During Jahiliyyah, they used to recite the following for their Talbiyah when they performed Hajj; "At Your service, You have no partner except the partner You have; he and all that he owns belong to You." This pretentious argument which the idolators of all times, ancient and modern, used as evidence is what the Messengers, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them all, came to refute and forbid, and to call people to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate.
This is something that the idolators themselves invented; Allah did not give them permission for it, nor does He approve of it; indeed, He hates it and forbids it. وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ ( And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming ): "Worship Allah, and avoid Taghut.") ( 16:36 ) وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ ( And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying ): "None has the right to be worshipped but I ( Allah ), so worship Me.") ( 21:25 ) And Allah tells us that the angels in the heavens, those who are close to Him and others, are all servants who submit humbly to Allah.
They do not intercede with Him except by His leave for the one with whom He is pleased.
They are not like the princes and ministers of their ( the idolators' ) kings who intercede with them without their permission for both those whom the kings like and those whom they hate. فَلاَ تَضْرِبُواْ لِلَّهِ الاٌّمْثَالَ ( So put not forward similitudes for Allah ) ( 16:74 ).
Exalted be Allah far above that. إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ ( Verily, Allah will judge between them ) means, on the Day of Resurrection, فِى مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ( concerning that wherein they differ. ) means, He will judge between His creation on the Day of Resurrection and will reward or punish each person according to his deeds. وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَـئِكَةِ أَهَـؤُلاَءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَ - قَالُواْ سُبْحَـنَكَ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا مِن دُونِهِمْ بَلْ كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَ الْجِنَّ أَكْـثَرُهُم بِهِم مُّؤْمِنُونَ ( And (remember ) the Day when He will gather them all together, then He will say to the angels: "Was it you that these people used to worship" They ( the angels ) will say: "Glorified be You! You are our Wali ( Lord ) instead of them.
Nay, but they used to worship the Jinn; most of them were believers in them.") ( 34:40-41 ) إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ كَـذِبٌ كَـفَّارٌ ( Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever. ) means, He will not show true guidance to one who deliberately tells lies about Allah and whose heart rejects the signs and proof of Allah.
Then Allah states that He does not have any offspring, as the ignorant idolators claim the angels to be, and as the stubborn Jews and Christians claim `Uzayr and `Isa to be.
Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, says: لَّوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَداً لاَّصْطَفَى مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ( Had Allah willed to take a son (or offspring ), He could have chosen whom He willed out of those whom He created.) meaning, the matter would not have been as they claim.
This is a conditional sentence which does not imply that this happened or that it is permitted; indeed, it is impossible.
The aim is only to point out the ignorance of their claims.
It is like the Ayat: لَوْ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْواً لاَّتَّخَذْنَـهُ مِن لَّدُنَّآ إِن كُنَّا فَـعِلِينَ ( Had We intended to take a pastime, We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that ).) ( 21:17 ) قُلْ إِن كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْعَـبِدِينَ ( Say: "If the Most Gracious had a son, then I am the first of worshippers." ) ( 43:81 ) All of these Ayat are conditional, and it is permissible to form a conditional sentence referring to something that is impossible if it serves the purposes of the speaker. سُبْحَـنَهُ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْوَحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ ( But glory be to Him! He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible. ) means, exalted and sanctified be He above the idea that He could have any offspring, for He is the One, the Only, the Unique, the Self-Sufficient Master to Whom everything is enslaved and is in need of.
He is the One Who is independent of all else, Who has subjugated all things and they submit humbly to Him.
Blessed and exalted be He far above what the wrongdoers and deniers say.

(39:4) If Allah had wanted to take to Himself a son, He could have chosen anyone He wanted out of those whom He creates. *8 Glory be to Him (that He should have a son). He is Allah: the One, the Overpowering. *9

If Allah had intended to take a meaning

*8) That is, " It is just impossible that Allah should havc begotten a son.
The only possibility is that Allah should choose someone for Himself; and whomever He chooses will inevitably be from among the creatures, for everything in the world, apart from Allah, is His creation.
Now, evidently, however exalted and chosen a creature might be, it cannot havc the position of the offspring.
For between the Creator and the created there exists a great disparity of nature and essence and character, and parenthood necessarily demands that there should be the unity of nature and essence between a father and his offspring. " Besides, one should also bear in mind the point that the words: " Had Allah willed to take a son, He would...... " themselves give the meaning that Allah has never willed so.
Here the object is to impress that not to speak of taking a son, Allah has never even willed so.

*9) The following are the arguments by which the doctrine of parenthood has been refuted: First, that Allah is free from every defect and fault and weakness.
Obviously, children are nee ded by the one who is defective and weak; the one who is mortal stands in need of them, so that his progeny should continue to live after him in the world.
Likewise, he who adopts a son does so either because he feels the need of having an heir, being childless himself, or he adopts a son being overpowered by love of somebody.
Attributing such human weaknesses to Allah and forming religious creeds on their basis is nothing but ignorance and shortsightedness.
The second argument is that Allah in His essence and Being is unique: He is not a member of a species, whereas, evidently, offspring must necessarily belong to a species.
Furthermore, there can be no concept of offspring without marriage, and marriage can take place only between homogeneous individuals.
Therefore, the one who proposes offspring for the Unique and Matchless Being like Allah, is ignorant and foolish: The third argument is that Allah is Omnipotent, i.e.
whatever is there in the world is subdued to Him and is held in His powerful grasp.
No one in this Universe has any resemblance with Him in any way or degree on account of which it may be imagined that he has some relation with Allah.

 

Which was revealed in Makkah The Virtues of Surat Az-Zumar An-Nasa'i recorded that `A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to fast until we would say, `He does not want to break fast,' and he would not fast until we would say, `He does not want to fast.' And he used to recite Bani Isra'il Al-Isra' and Az-Zumar every night." بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The Order for Tawhid and the Refutation of Shirk Allah tells us that the revelation of this Book, which is the magnificent Qur'an, is from Him, and is truth in which there is no doubt whatsoever.
This is like the Ayat: وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الاٌّمِينُ - عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنْذِرِينَ - بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِىٍّ مُّبِينٍ ( And truly, this is a revelation from the Lord of the creatures, which the trustworthy Ruh (Jibril ) has brought down upon your heart that you may be ( one ) of the warners, in the plain Arabic language.) ( 26:192-195 ) إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِالذِّكْرِ لَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ وَإِنَّهُ لَكِتَـبٌ عَزِيزٌ - لاَّ يَأْتِيهِ الْبَـطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلاَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ ( And verily, it is a mighty Book.
Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or behind it, (it is ) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise.) ( 40: 41,42 ) And Allah says here: تَنزِيلُ الْكِتَـبِ مِنَ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ ( The revelation of this Book is from Allah, the Almighty, ) meaning, the Almighty, All-Powerful. الْحَكِيمُ ( the All-Wise. ) meaning, in all that He says, does, legislates and decrees. إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَـبَ بِالْحَقِّ فَاعْبُدِ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصاً لَّهُ الدِّينِ ( Verily, We have sent down the Book to you in truth.
So, worship Allah by doing religious deeds sincerely for Him only. ) means, so worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate, and call mankind to that, and teach them that it is not right to worship anyone or anything except Him Alone, and He has no partner, equal or rival.
Allah says: أَلاَ لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ ( Surely, the religion is for Allah only. ) meaning, He will not accept any deed unless it is done purely and sincerely for Him Alone, with no partner or associate.
Then Allah tells us that the idolators say: مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى ( We worship them only that they may bring us near to Allah. ) meaning what motivates them to worship them is the fact that they made their idols in the image of the angels -- or so they claim -- and when they worship those images it is like worshipping the angels, so that they will intercede with Allah for them to help and give them provision and other worldly needs.
As far as the resurrection is concerned, they denied it and did not believe in it.
Qatadah, As-Suddi and Malik said, narrating from Zayd bin Aslam and Ibn Zayd: إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى ( only that they may bring us near to Allah.
) means, "So that they may intercede for us and bring us closer to Him." During Jahiliyyah, they used to recite the following for their Talbiyah when they performed Hajj; "At Your service, You have no partner except the partner You have; he and all that he owns belong to You." This pretentious argument which the idolators of all times, ancient and modern, used as evidence is what the Messengers, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them all, came to refute and forbid, and to call people to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate.
This is something that the idolators themselves invented; Allah did not give them permission for it, nor does He approve of it; indeed, He hates it and forbids it. وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولاً أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الْطَّـغُوتَ ( And verily, We have sent among every Ummah a Messenger (proclaiming ): "Worship Allah, and avoid Taghut.") ( 16:36 ) وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ نُوحِى إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنَاْ فَاعْبُدُونِ ( And We did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (saying ): "None has the right to be worshipped but I ( Allah ), so worship Me.") ( 21:25 ) And Allah tells us that the angels in the heavens, those who are close to Him and others, are all servants who submit humbly to Allah.
They do not intercede with Him except by His leave for the one with whom He is pleased.
They are not like the princes and ministers of their ( the idolators' ) kings who intercede with them without their permission for both those whom the kings like and those whom they hate. فَلاَ تَضْرِبُواْ لِلَّهِ الاٌّمْثَالَ ( So put not forward similitudes for Allah ) ( 16:74 ).
Exalted be Allah far above that. إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ ( Verily, Allah will judge between them ) means, on the Day of Resurrection, فِى مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ( concerning that wherein they differ. ) means, He will judge between His creation on the Day of Resurrection and will reward or punish each person according to his deeds. وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ جَمِيعاً ثُمَّ يَقُولُ لِلْمَلَـئِكَةِ أَهَـؤُلاَءِ إِيَّاكُمْ كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَ - قَالُواْ سُبْحَـنَكَ أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا مِن دُونِهِمْ بَلْ كَانُواْ يَعْبُدُونَ الْجِنَّ أَكْـثَرُهُم بِهِم مُّؤْمِنُونَ ( And (remember ) the Day when He will gather them all together, then He will say to the angels: "Was it you that these people used to worship" They ( the angels ) will say: "Glorified be You! You are our Wali ( Lord ) instead of them.
Nay, but they used to worship the Jinn; most of them were believers in them.") ( 34:40-41 ) إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى مَنْ هُوَ كَـذِبٌ كَـفَّارٌ ( Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever. ) means, He will not show true guidance to one who deliberately tells lies about Allah and whose heart rejects the signs and proof of Allah.
Then Allah states that He does not have any offspring, as the ignorant idolators claim the angels to be, and as the stubborn Jews and Christians claim `Uzayr and `Isa to be.
Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, says: لَّوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَداً لاَّصْطَفَى مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ( Had Allah willed to take a son (or offspring ), He could have chosen whom He willed out of those whom He created.) meaning, the matter would not have been as they claim.
This is a conditional sentence which does not imply that this happened or that it is permitted; indeed, it is impossible.
The aim is only to point out the ignorance of their claims.
It is like the Ayat: لَوْ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْواً لاَّتَّخَذْنَـهُ مِن لَّدُنَّآ إِن كُنَّا فَـعِلِينَ ( Had We intended to take a pastime, We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that ).) ( 21:17 ) قُلْ إِن كَانَ لِلرَّحْمَـنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْعَـبِدِينَ ( Say: "If the Most Gracious had a son, then I am the first of worshippers." ) ( 43:81 ) All of these Ayat are conditional, and it is permissible to form a conditional sentence referring to something that is impossible if it serves the purposes of the speaker. سُبْحَـنَهُ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْوَحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ ( But glory be to Him! He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible. ) means, exalted and sanctified be He above the idea that He could have any offspring, for He is the One, the Only, the Unique, the Self-Sufficient Master to Whom everything is enslaved and is in need of.
He is the One Who is independent of all else, Who has subjugated all things and they submit humbly to Him.
Blessed and exalted be He far above what the wrongdoers and deniers say.

( If Allah had willed to choose a son ) from among the angels or human beings as claimed the Jews, Christians and the Banu Malih, ( He could have chosen what he would of that which He hath created ) in Paradise; and it is said: from among the angels. ( Be He glorified! ) Allah exonerated Himself. ( He is Allah, the One ) He has no son or partner, ( the Absolute ) the All-Conquering over His creation.

Had Allah willed to take a son (or offspring or children), He could have chosen whom He pleased out of those whom He created. But glory be to Him! (He is above such things). He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible.

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