Towards Understanding the Quran
With kind permission of Islamic Foundation UK
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Tafsirs: Maarif | Dawat | Ishraq | Clear
Surah As-Saffat 37:150-159   Chapters ↕   Word for Word
Verses [Section]: 1-21[1], 22-74 [2], 75-113 [3], 114-138 [4], 139-182 [5]
اَمْOrخَلَقْنَاdid We createالْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةَthe Angelsاِنَاثًاfemalesوَّ هُمْwhile theyشٰهِدُوْنَ (were) witnesses اَلَاۤNo doubtاِنَّهُمْindeed theyمِّنْofاِفْكِهِمْtheir falsehoodلَیَقُوْلُوْنَۙ[they] say وَلَدَAllah has begottenاللّٰهُ ۙAllah has begottenوَ اِنَّهُمْand indeed, theyلَكٰذِبُوْنَ surely (are) liars اَصْطَفَیHas He chosenالْبَنَاتِ[the] daughtersعَلَیoverالْبَنِیْنَؕsons 37. As-Saffat Page 452مَاWhat is with youلَكُمْ ۫What is with youكَیْفَHowتَحْكُمُوْنَ you judge اَفَلَاThen will notتَذَكَّرُوْنَۚyou pay heed اَمْOrلَكُمْ(is) for youسُلْطٰنٌan authorityمُّبِیْنٌۙclear فَاْتُوْاThen bringبِكِتٰبِكُمْyour bookاِنْifكُنْتُمْyou areصٰدِقِیْنَ truthful وَ جَعَلُوْاAnd they have madeبَیْنَهٗbetween Himوَ بَیْنَand betweenالْجِنَّةِthe jinnنَسَبًا ؕa relationshipوَ لَقَدْbut certainlyعَلِمَتِknowالْجِنَّةُthe jinnاِنَّهُمْthat theyلَمُحْضَرُوْنَۙ(will) surely be brought سُبْحٰنَGlory beاللّٰهِ(to) Allahعَمَّاabove whatیَصِفُوْنَۙthey attribute

Translation

(37:150) Did We create the angels as females the while they witnessed?”

(37:151) Behold, it is one of their fabrications that they say:

(37:152) “Allah has begotten.” They are liars!

(37:153) Did He choose daughters rather than sons?

(37:154) What is the matter with you that you make such strange judgements?

(37:155) Will you then not take heed?

(37:156) Do you have any clear authority for such claims?

(37:157) Bring your Book, if you are truthful.88

(37:158) They have established a kinship between Allah and the angels;89 and the angels know well that these people will be arraigned (as culprits).

(37:159) (They say): “Exalted be Allah above what they attribute to Him,

Commentary

88. There could evidently be no more than two grounds for considering the angels tc be God’s daughters. The first of these could be observation.

Alternatively, it could have a scriptural basis. In other words, there should be a statement on God’s authority that the angels are His daughters. The unbelievers, however, cannot substantiate their claim on either of these two grounds. It was the height of their ignorance and folly that they entertained a baseless notion as an article of faith. They attributed to God what was patently ridiculous and outrageous.

89. The Qur’an. employs the word jinn. Some leading Qur’anic scholars, however, contend that the word jinn have been used here in the literal meaning, of ‘hidden creatures’, thereby signifying angels since the angels are essentially hidden creatures. The text that follows also corroborates that the word has been used here to denote angels.